Wednesday, July 10, 2002

Diet, Genes, and Heart Disease with Dr. Ronald M. Krauss

Heart disease remains the number one cause of death and disability in the United States. To reduce their risk, many Americans, especially those over 50, have turned to diets aimed at lowering LDL cholesterol levels. While the effects of such dietary changes are beneficial to the population at large, these effects can vary widely among individuals depending upon their genetic and metabolic profiles. What this means is, that for some of us, an extreme low fat/high carbohydrate diet can actually increase the risk of heart disease.

At our next NCSWA dinner, we'll here an explanation of the complex interactions between diet and genes that can lead to heart disease by Dr. Ronald M. Krauss, M.D. Krauss is one of nation's foremost researchers in the field. He heads the Department of Molecular Medicine at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and is Adjunct Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, at the University of California at Berkeley.

When: 6 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, July 10, 2002

Where: Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI), 5700 Martin Luther King Jr Way (between 58th St. and Aileen St.)Oakland

CHORI, an institute founded in 1958, is now home to more than 200 basic and clinical researchers. Affiliated with Children's Hospital Oakland, it is housed a few blocks away in a restored historic building at Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza in Oakland. With an annual budget of $33 million, CHORI researchers target primarily pediatric diseases, but also cancer, cardiovascular disease and aging. The newest research initiative within CHORI is the Center for Nutrition and Genomics, scheduled to open in July. Headed by UC Berkeley biochemist Bruce Ames, it will be devoted to the study of how genes and nutrients interact to affect health. Krauss is one of the researchers to be housed in the new CHORI center.

Dinner Menu:
BBQ skewers (choice of two per person):
Cilantro Lime Chicken
East/West BBQ Pork
Portobello Mushrooms
Blackened Gulf Prawns

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Citrus Cous Cous
Spinach Salad
Baby Green Salad

House made Cookies
Sodas and Bottled Water

Complimentary glass of wine or beer provided by NCSWA.

Schedule:
6-7 pm: No-host bar
7-8 pm: Dinner
8-9 pm: Krauss talks about diet, genes and heart disease

Make your reservations now! We need a head count by Friday, July 5! Send a check (made out to NCSWA) for $20 per person ($15 for students) to:

Bob Sanders
1512 Holly St.
Berkeley CA 94703

NCSWA is subsidizing some costs of the dinner to encourage members to attend.

How to get there: if you are driving from San Francisco, take I-580 East from the Bay Bridge to Highway 24 East. Keep right at the fork in the ramp to 24. The right fork is the Martin Luther King Jr Way exit. Stay to the left of the exit ramp. Merge onto Martin Luther King Jr Way.

If coming by car from route I-80 or I-880, take I-580 East to Hwy. 24, exiting at MLK Jr Way as above.

Drive on MLK past Children's Hospital 5 or 6 blocks to 58th St., turn right and then right again into the gated parking lot behind the large pink building. The gate should be open, but if not, press the buzzer and the attendant will open the gate. Park in the Senior Center lot and come in through the main entrance in the middle of the building in the back (not the senior center entrance). The NCSWA meeting is in the library.

For those interested in using mass transit, bus 15 goes from University and Shattuck Aves. in Berkeley to MLK Jr Way and passes right by the building. A map is linked from the CHORI Web site.

CARPOOLING:

For those interested in carpooling to the dinner, Karen Street again will play transportation matchmaker, matching up those of you wanting a ride with those who are driving.

Contact her at kmstreet1@attbi.com. She will mail out information as she receives it. Many thanks to all those who have offered rides in the past, enabling people to attend.