September 8, 2011

DeBaun kicks off Discovery Lectures

DeBaun kicks off Discovery Lectures

Sickle cell expert Michael DeBaun, M.D., MPH, will kick off the 2011- 2012 Discovery Lecture series with: “Discovery at the Bedside: The Intersection Between Asthma and Sickle Cell Disease.”

Michael DeBaun, M.D., MPH

Michael DeBaun, M.D., MPH

His talk will be held at 4 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 15, in 208 Light Hall.

DeBaun came to Vanderbilt in 2010 as the vice chair for Clinical Research in the Department of Pediatrics. His research focuses on defining the impact and biological reasons asthma increases sickle cell disease (SCD) morbidity and mortality.

DeBaun is leading a project to develop the first longitudinal cohort of children with sickle cell anemia who have been evaluated with repeated pulmonary function tests and sleep studies.

DeBaun, who was elected to the Institute of Medicine in 2009, is also the J.C. Peterson, M.D., Chair in Pediatric Pulmonology and the director of the Vanderbilt-Meharry Center for Sickle Cell Disease.

The lecture is sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and the Office for Diversity in Medical Education.