Scott Matherly, MD, an expert on cirrhosis, liver transplantation and liver cancer, will be the first speaker in the 2015-2016 Suter Science Seminar series at Eastern Mennonite University.
Matherly will present a case study of a patient’s journey from cirrhosis to liver failure and finally liver transplantation. He speaks Friday, Sept. 11, at 4 p.m. in the Suter Science Center, Room 106.
Cirrhosis of the liver is a common condition affecting over 600,000 adults in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control. This illness can have devastating and often fatal consequences if left untreated. Liver transplantation represents the best method to cure cirrhosis and prevent its long term complications.
“Dr. Matherly’s seminar will provide an excellent introduction to this disease,” said Roman Miller, director of the MA in biomedicine program, co-sponsor of the lecture. “He is a nationally recognized authority on liver function and has had extensive experience in liver transplantation. Both students and the public should find this an hour well-spent, and good background for the Sept. 21 lecture about transplant ethics.”
The Sept. 21 seminar will be presented by Sigrid Fry-Revere, JD, PhD, an ethicist with the Washington Regional Transplant Community and author of “The Kidney Sellers: A Journey of Discovery in Iran.”
An assistant professor of medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University, Matherly is co-director of the gastroenterology and hepatology curriculum. He attended medical school at the University of South Carolina before completing residency in internal medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He finished his training with fellowships in both gastroenterology and transplant hepatology at Virginia Commonwealth University.
The 17 seminars—which are free and open to the public– cover a range of topics, from medicine and health care to conservation, biology, the philosophy of science and the intersection of faith and science. Most begin with refreshments and opportunities to meet the presenters.
Included as part of the lecture series are two research symposia for undergraduate students in the STEM programs, including a spring poster session.
Suter Science Seminar presentations are made possible by the sponsorship of the Daniel B. Suter Endowment in Biology and the co-sponsorship of supporting programs.