The latest in local research will be presented during UNT Health Science Center's 11th annual Research Appreciation Day Friday, April 4.

More than 150 student and faculty research projects will be presented, including research on Alzheimer's disease, vision disorders, cancer, public health, physical medicine and heart disease. The investigators will be on hand to share their research findings. The day-long event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the health science center at 817-735-5400.

This year, Lawrence W. Green, DrPH, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will give the keynote address. His presentation, "Lessons from the Greatest Public Health Achievements of the 20th Century and Emerging Problems of the 21st," will take place at noon in Luibel Hall in the Education and Administration Building.

At the CDC, Dr. Green is the director of the Office of Extramural Prevention Research and associate director for Prevention Research and Academic Partnerships. The Office of Extramural Prevention Research supports peer-reviewed research that develops, implements and evaluates public health prevention strategies. The program strives to identify proven prevention methods that can be applied in local communities, equipping front-line public health professionals with new, science-based tools.

In addition to his role at the CDC, Dr. Green is a visiting professor at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the Society for Public Health Education and recipient of the American Public Health Association's Distinguished Career Award and Award of Excellence.

Research Appreciation Day is an annual opportunity for health science center faculty, staff and students to share research results, explore potential joint research projects and enhance the community's awareness of the research conducted at the health science center.

More than 150 faculty and students have entered their research in this year's competition. Cash awards will be presented to the top student entries in both the poster and oral competitions. Clinical, basic science and public health entries will be judged separately.

Among the variety of work being presented April 4 are:

• Preventing debilitating eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration

• Studying the link between estrogen and Alzheimer's disease

• Using antioxidants to slow the aging process and improve memory

• Finding better cancer-fighting therapies

• Preventing scar tissue so that patients heal better after surgery

• Studying obesity in children and the resulting heightened risk for health problems

• Fighting infections by weakening bacteria's defenses

UNT Health Science Center is located at 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd. in Fort Worth's Cultural District. Free parking is available in the health science center's parking garage on Clifton Road, off Camp Bowie Boulevard.

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If you are with the media and need additional information or would like to arrange an interview, please contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at 817-735-2446.