Dean Wynne to present at UND’s Faculty Lecture Series Wednesday, Sept. 26

Next week, SMHS Dean Joshua Wynne, MD, MBA, MPH, will present a talk titled “From Throat Ache to Heartache – A Tale of Rheumatic Fever Through Time and Across Continents” as part of UND’s 2018-19 Faculty Lecture series.

Left untreated, the bacteria that causes strep throat can result in rheumatic fever—which can damage heart valves, leading to the need for heart surgery. Although antibiotics have all but eliminated rheumatic fever in developed countries, the condition remains widespread elsewhere in the world. But a study by Dr. Wynne and his colleagues demonstrated that a balloon device similar to one used in angioplasty is just as effective as surgery at opening narrow heart valves in patients with heart damage caused by rheumatic fever. Plus—it’s cheaper, offers a shorter recovery period, and is typically safer.

Learn more about Dr. Wynne’s study, which also touches upon questions of justice, socioeconomics, and culture, in the Lecture Bowl of UND’s Memorial Union on Wednesday, Sept. 26. A reception will be held outside the Ballroom at 4 p.m. with the presentation beginning at 4:30 p.m.

The Faculty Lecture Series seeks to cultivate a stronger academic atmosphere on the University of North Dakota campus by showcasing the scholarly research of faculty selected across the disciplines. The Lectures aim to present with some depth and rigor the scholarly questions and goals of the individual faculty members. In presenting their scholarship, the lecturers will share the enthusiasm and dedication that sustains their creative efforts.