CHMPR Distinguished Lecturer Series

Stepping Away From the Edge of Illness

Dr. Ancha Baranova, George Mason University

4:30-5:30pm Thursday, 6 April 2017, UC 310, UMBC
3:30-4:30pm Reception, UC 310

The human body may be afflicted by a multitude of chronic diseases. In principle, any chronic ailment develops along with one or more of the four fundamental pathophysiological processes, namely Insulin Resistance, Systemic Inflammation, Metabolic Deficiency and Tissue/Organ Involution and Degeneration. All of these four fundamental processes are known harbingers of the aging process. Borders between health and disease are blurry, and typical diagnostic cut-offs are arbitrary and in the recent past were subjects for revision. Therefore, neither physicians nor patients should wait until clear signs of crossing the border between health and sickness manifest themselves. To the contrary, they must constantly at all times consciously apply their efforts to ensure the maintenance of proper body homeostasis. By doing so, they can best resist the metabolic derangement which defines an “aged” state. Optimally, for humans to remain healthy throughout inevitable process of aging, biochemical parameters must be monitored longitudinally and balanced with available means. For relatively healthy individuals, these means should be centered on non-pharmacological, predominantly nutritional and nutraceutical approaches. Accordingly, it is reasonably foreseeable that a novel “Health Integrator” profession is anticipated to emerge in order to support the growing need for life-long health maintenance.

Dr. Ancha Baranova is an Associate Professor in School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax VA. Dr. Baranova runs both experimental and computational research programs in highly interdisciplinary and collaborative field of Personalized Medicine. She is an expert in systems biology driven analysis of human metabolism, with an emphasis on diseases associated with the process of ageing. She is an author of more than 150 research papers, reviews and opinion pieces in the field of human systems biology.

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