With 6,000 attendees, including physicians, clinicians, nurses, geriatricians, molecular biologists and psychologists, the Alzheimer’s Association International Convention (AAIC) unites the top combatants against Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, to generate a cohesive and productive dialogue combining basic science with public policy, research for possible cures and interventions with psycho-social research. And as a lead player in that conversation, The Roskamp Institute in Sarasota, a nonprofit organization that serves as a global leader in better understanding and treating diseases of the mind in its state-of-the-art lab, sent three members of its staff to present at the recent AAIC convention in Los Angeles. 

Charis Ringland, an Associate Researcher and PhD Student at The Roskamp Institute, presented her ongoing project, detailing her research on matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), an increased enzyme in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, and how it interacts with the apolipoprotein E (APOE) protein. The APOE gene responsible for making this protein is a major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and after conducting lab work with Alzheimer’s mouse models, analyzing behavior and cognitive function, Ringland’s work will provide insight into potential treatments for the human disease. 

“We need to expand our horizons,” says Dr. Laila Abdullah, Senior Scientist and Director of Lipid Projects, who was part of the original team researching Alzheimer’s disease at Roskamp. “Attending these meetings (like the AAIC) are an important part of the communication process, of communal growth.” Focusing on the brain’s need for energy utilization, Abdullah measures lipids that are broken down in the mitochondria (powerhouse of our cells), she says, finding that brain energy related to lipid utilization is disrupted early in Alzheimer's disease processes, ultimately better understanding and altering treatments for the future. 

“None of these diseases are about one person alone,” says Dr. Cheryl Brandi, the first Nurse Practitioner at The Roskamp Institute, who emphasized the critical importance of the psycho-social perspective at the AAIC. With a grant from Designing Daughters of Sarasota, Brandi conducted qualitative research on caregivers and their perceptions of support in Manatee and Sarasota counties, realizing a lack of awareness, even in the medical community, when it comes to appropriate treatment and support for those afflicted and their caregivers, as well as a need for ongoing education about brain diseases. That is where the AAIC plays its most advantageous role, providing a platform “to work and network and bridge ideas internationally” to make breakthroughs in the Alzheimer’s arena, according to Brandi. 

“Each of us in our own way is very passionate about the work that we do in eradicating brain diseases. That is why AAIC was so inspirational for all of us as we go about our own unique ways of making a difference... We three are such great examples of the diversity of research endeavors in the quest for more information on Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias.” 

The Roskamp Institute

If you had a yard when you were growing up, nature was probably your playground. Laying in the grass looking up at the clouds or the stars, climbing trees, listening to birds…maybe even making a rocket ship out of an old refrigerator box!

You and the kids in your life can do that again – and without having to worry about the weather! In early fall The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature opens the Mosaic Backyard Universe, a new permanent exhibition especially for kids 2 to 8 years old.

Thanks to an early leadership gift from The Mosaic Company Foundation, The Bishop is building a place where kids can explore and learn, encouraging them to experience the world around them in a place many first start learning about science and nature – the backyard.

A 30-foot-tall Mighty Oak Tree helps kids learn about tree-dwelling animals, while an ADA-accessible lift ensures everyone can enjoy the view from the Tree House-Platform. From the platform, a telescope allows a close-up view of the model of the solar system hanging from the ceiling. A Dig Pit is stocked with fossils for little hands to uncover, and live turtles inhabit a freshwater Pond just a few feet away. And that cardboard rocket from your youth got an upgrade, with short videos playing inside that provide adventures for growing minds.

At The Bishop, our backyard is your backyard. Come on over for a visit when the Mosaic Backyard Universe opens in the fall! 

The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature

This week, shop and support the Dream Harbor Boutique—featuring original art, jewelry and accessories, all handcrafted by the girls of nonprofit youth organization Girls Inc. Sarasota. This boutique inside The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime is one of the summer education programs to light the path for young girls 5-18 to be  smart, self-confident, responsible and well-rounded individuals through a fun and educational avenue. Check out the adorable goods and meet the girls at their Dream Harbor Boutique, Thursday, Aug. 1 and Friday, Aug. 2, 10am-3pm.  

Photos courtesy of The Bazaar, 821 Apricot Ave., Sarasota.

Forty Carrots Family Center has been awarded an $18,000 grant from the Allen Wirtz Nobbe and Jo Bowen Nobbe Fund at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to expand its Partners in Play® (PIP) parenting education with weekly groups at Tuttle Elementary School. The generous grant builds on Forty Carrots’ current partnership with Tuttle Elementary by offering parenting education in addition to mental health services to children and families. PIP parenting education groups foster positive parent-child relationships that are a proven vital factor in mitigating the negative impact of stressors like poverty or homelessness on children’s mental health and subsequent school success.  

Saturday, August 17, 9 am-7pm, the community is invited to join the party and ribbon cutting for a day of shopping, fashion, food and fun, planned to celebrate nonprofit home improvement store Manatee Habitat ReStore and its one-year anniversary at the new location in central Bradenton.

The day’s highlights include a vintage fashion show presented by fashion builder and business coach Robin Weller, DIY demonstrations presented by local artists and DIY home specialists, fee hot dogs and snow cones, a kids craft table to create blessing bags for families in need, a bounce house and Sweet Doctors cupcakes. Visitors will also have an opportunity to register for a free family room flip, courtesy of ReStore manager Karen McElroy who will makeover the winner’s family room with hand-selected items from the store. 

The School District of Manatee County has been named to the Forbes list of Best-in-State Employers for 2019. Forbes partnered with market research company Statista to compile the first-ever ranking of employers by state. The District remains the largest employer in Manatee County with approximately 7,000 employees, and is ranked No. 173 on the list. It is also the only employer based in Bradenton, Florida to be ranked. The survey is based on a vast sample of more than 80,000 U.S. employees working for companies employing at least 500 people. 

U.S. News & World Report spotlighted Sarasota Memorial Hospital among 57 “standout” hospitals with strong ratings in all nine procedures and conditions it evaluated in this year’s “Best Hospitals” study. As part of its annual report, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 hospitals for their handling of 9 surgical procedures and chronic conditions: colon cancer surgery, lung cancer surgery, COPD, heart failure, heart bypass surgery, aortic valve surgery, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, knee replacement and hip replacement. Barely 1% of those hospitals – just 57 including SMH – got that top rating in all nine. The results earned SMH the national spotlight as a “standout” hospital and the No. 1 “Best Regional Hospital” in the Sarasota-Bradenton-North Port metropolitan area. The ratings are designed to help patients and health care consumers make informed decisions about where to receive care for specific medical needs.  

DiVosta will soon expand their Sarasota County presence with their new Talon Preserve neighborhood in the sought-after Palmer Ranch community. DiVosta’s Talon Preserve will showcase desirable lake- and preserve-view homes paired with vacation-style living and resort-style amenities, with approximately 926 homesites. DiVosta will offer a wide selection of some of their most popular open-concept single family and attached villa home designs. Talon Preserve on Palmer Ranch will feature miles of sidewalks throughout the community, along with 62 acres of lakes and 110 acres of nature preserves. Model homes are set to begin construction by January 2020.

Talon Preserve on Palmer Ranch is located in Nokomis off Honore Avenue.