Media Contact:
Sandra Van
1-800-396-1002
[email protected]
LOS ANGELES (March 29, 1999) -- More than 120 students from Los Angeles Unified School District have been invited to spend four hours with renowned neurosurgeon Keith L. Black, M.D., and other members of the research and patient care teams at the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 14, seventh- and eighth-grade students will peer through microscopes, gaze at computer screens and slip into surgical garb to get a taste of life as a surgeon or scientist. They will discover what is involved in preparing tissue samples for examination and see how rehabilitation specialists help patients relearn skills following brain injury.
While this is the second consecutive year the program, called Brainworks, has been offered, the upcoming event will provide many more hands-on experiences than before. In addition, students will hear first-hand accounts of the challenges and rewards of science, presented by surgeons, pathologists, researchers and nurses.
Dr. Black, who directs the Institute, the medical centerÃs Division of Neurosurgery, and the Comprehensive Brain Tumor Program, said he hopes Brainworks will spark scientific interest in students who might not have the opportunities he had in his youth. His father, for example, encouraged a passion for knowledge and instilled a sense of confidence. When Keith was in eighth grade, he started visiting the labs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
ìOne of the things I enjoyed most when I was a young student was getting a chance to hang around research laboratories. It was very exciting, very stimulating,î he said. ìBrainworks came about because we want to expose as many young minds as we can to how exciting science is, and especially how fascinating the brain is.î
Dr. Black, who makes a point of getting involved in activities with students in the community, said Brainworks allows students to meet physicians, become acquainted with medical facilities, and find out about research that is currently underway. He and the other planners hope the program will provide motivation and encouragement for students to stay in school, pursue higher education, and consider the possibilities of a career in medicine.
Students will be able to have their pictures taken with Dr. Black, one of the worldÃs top brain surgeons who has committed his surgical skills and scientific mind to waging an all-out battle against brain tumors. Although the Institute was founded less than two years ago, researchers have already built a reputation for discovering new information about brain tumors and the immune system, and have devised innovative approaches to combating cancer.
Teachers from the schools are selecting students based on interest and excellence in science. Although the exact number is yet to be finalized, students from Dana Middle School in San Pedro, Lawrence Middle School in Chatsworth, Nobel Middle School in Northridge, Virgil Middle School in Los Angeles, and Wilmington Middle School in Wilmington will participate. The Institute is covering the costs of the program.
For more information on the Cedars-Sinai Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute or on Brain Trust, please call 310-855-7900.
# # #
To arrange a media interview, please call 1-800-396-1002. (Please do not publish this number in stories.)
RSS