@AHS OUT NOW

Further features from our newsletter:

AHS researcher hunts objective diagnosis for Parkinson's

Finding a biomarker that lets doctors screen for or track the progression of Parkinson's disease remains an elusive goal, but David Vaillancourt, PhD, assistant professor of kinesiology, has shown that a brain scanning technique offers promise.

Along with colleagues from UIC and Rush University, Vaillancourt used a type of MRI scan called diffusion tensor imaging on 28 subjects, half with early symptoms of Parkinson’s and the other half without. They found that Parkinson's patients have about half the number of dopamine-producing neurons in certain areas of the brain as those without the disease.

These findings appeared in the April 2009 issue of Neurology. Learn more about AHS' Motor Control and Movement Disorders Group.

Commencement 2009

The College of Applied Health Sciences' May 7 graduation ceremony was made even more special this year by the presence of the college's most high-profile commencement speaker in years: Illinois Army National Guard Major L. Tammy Duckworth.

Duckworth joined us for commencement at the UIC Forum just two weeks after being confirmed as President Barack Obama's assistant secretary of public and intergovernmental affairs for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Dean Toby Tate included a meaningful addition to the ceremony this year: the Pledge of Professional Conduct. The pledge was borrowed with permission from the School of Health Professions at the University of Texas Medical Branch, and that school's dean, Elizabeth Protas, was on hand to lead the graduates in the recitation. Protas emphasized the significance of the pledge by calling it a "pact with society."

Pledge of Professional Conduct
(Used with permission of the University of Texas Medical Branch)

"I pledge and commit myself to the ethical, responsible and diligent practice of my profession. I will respect and uphold the laws that govern my profession and adhere to its ethical principles.

"I pledge faithfully to honor the inherent dignity of all, to treat those who depend on my help with respect, consideration and appreciation for our diversities.

"I pledge always to protect the rights and confidentiality of those who seek my help, and to act only for their benefit.

"I pledge continually to strive to learn, to further my professional competence and to share my knowledge with those who seek it.

"I pledge always to serve to the best of my ability, to conduct myself with dignity, and to place service to humankind before personal or material gain.

"With honor and pride, I commit myself to my profession."

Photos from the event