March 17, 2021 (Huntsville, Ala.) – The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is teaming up with The Links, Inc, (Greater Huntsville Chapter) to host two virtual events March 23 and April 6 at 6:30pm to discuss how genes can impact your health, healthcare disparities, and how genetic testing and participation in genetic research have the potential to improve cancer outcomes for African Americans.
The Links is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.
“Greater Huntsville Chapter, The Links, Incorporated is committed to addressing concerns associated with health disparities in communities of color by providing advocacy, education and resources in the communities in which we live,” said Debbie Hyder, Chair of the Health and Human Services Facet of the Greater Huntsville Chapter, The Links. “We are pleased to collaborate with HudsonAlpha to share information about current developments in genetic testing that may result in the elimination of chronic diseases.”
Attendees will hear from:
-Dr. Debbie Redmond-Hyder, Pediatrics of Providence
-Richele Jordan-Davis, Diverse Strategy, Inc.
-Dr. Sara Cooper, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
-Veronica Greve, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
“African Americans have the highest mortality rate of any racial and ethnic group for most cancers,” said Sara Cooper, PhD, HudsonAlpha faculty investigator and faculty lead for the Information is Power initiative. “At this event, we’ll explain how genetic testing can be a helpful tool for early detection of cancers like breast and ovarian cancer.”
Part two will discuss the Information is Power initiative, a program launched by HudsonAlpha in 2015 that provides free and reduced cost genetic cancer risk testing to men and women in North Alabama. Speakers will also continue the discussion of healthcare disparities, genetic testing, and concerns surrounding participation in genetics research.
The virtual events are free and open to the public. Part one will take place March 23 at 6:30pm and part two will take place April 6 at 6:30pm. Click here to register for part one and here to register for part two.
To learn more about Information is Power, visit https://hudsonalpha.org/informationispower.
About HudsonAlpha: HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is a nonprofit institute dedicated to developing and applying scientific advances to health, agriculture, learning, and commercialization. Opened in 2008, HudsonAlpha’s vision is to leverage the synergy between discovery, education, medicine, and economic development in genomic sciences to improve the human condition around the globe. The HudsonAlpha biotechnology campus consists of 152 acres nestled within Cummings Research Park, the nation’s second largest research park. The state-of-the-art facilities co-locate nonprofit scientific researchers with entrepreneurs and educators. HudsonAlpha has become a national and international leader in genetics and genomics research and biotech education and fosters more than 40 diverse biotech companies on campus. To learn more about HudsonAlpha, visit hudsonalpha.org.
About The Links: The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 16,000 professional women of color in 288 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. Our core values are friendship, integrity, honesty, service, commitment, family relationships, courage, respect for self and others, legacy, confidentiality, responsibility, and accountability. The members of The Links, Incorporated are influential decision makers and opinion leaders. The Links, Incorporated has attracted many distinguished women who are individual achievers and have made a difference in their communities and the world. They are business and civic leaders, role models, mentors, activists and volunteers who work towards a common vision by engaging like-minded organizations and individuals for partnership. Links members contribute more than 1 million documented hours of community service annually – strengthening their communities and enhancing the nation. The organization is the recipient of awards from the UN Association of New York and the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation for its premier programs.
