On September 21, Lisa Genova, PhD, #1 international and New York Times bestselling author and neuroscientist, shared information to improve memory at the 2022 Annual Community Event. The Annual Community Event is the signature community outreach program for the Ludeman Family Center for Women’s Health Research. Every year, hundreds of people gather to learn more about women’s health and sex differences research. This year marked a return to an in-person event.

“Women are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease as men, so the topic of memory is incredibly important for the health of women,” said Genova. Her talk centered on memory and the common problems associated with forgetting.

Genova’s recent book Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting was released in March 2021 and became an instant New York Times bestseller. “Our brains are efficient and are hardwired to forget routine, daily activities,” said Genova. Some of the tactics for improving memory center on paying attention and consciously working to remember things like where you parked or left your phone.

New Seed Grants

The event also showcased the latest recipients of the Early-Career Faculty Research Development Awards from the Ludeman Center. “These projects enable scientists to generate the data that allow them to write competitive applications for larger grants,” said Jane Reusch, MD, associate director at the Ludeman Center. “And we go further than just funding. In addition to the grant award, these researchers also receive intensive mentoring and training from the Ludeman Center to ensure their success.”

Highlighting the successes of the Early-Career Faculty Research Development Awards was Stacey Simon, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Simon focused her talk on the importance of sleep. Getting adequate sleep has profound impacts on health — including memory as Genova noted in her keynote address.

Continued Investments in Women’s Health and Sex Differences Research

“We know that the pioneering women’s health and sex differences research underway at the Ludeman Center is essential to improving human health and wellbeing, not only right here in Colorado but in communities around the world,” said Donald Elliman, chancellor of the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. “Since its inception nearly two decades ago, the Ludeman Center has been brining bright minds from diverse fields together to blaze new trails in research and medicine.”

In total, the Annual Community Event raised over $475,000 for the operations and critical programming provided by the Ludeman Family Center for Women’s Health Research.  “At this luncheon, we can imagine a world where more women’s health and sex differences researchers bring forth critical knowledge and build new, better tools for diagnoses, treatments, preventative measures, cures and even vaccines which will improve health for women and men across the lifespan,” said Judy Regensteiner, PhD, Ludeman Center director and co-founder.