Medical center to host nationally recognized nurse scientist

The UNMC College of Nursing and The Nebraska Medical Center will host Joan Lappe, Ph.D., a nutrition and physical activity researcher, as the 21st Visiting Nurse Scholar.

Dr. Lappe will present “Health Promotion Research: Probing and Prying with a Purpose,” on April 5 at the Field Club of Omaha from 6 to 7 p.m. A buffet reception will be held from 5 to 6 p.m.

Dr. Lappe is the Criss/Beirne Professor of Nursing and a professor of medicine at Creighton University. She also is a member of the research team in the Creighton Osteoporosis Research Center.

Joan Lappe, Ph.D.

The professor, who also serves on the scientific advisory board of the National Osteoporosis Foundation, will talk about the importance of calcium and vitamin D nutrition.

In addition to being one of the first to study the bone health of children, Dr. Lappe and her team completed a landmark study that found calcium and vitamin D supplementation decreased the risk of cancer by 60 percent.

She and her team also completed studies on stress fractures in military recruits, finding that calcium and vitamin D supplementation during basic training decreased stress fractures by 20 percent.

For information on continuing nursing credit or to register, contact 559-6565 or concne@unmc.edu by March 26.