The latest series of Vermont Public Television (VPT) “Emerging Science” programs highlights the work of several University of Vermont (UVM) College of Medicine faculty members. Research by UVM Professor of Neurological Sciences Helene Langevin, M.D., will be featured in the October 24, 2012 segment, titled “Acupuncture: A Connective Tale.” On October 31, 2012, research by Kalev Freeman, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of surgery, will be featured in a segment titled “Traumatic Brain Injury in Sports.”

Now in its fifth season, “Emerging Science” airs on VPT Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. The series features Vermont scientists who expand human knowledge and help solve problems around the world. A collaboration between Vermont EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) at UVM and VPT, “Emerging Science” is a multi-award-winning program that utilizes broadcast programs, web resources, community events, and educational outreach to spark high school students’ interest in scientific careers. Designed to fulfill the National Science Foundation’s mandate to promote scientific progress nationwide, Vermont EPSCoR supports Vermont scientists and business leaders through funding, outreach and technology development.

The October 24 “Acupuncture: A Connective Tale” program featuring Langevin explores the role of connective tissue in acupuncture and the importance of connective tissue to overall health. The episode profiles Vicky Dubois of Burlington, Vt., who suffers from the connective tissue disorder scleroderma. The episode also includes interviews with Brian Erickson, M.D., UVM clinical assistant of psychiatry, and pain medicine psychiatrist at Fletcher Allen Health Care, and Janet Kahn, Ph.D., UVM assistant professor of psychiatry and Program in Integrative Health member, and massage therapist.

The October 31 “Traumatic Brain Injury in Sports” program featuring Freeman’s research profiles young Kacy Chicoine of Huntington, Vt., whose life has been altered by a series of concussions while playing hockey. An interview with Magdalena Naylor, M.D., Ph.D., UVM professor of psychiatry and a co-investigator with Freeman on this concussion research, will also be included in this program.

The November 7 program, titled “Traumatic Brain Injury at War,” focuses on studies by Matthew Friedman, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Center for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and Thomas McAllister, M.D., of the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth that explore the association between PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The segment will feature comments by Jom Hammack, Ph.D., UVM associate professor of psychology, who studies PTSD at a molecular level with colleagues Victor May, Ph.D., professor of neurological sciences, Karen Braas, Ph.D., associate professor of neurological sciences, and Donna Toufexis, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology. An interview with Sgt. Andrew Reeves, a veteran of the Iraq war who was injured by an improvised explosive device in 2004 and has been diagnosed with TBI and PTSD, will also be featured in the program.

Each program will be rebroadcast the following Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and the following Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Program videos will also be available on demand on the "Emerging Science" website.

“Emerging Science” was created and is produced in partnership with Vermont EPSCoR and VPT with funding provided by NSF EPS #1101317. VPT’s Anya Huneke serves as producer, and Dorothy Dickie as executive producer, of “Emerging Science.”