Congratulations to Dr. Samuel Kojoglanian on being awarded "Top 10 Cardiologist" in the state of California as of October 19th, 2014! Splendid days!

On Thursday, November 14th, Phi Delta Epsilon, CA Theta, will be collaborating with CSUN's  Student Organization for a Holistic Healing and Leadership (SOHHL) as they host Western University's panel of Osteopathic Medicine. We invite you to come along and join this meeting to get to learn more about the profession of Osteopathic Medicine and what it entails. This meeting will be held at California State University, Northridge in the Chaparral Hall building on the first floor in room 5127. We hope to see many of you there!

The Fall 2012 Gelfand Lecture can now be viewed online! This lecture featured psychiatrist Dr. Steven Soldinger who discussed the psychology of pain and pain medication. Thanks again to Dr. Soldinger for speaking at this event! We are also very proud to announce that the lecture has been awarded CSUN’s Matador Involvement Center’s “Lecture Program Award” at the Clubs and Orgs Ceremony. Good job Gelfand Committee for your tireless efforts in the Fall 2012 semester, and many thanks to Mellad Khoshnood for writing a nomination on Phi Delta Epsilon’s behalf. 

PhiDE’s Spring 2013 Lecture Program Award earned for its Gelfand Lecture. 

This semester, Phi Delta Epsilon is proud to host, along with Chicanos for Community Medicine and Student Organization for a Holistic-approach to Health and Leadership, a lecture by chemistry professor, Dr. Melikyan. The lecture is entitled Antioxidants, Supplements, and Cosmetics: Perils of Ignoring Science, and it will take place on Monday, February 25, 2013. To sign up for this great event, simply visit the Lecture Page here on the Phi Delta Epsilon website. Information about Dr. Melikyan as well as his upcoming lecture can be found below.

Dr. Melikyan

Gagik Melikyan is a professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at California State University Northridge. He is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in the field of radical chemistry. Being a highly cited author, his research has culminated in 80 papers, reviews, and book chapters on radical organic and organometallic chemistry, transition metal-mediated chemical transformations, computational chemistry, natural product syntheses, and non-steroidal hormones. Dr. Melikyan discovered four new organic reactions and delivered 90 presentations at academic institutions, national and international conferences, and public gatherings. A devoted educator who was awarded the Polished Apple Award, he has educated and trained a whole generation of professionals working in the fields of chemistry, biology, and medicine. Dr. Melikyan is a recipient of the prestigious Jerome Richfield Scholar Award and the Outstanding Faculty Award, the highest distinctions given by the university in recognition of excellence in faculty research. Dr. Melikyan’s work has been widely covered in the media, including the Chemical and Engineering News, The Valley Scribe, California Courier, Daily Sundial, Northridge Magazine, CBS and USArmenia channels, as well as numerous radio programs. As an expert, for many years he was involved in protecting the American public from harmful chemicals and environmental pollutants. Dr. Melikyan is a publisher of the on-line educational newsletter that brings the latest health news to the general public. He is also an author of the award-winning book “Guilty Until Proven Innocent: Antioxidants, Foods, Supplements, and Cosmetics” that explains – in laymen terms – why polyphenolic antioxidants, natural supplements, catechins from green tea, resveratrol from red wine, parabens in women’s cosmetics, sunscreen lotions, and hair colors can cause irreparable damage to the human body. 

Antioxidants, Supplements, and Cosmetics: Perils of Ignoring Science

Polyphenolic antioxidants have been extensively studied due to their immediate relevance to medicinal chemistry, an inherent ability to react with body enzymes, a prominent role in food preservation, and a perceived ability to fight free radicals and slow down aging processes. Along with the desired characteristics, polyphenols can also undergo enzymatic transformations and produce toxic metabolites, thus highlighting the complexity of the subject and dual nature of phenolic compounds. The facts, myths, and hypes surrounding antioxidants and natural supplements will be presented and analyzed. It will be demonstrated that the major paradigms in contemporary antioxidant science are fundamentally flawed and need an urgent revision given the ramifications for public health. Convincing scientific evidence will be provided in order to explain why catechins from green tea, resveratrol from red wine, parabens in women’s cosmetics, sunscreen lotions, hookah tobacco, and hair colors can cause irreparable damage to the human body. The legislative aspect will also be discussed underlining what needs to be done in order to better protect the human society from exaggerated health claims and questionable business practices.

Sign up for PhiDE’s Fall 2012 Gelfand Lecture taking place here at California State University Northridge! Our guest speaker this year is Dr. Ronald E. Saul, a UCLA physician that specializes in neurology and psychiatry. Dr. Saul will be discussing memory disorders and the split brain. To learn more and sign up for this great event, simply visit the Lecture Page here on the Phi Delta Epsilon website. 

Update 10/12/12: Due to unforeseen circumstances, Dr. Saul will no longer be speaking at this event. However, Phi Delta Epsilon is proud to host Dr. Steven Soldinger as the new speaker for the 2012 Gelfand Lecture. Dr. Soldinger is a private practice physician of over 30 years and the current president of the American Psychiatric Association. The topic of his lecture will be the psychology of pain and medication addiction. Register today for the Gelfand Lecture!