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Contents Feature Stories Psychology prof named Regent Scholar History students build COVID-19 archive Sociology prof explores online privacy Student studies social media and food Undergrad researcher is social media maven AtmoSci alum studies hurricane prediction Progressive Era presidents and women
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UWM neuroscientist Karyn Frick has been honored by UW System as one of three 2020 Regent Scholar recipients. The honor recognizes Frick’s extraordinary efforts in support of undergraduate research, innovation and entrepreneurship. “Our UW System faculty and students are doing amazing research,” UW System President Ray Cross said. “It is important to recognize this vital work and celebrate the individuals who spearhead these innovations.” Frick and members of her research team are exploring ways to prevent the memory loss that results from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, particularly in women, and the work has led to a startup company called Estrigenix Therapeutics Inc. “This is significant recognition and a wonderful statement about the value and impact of Dr. Frick’s work,” UWM Chancellor Mark Mone said. “This is a well-deserved honor for her important research and educational contributions.” The Regent Scholar program was introduced in 2014 and is designed to stimulate faculty-student collaborative research. Frick works closely in her lab with undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to move the research forward. “I am extremely honored to receive one of this year’s UW Regent Scholar awards,” said Frick, a professor of psychology in the College of Letters & Science. “This award will not only provide valuable research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in my lab, but will allow my company to collect vital data that we hope will lead to new therapies for preventing and/or reducing memory decline in Alzheimer’s patients.” Memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease strike women three times more often than men as they age, a result linked to a decline in estrogen hormones during menopause. But estrogen replacement comes with harmful side effects, like increased risk of heart disease and breast cancer. Frick has a pharmacological answer: Instead of avoiding estrogens, try removing the components responsible for the adverse effects.
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Frick’s work has linked estrogens to the specific chemical processes known to create memories in both women and men. She and her collaborators have created an estrogen-like molecule shown to protect memory in a mouse model of post-menopausal dementia. That’s led to their startup company, Estrigenix Therapeutics Inc., which, with support from UWM’s Milwaukee Institute for Drug Discovery, is developing drugs that affect the hormone and its complicated processes.
