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Lees-McRae College to Host Ebola Virus Community Presentation and Discussion on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 7 PM

Oct. 31, 2014. In light of the recent news surrounding the Ebola virus, Lees-McRae faculty members Dr. Billy Carver and Dr. Dee Medford-Baker will host a presentation and discussion titled “Ebola: Written in Blood,” for the campus and surrounding community. Scheduled for Nov. 4, at 7 p.m., in Evans Auditorium on the College’s campus, this presentation is free and open to the public.

LMCWith a focus on the history of Ebola, Drs. Carver and Medford-Baker will answer common questions about the disease such as: What is the Ebola virus? Where did it originate and why is it infecting so many people now? What kind of disease does it cause, and how do we treat it? Should we be concerned about a major sustained outbreak of Ebola in the United States?

“This presentation will be geared toward anybody with an interest in science and current events,” said Dr. Carver. “A lot of the questions I have encountered in the community have come from people accessing unreliable information. We are looking forward to the opportunity to help spread accurate, reliable information about the history of Ebola and answer questions.”

Dr. Carver earned his bachelor of science in Microbiology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He continued on to earn a PhD from Vanderbilt University with concentrations in cell and developmental biology while researching transcription factor biology of the lunch in preterm infants. Dr. Carver is the program coordinator for health sciences in the Division of Science and Mathematics.

Dr. Medford-Baker earned her bachelor of arts in biology from the University of North Carolina, Asheville. She continued on to earn her master of science in biology from East Tennessee State University and her Doctor of Chiropractic from Sherman College. She has taught microbiology on the undergraduate and graduate level. Dr. Medford-Baker is an Assistant Professor of Biology in the Division of Science and Mathematics.

For reliable information regarding Ebola, Drs. Carver and Medford-Baker recommend any of all of the following resources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov), World Health Organization (WHO.int), Appalachian District Health Department (AppHealth.com) and National Institutes of Health (NIH.gov).

This presentation is free and open to the public. For more information about the presentation, please contact Dr. Carver at carverb@lmc.edu.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Lees-McRae College is a private, four-year college offering diverse baccalaureate degrees, strong athletic programs and outstanding faculty. With 950 students hailing from 31 states and more than eight countries, Lees-McRae’s broad core curriculum is enhanced by field-specific career preparation and experiential learning. For more information, visit www.lmc.edu or call 828-898-5241.