1st Annual Lifestyle Medicine Research Symposium
Friday, September 25
SOMG (607 Grove Rd, Greenville SC)
Register Today
Studies have shown that 80 percent of coronary artery disease, more than 90 percent of type 2 diabetes, and approximately 70 percent of stroke and colon cancer may be preventable through healthy lifestyle behaviors.
Our mission at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville (SOMG) is to help build the knowledge, skills and advocacy among clinicians necessary to prevent and treat lifestyle-related chronic disease and to improve patient care. Since its founding in 2012, SOMG has become an international leader in the field of Lifestyle Medicine, developing and disseminating innovative curricular materials and developing expertise that focuses on addressing the root causes of illness.
This inaugural research symposium will bring together researchers on topics related to the six key pillars of Lifestyle Medicine: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, connectedness, and avoidance of risky substances. The goal of the symposium is to spark bold ideas — including bench to bedside solutions — that support clinical advancements in patient outcomes and result in improved clinical care and guidance about everyday behaviors that have the biggest impact on health.
When patients adopt a Lifestyle Medicine approach, it can have a dramatic and positive impact on their health. Research is a crucial step in building our knowledge about the benefits of prevention-based lifestyle medicine and paths to healthy outcomes.
Want to present? Submit your Abstracts
Schedule of Events
Lunch and Networking
12:30 PM - 1 PM
Welcome, Research Showcase, and Poster Session
1 PM - 2 PM
Panel Discussion
2 PM - 3:30 PM
Break
3:45 PM - 4 PM
Dr. E. Arthur Dreskin Distinguished Endowed Keynote Lecture
4 PM - 5:15 PM
Reception
5:15 PM - 6 PM
Learn More About Our Dr. E Arthur Dreskin Endowed Lecture Series
E. Arthur Dreskin, M.D., had a long and distinguished career in medicine and public service until his death in 2006. In memory of his outstanding leadership in South Carolina, his family has established the Dr. E. Arthur Dreskin Distinguished Endowed Lecture Series.
Fueling Health and Longevity: The Power of Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine
Jennifer Trilk, PhD, FACSM, DipACLM
Chronic disease is the leading driver of illness, disability, and healthcare costs,
yet many of the conditions that shape our health and longevity are strongly influenced
by nutrition and lifestyle. This presentation will explore why nutrition and lifestyle
medicine must be central to modern healthcare, and how they can help shift our focus
from primarily treating disease to actively promoting health and preventing chronic
disease.
Jennifer Trilk, PhD, FACSM, DipACLM will highlight the innovative work of the University
of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, an international leader in integrating
nutrition and lifestyle medicine into medical education, clinical care, research,
and community partnerships. A substantive discussion of nutrition and its role in
health, chronic disease prevention, and longevity will provide participants with an
evidence-based understanding of how dietary patterns and food choices influence health
across the lifespan.
Designed for physicians, researchers, educators, students, and community members, Dr. Trilk will conclude with practical, actionable takeaways that participants can apply in their own settings. Attendees will leave with strategies for incorporating nutrition and lifestyle medicine into clinical conversations, research, education, personal health, and community initiatives—and with a clearer understanding of how these approaches can help fuel better health and longer, healthier lives.
Dr. Jennifer Trilk is a professor and Director of Lifestyle Medicine Programs at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville (SOMG). A founding faculty member, she created SOMG’s internationally recognized Lifestyle Medicine curriculum, preparing future physicians to prevent and treat chronic diseases through the 6 pillars of Lifestyle Medicine: optimal nutrition, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, connectedness, and risky substance avoidance.
Under her leadership, SOMG became the first medical school in the country to receive Platinum Plus certification from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, reflecting more than 100 hours of required lifestyle medicine education, including Culinary Medicine.
Dr. Trilk has authored more than 50 scientific publications and secured more than $7 million in research and program funding. She founded Exercise is Medicine Greenville, a partnership connecting patients with medically informed community exercise programs through Prisma Health and the YMCA. Her work in lifestyle medicine education and community health has been recognized nationally, including at the 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. Her Lifestyle Medicine Education curriculum has reached medical schools in 99 countries worldwide.
Dr. Trilk is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, a Diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network Health Innovators Fellowship. She serves as a senior advisor to the U.S. Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness Program and is an internationally recognized leader in nutrition and lifestyle medicine education.