The West VirginiaUniversityCenter for Womens Studies will play host to another spring semester Fireside Chat at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at E. Moore Hall, Betty Boyd Lounge.

Katherine Karraker will discuss”Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Mothers of Young Infants,”and Linda Vona-Davis will present”Exploring Novel Cancer Therapies for the Breast.”

“Night waking of many young infants can lead to chronic sleep deprivation in their parents, which in turn can lead to problems with depressed mood, lowered satisfaction with parenting and general decrements in well-being,”said Dr. Karraker, associate professor, director of graduate training and coordinator of the developmental program for the Life-Span Developmental Psychology Program.

“Sleep-deprived parents may also be at risk for accidents and lowered work productivity,”Karraker said.”Well discuss the options parents have for dealing with this problem, as well as some implications for social policy issues, such as support for fathersinvolvement with their infants, the timing and length of maternity leave, and opportunities for flex-time and napping for working mothers.”

Dr. Vona-Davis, visiting assistant professor in the Department of Biology and adjunct associate professor in the Department of Surgery, will be talking about two Department of Surgery research projects regarding breast cancer.

“One project identifies a possible link between obesity and cancer,”Vona-Davis said.”The second project describes the use of an anticancer agent called keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH).”

KLH reduces breast cancer cell growth under experimental laboratory conditions, she said, and it may be a therapeutic possibility for breast cancer. The chat is free and open to the public; refreshments will be provided. This event is sponsored by the WVUCenter for Womens Studies, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and the Womens Studies Program Development Fund.

For more information, call Marlene Robinson, Center for Womens Studies, 293-2339, ext. 1153.