Silvina Levis, M.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine
Description of Research
Dr. Levis is the Director of the Osteoporosis Center, a joint venture between the School of Medicine and the Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center. For the last 10 years, Dr. Levis has been conducting clinical trials testing the effectiveness of different drugs in the treatment of osteoporosis. She is conducting an National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored trial that will evaluate the effectiveness of estrogens derived from soy in preventing menopausal symptoms and bone loss. Her research interests also include improving muscle function and bone mass in elderly individuals with vitamin D deficiency. Dr. Levis has collaborated with Drs. Roos, Antoni, and Schneiderman to conduct a clinical trial testing the effects of low-dose estrogen treatment on quality of life, osteoporosis risk and other physical indicators in men who had undergone androgen deprivation therapy for metastatic prostate cancer. This project was funded by NCI as part of the CPOR directed by Dr. Antoni.
Highlights
- Vitamin D deficiency in South Florida residents is higher than expected: approximately 25% in young adults and 30% in the elderly.
Selected Cancer-Related Publications
- Cherniack EP, Troen BR, Florez HJ, Roos BA, Levis S. Some New Food for Thought: The Role of Vitamin D in the Mental Health of Older Adults. Curr Psychiatry Rep 11:12-19, 2009. Read more »
Programs
Collaborating in the Multidisciplinary Research Program(s):