News Capsules 08/06/08
August 6, 2008
NEWS CAPSULES is a biweekly newsletter for faculty, staff, and students of the Academic Health Center. Please send submissions to Nick Hanson at hans2853@umn.edu.
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Becoming a talent magnet – the kind of university that both holds and attracts top faculty and staff – requires an interesting mix of qualities. We need to be a place that recognizes creativity and innovation, while supporting that creativity with services to assist in managing through the regulatory environment of health education, research, and care. We also need to be a place that encourages the many opportunities to work across disciplines with others who are driven in their pursuit of new knowledge. And, we need to understand that we're working in an environment that has some similarities to the upcoming Olympics -- winning competitors bring home a sense of pride and energy that is contagious throughout their nation. That’s what we are seeking within the Academic Health Center – that shared sense of purpose that will be contagious for all of those who work here, and who support our success throughout the state.
Fortunately, our faculty and staff regularly demonstrate that creativity and innovation as noted in the stories below. And that will help ensure that our status as a talent magnet is recognized widely, as we move forward quickly on the development of the buildings to support our Biomedical Research Program.
Additional note: A quick reminder about the additional congestion we can expect the first week of September this year. Be prepared to shift your drive times to accommodate the Republican National Convention that will add tens of thousands of people to our roads the same week as the start of undergraduate classes.
– Frank B. Cerra, M.D.
Sr. Vice President for Health Sciences
Study shows why treatment isn’t effective for HIV
Medical School researchers have answered a key question as to why antiretroviral therapy isn’t effective in restoring immunity in HIV-infected patients. Once a person is infected with the virus, fibrosis, or scarring, occurs in the lymph nodes – the home of T cells that fight infection. And once fibrosis occurs, T cells can’t repopulate the lymph nodes when HIV therapy begins, said Timothy Schacker, M.D., professor of medicine and principal investigator on the study. For more information go to: http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/hiv080508/home.html
Cerebral malaria may be cause of brain injury in African children
It appears that cerebral malaria is related to long-term cognitive impairment in one of four child survivors, according to new research out of the Medical School. Malaria is a leading cause of death for children in sub-Saharan Africa. Cerebral malaria, which affects more than 750,000 children a year, is one of the deadliest forms of malaria. It only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to contract the disease that directly affects the brain, causing fever, vomiting, chills, and coma. For more information go to: http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/celebralmalaria072908/home.html
Consortium develops new method to manipulate genetic material
A multi-institutional team of researchers, including scientists at the Medical School, have developed a powerful tool for genomic research and medicine. The robust method will allow researchers to generate synthetic enzymes that can target and manipulate DNA sequences for inactivation or repair. The potential for discovery is great, said Dan Voytas, Ph.D., director of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Transposon Research, and co-investigator on the research. In human therapeutics, researchers may aim to correct genetic disorders or diseases, and in plants, scientists may devise crops that are more resistant to pathogens, yield more product, and better combat stress. For more information go to: http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/consortium072408/home.html
Frequent family meals yield lower odds of substance abuse in adolescent girls
The School of Public Health’s Project Eating Among Teens II (Project EAT) research found that adolescent girls who frequently eat meals with their families are less likely to smoke cigarettes, consume alcohol, and use marijuana. For more information go to: http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/familymeals072208/home.html
SPH students recognized for work on ‘Team Diarrhea’
A number of School of Public Health students in the M.P.H. program were among the researchers who worked with the Minnesota Department of Health to help discover that the recent nationwide outbreak of salmonella was caused by jalapenos – not tomatoes. Their discovery netted national media attention. Students who worked on the project include: Ryan Gierke, Julie Hoffer, Allie Harford, Carrie Klumb, Ruthie Luna, Joshua Rounds, Colin Schwenson, Jena Trask, and Mac Farnham. To read more about the effort visit: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/jul2408salmonella-br.html
Irving Gottesman, Ph.D., (Medical School), received the 2008 Alexander Gralnick Investigator Prize from the American Psychological Foundation for research productivity in severe mental illness and for effectively training and developing young scientists. For more information go to: http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/gottesman072108/home.html
Diane Treat-Jacobson, Ph.D., (School of Nursing), was awarded the Jeanne E. Doyle Excellence in Vascular Nursing award from the Society of Vascular Nursing. This is the highest award given by the society. Recipients who are nominated must demonstrate excellence in the area of vascular nursing research, education, or practice within his/her community, state, or nation. For more information go to: http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/treat-jacobson071408/home.html
Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Ph.D., (School of Public Health), has been selected to receive the University of Minnesota Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Postdoctoral Scholars Award. The award recognizes extraordinary performance and achievement in mentoring at the U of M by providing leadership and advocacy to assist the postdoctoral scholar in accomplishing significant intellectual and leadership goals in the scholar’s field of expertise.
Michael Osterholm, Ph.D., M.P.H., (School of Public Health), has accepted an invitation to become a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Pandemics. The council acts as an advisory board to the forum and other interested parties, such as governments and international organizations.
James Collins, D.V.M., M.S., Ph.D., (College of Veterinary Medicine), was reappointed as the director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) by Dean Trevor Ames. Collins has been director of the VDL since 1998.
Peggy Root, D.V.M., Ph.D., (College of Veterinary Medicine), has been appointed to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education, the accrediting body for the AVMA.
Sarah M. Westberg, Pharm.D, B.C.P.S., (College of Pharmacy), has been named the 2008 Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year in Minnesota. Sponsored by Pharmacists Mutual Companies, the award is presented annually to a pharmacist in each state for individual excellence and outstanding contributions in state pharmacy association activities, community affairs, and professional practice.
Medical School alumni N.L. (Neal) Gault, Jr., former dean of the Medical School who graduated in 1951, and Eugene Ollila, who earned his M.D. in 1970, will be honored this fall with University of Minnesota Alumni Service Awards.
Center for Bioethics receives approval for new master’s program
The Center for Bioethics has received Board of Regents approval for a new, interdisciplinary master’s degree program in bioethics, with the first class enrolling for fall 2009. Applications will be available this fall. The core of the 30 credit degree program will be made up of bioethics (BTHX) courses offered by Center for Bioethics faculty, and the program will feature classroom study, intensive thesis research, and strong faculty mentoring. BTHX courses are also open to graduate and professional students throughout the University, and the center will continue to offer its Bioethics graduate minor. For more information contact Margie O’Neill at (612) 626-4817, or oneil169@umn.edu
CTSA application to introduce new Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute
The University of Minnesota’s Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) application – to be submitted this October – outlines the establishment and introduction of a new Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI). To facilitate research that transforms the health of communities, the CTSI will leverage existing strengths across the University and communities and build capacity to accommodate needs and fill gaps. Its guiding principles focus on multi-directional collaboration with community partners and community networks. For more information about the CTSA application and CTSI, go to: www.ahc.umn.edu/ctsa
SPH faculty testify before United States Congress
School of Public Health members Michael Osterholm, Ph.D., M.P.H., and Craig Hedberg, Ph.D., testified before the House Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture on July 30. Osterholm and Hedberg discussed “Food borne Disease Surveillance and Outbreak Detection and Investigation: Challenges and Opportunities.”
Duluth campus receives its first endowed chair for research
The Duluth Medical School Campus has received an endowed chair through a gift from the estate of a California resident who was an alumna of the University of Minnesota. It’s the campus’ first endowed chair. Medical School Dean Deborah Powell, M.D., designated $1.5 million of the new Max E. and Mary LaDue Pickworth Endowment for the research chair in Duluth.
Bio-Medical Library getting technology facelift
The second floor of the Bio-medical library will be receiving new computer furniture with modern wire management and additional space that will allow for more collaborative group work. Expanded electrical power outlets for wireless laptop users will now be available, and self-service printing and copying – similar to other university libraries – will also be implemented. Construction will be completed Wednesday, Aug. 13. Until then, the reference desk will be moved to room 274.
Summer program connects north Minneapolis students with education experience
For the second year, the University of Minnesota's Konopka Institute for Best Practices in Adolescent Health has partnered with Kwanzaa Church and the Nia Imani Youth Development Center in north Minneapolis to bring students from the Kwanzaa Freedom School to the University of Minnesota campus. The Kwanzaa Freedom School is a six-week, literacy-rich summer and after-school program designed to create positive learning environments for youth. To read more about the program visit: http://www1.umn edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories2/Freedom_School_students_visit_Twin_Cities_campus.html#
SON centers receive $2 Million in federal grants for graduate education
The School of Nursing’s Center for Adolescent Nursing and Center for Children with Special Health Care Needs each received $1 million from the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They are two of only five university-based nursing programs in the country to receive this funding. The school will utilize this funding to educate and increase the number of advanced nurses who will promote innovative health and wellness programs for young people and their families.
Hennepin County Service Center now open at Coffman Union
A new Hennepin County Service Center is now open 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at Coffman Union. The center provides services such as passports, driver’s license duplicates, motor vehicle tabs, birth and death certificates, hunting and fishing licenses, and other vehicle registrations. It’s located on the ground level of Coffman across from the U Card Office. For more information call (612) 348-8240, or visit: www.hennepin.us.
Walter Mondale to speak in Mayo Auditorium
Former Vice President Walter Mondale will speak about the complexity surrounding health care and politics at 4 p.m., Oct. 2, in the Mayo Auditorium. This free public lecture kicks off a new leadership academy for emerging physician leaders.
Seminar to tackle how to write winning grants
The “Write Winning Grants” seminar will take place from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the Holiday Inn Metrodome in Minneapolis. The popular day-long seminar is open to AHC faculty and research staff currently involved in clinical and translational research. Space is limited to 100 participants. Register at www.ahc.umn.edu/ocr/writewinninggrants/registration Non-AHC faculty members may register separately through central administration in early September at www.academic.umn.edu/system.
Medical Reserve Corps looking for recruits
The University of Minnesota Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) was formed in 2004 as part of a comprehensive effort to prepare for health emergencies on campus and in the community. MRC members are needed from all disciplines, backgrounds, and skill sets (clinical and non-clinical). To register with the U of M MRC, contact MRC Coordinator Kathy Berlin at (612) 626-4722 or medicalreserve@umn.edu. Also visit: http://www.ahc.umn.edu/about/admin/oer/mrc/
SON to sponsor its first geriatric nursing faculty development program
The University of Minnesota School of Nursing’s Minnesota Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence is sponsoring the first Faculty Learning about Geriatrics (FLAG) Program, Aug. 4 - 8. The program is designed to further educate nursing faculty from the Upper Midwest who do not have extensive geriatric nursing expertise in order to better prepare the nursing workforce to care for the rapidly growing elderly population. For more information, contact Jean Wyman at (612) 624-2132, or e-mail wyman002@umn.edu.
Aug. 8
1 – 3 p.m.
2008 Medical School White Coat Ceremony
Location: Northrop Memorial Auditorium
Aug. 11
7 - 8:30 a.m.
Vascular Disease Conference
Graft Occlusion
Location: University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview - resident room 2-359
Aug. 13 -16
8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Fifth International Symposium on Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy in Veterinary Medicine
Location: Off Campus - Hyatt Regency Hotel - Minneapolis
More events like these can be found on the AHC calendar, http://www.ahc.umn.edu/calendar. You can submit an item to the AHC calendar by going to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/submitevent.
AHC inventory scanning effort to continue
Phase I of the AHC Capital Asset Inventory Work Plan continues a physical inventory of capital equipment throughout the Academic Health Center. Inventory Services is going room to room with bar-code scanners to scan all capital equipment. If any areas need special scheduling or people have questions or concerns, contact Luke Madsen at (612) 626-8217, or m-mads@umn.edu.
Remaining inventory visits include:
8/11: Mayo, 717 Delaware, WDH
8/18: Riverside Professional Building, Riverside Urology Building, Riverside Hospital, WBOB
8/25: McNamara Center., U Office Plaza (2221 Univ. Ave.), University Park Plaza, Opus Building., Children's Rehab
9/02: MCT, Intanihol, Cargill Building., Gortner Lab, Snyder Hall, CUHCC
9/08: 2314 University Ave., 2701 University Ave., Coffey Hall, Veteran’s Administration, UMMC
9/15: Any miscellaneous sites not listed
9/22: Begin Phase II - search for specific missing items throughout the AHC
Follow construction of Children’s Hospital via live video
Below is a link to a new construction site with details, maps, photos, and a live Web camera showing progress as the new facility for University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, Fairview is erected. During the course of construction the site will be updated with new information: http://www.uofmchildrenshospital.org/construction/index.asp
Keep up to date on road work, facility repairs, stadium progress
To get the latest updates on roadwork, construction projects, and other facility repairs visit: http://www.pts.umn.edu. For stadium construction updates visit: http://www1.umn.edu/stadium/construction.php.
Mortuary Science program celebrates 100 years of service
The Mortuary Science Program is marking its 100th anniversary this year. Read a commemorative pamphlet from the program’s 50th anniversary in 1958 at: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/moore144/ahcarchives/2008/08/100_years_of_service.html.
AHC News Capsules is a biweekly newsletter for faculty, staff, and students of the Academic Health Center. Please send submissions to Nick Hanson at hans2853@umn.edu.
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