News Capsules 04/21/06

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The Minnesota House of Representatives approved a bonding bill April 12 that includes $949 million for state building projects. The total is $40 million less than the Senate proposal, but $104 million more than Gov. Pawlenty’s. Both the House and Senate bills include funding for a Medical Biosciences building on the Twin Cities campus. The House and Senate bills now proceed to a conference committee, which may be named this week. For updates, visit http://www.umn.edu/urelate/govrel.

The University’s $330 million proposal to develop a funding authority to build five new medical biosciences buildings over the next 10 years is working its way through the legislative process. In the House, the bill has had four hearings and now resides in the Capital Investment Committee. If it clears that committee it will move to the Ways and Means Committee before a floor vote. In the Senate, the bill resides in the Finance Committee, the last stop prior to a floor vote.

AHC NEWS

Faculty, staff, students, and the public are encouraged to review and comment on the four AHC strategic positioning task force preliminary reports by visiting http://www1.umn.edu/systemwide/strategic_positioning/tf_recommendations.html. The four AHC task forces are Clinical Sciences Enterprise, Health Professional Workforce, Knowledge Management Technology, and the AHC Precinct Plan. The public comment period for these reports runs through April 30. Seven other preliminary reports are also available for review and comment during this time period. They include Faculty Culture, Research Infrastructure, Collaborative Research, and Collegiate Design: Science/Engineering.

NEWS

Medical School researchers have identified a variant of a gene that is present in most people with lupus, a complex and chronic autoimmune disease. “As treatments for disease become more personalized and tailored to an individual’s specific situation and genetic makeup, identifying carriers of this gene variant could be helpful in developing the most successful treatment plan,” said Timothy W. Behrens, professor of medicine and co-author on the paper. The research was done in partnership with scientists from Uppsala University, Sweden, and the Broad Institute of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For more, go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/lupus041706.

Adolescents who diet and use unhealthy weight-control behaviors are more likely to be overweight and put themselves at risk for eating disorders in the future, according to research led by Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, School of Public Health, epidemiology. The study was published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. “This study shows that a shift from dieting and drastic weight-control behaviors to long-term healthy eating and physical activity is necessary among adolescents,” said Neumark-Sztainer. For more, go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/eatdisorders041106.

The Amplatz Chair in Radiology has been established by AGA Medical Corporation, the Medical School, and the Minnesota Medical Foundation. AGA Medical has contributed $2 million for the initial funding of this endowed chair, which recognizes and honors the achievements of Kurt Amplatz, a pioneer in the field of interventional radiology and pediatric cardiology. Amplatz was a professor of radiology at the University of Minnesota and cofounder of AGA Medical. Amplatz, who retired in 1999, had many inventions, but perhaps his most famous is the AMPLATZER septal occluder. “By establishing this chair, AGA Medical is not only honoring a world-class physician, but also elevating the Medical School and the entire University community,” said Deborah E. Powell, dean of the Medical School.

George L. Adams, head as the Medical School’s Department of Otolaryngology, died on April 8. He was an expert in the research and clinical care of head and neck cancers and excelled in teaching residents. A celebration service was held Monday, April 17, at Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina. He joined the Medical School faculty in 1973 and became department head in 1989. An endowment has been established in his name through Minnesota Medical Foundation. 

PEOPLE

Several School of Nursing faculty and students will be honored by the Nursing Alumni Society Board at the Alumni Spring Celebration April 22. Melissa Frisvold will receive the Excellence in Nursing Education Award; Susan Taylor will receive the Outstanding Undergraduate Nursing Student Award; Karen Monsen will receive the Outstanding Graduate Nursing Student Award; and Carol Pederson (posthumously), Sarah Gutknecht, and Janis Ollwerther will receive the Distinguished Alumni Humanitarian Award.

Seven Medical School faculty members will receive awards from the University’s Medical Alumni Society board on May 19 as part of the Medical School’s Alumni Reunion Weekend. George L. Adams (posthumously), Raymond G. Christensen, Ernest Ruiz, and Warren J. Warrick will be honored with the Harold S. Diehl Award; William E. Jacott and John E. Repine will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award; and Jon Hallberg will receive the Early Distinguished Career Award. For details on the award winners, go to http://www.mmf.umn.edu/news/story.cfm?id=453.

Linda Chla n, School of Nursing, Center for Gerontological Nursing, has received NIH funding for her project “Reducing Sedative Exposure in Ventilated ICU Patients.”

Wendy Clagett Kochevar, School of Nursing alum, obtained the highest score in the nation on the national certification examination administered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. It marks the second consecutive year that a graduate of the University’s School of Nursing has received the highest score. For more, go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/nursing041406.

Lou Mansky, School of Dentistry, has been selected to serve a four-year term as a member of the NIH AIDS Molecular and Cellular Biology Study Section.

Erik Moore has been appointed as AHC archivist. “The goal of the archives project is to capture the history of the AHC by ensuring that its essential records are gathered and preserved in the University Archives for scholarly and administrative uses,” said Frank Cerra, senior vice president for health sciences. Moore previously served as assistant curator of the Immigration History Research Center.

Fred Owusu has been appointed AHC human resources director. Owusu previously served as director of staffing, employee relations, and credentialing at University of Minnesota Physicians. Owusu succeeds Nancy Arneson, who has retired. “We are grateful for Nancy’s strong, steady, and resourceful leadership as head of human resources for the past six years,” said Frank Cerra, senior vice president for health sciences.

Nelson Rhodus, School of Dentistry, was elected to a three-year term on the University of Minnesota Faculty Senate Consultative Committee.

Randall T. Schapiro, Medical School, neurology, has been named medical director of Fairview Multiple Sclerosis Achievement Center, a specialized, state-licensed day program providing chronic disease management and outpatient rehabilitation services for people with advanced MS.

First-year pharmacy student Ahmed Zikri has been elected president of the CHIP (Center for Health Interprofessional Programs) Executive Council for the 2006-07 academic year.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Register now for Mini Bioethics, an additional offering from the Mini Medical School. The dates for this three-class series are Monday, May 8; Tuesday, May 16; and Monday, May 22. The times for each class are 6 to 8 p.m. The cost is $40. Register online at http://www.ahc.umn.edu/minimed. Questions? Call 612-626-7037 or write to minimed@umn.edu.

One day. One night. One community. Relay for Life on April 21 is about celebration, remembrance, and hope. Participants in this annual event honor cancer survivors, pay tribute to the lives lost to cancer, and raise money to help fight it. A survivor lap is part of the opening ceremonies, which begin at 7 p.m. All cancer survivors are welcome to join. For more information, contact Jenny Meslow, at meslo001@umn.edu.

The 2006 Summer Public Health Institute runs May 22 through June 9. Professionals have a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a chosen field of study--for a single course or the entire three weeks. For more information, go to http://www.sph.umn.edu/publichealthplanet/events/institute or call 625-4515.

The Health Careers Center is holding a two-day summer health careers exploration program, Health Careers Investigators, for high school students entering grades 9, 10, and 11. To register or for more information, visit: http://www.healthcareers.umn.edu/hcc/aboutus/highschool/HCI_2006.html.

Register now for a Graduate Women in Science Travel Award. Any female graduate student in Minnesota engaged in scientific research is eligible to apply. The funds may be used for travel expenses and registration fees, not for room and board. The usual award is in the range of $200 to $300. The deadline is May 8. For details, contact Amy Kalia at kali0080@umn.edu.

The Bio-Medical Library is offering two upcoming classes: The Publications Process, April 25, 2 to 3 p.m.; and RefWorks, May 11, 2 to 3 p.m. For more information or to register online, go to http://www.biomed.lib.umn.edu or call 626-3260.

STAT!Ref is a digital resource that provides online full-text access to selected texts in the health sciences. The Health Sciences Libraries has expanded titles to include two new dentistry titles and eight new nursing titles. To connect to STAT!Ref from the Bio-Medical Library homepage, http://www.biomed.lib.umn.edu, click “S” under “Indexes and Databases A-Z.”. Questions? Call 626-3260 or write to medref@umn.edu.

The Bio-Medical Library has a new microfilm/-fiche scanner available for self-service use in the Copy Center area on the third floor. The scanner allows users to view, print and scan both microfiche and microfilm. Files can be saved to CD/DVD-ROM or USB, or e-mailed. Questions? Ask in person at the Copy Center Desk, call 626-2969, or e-mail biomdoc@umn.edu.

Nursing Grand Rounds: “Evidence-based Practice: A Cautionary Tale” is May 8, 11:45-1:30 p.m., in Coffman Union’s Mississippi Room. The speaker is Diana Mason, editor-in-chief, American Journal of Nursing. This lecture is free but if you plan to attend, please send an e-mail to tucke127@umn.edu.