News Capsules 08/03/05

August 3, 2005

NEWS

Could terrorists contaminate a major ice cream manufacturing plant with toxins that cause botulism? That's a scenario that University researchers discussed recently with Michael Chertoff, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, who was in town July 22 to hear about research initiatives at the University's National Center for Food Protection and Defense. The center is funded by a $15 million federal grant. Using a predictive tool, Shaun Kennedy, associate director of the center, demonstrated that the contaminated ice cream would show up in grocery stores in just a few days. The first cases of botulism could be reported within the first week. The first death?  Within two weeks. Michael T. Osterholm, associate director of the center, asked, "Can we better define what is happening, when it is happening, and what are the steps we need to take?" That's what center member Vivek Kapur and his team aim to do. Kapur provided Chertoff with a real-time demonstration of FASTMAN, a model device to detect intentional and potentially catastrophic contamination of our food supply. The team's goal is to develop rapid and accurate methods for detecting biological and chemical agents in food products and enable efficient monitoring and testing in food production, processing, and retail settings.

The first recipients of AHC Translational Research Grants have been named. They are: Paul R. Bohjanen, Medical School, microbiology; Sundaram Ramakrishnan, Medical School, pharmacology; and Patrick M. Schlievert, Medical School, microbiology. Each award is for $200,000. Eight faculty members from the AHC's six colleges judged the entries. There were 31 applicants. The goal of this new grant program is to move concepts from basic research to clinical testing. For more information, including titles of the winning projects, go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/research/funding/trgawards. 

Linda Watson officially became the new director of the Health Sciences Libraries (Bio-Medical Library and Veterinary Medical Library) on Aug. 1. Watson previously was associate dean and director of the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library at the University of Virginia. Watson also has served in management positions at the Houston Academy of Medicine/Texas Medical Center Library and at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland. Learn more about Watson by visiting the Real Diehl, a newsletter for the Bio-Medical, Veterinary Medical, and Wangensteen Historical Libraries:  http://blog.lib.umn.edu/biomednews/archives/001198.html

The new AHC Student Health Benefit Plan takes effect Aug. 22 or the first day of fall classes for incoming students, whichever is earlier. Students may waive enrollment in the plan only if they have health insurance coverage that meets one of the following guidelines. It must be: 1. A United States-based employer-sponsored group health plan; 2. A Graduate Assistant Insurance Plan provided by the University of Minnesota; or 3. MinnesotaCare. The waiver deadline is Sept. 30. For more information, go to http://www.bhs.umn.edu/insurance/ahc.htm

PEOPLE

Dean Deborah Powell, Medical School, announced the following title changes for her leadership team: Roby C. Thompson, Jr., is now senior associate dean for clinical affairs; Charles Moldow is senior associate dean for research and operations; Patricia Mulcahy is director of faculty services and human resources; and Peter Mitsch is now director of finance and administration, taking on oversight of the school's administrative directors. Allison Campbell Jensen has been named director of communications for the Medical School. Finally, Barbara Jensen is the dean's new executive assistant. As a result of these organizational changes, the chief of staff position has been eliminated.

Eight University health economists presented their original research at the International Health Economics Association meeting July 10-13 in Barcelona, Spain.  The faculty members are: Jon Christianson, Roger Feldman, Jean Abraham, Bob Town, John Nyman, and Ira Moscovice from the School of Public Health's Division of Health Services Research and Policy; Stephen Schondelmeyer, College of Pharmacy; and Stephen T. Parente, Carlson School of Management.

Dwight Anderson, School of Dentistry, and his lab team graced the cover of the journal Molecular Cell on April 15 for their use of cryo-electron microscope reconstructions to show detailed architecture of the phi29 protein capsid.

Louis Ling has been elected president of the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM). Ling, associate dean for Graduate Medical Education in the Medical School, has served on ABEM's board of directors since 1997.

Russell V. Luepker, School of Public Health, epidemiology, was a Visiting International Professor and presenter at the June 6 Medical Grand Rounds at the University of Alberta Department of Medicine. His presentation was titled, "Out-of-Hospital Cardiovascular Death?"

Nelson Rhodus, School of Dentistry, oral medicine, has been selected president of the American Association of University Professors for the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus.

Julie A. Ross has been named associate director for Population Sciences at the University of Minnesota Cancer Center. Ross also holds the Cancer Center Children's Cancer Research Fund Chair in Pediatric Cancer Research and is the director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Research in the Medical School's Department of Pediatrics.

Marc Swiontkowski, Medical School, orthopaedic surgery, has been elected president of the American Orthopaedic Association.

Cindy Wolf, College of Veterinary Medicine, veterinary population medicine, has received the Don Bailey Practitioner of the Year Award from the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Richard Aplenc will present "Pharmacogenetics and Pediatric ALL" on Thursday, Aug. 11, 1:15 to 2:15 p.m., 450 Cancer Center Research Building. Aplenc, a pediatric oncologist, is a member of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania. The event is sponsored by John E. Wagner, division director of the Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Blood and Marrow Transplant program. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Joyce at 626-2961.

The Stem Cell Institute is seeking applications for proposals to develop stem cells for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The application deadline is Aug. 31, 2005. To download the Request for Applications in PDF format, go to http://www.stemcell.umn.edu/img/assets/10061/Stemcell_RFA-2005.pdf.

Are you unhappy with your smile? Are you willing to invest some weekend time as a patient to receive high quality cosmetic dentistry at greatly reduced fees? If yes, contact Bethany Cartwright in Continuing Dental Education and Alumni Relations in the School of Dentistry at mailto:cartw012@umn.edu. Please provide your name and daytime phone number. For more information, go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/smile.

Medical School dermatology faculty will take part in "Families Play Safe in the Sun" at the Walker Art Center Saturday, Aug. 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. The free event is an educational outreach of the Women's Dermatologic Society. The event features several sun-safety activities for families, including a quiz, coloring contest, Dermascan assessments, and free sunscreen.

"Facts, Lies, and Videotapes: PVS and Terri Schiavo" will be presented by Ronald E. Cranford at the Palliative Care Grand Rounds on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 7:30 a.m., Moos Tower 2-530. The presentation is sponsored by the Medical School's Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview. Cranford is a neurology professor in the Medical School and senior physician and assistant chief of neurology, Hennepin County Medical Center. He's also a faculty associate with the University's Center for Bioethics.

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CLINICAL RESEARCH OPPORTUNTIES

For information on clinical research opportunities, go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/campusnews/trials.