News Capsules 09/06/06
September 6, 2006
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I'm pleased to introduce you to the new, improved AHC News Capsules, our internal source for news affecting the health sciences schools of the Academic Health Center. You told us you wanted easier navigation for this newsletter — now you can jump to news items more easily. You wanted stories presented in an easy-to-read format with links for more details — now the format is more consistent. And you wanted the news presented in greater context.
In that vein, I'd like to draw your attention to the notice of the passing of one of our great research leaders in maxillofacial pathology, Robert Gorlin. Bob's talent and his manner of working with colleagues represent all we seek as we work to become a talent magnet for faculty and other leaders. Bob’s work contributed enormously to our heritage of foresight and excellence, qualities that help attract dynamic leaders. One of the new leaders we'll welcome in December is Chuck Christiansen, who is coming to the University to head the Center for Allied Health Programs, core to the University's growing presence in Rochester.
– Frank B. Cerra
Regents’ Professor Emeritus Robert J. Gorlin of the School of Dentistry died August 29. He was 83. Gorlin was an internationally acclaimed expert on oral and maxillofacial pathology, genetic defects and syndromes, craniofacial disorders and hereditary hearing loss. During his 50 years at the University, he studied and named more than 100 syndromes caused by genetic defects. For several of the syndromes, he and colleagues isolated the gene responsible for the condition. He authored more than 600 articles and several textbooks including Syndromes of the Head and Neck, the authoritative work in this field. Michael Rohrer, School of Dentistry, said, “Robert Gorlin was the most famous faculty member at this dental school, and the most famous oral and maxillofacial pathologist in the world, period.”
Charles Christiansen will head the new Center for Allied Health Programs at the University of Minnesota beginning December 2006. A professor and therapist for more than 30 years, Christiansen holds degrees in occupational therapy, counseling psychology and educational administration. He has served as the dean of the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Allied Health Sciences since 1993. As head of the new center, he will work collaboratively with Mayo Clinic and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to develop this cornerstone of the growing University presence in Rochester.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the University’s Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences $1.22 million for a 4-year project on “NIRT: Evaluating Oversight Models for Active Nanostructures and Nanosystems: Learning from Past Technologies in a Societal Context.” Susan M. Wolf, Medical School and Law School, is the principal investigator and will chair the consortium. This initiative is an interdisciplinary effort to develop oversight models for nanotechnology applications designed for use in biological systems or in which nanomaterials are derived from biological molecules. For more information, go to: www.lifesci.consortium.umn.edu
Zigang Dong, Cancer Center,was named the McKnight Presidential Professor in Cancer Prevention at the University of Minnesota. Dong is a professor of cellular and molecular biology and the executive director of the University’s Hormel Institute in Austin, Minn. Dong's research focuses on molecular mechanisms of cancer development and the actions of chemopreventive agents. Read more about his work and the McKnight Presidential Professorships at http://www1.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/Dong_named_McKnight_professor.html.
Mary Jo Kreitzer, School of Nursing, has accepted a position on the editorial board of the American Journal of Nursing.
Patrick Bolan, Cancer Center, was awarded a Research Scholar Grant by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The two-year, $150,000 career development grant will support a project to develop and test methods for monitoring chemotherapy response in metastatic liver cancer using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). To read more go to: http://www.cancer.umn.edu/news/releases/2006/bolan.html.
The Academic Health Center and Mayo Clinical Trial Services are sponsoring a conference on “Latest Trends in Clinical Research,"October 4–5 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The program will cover the latest on pharmacovigilance, genomics and proteomics, principles of good clinical practice and teamwork in clinical research. A nationally prominent faculty has been assembled. More information and the registration form can be found at: www.mayocts.com/education/conferences
The University of Minnesota Cancer Center will host the President’s Cancer Panel on “Promoting Healthy Lifestyles to Reduce the Risk of Cancer” Monday, September 11, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the University’s Cancer Center, Room 450. The meeting is open to the public. For more information, contact Karen Parker at klparker@mail.nih.gov or call 301-451-9462.
The 3rd Annual Women’s Health Research Conference is Monday, September 11, in the McNamara Alumni Center. Susan Wood, former assistant commissioner for the Office of Women's Health at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will give the keynote address, “Women’s Health, Emergency Contraception and the FDA.” Dr. Wood stepped down from her post in August 2005 because of the FDA's refusal to approve Plan B (emergency contraception) as an over-the-counter product. For more information, go to
http://www.womenshealth.umn.edu/wmhlth/profed/upcoming2/2006research.html
.
The 22nd MHA Alumni Institute will be September 29-30 at the Radisson University Hotel. All AHC faculty, staff and students are invited on a space- available basis. Derek Yach, director of health equity, Rockefeller Foundation, will present the keynote address "Where is the Political and Economic Leadership to Balance Health Gain and Health Care?" at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, September 29. Advance registration is required and early registration is encouraged. For more information, contact Dave PeKarna at pekar001@umn.edu or call 612-625-1321 or 888-642-2586. To review the program and to register for this event, go to http://www.hpm.umn.edu/mha/alumni/inst2006/index.htm.
Ranjit John, Medical School, will speak on “Understanding the Bleeding Complications in Patients with Ventricular Assist Devices,” at the September 18 AHC Clinical Research Conference. The session is from 8–9 a.m. in 1-450G Moos Tower.
The Cancer Center will launch its 2006-2007 Tuesday seminar series September 12 at noon in room 450 of the center. The speaker, Haojie Huang, Medical School, will present "Deregulated tumor suppressor function of FOX01 in prostate cancer."
The Health Policy Management Seminar Series presents Amitabh Chandra, assistant professor of public policy, Harvard University. He will discuss "Economics of Treatment Disparities in Healthcare" on Thursday, September 21, from 3-4:30 p.m. in room A-110 Mayo. To download the abstract, go to www.hpm.umn.edu/.
The AHC Office of Clinical Research Distinguished Visiting Scholar Series will host Eugene Orringer of the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, on Thursday, September 21. He will talk on, “An Innovative, Dean’s Office-Based Approach Designed to Enhance Faculty Success.” The lecture will take place from 1:30–2:30 p.m. in 2-690 Moos Tower.
The Lunch Series on the Societal Implications of the Life Sciences will present Kurt Gottfried (Emeritus Professor of Physics, Cornell University; Co-founder and Chair, Union of Concerned Scientists) on Tuesday, September 19, at the Coffman Memorial Union Theater from 12:15–1:30pm. Gottfried will lecture on “Science and Politics: Problems and Solutions.” The series is co-sponsored by the University of Minnesota's Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences (www.lifesci.consortium.umn.edu)
The following opportunities for faculty research development grants are targeted to AHC faculty and have deadlines in the next few months:
The PhRMA Foundation “Health Outcomes” grant deadline is October 1. The goal of the grant is to encourage young scientists to pursue careers related to drug discovery. For more information go to http://www.phrmafoundation.org
All AHC faculty are welcome to attend a session on mentoring and career development with mentoring expert Janet Bickel on Thursday, September 21. The sessions, sponsored by the Medical School, are free, but preregistration is required. For more information call 612 624-5442 or go to http://www.med.umn.edu/events/mentoring
Those willing to invest some weekend time to receive cosmetic dentistry at reduced fees may contact Sara Hulke in Continuing Dental Education & Alumni Relations in the School of Dentistry at hulke003@umn.edu. For more information, go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/smile.
The Academic Health Center will sponsor a blood drive on the University’s Minneapolis campus Thursday, September 28, from 7 am to 5 pm at the McNamara Alumni Center. Please schedule your appointment beforehand by visiting www.givelife.org and entering the sponsor code: uofmacademic. Donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and present a photo ID at the blood drive check-in. If you have traveled outside the country in the past year, or if you have other questions about your eligibility for donating blood, please call the ARC nurse 651-291-3885 before scheduling your appointment. For questions, contact Jenny Meslow at meslo001@umn.edu.
AHC News Capsules is a biweekly newsletter for faculty, staff, and students of the Academic Health Center. Please send submissions to Jennifer La Forgia at lafor016@umn.edu.
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