AHC News Capsules 10/18/06
October 18, 2006
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As you read this, I’m on the ground in India exploring new relationships on behalf of our Academic Health Center. It may go without saying, but for us to become world renowned, we must be recognized for our work throughout the world. Certainly that is true already for much we do. Programs within our School of Public Health are in high demand throughout the world, as we’re seeing here. And University of Minnesota Physicians has opened a BMT program here to share our leading-edge and lifesaving clinical knowledge.
Again, I’d like to draw your attention to the accomplishments of the people we work with at the University. This energy and productivity will be what drives us to the top tier of public research universities.
– Frank B. Cerra
The University Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) received a $7.9 million NIH award, which will open up the CMRR’s imaging technology to more neuroscience researchers. The University was one of four institutions in the country to receive the NIH Blueprint Grant for Neuroscience Research, and its application received the highest score of the 40 institutions that applied for the grant. “This grant is a result of all of our work on brain sciences at the CMRR,” said Director Kamil Ugurbil, who added “now we will be able to expand it quite a bit by creating an environment that allows our technology to be used by the larger neuroscience community.”
The School of Nursing is taking applications for two new degrees. The school now offers the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree, which will prepare nurses for leadership positions as advanced practice nurses, clinical experts, health care executives, policy experts and informaticians. And the Master of Nursing (M.N.) program will allow people, who already have a bachelors, masters or doctoral degree in other fields, to enter nursing as a second career.
The International Myeloma Foundation will honor Brian Van Ness, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, this Saturday in Hollywood, Calif. Van Ness is a member of a multi-national team of scientists instrumental in the Bank On A Cure initiative. The initiative established the world’s first repository of DNA collected from myeloma patients and family members. The DNA bank will serve as a medical resource to gain insight into myeloma and other cancers.
The book Oath Betrayed: Torture, Medical Complicity, and the War on Terror by Steven Miles continues to receive international attention. In the last three months it was reviewed in the New England Journal of Medicine (Oct. 12), The Lancet (Sept. 16) and the British Medical Journal (August 19). This book examines the role of medical personnel in the torture and mistreatment of prisoners in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison.
Frank Q. Nuttall and Mary C. Gannon (both of the VA Medical Center) were awarded the American College of Nutrition Award for 2006. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the College and is given to senior investigators for distinguished achievements and contributions over a lifetime in the field of nutrition. Nuttall and Gannon were acknowledged for their fundamental and seminal work on nutrient metabolism. They presented their award lecture titled “Dietary Management of Type 2 Diabetes” at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Nutrition in Reno, Nev., on October 7.
The Center for Drug Design received a $2.5 million grant for the study “Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats: Antidotes Against Cyanide.” The five-year grant, provided by the National Institutes of Health, will be used to develop and refine cyanide antidotes. The initial work on the anti-cyanide compounds was done by Herbert Nagasawa and supported by Robert Vince. The principal investigator will be Steve Patterson. All are members of the Center for Drug Design.
Kathleen Daly, Medical School, received a five-year $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for “Genetic Epidemiology of Chronic/Recurrent Otitis Media.” Daly is director of the Otitis Media Research Center.
Provost Thomas Sullivan appointed a new advisory committee on October 9 for the future Institute for the Advancement of Science and Technology. The committee will look at how to bring researchers from different disciplines together to enhance the University's research productivity. The committee will submit a report to Provost Sullivan by Spring 2007. Committee members are: Claudia Neuhauser (chair of committee), Judith Berman, E. Daniel Dahlberg, Timothy Ebner, Stephen Ekker, John Goodge, Megan Gunnar, Karen Hsiao Ashe, Vipin Kumar, Ellen Longmire, Susan Mantell, Matthew McGue, Mark Paller, Ronald Phillips, Ronald Siegel, Fotis Sotiropoulos and Nevin Young.
The Health Sciences Libraries will host an open house Tuesday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., 555 Diehl Hall. The staff invites you to learn about library resources, see the new space improvements, and enjoy refreshments and prizes. (There are more than 30 excellent prizes!) For more information, visit http://www.biomed.lib.umn.edu/node/1246 or contact the reference desk at medref@umn.edu or call 612-626-3260.
Get your free flu shot. Employee Benefits, Boynton Health Service, the School of Nursing, and the College of Pharmacy are offering influenza vaccinations to all University students, staff, and faculty at no charge. Vaccinations will be available for those who are not students, staff, or faculty for $25. For a schedule of walk-in flu clinics go to http://www.bhs.umn.edu/services/flushot.htm.
The required data-security training for the AHC is continuing. All AHC staff, faculty and students are encouraged to complete training as they are notified of their training assignment by e-mail. The training, "Public Jobs: Private Data," is a University-developed online data security and management training program. The training highlights key University policies, as well as helps learners understand best practices to securely use and share University data. More information about the Public Jobs: Private Data training program can be found at www.privacysecurity.umn.edu. Or, contact the Privacy and Security Office at 612-624-7447 or by e-mail at privacy@umn.edu.
UCard will be needed to access designated floors of AHC buildings. The first phase of the AHC security plan (to install security cameras in all AHC buildings) has been completed. The second phase, requiring security card access to designated floors of AHC buildings, will be implemented late this fall. UCards are available at the UCard Office in Coffman Union.
Two free nanotechnology workshops are scheduled for Nov. 9 and 10 from 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m at the Radisson Hotel on Washington Ave. The first (Nov. 9) is the Northern Nano Workshop (co-hosted by U’s National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network and the Canadian government) and the second (Nov. 10) is the 3rd Annual Minnesota Biomedical Nanotechnology Workshop co-hosted by the University and Mayo Clinic. To register, contact Tricia Conway at conwa012@umn.ed or Becky Von Dissen at vondi001@umn.edu
The Digital Technology Workshop will be Tuesday, Nov. 21, at the University’s McNamara Alumni Center. Jon Gordon, host of American Public Media's "Future Tense," will give the keynote address and faculty and staff will present on the University's research on cutting-edge digital technology research and applications. For more information, go to www.dtc.umn.edu. To register for this free event, email Devan Futterer at futte002@umn.edu.
As part of the upcoming 40th anniversary of pancreas transplantation, the Medical School will present a CME course “The University of Minnesota Salutes 40 Years of Pancreas Transplantation: An International Collaboration.” The course will feature pioneering leaders from around the world who will highlight their experiences that led to current outstanding results in pancreas transplant. To register go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/events/40th_anniversary_lectures/lectures.html. This course will be one of several events planned in December to commemorate this remarkable anniversary. Watch for details.
As part of the Distinguished Visiting Scholar Series, JoAnn E. Manson, M.D., Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and professor of medicine and the Elizabeth F. Brigham Professor of Women’s Health at the Harvard Medical School, will talk on “When Results of Large Studies are Divergent: Hormone Therapy as a Case Study” on Thursday, Nov. 9, 12:05 to 1:05 p.m. in room 2-690 Moos Tower. A light lunch will be served. For more information on the series, contact Susan Jackson at sjackson@umn.edu.
Mark Kirstein will talk on
“
Clinical Pharmacology for Intraperitoneally-Administered Oxaliplatin and 5'-Fluorouracil
”
at the Clinical Research Conference on Monday, Nov. 6, from 8–9 a.m. in 1-450G Moos Tower.
The Fall 2006 Mini Medical School will be all about cancer.This popular University program is taught by leading faculty of the Academic Health Center and is designed to educate and update Minnesotans on health-related issues. The program, which is open to the public, will run Monday nights, November 6–27, from 6–8:30 p.m. in the Coffman Memorial Union Theater. The cost is $60. For more information, e-mail minimed@umn.edu and to register online go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/minimed.
The Office of Public Engagement announces its 2007 Seed Grant Program and requests proposals that respond to public concerns through leadership, partnership and inter-disciplinary effort. All faculty and staff are eligible to apply. The deadline is Nov. 17. Application guidelines are available at http://www.academic2.umn.edu/awards/seed_grant/2006_2007.html For questions, contact Michelle Wittcoff Kuhl at witt0160@umn.edu or call 612-624-1562.
AHC junior faculty, fellows, and scholars are invited to attend a monthly informal breakfast meeting for those interested in getting guidance on clinical research. Jasjit Ahluwalia, executive director, AHC Office of Clinical Research, will lead the session, along with AHC senior faculty members. Each breakfast will be limited to five mentees and will be held 7:30-8:30 a.m. at varying locations. Please contact Meredith at mcraven@umn.edu or 6-6033 to express your interest in attending one of these meetings.
Participate in the American Medical Student Association Candidate Series.Discuss health policy with the people who may be making these decisions in the future. No RSVP needed. Lunch will be served to the first 75 people. Questions or comments: email jsmccabe78@yahoo.com. Candidates to present include:
Keith Ellison (candidate for U.S. House of Representatives)
Thursday, Oct. 19; 12:15-1:15 p.m., Moos 5-125
Alan Fine (candidate for U.S. House of Representatives)
Friday, Oct. 20; 12:15-1:15 p.m., Moos 2-520
Peter Hutchinson and Maureen Reed (Independent candidates for governor and lieutenant governor)
Monday, Oct. 23; 12:15-1:15 p.m., Moos 2-530
Emergency Readiness Rounds, popular as a continuing education course, is now being offered for academic credit. The course is sponsored through partnerships at the AHC. The course’s ten seminars center on current issues and controversies in emergency readiness and response. Students seeking academic credit may register for the spring course (AHS 6001) online at Onestop. For questions call CPHEO at 612-626-4515 or e-mail cpheo@umn.edu.
The 2006 Community Fund Drive will run Oct. 1–31. Goals this year are to raise $1.2 million and have at least one-third of our University faculty and staff participate. AHC faculty and staff may give to one of the federation of charities that connects the U to the wider community in the Twin Cities and Minnesota by addressing issues in health, community organizing, the environment, higher education, and human needs such as hunger and homelessness. Or, contributors may write in the nonprofit charity of their choice on CFD forms. For more information, go to www.umn.edu/cfd.
The Children’s Cancer Research Fund’s “Dawn of a Dream” benefit is Saturday, Nov. 4. Started in 1980 by a Diana and Norm Hageboeck, who lost their daughter to leukemia, this benefit is now one of the largest gala events in the Twin Cities. The event will feature silent and live auctions, dinner and live entertainment. For more information and to reserve your tickets go to http://www.childrenscancer.org/DawnofaDream/index.html.
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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