@ MedicineAdvancing Biomedical Science, Education and Health Care YaleVolume 4, Issue 3 July/August 2008 Leading scientist is appointed new chair of Cell Biology Membrane traffi c expert and chair of the School of Medicine’s to Yale’s recently protein-coding genes in the human Department of Cell Biology. Roth- opened West Cam- genome, providing fresh insights into will head a department man will come to Yale from Columbia pus in West Haven, disease and new molecular targets for that has shaped the fi eld University’s College of Physicians and Conn., where he will therapy. Under Rothman’s leadership Surgeons, where he is now a professor launch a Center for the Department of Cell Biology will James E. Rothman, F>:, one of the in the Department of Physiology and High-Throughput be signifi cantly expanded, and will be world’s foremost experts on mem- Biophysics, the Clyde and Helen Wu Cell Biology. At the co-located at the West Campus along brane traffi cking, the means by which Professor of Chemical Biology and new center, multi- with its present location at the main proteins and other materials are director of the Columbia Genome +BNFT3PUINBO disciplinary teams campus of the School of Medicine. transported within and between cells, Center. of scientists will develop tools and For his decades of seminal re- has been named the Fergus F. Wal- In addition to directing Cell techniques to rapidly decipher the cel- search on the transport of molecules lace Professor of Biomedical Sciences Biology, Rothman is the fi rst recruit lular functions of the 25,000 known Chair, page 6
"NBLFTIJGUNFNPSJBMUP New aid policy will .JMB3BJOPGXJUI¿PXFST An indelible QIPUPTBOEUSJCVUFTBQQFBSFE lower tuition debt, BUUIFJOUFSTFDUJPOPG:PSL 4USFFUBOE/PSUI'SPOUBHF widen career choices smile, and a 3PBE XIFSF3BJOPGXBT JOWPMWFEJOBGBUBMBDDJEFOU The School of Medicine has over- JO"QSJM$MBTTNBUFTIBWF caring heart FTUBCMJTIFEBNFNPSJBM hauled its fi nancial aid policy with a TDIPMBSTIJQGVOEJO3BJOPGµT major boost in aid to middle-income OBNF BOEUIF4FDUJPOPG families by reducing the required The Class of 2008 &NFSHFODZ.FEJDJOFXJMMHJWF parental contribution for families BOBXBSEFBDIZFBSUPUIF mourns the death of a 4DIPPMPG.FEJDJOFHSBEVBUF making less than $100,000 per year, HPJOHJOUPFNFSHFODZNFEJDJOF medical school Dean Robert J. Alpern, compassionate classmate XIPCFTUFYFNQMJ¾FT3BJOPGµT C:, announced in April. DPNQBTTJPOBUFBQQSPBDIUP This change is made possible by On the morning of Saturday, April QBUJFOUDBSF the addition to the school’s budget 19, Mila Rainof, a member of the of approximately $1.1 million in new School of Medicine’s Class of 2008, need-based scholarship funds from was struck by a car as she crossed a endowment income. busy street at the northern edge of According to Richard Belitsky, the medical campus. Rainof, who stood by Rainof’s parents C:, deputy dean for education, the was scheduled to begin a residency and sister when they rising pressure of student debt has in emergency medicine in Oakland, came to New Haven and been accelerating Calif., in June, died the next day of organized a memorial a trend in career severe head injuries. At a medical service in the medical choices away from school “town meeting” called by Dean school’s Rose Garden, primary care and
Robert J. Alpern, C:, on the Mon- KPIODVSUJT where friends remem- other lower-paying day after Rainof died, Alpern said, bered Rainof and called specialties. In ad- “The medical school family has lost a paused at the corner of York Street upon those gathered to perpetuate dition to making member—way too young in age.” and South Frontage Road, where one her memory by treating others with medical school The Class of 2008 is a close-knit by one, they placed a carnation in the same warmth, compassion and 3JDIBSE#FMJUTLZ signifi cantly more group, said class co-president Kristina remembrance of Rainof, a beloved kindness that she showed to all. “Like affordable for middle-income fami- Zdanys The loss of any of its mem- classmate who would not be with everyone else,” said her boyfriend and lies, the new policy will also lower bers would have been deeply felt, but them on that joyous day. Because classmate James Troy, “I was instantly fi nancial barriers for students who Rainof was special. “Whenever she she had fulfi lled all of the School of won over by her amazing smile. All wish to enter less lucrative fi elds of walked into a class or [the student Medicine’s requirements for gradu- of us who spent time with her had medicine. “Our goal is to reduce the cafeteria], she was always smiling or ation, Rainof was awarded the C: no choice but to love her.” Friend and debt burden on students and replace had something nice to say,” Zdanys degree posthumously as a member of classmate Ellen House, who shared it with scholarship aid, so they can said. One month later, as a procession the Class of 2008. clinical rotations with Rainof, said make career choices based on what of the 96 members of her class walked In the wake of her death, Rainof’s that patients asked for “the smiley they want to do, rather than what to Yale’s Old Campus for Commence- friends and classmates found many one.” She mourned for Rainof and for pays the most,” said Belitsky. ment ceremonies, each graduate ways to honor her. Her close friends Rainof, page 6 Aid, page 6
Non-Profit Org. *OTJEFUIJTJTTVF Medicine@Yale U. S. Postage -JGFMJOFT )FBMJOHXPSET George St., Suite PAID -JOEB.BZFTQSPCFT $PVSTFJONFEJDBM4QBOJTI New Haven, CT New Haven, CT Permit No. UIFUSBDFTPGUSBVNB Q CSJEHFTBMJOHVJTUJDEJWJEF Q www.medicineatyale.org )BJMUPUIFDIJFG "GBCVMPVTGJSTU :BMF.FEJDBM(SPVQBQQPJOUT :BMFTDJFOUJTUTIBSFT OFXDIJFGNFEJDBMPGGJDFS Q JOBVHVSBMNJMMJPOQSJ[F Q 5IFOFYUGSPOUJFS "MTP 5IFGVUVSFVOGPMETBUUIF "EWBODFT QQ 0VU"CPVU Q :BMF4UFN$FMM$FOUFS Q (SBOUTBOE$POUSBDUT Q
0OMJOF:BMF/FUDBTUT "EEJUJPOBMBVEJPDPOUFOUGPSNBOZBSUJDMFTJO.FEJDJOF!:BMF JTBWBJMBCMFPOJ5VOFT6 PSCZQPJOUJOHZPVS8FCCSPXTFSUP NFEJDJOFBUZBMFPSH Local doctor begins new leadership role
-JOEB.BZFT MFGU BOFYQFSUPOUIF in clinical practice FGGFDUTPGTUSFTTPOUIFEFWFMPQJOH CSBJO XJUIQPTUEPDUPSBMBTTPDJ Following an exhaustive national BUF.JDIBFM$SPXMFZBOE$SPXMFZµT search, Ronald J. Vender,C:, clinical EBVHIUFS -JB-JBJTXFBSJOHBOFU DPOUBJOJOHEP[FOTPGFMFDUSPEFT professor of medicine and a nation- XIJDIEFUFDUUIFEJGGFSFODFTJOFMFD ally recognized gastroenterologist, USJDBMQPUFOUJBMTBDSPTTUIFTVSGBDF has been named chief medical offi cer PGUIFCSBJO#ZTUVEZJOHDIBOHFT JOUIFTFQPUFOUJBMTJOSFTQPOTFUP (9CE) of Yale Medical Group (OC=), WBSJPVTTUJNVMJ .BZFTDBONPOJUPS the clinical practice staffed by faculty UIFCSBJOGVODUJPOPGDIJMESFOXIP of the School of Medicine. In this IBWFVOEFSHPOFTUSFTTFBSMZJO EFWFMPQNFOU newly created position, Vender, re- porting to OC=9;E David J. Leffell, C:, will assume operational respon-
UFSSZEBHSBEJ sibilities and will work to continue to advance the medical 'JOEJOHCMPPNTBNJEUIFBTIFT school’s health care 3FTFBSDIFSTFFLTLFZT TJHOPGBEBQUBCJMJUZBOETPNFTQBSL PSMPTTPGBMPWFEPOF*O TIF mission. Vender was UPDIJMESFOµTSFTJMJFODF PGIFBMUI³ XBTBQQPJOUFETQFDJBMBEWJTPSUP also appointed as %VSJOHNFEJDBMTDIPPMUSBJOJOH %FBO3PCFSU+"MQFSO NE BQPTJ 3POBME7FOEFS the medical school’s JOUIFGBDFPGUSBVNB BOEBQFEJBUSJDTSFTJEFODZBU7BOEFS UJPOJOXIJDITIFPWFSTFFTTDJFOUJGJD associate dean for clinical affairs. ²:PVEPOµUHSPXVQBTB4PVUIFSOFS CJMU6OJWFSTJUZ4DIPPMPG.FEJDJOF JOUFHSJUZJOSFTFBSDIDPOEVDUFEBU Vender will work with medical XJUIPVUXPOEFSJOHIPXQFPQMF .BZFTTQFDJBMJ[FEJOOFPOBUPMPHZ UIF4DIPPMPG.FEJDJOF school and hospital leadership on DPNFUPCFXIPUIFZBSF*UµTKVTUB XJUIBTQFDJBMJOUFSFTUJOUIFXPSLPG *OIFSPXOCFIBWJPSBMOFVSPTDJ strategic planning; achieving high sat- QBSUPGUIFDVMUVSF³4PTBZT-JOEB UIFJOUFOTJWFDBSFOVSTFSZ"UGJSTU FODFSFTFBSDI .BZFTVTFTEFOTF isfaction from patients and referring $.BZFT NE XIPPVHIUUPLOPX TIFXBTDBQUJWBUFECZUIFSBQJE BSSBZFMFDUSPFODFQIBMPHSBQIZ FFH physicians; ensuring patient safety IBWJOHHSPXOVQJOUIFTNBMMUPXO DIBOHFTTFFOJOTJDLJOGBOUTBTUIFZ UPNFBTVSFTVCUMFDIBOHFTJOCSBJO and high-quality, cost-effective patient PG8JODIFTUFS 5FOO BUUIFGPPUPG TUSVHHMFUPXBSEXFMMOFTT CVUTPPO GVODUJPOUIBUSFTVMUGSPNFBSMZDIJME care; and establishing measures to UIF$VNCFSMBOE1MBUFBV GPVOEIFSTFMGESBXOUPMPOHFSUFSN IPPETUSFTT XIFUIFSDBVTFECZQSF ensure excellence in clinical care. .BZFTIBTCVJMUPOUIJTDVMUVSBM RVFTUJPOT²8IBU*VMUJNBUFMZGPVOE OBUBMFYQPTVSFUPDPDBJOFPSCSPBEFS Vender, who graduated from UPVDITUPOFJOIFSTDJFOUJGJDDPOUSJCV NPTUJOUSJHVJOHBCPVUOFPOBUPMPHZ NPSFBMMFODPNQBTTJOHTUSFTTPST the School of Medicine in 1977 and UJPOTUPPVSLOPXMFEHFPGIVNBO XBTXIBUIBQQFOFEUPUIFJOGBOUT TVDIBTQPWFSUZBOEWJPMFODF*O completed his internship, residency EFWFMPQNFOU/PXUIF"SOPME(FTFMM BGUFSUIFZMFGUUIFOVSTFSZ ³TIFTBZT MPOHUFSNTUVEJFTBU:BMF .BZFTIBT and a fellowship at Yale-New Haven 1SPGFTTPSPG$IJME%FWFMPQNFOUJO ²IPXUIFJSMJGFTUPSJFTFWPMWFEBOE GPVOEUIBUFBSMZDPDBJOFFYQPTVSF Hospital (OD>>), has held leader- UIF$IJME4UVEZ$FOUFS DTD TIFIBT UIFJSMPOHUFSNPVUDPNFBGUFSXF EJTSVQUTUIFSFHJPOBMTQFDJBMJ[BUJPO ship roles at several New Haven-area DPOEVDUFETFNJOBMTUVEJFTPGIPX IBEEPOFUIFCFTUXFDPVMEXJUI PGUIFDPSUFYOFDFTTBSZGPSFGGJDJFOU hospitals, including OD>>, Milford TUSFTTJOEVDFEEJTUVSCBODFTJOFBSMZ NFEJDJOF³ MFBSOJOHBOEFGGFDUJWFFNPUJPOBM Hospital and the Hospital of St. Ra- CSBJOEFWFMPQNFOUBGGFDUDIJMESFOµT "SSJWJOHBU:BMFBTB3PCFSU DPOUSPM5IFTFDIBOHFTUIFNTFMWFT phael, where he has served as section MBUFSBCJMJUZUPSFDPHOJ[FBOESFHV 8PPE+PIOTPO(FOFSBM1FEJBUSJDT MFBEUPBOJODSFBTFEWVMOFSBCJMJUZUP chief of gastroenterology since 1993. In MBUFUIFJSFNPUJPOT 'FMMPXJO .BZFTCFHBODPM ESVHBEEJDUJPO BWJDJPVTJOUFSHFO 1997 he founded, with two colleagues, "TBZPVOHXPNBO .BZFT MBCPSBUJOHXJUIUIF FSBUJPOBMDZDMFUIBU.BZFTIPQFT the Gastroenterology Center of Con- NPWFEGSPN8JODIFTUFSUPUIF -JGFMJOFT MBUF8JMMJBN,FTTFO IFSXPSLDBOIFMQUPCSJOHUPBO necticut, a private practice with offi ces NPVOUBJOTPG4FXBOFF 5FOO UP -JOEB QIE XIPCFMJFWFE FOE*OQBSUOFSTIJQXJUIUIF"OOB in Hamden, Milford and Guilford. BUUFOEDPMMFHFBUUIF6OJWFSTJUZ UIBUSFTFBSDIUJFT 'SFVE$FOUSFJO-POEPO XIFSFTIF Vender has twice received the PGUIF4PVUI5IFSF TIFJNNFSTFE .BZFT XJUIQFEJBUSJDJBOT JTBNFNCFSPGUIFEJSFDUPSJBMUFBN Vincent DeLuca Award for Outstand- IFSTFMGJOUIFIJTUPSZBOEMJUFSBUVSF XPVMETUSFOHUIFOEFWFMPQNFOUBM .BZFTBOEIFSDPMMFBHVFTIBWF ing Teacher of Gastroenterology. In PGUIFQPTU$JWJM8BS4PVUIBOE QTZDIPMPHZ XIJDIIFTBXBTJO SFDFOUMZEFWFMPQFEBQBSBMMFMFFH May, he received the Distinguished DBNFBXBZJNQSFTTFECZUIF EBOHFSPGCFDPNJOHJTPMBUFEGSPN MBCBOEUIFZBSFEFWFMPQJOHDMJOJDBM Clinician Award from the American FYUSBPSEJOBSZCVSTUPGMJUFSBSZ DIJMESFOµTSFBMXPSME EBZUPEBZ JOUFSWFOUJPOTGPSBUSJTLGBNJMJFTBOE Gastroenterological Association. DSFBUJWJUZUIBUUPPLQMBDFJOUIF MJWFT0UIFSSFTFBSDIQBSUOFSTIJQT BEPMFTDFOUT XBLFPGUIFSFHJPOµTXBSUJNF XJUIEFWFMPQNFOUBMQFEJBUSJDJBO ²5IFGBNJMJFTJOWPMWFEJOPVSMPO Medicine@Yale USBVNBBOEIVNJMJBUJPO 3JDIBSE)(SBOHFS NE BOEMFH HJUVEJOBMSFTFBSDIMFUVTTUBZJOUIFJS Peter Farley, Managing Editor ²*µWFBMXBZTCFFOJOUFSFTUFE FOEBSZDIJMEQTZDIJBUSJTUBOEDTD MJWFTGPSTVDIBMPOHUJNF CFDBVTF Contributors: John Curtis, Mark D’Antonio, JOUIFJEFBUIBUXIFOBDVMUVSFJT EJSFDUPS%POBME+$PIFO NE CPUI UIBUµTUIFPOMZXBZUPSFBMMZGJOE Janet Emanuel, Charles Gershman, Jane Hadjimichael, VOEFSHPJOHUSFNFOEPVTUSBOTJ BMTPOPXEFDFBTFE QSPGPVOEMZ BOZUIJOHPVU ³TBZT.BZFT²8FBSF William Hathaway, Pat McCaffrey, Karen Peart, Richard Peterson, Richard Silverman UJPO PGUFOUJNFTZPVTFFBHSFBU TIBQFEIFSWJFXTBTXFMM TUVEZJOHBEPMFTDFOUTXIPBSFOPX GMPXFSJOHPGUIFBSUT³*OUIFGJFMEPG 5SBJOFEBTBDIJMEBOEBEVMU BOEZFBSTXIPXFIBWFLOPXO Design: Peter W. Johnson, Maura Gianakos DIJMEEFWFMPQNFOU .BZFTFYQMBJOT QTZDIPBOBMZTU .BZFTNBJOUBJOTB TJODFUIFZXFSFOFXCPSOT*UµTBSFBM Medicine@Yale is published six times each year by the SFTFBSDIFST²PGUFOUBMLBCPVUUIF DMJOJDBMQSBDUJDFBUUIF$IJME4UVEZ IPOPS³ Offi ce of Institutional Planning and Communications, Yale School of Medicine, George St., Suite , DBQBDJUZUPQSFTFSWFJNBHJOBUJWF $FOUFS VTJOHQMBZDFOUFSFEUIFSBQZ New Haven, CT . QMBZ*GBDIJMEQSFTFSWFTDSFBUJWJUZ UFDIOJRVFTXJUIDIJMESFOBTZPVOH 0OMJOF:BMF/FUDBTU Telephone: () EFTQJUFIPSSJGJDUSBVNB JUµTPGUFOB BTZFBSTXIPTVGGFSGSPNUSBVNB ²5FFOCSBJOTXJSFEUPUBLFSJTLT³ Fax: () E-mail: [email protected] Website: medicineatyale.org Expert on internal workings of bacteria is new HHMI investigator Copyright © by Yale School of Medicine. All rights reserved. Christine Jacobs-Wagner, F>:, the Wagner and colleagues discovered associated with defects in intermedi- Maxine Singer Associate Professor that the organism contains intermedi- ate fi laments. Jacobs-Wagner says If you have a change of address or do not wish ate fi laments, a cytoskeletal structure that C. crescentus offers an excellent to receive future issues of Medicine@Yale, of Molecular, Cellular and Devel- please write to us at the above address opmental Biology at Yale, has been previously thought model system for understanding these or via e-mail at [email protected]. named an investigator of the Howard to be present only in structures. Postal permit held by Yale University, Hughes Medical Institute (>>C?), a animal cells. >>C?’s 298 investigators, selected Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT According to through rigorous national competi- non-profi t medical research organiza- Yale School of Medicine tion that is one of the nation’s largest the online Human tions, include 12 Nobel Prize winners Robert J. Alpern, C:., Dean philanthropies. Intermediate Fila- and 122 members of the National Ensign Professor of Medicine Jacobs-Wagner is one of the ment Database, 79 Academy of Sciences. Jancy L. Houck Associate Vice President for Development world’s leading authorities on the in- diseases, including Jacobs-Wagner, who received her and Director of Medical Development ternal organization of bacteria. Work- $ISJTUJOF amyotrophic lateral doctorate at the University of Liège, () ing with the bacterium Caulobacter +BDPCT8BHOFS sclerosis (Lou Geh- Belgium, becomes one of 17 scientists Mary Hu Director of Institutional Planning and Communications crescentus, a common inhabitant of rig’s disease), Parkinson’s disease and at Yale who now hold the prestigious Michael Fitzsousa, Director of Communications freshwater lakes and streams, Jacobs- some forms of cataracts, have been appointment. www.medicineatyale.org "EWBODFT A ‘Shangri-La’ for stem cell research at Yale )FBMUIBOETDJFODFOFXTGSPN:BMF A focus on the basics of stem cell biology is Yale’s unique approach This summer marks the second anniversary of the opening of the Yale Stem Cell Center (OI99). By any mea- "SFQMBDFNFOUGPS sure, say OI99 Director Haifan Lin, F>:, professor of cell biology, and IPSNPOFSFQMBDFNFOU Associate Director Diane S. Krause, &TUSBEJPM BOBUVSBMMZPDDVSSJOH C:,F>:, professor of laboratory GFNBMFTFYIPSNPOF TVQQPSUT medicine and pathology, the center TLFMFUBMIFBMUICZCBMBODJOHUIFPO has been a smashing success. HPJOHQSPDFTTFTPGCPOFSFTPSQUJPO Before the center opened its doors, BOECPOFGPSNBUJPO8IFOVTFEBT there was only one laboratory at Yale BDPNQPOFOUJOFTUSPHFOSFQMBDF involved in human embryonic stem NFOUUIFSBQZGPSQPTUNFOPQBVTBM cell (h;I9)research. Today, there XPNFO IPXFWFS FTUSBEJPMIBT are 12, an enormous leap forward for CFFOMJOLFEUPJODSFBTFESJTLPG TPNFLJOETPGDBODFST the medical school and the state of IBSPMETIBQJSPNJDSPHSBQIDPVSUFTZPGIBJGBOMJO 'SPNMFGU $BJGPOH2JV %JSFDUPS)BJGBO-JO "TTPDJBUF%JSFDUPS%JBOF,SBVTFBOE/BUBMJB 8PSLJOHXJUISBUEFSJWFEPT Connecticut, according to Lin, who calls stem cells “the next frontier of *WBOPWBBSFBEWBODJOHSFTFBSDIBOECVJMEJOHOFXTDJFOUJ¾DDPMMBCPSBUJPOTBUUIF:BMF4UFN UFPCMBTUT DFMMTUIBUDBOCVJMECPOF $FMM$FOUFS5IFNJDSPHSBQIJOUIFCBDLHSPVOETIPXTFNCSZPOJDTUFNDFMMTJOUIFJOUFTUJOFPG 4DIPPMPG.FEJDJOFTDJFOUJTUTIBWF biomedical research.” BNPVTF JTPMBUFEBTVCTUBODFUIBUNJNJDT This increase in capacity is critical FTUSBEJPMCVUJTGVODUJPOBMMZBOE because h;I9s have many advantages include studies on h;I9s. Michael and neuronal stem cells, respectively. DIFNJDBMMZEJGGFSFOU NBLJOHJUB over the so-called adult stem cells Snyder, F>:, professor of molecular, In addition, seven other labs received QPTTJCMFOFXDBOEJEBUFGPSIPS that can be gathered from tissues cellular and developmental biology smaller seed grants to work on both NPOFSFQMBDFNFOU such as bone marrow or skin cells: and of molecular biophysics and basic and clinical applications of 4UVEJFTJOUIFMBCPSBUPSJFTPG h;I9s are easier to collect, they can biochemistry, received $3.8 million to stem cells. 5IPNBT-.D$BSUIZ QIE BOE be grown in large numbers and they investigate how h s differentiate The benefi ts of the go be- .JDIBFM$FOUSFMMB QIE PGUIF ;I9 OI99 %FQBSUNFOUPG4VSHFSZ JEFOUJ¾FE in principle can differentiate into any into brain cells. Three other research- yond Yale. The mission of the center, UIFFTUSPHFOMJLFTVCTUBODF XIJDI of the cell types that make up the ers also received smaller seed grants to says Lin, is to provide a centralized USJHHFSFETFWFSBMPGUIFCJPDIFNJ diverse tissues—heart, bone, brain, support new projects. source of technical expertise to the DBMSFTQPOTFTJOEVDFECZFTUSPHFO muscle, and more—of the human In the second round of grants, an- community, including colleagues SFDFQUPSBDUJWBUJPO5IFZQVCMJTIFE body. Although very recent advances nounced in March, Yale received $5.6 at other institutions. Researchers at UIFJS¾OEJOHTJOUIF.BZFEJUJPO in reprogramming adult cells to act million out of the total $10 million the University of Connecticut and PGUIF1SPDFFEJOHTPGUIF/BUJPOBM more like embryonic stem cells may put up by the state. The OI99 itself Wesleyan University, who have also "DBEFNZPG4DJFODFT64" ultimately help bypass ethical issues, received $1.8 million, and the rest was shared in the state’s stem cell funds, 5IFTDJFOUJTUTIPQFUIFPTUFP for now, h;I9s remain the gold stan- awarded to 11 faculty members based have access to the Yale core facilities CMBTUEFSJWFENPMFDVMF XIJDIUIFZ dard against which reprogrammed on original research proposals. for their work. MBCFMFE0CTFSN NBZCFEFWFMPQFE cells are measured, and the best hope Among the researchers sup- Besides its new labs, the stem JOUPBTBGFSBMUFSOBUJWFUPUSBEJUJPO BMFTUSPHFOSFQMBDFNFOU for future medical advances. ported by the latest state funding cell center boasts 38 affi liated faculty The OI99’s state-of-the-art facili- are D. Eugene Redmond Jr., C:, members from departments across ties have enabled more researchers to who received $1.12 million to sup- Yale, and six months ago Lin and $MFBSJOHPVU enter the fi eld by helping them scale port his work using h;I9s to replace Krause welcomed their fi rst new fac- "M[IFJNFSµTQMBRVFT both the regulatory and technical the neurons that die off in Parkin- ulty recruit, Natalia Ivanova,F>:, hurdles involved in stem cell research, son’s disease. Dianqing Wu, F>:, assistant professor of genetics and "M[IFJNFSµTEJTFBTF "% QBUJFOUT Lin says. The center, which occupies professor of pharmacology, Laura the Robert T. McCluskey, C:Yale UFOEUPIBWFFMFWBUFEMFWFMTPGUHG the second fl oor of the new research E. Niklason, C:,F>:,associ- Scholar. Ivanova is a leader in the use PSUSBOTGPSNJOHHSPXUIGBDUPS building at 10 Amistad St., consists ate professor of anesthesiology and of gene expression profi ling to trace CFUB BOJNNVOFTZTUFNNPMFDVMF of four “cores”: stem cell culture, biomedical engineering, and Flora M. the pathways by which undifferenti- UIBUQMBZTBLFZSPMFJOBDUJWBUJOH directed by Caihong Qiu, F>:; Vaccarino, C:, associate professor ated embryonic stem cells progress JNNVOFSFTQPOTFUPJOKVSZ imaging; cell sorting and analysis; and of neurobiology, each received nearly to mature cell types. Much of her "NVMUJDFOUFSHSPVQPGSF genomics. TFBSDIFSTIBTGPVOEUIBUCMPDLJOH $500,000 to study heart, blood vessel Stem Cells, page 8 UHGQBUIXBZTJONJDFHFOFUJDBMMZ Because the space used for h;I9 FOHJOFFSFEUPEJTQMBZTZNQUPNTPG research is not supported by fed- "%DMFBSTUIFBNZMPJEQMBRVFTJO eral funds, researchers there are not UIFCSBJOUIBUBSFBIBMMNBSLPGUIF restricted by government regulations EJTFBTF.JDFXJUIUBNQFEEPXO that limit support for h;I9research 4DJFOUJTUTBUUIF:BMF4UFN$FMM$FOUFSCFMJFWFUIBUVOEFSTUBOEJOHUIFNPTUCBTJD UHGBMTPTIPXNJOPSJNQSPWF to an approved list of already estab- NFDIBOJTNTPGTUFNDFMMCJPMPHZXJMMMFBEUPNPSFTVDDFTTGVMDMJOJDBMBQQMJDBUJPOT5IF NFOUTOBWJHBUJOHDFSUBJONB[FT lished stem cell lines. “So far, we have QPUFOUJBMJNQBDUPGTUFNDFMMSFTFBSDIPOIVNBOIFBMUIJTFOPSNPVT:PVDBOIFMQ *OUIF+VOFJTTVFPG/BUVSF been using the approved cell lines, but BDDFMFSBUFUIFQBDFPGUIJTSFTFBSDICZTVQQPSUJOH:BMFµTTDJFOUJTUTBOEDMJOJDJBOT5IF HJGUPQQPSUVOJUJFTMJTUFECFMPXDBOGVOEXPSLJOTUFNDFMMSFTFBSDIPSBOZPUIFSBSFBPG .FEJDJOF BUFBNMFECZ5FSSFODF$ we are capable of deriving our own EPOPSJOUFSFTU 5PXO QIE PG$FEBST4JOBJ.FEJDBM lines, or using non-approved cells $FOUFSJO-PT"OHFMFT BOE3JDIBSE lines here,” Lin says of the OI99. “This SFTFBSDIGVOE ZBMFTDIPMBS "'MBWFMM QIE DIBJSBOE4UFSMJOH PSNPSF NJMMJPO 1SPGFTTPSPG*NNVOPCJPMPHZBOE building is like a Shangri-La for stem cell research.” 5PTVQQPSUGPDVTFESFTFBSDIDPO 5PTVQQPSUBOFXMZSFDSVJUFEZPVOH )PXBSE)VHIFT.FEJDBM*OTUJUVUF EVDUFECZUFBNTPGGBDVMUZBOE JOWFTUJHBUPS MJLFTUFNDFMMSFTFBSDIFS Part of what made the center pos- JOWFTUJHBUPS SFQPSUTUIBUJOUFSSVQU HSBEVBUFTUVEFOUT /BUBMJB*WBOPWB HJGUTBSFFMJHJCMFGPS JOHUHGQBUIXBZTJOUIFNJDF sible is a 2005 state law that estab- QFSDFOUJONBUDIJOHGVOETGSPN BMMPXFEJNNVOFDFMMTUPFOHVMG lished Connecticut as a safe haven UFDIOPMPHZGVOE :BMF6OJWFSTJUZ BOEEJHFTUBCPVUQFSDFOUPGUIF for h;I9research and established PSNPSF QMBRVFTJOUIFJSCSBJOT²*UXBTMJLF the Connecticut Stem Cell Research 5PFYQBOEBOEVQHSBEFUFDIOJDBM QSPGFTTPSTIJQ BWBDVVNDMFBOFSIBESFNPWFEUIF Program in the state’s Department SFTPVSDFTBOEGVOETQFDJBMJ[FETUBGG NJMMJPO QMBRVFT µµTBZT'MBWFMM of Public Health, which will provide 5PBTTJTUBEJTUJOHVJTIFEGBDVMUZ 5PXO UIFTUVEZµTMFBEBVUIPS $100 million to fund h;I9 research NFNCFSµTSFTFBSDIBOETDIPMBSMZ TBZTUIBUJGUIFTFSFTVMUTBSFTVQ over 10 years. In the fi rst year of that BDUJWJUJFT QPSUFECZTUVEJFTJOIVNBOT ²XF initiative, Yale received $7.7 million, NBZCFBCMFUPEFWFMPQBESVHUIBU 'PSJOGPSNBUJPOBCPVUUIFTFPSPUIFSHJGUPQQPSUVOJUJFT WJTJUXXXZBMFUPNPSSPXZBMF DPVMECFJOUSPEVDFEJOUPUIFCMPPE of which $2.5 million went to Lin to FEVNFEJDJOFPSDPOUBDU+BODZ)PVDL BTTPDJBUFWJDFQSFTJEFOUGPSEFWFMPQNFOUBOE TUSFBNUPDBVTFQFSJQIFSBMJNNVOF establish the stem cell culture core EJSFDUPSPGNFEJDBMEFWFMPQNFOU BU DFMMTUPUBSHFUUIFBNZMPJEQMBRVFTµµ facility. Krause received $1 million to expand her work on leukemia to
Medicine@Yale July/August 2008 0VUBCPVU
FMBJOFVCJvB April 26:The 9th annual B797II7 , a black-tie gala to benefit SPCFSUNBDL C7=?97 May 6: The Art Place Quilters at Yale, sponsored by the School of Medi- Yale Cancer Center (O99), was held cine’s office of Facilities Operations have made over 30B7FGK?BJI sided score that nobody seems to remember. Front row, from left: &MJ[BCFUI KVMJFCSPXOIBSXPPE )#SBEMFZ,F>:,C87,professor of public health;1BUSJDL.BMPOFZ’10; May 17: The<7C?BOE<@7C;I97L7D7=>, of the Yale College Class 1FUFS.(MB[FS,C:,F>:, the Robert E. Hunter Professor of Therapeutic of 1942, gathered in the School of Medicine’s Medical Historical Library Radiology; Alpern;"EBN,BZF’09;3JDIBSE"4JMWFSNBO,director of admis- before a luncheon at the venerable Mory’s to celebrate Cavanagh’s gift of sions; Rathore;.BUUIFX.D3BF’09; and4VTBO"4BOTPOF, registrar, C:/ $500,000 to support medical education at Yale. Cavanagh (seated) was F>: Program. Back row, from left: 3PCFSU)FJNFS,F>:,professor of joined by (from left)stepson (BSZ"4BOUPSB; son +BNFT'$BWBOBHI; epidemiology and pharmacology; +PTFQI&$SBGU,C:,professor of medi- granddaughter (BZMF&.BTMPX (with hands on Cavanagh’s shoulders); cine and immunobiology;%BWJE-3JNN,C:,F>:,professor of pathol- grandson 5IPNBT.$BWBOBHI; daughter-in-law 4BSB;$BWBOBHI; daugh- ogy; C:/F>: student"ESJBOB#MBLBK’13;4DPUU,FOOFEZ’08; Kiguchi; ter $BUIBSJOF$.BTMPX; and daughter 4IFJMB1.BSTIBMM. (Not pictured: (SFHPSZ/FMTPO’08;.BSL4DIMBOHFM’10;$ISJTUPQIFS4QPDL’09;%BOJFM Charles H. Cavanagh, Sarah Cavanagh and Connor P. Cavanagh.) 4PMPNPO’10;.BUUIFX)PSOJDL’10;(BCSJFM8JEJ’08; and3FJE4BOTPOF www.medicineatyale.org "EWBODFT Opening up the lines of communication )FBMUIBOETDJFODFOFXTGSPN:BMF Gift supports training 'FNJOJOFQIBSBPI in medical Spanish BHFOFUJDBOPNBMZ for Yale physicians "LIFOBUFO BQIBSBPIPG&HZQUµT To be successful, the doctor-patient UIEZOBTUZ JTQPSUSBZFE TFF relationship requires clear communi- QIPUP XJUIBUIJOOFDL FMPOHBUFE IFBE MBSHFCVUUPDLT CSFBTUTBOEB cation above all else. When a doctor QSPNJOFOUCFMMZ doesn’t speak the native tongue of a 5IFTFEFQJDUJPOT patient, translators are often called in IBWFMPOHJO to help, but because one’s health is an USJHVFE&HZQUPMP intimate and private matter, intro- HJTUT XIPIBWF ducing a third party into a medical TVHHFTUFEUIBU discussion is not an ideal solution. IFXBTQPSUSBZFE For Linda Kantor, of Orange, JOUIJTXBZGPS Conn., these issues are more than the- SFMJHJPVTSFBTPOT oretical. Kantor is a founder and vice PSUIBUBSUJTUT SPHFSXPPEDPSCJT president of the Board of Directors FYBHHFSBUFEIJT IBSPMETIBQJSP of Casa Otoñal (“Autumn House”), QIZTJDBMDIBSBDUFSJTUJDT *ODSFBUJOHBDPVSTFJONFEJDBM4QBOJTIBUUIF4DIPPMPG.FEJDJOF 'SFEBOE-JOEB,BOUPS #VU*SXJO.#SBWFSNBO NE a campus-like complex of buildings GPVOEBQFSGFDUGVTJPOPGUIFJSMPOHTUBOEJOHJOUFSFTUTJONFEJDJOFBOEJO/FX)BWFOµT)JT QSPGFTTPSPGEFSNBUPMPHZ CFMJFWFT dedicated to housing the elderly of QBOJDDPNNVOJUZ UIBUBODJFOUBSUJTUTBDDVSBUFMZ New Haven’s Hispanic community. DBQUVSFEUIFTJHOTPGUXPHFOFUJD “We’ve found that when some of our couple to help choose how the money tive that is so much in keeping DPOEJUJPOTBSPNBUBTFFYDFTTTZO elderly are at the hospital, many times would be spent. “With this wonderful with the Kantors’ varied commit- ESPNF JOXIJDIFYDFTTFTUSPHFO they have to bring along a child or a gift and its income, we didn’t want to ments to the community. “Their ties QSPEVDUJPODBOMFBEUPGFNJOJ[B grandchild as an interpreter,” she ex- sponsor an annual lecture or a prize,” to both the School of Medicine and UJPOPGUIFNBMFCPEZBOEFBSMZ plains. “But it’s not ethically or medi- says Fred Kantor. “Our task was to to the Hispanic community are very QVCFSUZJOGFNBMFT BOEDSBOJP cally a good idea to have an 8 year old integrate our interests—medicine, the deep,” Vlock says. “Their convictions TZOPTUPTJT BEFWFMPQNFOUBMEFGFDU in an Ob/Gyn clinic translating for a Hispanic community and the elderly.” as to the signifi cance and potential UIBUBMUFSTOPSNBMTLVMMHSPXUI 5IFQIBSBPIµTEBVHIUFSTBSF grandmother.” According to Kantor’s The result was a course in lifesaving capacity of teaching medi- EFQJDUFEXJUICSFBTUT MBSHFIJQT husband, Yale immunologist Fred S. “medical Spanish” taught in Yale-New cal Spanish were pretty persuasive, BOECVUUPDLTBUBHFUISFFBOETFW Kantor, C:, the Paul S. Beeson Pro- Haven Hospital’s Fitkin Amphitheatre and Karen and I are thrilled to be FOJOTPNFDBSWJOHT BOEBOVNCFS fessor of Medicine, even having the last fall. The course drew 60 students able to empower them, given all that PGIJTSFMBUJWFTBSFTIPXOXJUI services of a professional translator and was taught in four sections, they’ve done for my family and for JEFOUJDBMBCOPSNBMJUJFT TVHHFTUJOH has its limits. “As a physician, it’s won- twice a week, by Tricia Walter, C7, the community.” HFOFUJDDBVTFT TBZT#SBWFSNBO derful to have a capable translator, a lecturer in Yale’s Department of Although elementary Spanish XIPQSFTFOUFEIJT¾OEJOHTBUUIF but it’s not the same as having even Latin American Studies. Fred Kantor, does not negate the need for a trained UIBOOVBM)JTUPSJDBM$MJOJDP rudimentary Spanish” when treating a who took the course himself, says it interpreter, Linda Kantor says that QBUIPMPHJDBM$POGFSFODFJO.BZ Spanish-speaking patient, he says. has been a real boon to his practice even a rudimentary knowledge of /PNVNNZPG"LIFOBUFOFY Michael Vlock, a Branford, of medicine. “I had no knowledge Spanish will make a difference to doc- JTUT CVU#SBWFSNBOTBZTJUNBZCF QPTTJCMFUPDPO¾SNIJTSFUSPTQFD Conn.-based executive and philan- of Spanish at all, and even after tors and patients. “For physicians to UJWFEJBHOPTJTXJUIHFOFUJDUFTUTPO thropist who has known the Kantors one semester I found I could com- at least have a modicum of Spanish, UIFNVNNJFTPG"LIFOBUFOµTLJO since he was 10 years old—they were municate better with the patients,” to be able to introduce themselves, to close friends of his parents—recently he says. “Their faces brighten when say ‘I hope you feel better,’ and to be joined his wife, Karen Pritzker, in they realize that somebody is trying able to ask some pertinent questions /BUVSBMTFMFDUJPO making a $250,000 gift to the School to communicate with them in their in Spanish,” she says, “will help to put UBNFTBMDPIPMVTF of Medicine to honor the couple’s language.” both the patient and the physician lifetime of service to Yale and to New Vlock is pleased that his donation more at ease, and lead to better medi- *UJTXFMMLOPXOUIBUTPNF&BTU Haven. Vlock and Pritzker asked the provided the foundation for an initia- cal practice.” "TJBOTIBWFBMPXUPMFSBODFGPS BMDPIPMJDESJOLTCFDBVTFUIFZDBSSZ WBSJBOUTPGHFOFTUIBUIFMQSFHV MBUFBMDPIPMNFUBCPMJTN The kindest cut: single-port surgery at Yale /FXSFTFBSDICZ,FOOFUI, About 8 percent of the population He has since performed 12 more named the “puppeteer technique,” ,JEE QIE QSPGFTTPSPGHFOFUJDT has an appendectomy at some point single-port appendectomies, and he involves entering the abdomen, BOE¾STUBVUIPSBOEQPTUEPDUPSBM in their lives, usually prompted by has also broadened the technique grasping the appendix, dissecting BTTPDJBUF)VJ-J QIE TVHHFTUT an attack of acute appendicitis. Until to complete 4 single-port umbilical and removing it, all through one tiny UIBUTPNFFOWJSPONFOUBMDIBOHF about 2000, appendectomies were hernia repairs and, recently, 10 gall incision. Because the surgical port is JO&BTU"TJBEVSJOHUIFQBTUGFX performed using traditional “open” bladder removals. hidden in the navel, Roberts says, an UIPVTBOEZFBSTQSPNPUFEUIF TQSFBEPGPOFTVDIWBSJBOUQSPUFDU surgery techniques, in which surgeons “This is exciting news because a already small incision becomes nearly JOHDFSUBJOFUIOJDHSPVQTGSPN gained access to the abdomen through single-port appen- invisible once the wound has healed, WVMOFSBCJMJUZUPBMDPIPMJTN a single, fairly large incision. For the dectomy performed resulting in “tremendous medical and 5IFOFXTUVEZ QVCMJTIFEJO past decade or so, appendectomies with only one small cosmetic benefi ts for the patients.” "QSJMJOUIFPOMJOFKPVSOBM1-P4 have more commonly been per- incision is even less Roberts is keenly interested in ap- 0/& SFQPSUTUIBUBWBSJBOUPGB formed laparoscopically, with surgical invasive than the plying his single-port methods in nat- HFOFLOPXOBTBEICCFDBNF instruments and a fi ber-optic video widely performed ural orifi ce transluminal endoscopic XJEFTQSFBETQFDJ¾DBMMZBNPOHUIF camera inserted through three small three-port laparo- surgery, or DEJ;I, a growing trend TQFBLFSTPGUIF)NPOHBOE"MUBJD incisions in the abdomen. scopic appendecto- in which operations are performed MBOHVBHFGBNJMJFTCFDBVTFPGTPNF In the latest advance for this rela- ,VSU3PCFSUT my, which uses three through bodily orifi ces such as the SFMBUJWFMZSFDFOUEJGGFSFODFJOUIFTF HSPVQTµFOWJSPONFOUT"OZOVNCFS tively common procedure, Kurt incisions,” explains Roberts. “One mouth, or, in women, the vagina. PGGBDUPST±UIFWBSJBOUNBZIBWF E. Roberts, C:, assistant profes- incision equates to even less pain and Using DEJ;I, surgeons can avoid DPOGFSSFESFTJTUBODFUPBOPWFM sor of surgery, has pioneered a new shorter recovery time for the pa- visible scarring, signifi cantly reduce QBSBTJUFPSUPYJO GPSFYBNQMF± laparoscopic technique that requires tient than the usual three.” Similarly, post-operative pain and gain unprec- DPVMEIBWFUSJHHFSFEUIFHFOFUJD only a single 11-millimeter incision, or Roberts is now able to remove the gall edented access to internal organs. DIBOHF UIFSFTFBSDIFSTTBZ “port.” In July 2007, Roberts per- bladder through only one incision in Roberts believes that surgery is at the 5IBUUIFTFQPQVMBUJPOTBSF formed the world’s fi rst true single- the navel, an operation traditionally beginning of a revolution in which MFTTQSPOFUPBMDPIPMJTNBTBSFTVMU incision, or single-port, laparoscopic performed with four incisions. many procedures, including hernia re- JTIBQQFOTUBODF ,JEETBZT CVU appendectomy at Yale-New Haven In recent years, the trend in pair and gastric banding for the treat- ²TPNFUIJOHJNQPSUBOUJOSFDFOU Hospital, when he removed the ap- abdominal surgery has been to reduce ment of obesity, may soon be per- IVNBOIJTUPSZIBTBGGFDUFEUIF pendix of a 22-year-old woman using the number of incisions whenever formed using these new techniques of HFOFUJDDPNQPTJUJPOPGNBOZ&BTU "TJBOQPQVMBUJPOT³ only one small incision in the navel. possible. Roberts’ procedure, nick- single-port surgery and DEJ;I Medicine@Yale July/August 2008 Rainof from page 1 “all the future memories of Mila that I going to deliver on our doorstep. And example to those around us, Mila’s the medical school. A cherry tree has will never have.” more than a few patients were looking impact on this world can grow expo- been planted in her honor on Hark- Karen J. Jubanyik, C:, assistant for specifi c narcotic medications by nentially.” Friend and classmate Mag- ness Lawn. professor of surgery, recalled a dif- name . . . I just thought, ‘What would gie Samuels-Kalow said, “Mila was the The Mila Rainof, C: Memorial fi cult shift she worked in the Emer- Mila do?’ She would dig in hard and person that you wanted at your side Fund and a new award for graduates gency Department at Yale-New Haven contribute in every way possible. She when the patient was getting sicker entering emergency medicine have Hospital the day after Rainof died. would go to the patient’s bedside, hold and you didn’t know what to do.” been established at the School of “It was a typical Monday. The their hand and genuinely listen to A group collected photos and Medicine to honor and perpetuate her ambulance bay looked like Noah’s them, without judgment. Her life will remembrances for a book to be compassionate spirit and humanistic ark; they were coming in two by two. go on if we all take what we learned given to Rainof’s family, while other approach to medicine. For details I had intubated two patients by 8 a.m. from Mila and incorporate it into our students also organized efforts to on the fund or award, please contact A woman with a breech baby came daily life, in the world of medicine work with the city of New Haven to Jancy Houck, director of medical in active labor, looking like she was and at home. And if we teach this by improve safety at intersections near development, at (203) 436-8560. Chair from page 1 between intracellular compartments graduated summa cum laude from Yale space, where the released vesicular Biochemistry and Biophysics at Me- and across cell membranes, Roth- College in 1971 with a degree in phys- cargo could interact with neighbor- morial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center man has received numerous honors, ics, and conducted research as an un- ing cells or enter the bloodstream to in New York as well as vice chair of including Columbia’s Louisa Gross dergraduate in Yale’s Department of affect distant ones. This latter process, the Sloan-Kettering Institute. Horwitz Prize and the Lasker Award Molecular Biophysics and Biochem- known as exocytosis, is basic to life In 1993, Rothman discovered a for Basic Medical Research, two istry with Eugene Higgins Professor and occurs in organisms as diverse as complex of vesicle membrane pro- prizes that are sometimes colloquially Donald M. Engelman, F>: (then yeast and humans; in our own case, teins that he implicated in membrane referred to as “pre-Nobels” because an assistant professor) and Harold exocytosis underlies physiological fusion, and based on this discovery he so many recipients of the Horwitz J. Morowitz, F>: now Clarence J. functions ranging from the secretion formulated the “ID7H;hypothesis,” and Lasker awards have gone on to Robinson Professor of Biology and of insulin to the regulation of the which has become highly infl uential become Nobel laureates. Much of Natural Philosophy at George Mason brain neurotransmitters responsible in the study of membrane traffi cking. this work was done using a “cell-free” University in Fairfax, Va. for movement, perception, memory This hypothesis posits that approach, in which Rothman isolated Both of Rothman’s children are and mood. Rothman discovered the distinctive, complementary pro- intracellular components crucial to Yale College graduates, and his spouse, molecular mechanisms and machin- tein complexes known as ID7H;s, molecular transport in a laboratory Joy Hirsch, F>: is a former profes- ery responsible for these and related expressed on both vesicles and target dish. This strategy allowed him to sor at Yale School of Medicine who processes. membranes, fi rst ensure that different perform elegant, focused experiments now directs the Program for Imaging After graduating from Yale, and classes of vesicles bind to appropri- that sidestepped the complexity of and Cognitive Sciences at Columbia basic science training as a medical ate membranes and then unleash working with complete cells. University. student at Harvard Medical School biochemical changes leading to fusion “Jim Rothman is one of the most “My life’s work on membrane (>CI), Rothman soon resolved to of vesicles with those membranes and brilliant researchers of our time,” traffi cking in cells was inspired by the learn more about the mechanisms the delivery of the vesicles’ cargo to its said Robert J. Alpern, C:,dean and discoveries of George Palade, who of vesicular transport. He shifted his proper destination. Ensign Professor of Medicine. “When founded Yale’s cell biology depart- focus to basic science, earning a F>: Rothman has given invited Jim started his career, a number of ment in 1973, and indeed founded in biological chemistry from >CI lectures on his work throughout the successful biochemists were recogniz- the fi eld of cell biology as we know it in 1976. He then spent two years as a world, and has served on the editorial ing the importance of studying mo- today,” Rothman said. “It is a privilege postdoctoral associate in the labora- boards of Science and Cell. lecular processes in cell-free systems, to lead the department he began as we tory of Harvey F. Lodish, F>:, a He is a member of the National but no one imagined that you could redefi ne molecular cell biology and preeminent biochemist at the Mas- Academy of Sciences and the Institute study vesicle traffi cking in a cell-free catalyze its impact on medicine, and a sachusetts Institute of Technology. of Medicine, a fellow of the American system. Jim had the courage to try unique pleasure to return to Yale.” In 1978, Rothman moved to the Academy of Arts and Science, and and the skills to succeed, and this bold George E. Palade, C:,a No- Department of Biochemistry at a foreign associate of the European approach revolutionized the fi eld. Jim bel Prize-winning cell biologist, led Stanford School of Medicine as an Molecular Biology Association. continues to bring this combination Yale’s department for its fi rst decade assistant professor. At this time, he Rothman succeeds Ira Mellman, of brilliance and intensity to his re- and established its current direc- and Randy W. Schekman, F>:, of F>:, a distinguished cell biologist search, and now also to the continued tions. Beginning in the 1950s, electron the University of California, Berkeley, and immunologist who was chair and development of an exceptional cell microscope images made by Palade conducted parallel research programs, Sterling Professor of Cell Biology at biology department.” and other scientists revealed that using biochemical and genetic tech- the School of Medicine until 2007, Carolyn W. Slayman, F>:, Ster- tiny spherical sacs known as vesicles niques to identify and characterize the when he joined the biotechnology ling Professor of Genetics and deputy encapsulate and shuttle proteins, proteins that are necessary for vesicle company Genentech as vice president dean of academic and scientifi c af- hormones, neurotransmitters and transport, and for the docking and fu- for oncology research. fairs, added, “Jim Rothman has helped other substances between intracellular sion of vesicles with membranes. For Since Mellman’s departure last to shape the fi eld of cell biology over organelles and to the cell surface. In this early work, Rothman and Schek- year, former chair James D. Jamieson, the past two decades, and it will be these micrographs, vesicles were seen man have shared many awards. C:,F>:, professor of cell biology exciting to have him join the scientifi c to fuse with membranes, spilling their Rothman continued his research and director of the medical school’s community at Yale.” contents into intracellular organelles, at Princeton University from 1988 un- C:/F>:Program, has served as Rothman has many personal and or, in the case of the membrane at til 1991, when he became the founding interim chair of the Department of scientifi c connections to Yale. He the cell surface, into the extracellular chair of the Department of Cellular Cell Biology. Aid from page 1 In an e-mail to the medical school a realistic assessment of income and $115,000, compared to a national a year will make no contribution and community, Alpern wrote, “It is criti- assets. The change will apply to both average of $157,000 for graduates of families earning up to $120,000 will cal to the health of medicine and to current and newly enrolled students. private medical schools. The average pay no more than 10 percent of their society in general that medical educa- The school is also raising its “base debt fi gure is estimated at $125,000 for income toward Yale College costs. tion is available to students from all loan” amount (which students are this year’s graduating class at Yale. In Belitsky said, “If you’re without segments of society. Medical schools expected to cover by taking out a loan 2007–2008, medical students at Yale any resources, there’s scholarship also have an obligation to prepare before receiving scholarships and received $7.3 million in grants and money available to pay for medical students for careers in all the special- grants) from $17,000 to $18,000, but $9.2 million in student loans. Overall, school, and if you’re wealthy, there’s ties, so that patients with every kind this amount will remain among the 87.6 percent of Yale medical students family money to pay for it. What of medical need can be served.” lowest of all peer private institutions. receive some form of fi nancial aid. we’ve found is that it’s the middle- Beginning with the 2008 aca- The total cost of medical school The new policy refl ects a growing income families who have been taking demic year, no contribution toward at Yale in 2008–2009 will be $62,010 trend among universities with large it on the chin.” Alpern added, “The tuition will be expected from parents for an incoming student, including tu- endowments to make more fi nancial school’s previous fi nancial-aid for- earning less than $100,000 whose as- ition, room, board, books, transporta- aid available. Yale College announced mula assumed that families earning as sets are typical of their income level. tion and other expenses. The average in January that it would reduce the little as $45,000 a year could contrib- Contributions from parents earning medical education debt of School of cost of undergraduate education by ute to their children’s medical school more than $100,000 will be calibrated Medicine students who graduated up to 50 percent for families with costs, when in fact, they often cannot. according to a sliding scale based on with outstanding loans in 2007 was need. Families earning up to $60,000 We’re correcting that now.” www.medicineatyale.org Grants and contracts awarded to Yale School of Medicine September/October 2007 Federal $1,283,082 • Karl Insogna, D?>, Microcomputed Tomography Device (Scanco Micro CT35), 1 year, Nadia Abdala, D?>, Alcohol and hiv Risk $233,348 • Paul Ivancic, Nat’l Center for Injury Reduction in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, Prevention and Control (D9?F9), Prevention of 4 years, $2,757,715 • Norrina Allen, Agency for Neck Injuries in Older Adults during Rear Motor Health Care Research and Quality (7>HG), Vehicle Collisions, 3 years, $808,284 • Leslie Geographic Patterns in Recurrent Stroke Rates by Jacobsen, D?>, Prenatal Cocaine Exposure: Gender and Race, 18 months, $37,519 • Frederick Studies of Brain Function, 20 months, $455,153 Altice, Health Resources and Services Adminis- Insoo Kang, D?>, Investigating Membrane- tration, Special Projects of National Significance, Associated T Cell Receptor Signaling in Human 4 years, $1,600,000 • George Anderson, D?>, CD8+ T Cell Subsets, 2 years, $270,600; D?>, Neuroendocrine, Pharmacology, and Genetics Aging and IL-7-Mediated CD8+ T Cell Survival, Core Resource, 5 years, $1,620,365 • Karen 5 years, $1,695,350 • Kenneth Kidd, Dept. of Anderson, D?>, Universal Technology for Profil- Justice (U.S.), Population Genetics of snps for ing the Dynamics of Normal and Oncogenic Sig- Forensic Purposes, 18 months, $911,125; Nat’l DPVSUFTZPGFTFNCMF naling, 2 years, $363,569 • Amy Arnsten, D?>, Science Foundation (DI<), alfred: A 8JUIGVOEJOHGSPNUIF$FOUFSTGPS%JTFBTF$POUSPMBOE1SFWFOUJPOBOEUIF-BFSEBM'PVOEBUJPO Ionic and Second Messenger Basis of Stress- Resource for Research and Teaching Human Evo- GPS"DVUF$BSF %BWJE$POF BTTPDJBUFQSPGFTTPSPGTVSHFSZBOEEJSFDUPSPGFNFSHFODZNFEJDBM Induced Prefrontal Dysfunction, 5 years, lution, 2 years, $248,516; Nat’l Science Founda- TFSWJDFT JTFYQMPSJOHUIFVTFPG5BCMFUPQ737JSUVBM7JDUJN WJSUVBMSFBMJUZTPGUXBSFEFTJHOFECZ %VUDI¾SN&4FNCMF UPDPNQBSFUSJBHFTZTUFNTJOFNFSHFODJFTJOWPMWJOHNBTTDBTVBMUJFT $1,654,000 • Andrew Bellemer, D?>, Mecha- tion (DI<), alfred: A Resource for Research nisms for Inhibition of Neurotransmitter and Teaching Human Evolution, 3 years, Release by the G Protein Galphao, 3 years, $370,691 • Harlan Krumholz, D?>, Young Tobacco Smokers, 5 years, $504,467 • Jane Taylor, 1 year, $223,911 • Kevan Herold, Juvenile Diabe- $93,967 • Jeffrey Bender, D?>, Molecular Women with Acute Myocardial Infarction, 4 D?>, Stress-Induced Compulsive Behaviors: crf tes Research Foundation Int’l, Preclinical Models of Estrogen-Induced Vascular Protection, years, $9,848,211 • John Krystal, D?>, Cortical Regulation, 5 years, $1,057,800 • Derek Toomre, Studies of Anti-CD3 mAb and IL-1Ra, 1 year, 6 months, $371,250 • Zubin Bhagwagar, D?>, gaba Function in Alcoholism, 5 years, D?>, Novel tirf Microscopy for Analyzing Traf- $110,280; University of Michigan Health A Study of gaba and 5-HT Interactions to $3,318,900 • Gary Kupfer, D?>, Functional ficking and Signaling at the Cell Cortex, 5 years, System, Brehm Coalition Award, 2 years, Test a Molecular Model of Vulnerability to Characterization of the Fanconi Anemia Core $2,481,250 • Xiao-Jing Wang, D?>, Recurrent $500,000 • Pei Hui, Third Wave Technologies, Depression, 5 years, $904,796 • Hilary Blum- and D2 Complexes, 3 years, $1,008,219 • Daeyeol Neural Circuit Basis of Time Integration and Inc., A Study to Evaluate the Analytical and berg, D?>, Stress, Neurodevelopment and the Lee, D?>, Stress, Prefrontal Cortex, and Decision Decision Making, 5 years, $1,860,938 • Joanne Clinical Performance of the Invader hpv Emergence of Addictive Behaviors in Adolescence, Making, 5 years, $1,240,500 • John Leventhal, Weidhaas, D?>, Defining the Genetic Basis of Reagents, 1 year, $47,190 • Shuta Ishibe, Ameri- 5 years, $992,250 • Michael Bracken, D?>, D?>, Integrating Well-Woman and Well-Baby the Radioresponse Using a C. elegans Tissue can Society of Nephrology, Role of the Met National Children’s Study, 5 years, $15,053,669 Care to Improve Parenting and Family Wellness, Model, 5 years, $555,660 • Stuart Weinzimer, Receptor in Kidney Development and Repair, Elizabeth Bradley, Agency for Health Care 2 years, $454,605 • Paul Lizardi, D?>, Probes for D?>, Yale Study of Closed-Loop Automated 2 years, $200,000 • Robert King, Tourette Syn- Research and Quality (7>HG), Hospital Strat- Detection of dna Accessibility in Chromatin, 3 Glucose Control for Hypoglycemia Prevention, 5 drome Association, Inc., A Genetic Linkage egies to Improve Outcome Performance, 4 years, years, $1,129,191 • Charles Lockwood, D?>, Pro- years, $1,197,606 • John Wysolmerski, D?>, The Study of gts, 1 year, $140,356 • Steven Klein- $1,085,403 • Ronald Braithwaite, D?>, A Com- gestin Effects on Uterine Hemostatsis and Angio- Effect of pthrp during Lactation, 4 years, stein, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Model- puter Simulation of the Sub-Saharan hiv Pan- genesis, 5 years, $2,163,672 • Carolyn Mazure, $1,308,611 • Huiping Zhang, D?>, Association ing Viral Immunity and Antagonism, 3 years, demic That Can Estimate Benefit and Value D?>, Interdisciplinary Research Education, 5 and Function of Opioid Receptor Gene Variants $794,542 • Jeffery Kocsis, Nat’l Multiple Sclero- from Alcohol Interventions, 5 years, $2,144,325 years, $857,917 • Sherry McKee, D?>, Modeling to Substance Dependence, 2 years, $176,324 sis Society, Therapeutic Potential of Cellular Matthew Burg, D?>, Reducing Vulnerability to Stress-Precipitated Smoking Lapse for Medica- Zhengdong Zhang, D?>, Gene Regulation in Transplantation into a Focal Model of eae, icd Shock Treated Ventricular Arrhythmias, 5 tion Development, 5 years, $1,240,500 • Diane Metastasis and New Methods to Analyze Its 3 years, $463,694 • Themis Kyriakides, Georgia years, $2,929,047 • Michael Cappello, D?>, McMahon-Pratt, D?>, Integrated Functional Microarray Profiles, 2 years, $178,496 • Hongyu Institute of Technology, Regenerative Acellular Research Training in Pediatric Infectious Dis- Genomics: On the Road to Leishmaniasis Zhao, Nat’l Science Foundation (DI<), Collab- Biomaterials Derived from Embryonic Stem eases, 5 years, $610,290 • Harvey Chin, D?>, Control, 1 year, $4,000; D?>, Multidisciplinary orative Research: A General Framework for Cells, 2 years, $21,009 • Paul Lombroso, The Defining Effects of Myosin VII Structure and Parasitology Training Program, 5 years, High-Throughput Biological Learning: Theory Institute for the Study of Aging, Inc., Screening Kinetics on Hereditary Deafness, 2 years, $81,944 $1,176,943 • Ewan McNay, D?>, Insulin in the Development and Applications, 3 years, $359,997 for Inhibitors of step, 1 year, $100,000 • Mark Judy Cho, D?>, ibd Genetics Consortium Data Hippocampus: Memory Enhancement and Mamula, L2 Diagnostics, BB9, egfr Peptides Coordinating Center, 5 years, $5,703,845; D?>, Impact of Type 2 Diabetes, 5 years, $1,529,950 as Vaccines in Anti-Tumor Immunity, Yale University ibd Genetics Research Center, 5 Yorgo Modis, Dept. of the Army, The Structural Non-Federal 18 months, $96,144 • Rory McCrimmon, Juve- years, $1,858,550 • Paul Cleary, Agency for Basis of Pathogen Recognition by Receptors of the nile Diabetes Research Foundation Int’l, Health Care Research and Quality (7>HG), Innate Immune System, 1 year, $178,655 • Alex- Vikki Abrahams, Lupus Foundation of America, Restoring Hypoglycemia Counterregulation in Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers ander Neumeister, D?>, Norepinephrine Trans- Mechanisms of Antiphospholipid Antibody- T1DM, 3 years, $495,000 • Thomas McMahon, and Systems, 5 years, $7,354,181 • Lawrence porter Imaging in Alcohol Dependence and Induced Pregnancy Complications in Patients Columbia University-Teachers College, Mater- Cohen, D?>, Scan of Protein Space for Optical Obesity, 5 years, $1,240,500 • Laura Niklason, with aps, 1 year, $60,000 • Anna Cali, Thrasher nal Drug Use, Psychopathology and Child Adap- Voltage Probes, 5 years, $5,049,153 • David Cone, D?>, Enabling Strategies for Growing Collage- Research Fund, Intrahepatic Fat Accumulation, tation, 5 years, $889,255 • Gil Mor, The Johns Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nous Tissues, 4 years, $2,061,843 • Stephanie Total and hmw Adiponectin, and the Metabolic Hopkins University, Multiplex Serum Bio- (9:9), E-Semble Virtual Reality Software for O’Malley, D?>, Naltrexone for Heavy Drinking Syndrome in Obese Youth, 1 year, $26,750 • Jodi marker for Ovarian Cancer, 2 years, $267,985 Mass Casualty Triage System, 1 year, $15,000 in Young Adults, 5 years, $3,062,762 • Godfrey Carlson, Animal Welfare Institute, Development Angus Nairn, Brown University, Structural and Joan Cook, D?>, Dissemination of Empirically Pearlson, D?>, Bipolar and Schizophrenia Con- of a Booklet on the Pair Housing of Macaques, Functional Analysis of Signaling Proteins in Supported Psychotherapies, 2 years, $341,086 sortium for Parsing Intermediate Phenotypes, 6 months, $3,000 • Sreeganga Chandra, Ameri- Dendritic Spines, 1 year, $23,703 • Alexander Michael Crair, D?>, Development and Plasticity 4 years, $3,195,446 • Joao Pedra, Centers for can Parkinson’s Disease Association, Inc., Neumeister, Nat’l Alliance for Research on at Thalamocortical Synapses, 5 years, $1,339,539 Disease Control and Prevention (9:9), Critical Delineating the Physiological Function of Synu- Schizophrenia and Depression, Contribution of Kristina Crothers, D?>, Longitudinal Studies of Role of the asc/Caspase-1 Pathway in Tick- cleins, 1 year, $50,000 • Lauren Cohn, Juvenile Early Life Trauma on Serotonin 1b Receptor hiv-Associated Lung Infections and Complica- Borne Rickettsiosis, 3 years, $450,000 • Marc Diabetes Research Foundation Int’l, Inhaled Expression in Depression, 2 years, $99,040 tions, 5 years, $3,964,897 • Dianne Duffey, D?>, Potenza, D?>, fmri of Stress and Self-Control Insulin and Lung Immunity, 1 year, $110,000 Karin Provost, American Thoracic Society, Mechanisms of atf2 in Survival of Head and in Smoking and Obesity, 5 years, $1,002,822 Miriam Delphin, Advocates for Human Poten- Airway Epithelial Regulation of Allergic Airway Neck Cancer, 1 year, $135,000 • Jasmine Escal- Enrique Pouget, D?>, Male-Female Sex Ratio tial, Inc., Shared Decision Making, 6 months, Response, 1 year, $50,000 • David Reiss, Oregon era, D?>, Activation of trpa1 Irritant Receptors and Risk for hiv/sti Among African-American $10,000 • Michael DiGiovanna, The Breast Social Learning Center, Early Growth and by Acrolein Fungal Toxicants, 3 years, $122,916 Women, 1 year, $40,972 • Ann Rasmusson, D?>, Cancer Research Foundation, Activated her2 as Development Study, 5 years, $292,366 • Scott Andrew Flannery, D?>, Molecular Interactions gabaergic Neurotransmission in ptsd, 18 a Predictor of Therapeutic Response and as a Rivkees, JS Genetics, Newborn Screening for Sex Involved in Calcium-Regulated Phagocytosis, 3 months, $356,980 • Jill Reiter, Dept. of Defense Target in Novel Combination Therapies, 1 year, Chromosomes Disorders, 1 year, $109,379 years, $153,822 • Terri Fried, D?>, Expanding (U.S.), Soluble egfr Isoforms in Cell Growth $100,000 • Yu-Shin Ding, Pfizer Inc, Feasibility Gerard Sanacora, Nat’l Alliance for Research Treatment Options for Older Persons, 5 years, Control, 1 year, $119,763 • Bruce Rounsaville, Study into net Occupancy Determination with on Schizophrenia and Depression, The Effect of $914,037 • Jorge Galán, D?>, The Type III Secre- D?>, Clinician Scientist Training in Substance pet Radioligand [C-11]mrb([C-11]mener), Stress and Antidepressants on Amino Acid Neu- tion Effector Protein Interactome, 2 years, Abuse Research, 5 years, $4,840,939 • Mehran 9 months, $212,195 • Ronald Duman, Sepracor rotransmission and Glial Cell Function, 2 years, $454,395 • Alison Galvani, D?>, Optional Influ- Sadeghi, D?>, Molecular Imaging of Vascular Inc., Influence of Eszopiclone on Chronic Unpre- $98,952 • Alan Sartorelli, Nat’l Foundation for enza Vaccine and Population Adherence, 3 years, Remodeling, 5 years, $1,622,500 • David Schatz, dictable Stress (cus): Blockade of the Anti- Cancer Research, Development of a Rapid $625,925 • Joel Gelernter, D?>, Alcohol Depen- D?>, Interdisciplinary Immunology Training Neurogenic and Anhedonic Effects of cus, 1 year, Simple Quantitative Assay for agt, the Resis- dence Genetics in a Large Chinese Pedigree, 2 Program, 5 years, $2,816,856 • Richard Schot- $148,575 • Richard Edelson, Union Mutual tance Protein for Cloretazine and Other years, $345,280 • Peter Glazer, D?>, Targeted tenfeld, D?>, Drug Counseling and Abstinent- Foundation, Investigations in Transimmuniza- 06-Guanine Targeting Drugs, for the Selection of Correction of the Human Beta-Globin Gene, 4 Contingent Take-Home Buprenorphine in tion, 1 year, $25,000 • Terri Fried, Robert Wood Patients with a High Probability of Response, years, $1,648,410 • Fred Gorelick, D?>, Exocrine Malaysia, 5 years, $1,614,643 • Jody Sindelar, Johnson Foundation, Evolving Toward Effective 1 year, $75,000 • Heather Scobie, Cancer Pancreatic Zymogen Activation, 5 years, D?>, Stressors and Their Impact on Health- and Efficient Health Care Decision Making Research Fund of the Damon Runyon-Walter $1,224,014 • Shannon Gourley, D?>, Role of Related Addictions: Smoking, Drinking, Body Based on Health Outcomes Priorities Among Winchell Foundation, Defining the Functional Amygdalostriatal creb Activity in Persistent Mass Index, 5 years, $1,211,112 • Rajita Sinha, Adults with Multiple Health Concerns, 2 years, Interface Between Campylobacter jejuni and its Depressive-Like Behavior, 2 years, $50,697 D?>, Human Subjects Core: Protocols, Statistics, $224,986 • John Geibel, AstraZeneca AB, Zinc is Mammalian Host Cells, 3 years, $140,000 Traci Green, D?>, Substance Use, hiv Infection and Collaborative Method Development, 5 years, a Potent Inhibitor of Acid Secretion, 1 year, Stephen Strittmatter, F. M. Kirby Foundation, and Mortality in a Cohort of Aging Veterans, 2 $2,962,253; D?>, orwh: scor on Sex and $250,000 • Mark Gerstein, Wellcome Trust, Inc., Stroke Research Project, 1 year, $100,000 years, $66,310 • Carlos Grilo, D?>, Treatment of Gender Factors Affecting Women’s Health, 5 Integrated Human Genome Annotation: Genera- Susumu Tomita, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Binge Eating in Obese Patients in Primary Care, years, $5,255,014; D?>, Interdisciplinary tion of a Reference Gene Set, 9 months, $177,403 Research Fellowship, 2 years, $90,000 • Fred 5 years, $1,695,520 • David Hiller, D?>, Mecha- Research on Stress, Self-Control and Addiction, Jeffrey Gruen, JS Genetics, Molecular Diagnosis Volkmar, The Nancy Lurie Marks Foundation, nism of Peptidyl Transfer by the Ribosome 5 years, $5,742,328 • Robert Soufer, D?>, of Dyslexia, 6 months, $36,409 • Lyndsay Harris, Undergraduate Education in Autism, 2 years, Deduced by Kinetic Isotope Effects, 2 years, Neurobehavioral Correlates of Mental Stress The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Bio- $35,051 • Anne Williamson, ?JD Energy $96,472 • Mark Horowitz, D?>, Control of Ischemia, 5 years, $2,397,801 • Julie Staley- marker Incubator to Define and Validate Predic- Systems, Inc., Wireless Multimodal Brain Moni- Osteogenesis and Adipogenesis by ebf, 4 years, Gottschalk, D?>, Neuroreceptor Imaging of tors of Response to Paclitaxel and Trastuzumab, toring, 1 year, $29,223 Medicine@Yale July/August 2008 Pioneering brain scientist is winner of inaugural Kavli Prize Shares $1 million award and functional properties of neuronal C:, Ensign Professor of Medicine. The Kavli Prize is named for, and circuits.” “He is an outstanding scientist who funded by, Fred Kavli, an entrepre- for 30 years of research “Together Rakic, Jessell and Grill- has not only made signifi cant contri- neur and philanthropist who was on the developing brain ner have managed to decipher the butions himself, but has developed an inspired to seek a mechanisms that govern the forma- exceptional department of neurobiol- career in science and In May, Pasko Rakic, C:, F>:, the tion and functioning of the complex ogy here at Yale.” engineering while Dorys McConnell Duberg Professor networks of the neural system to a Early in his career, Rakic discov- marveling at the of Neurobiology and professor of level of understanding never previ- ered that previously enigmatic sup- northern lights in neurology at the School of Medicine, ously achieved,” said Jon Storm- port cells known as radial glia serve the skies above the was named one of the inaugural re- Mathisen, professor of anatomy at the as guides for the migration of cortical tiny Norwegian vil- cipients of the Kavli Prize in Neurosci- University of Oslo and chair of the neurons in the developing brain, and lage where he grew ence for his key role in changing our Kavli Neuroscience Prize Committee. he showed how this process is critical 1BTLP3BLJD up. He later moved understanding of the cerebral cortex, “The insight spans from the level of for the organization of the multi- to the U.S., where he founded the the seat of human cognitive function. signaling molecules to cell and net- layered structure of the cerebral Kavlico Corporation, which became The $1 million Kavli Prizes, which work wiring and action, to behavior. cortex. one of the world’s largest suppliers will be presented biannually for The new knowledge carries promise His “radial unit hypothesis” set of sensors for aeronautic, automotive achievements in neuroscience, nano- for future treatments of brain disor- the stage for our current view of the and industrial application. science and astrophysics, are a part- ders by repairing damaged circuits.” steps involved in the evolution of In addition to funding the new nership of the Norwegian Academy For the past three decades, Rakic ever more complex and sophisticated prizes, Kavli has established 15 re- of Science and Letters, the Oxnard, has carried out pioneering studies brains among the vertebrates. Rakic’s search institutes devoted to neurosci- Calif.-based Kavli Foundation, and of how neurons in the developing four-dimensional model of devel- ence, nanoscience and astrophysics at the Norwegian Ministry of Education cerebral cortex are generated and how opmental events over time, from the leading academic institutions around and Research. they assemble themselves into the initial divisions of neuronal stem cells the world. Since 2005, Rakic has been Rakic, a neurosurgeon-turned- highly ordered, distinctively layered through their migration and strati- director of the Kavli Institute for Neu- neuroscientist, was honored along and densely interconnected circuits fi ed settlement in cortical columns, roscience at Yale. with Sten Grillner, F>:, professor of that direct higher order sensory and is reproduced in virtually every basic At a ceremony in New York an- neuroscience at Sweden’s Karolinska motor functions. neuroscience textbook. nouncing the prizes, Kavli said, “The Institute, and Thomas M. Jessell, “Pasko Rakic has contributed Rakic also introduced the infl uen- Kavli Prizes were created to recognize F>:, professor of biochemistry much to our understanding of brain tial idea that different regions of the achievements in three exception- and molecular biophysics and function, defi ning the mechanisms by cerebral cortex acquire many of their ally exciting fi elds which we believe Howard Hughes Medical Institute which cortical neurons move to the specialized anatomical and functional promise remarkable future discoveries investigator at Columbia University proper location within the cerebral properties through genetic programs and benefi ts for humanity in the 21st for “discoveries on the developmental cortex,” says Dean Robert Alpern, intrinsic to the cortex itself. century and beyond.” Yale researcher is lauded for neuropsychiatric discoveries In April, Amy F.T. Arnsten, F>:, Recently, Arnsten has expanded the Distinguished pilot data necessary for larger grants.” professor of neurobiology and psy- on the insights gained in her re- Investigator Award— The awards carry grants of $60,000 chology, was one of 11 scientists to search to explore whether a loss of an outstanding each distributed over two years. receive a Distinguished Investigator function in the gene Disrupted-in- scientist, represent- Savita G. Bhakta, :FC, a post- Award from the National Alliance for Schizophrenia 1, or disc1, in the ing the very best in doctoral associate who does research Research on Schizophrenia and De- prefrontal cortex leads to a collapse the fi eld, with an at the VA Connecticut Healthcare pression (D7HI7:) for her research of neural networks and loss of important body of System in West Haven, Conn., plans on the genetic basis of schizophrenia. dendritic spines—protrusions on work behind her and to gain a better understanding of the According to D7HI7:, the award nerve cells that play a key role in the "NZ"SOTUFO currently pursuing neurochemistry of schizophrenia by was established “to support highly transmission of signals from cell to innovative and promising research,” studying how cannabinoids (chemi- signifi cant research by established cell—and ultimately to the cogni- says Geoff Birkett, president and 9;E cal compounds found in marijuana) scientists . . . who are on the cusp of tive dysfunction that is characteristic of D7HI7:. Jack Barchas, C:, chair induce schizophrenia-like behavioral a breakthrough, or who are poised to of schizophrenia. This research is and Barklie McKee Henry Professor and cognitive effects in healthy people test an innovative new idea that has conducted in collaboration with Yale of Psychiatry at Weill Medical Col- and exacerbate symptoms in patients the potential to make a signifi cant experts, including Arthur A. Simen, lege of Cornell University and a 1961 with schizophrenia. Fei Wang, F>:, advance in a given area of research.” C:,F>:, assistant professor graduate of Yale School of Medicine, associate research scientist, will use Arnsten’s research group has made of psychiatry; Nenad Sestan, C:, chaired the committee that selected multimodal magnetic resonance important contributions to under- F>:, assistant professor of neuro- the winning proposals. “The work of imaging technology to study adoles- standing the prefrontal cortex, the biology; Alvaro Duque, F>:, and Dr. Arnsten is extremely impressive,” cents with bipolar disorder to identify most evolved part of the brain. The Min Wang, F>:, both associate Barchas says, “and, like that of our abnormalities in brain circuitry serv- prefrontal cortex is key for abstract research scientists in neurobiology; other 10 Distinguished Investigator ing the emotional processing that are thought and goal-directed behavior, and Constantinos Paspalas, F>:, of awardees, has very real potential to implicated in the illness. and is weakened in mental illnesses the University of Crete. produce insights that will lead to new The Long Island, N.Y.-based such as attention defi cit hyperactiv- The highly competitive Distin- approaches to treatment for serious D7HI7: is the world’s largest donor- ity disorder (7:>:), post-traumatic guished Investigator Award, which mental illness.” supported organization supporting stress disorder (FJI:), bipolar is given to investigators of brain In addition to Arnsten’s award, research on brain and behavior disor- disorder and schizophrenia. Research and psychiatric disorders who have two medical school scientists in the ders. Since 1987, D7HI7: has awarded in the Arnsten lab has revealed many established themselves as leaders in Department of Psychiatry were also more than $230 million to nearly of the chemical infl uences at work in their fi elds, includes a one-year grant honored by D7HI7: with Young 2,700 scientists. the prefrontal cortex, which has led to of $100,000. Investigator Awards, created to help new treatments for 7:>: (guanfa- “Dr. Arnsten exemplifi es the kind the most promising scientists who are 0OMJOF:BMF/FUDBTU cine) and FJI: (prazosin). of individual we try to single out for now entering research . . . to generate ²5IJTJTZPVSCSBJOPOTUSFTT³ Stem Cells from page 3 groundbreaking work had been done As Lin explains, “We actually places have been focusing on really we have to think of their contribution with mouse stem cells, but funds know very little about stem cells, understanding the inner workings of as seed money,” Lin says. “Stem cell from Connecticut’s initiativeare al- and that makes me feel that some stem cells,” he says. “We think we can research in still in its infancy. Our lowing her to expand her studies to people are jumping ahead too fast. If and believe that by doing that we will center is a new baby that has been h;I9s. Ivanova’s work exemplifi es we don’t know how they work, how generate more impact and speed the born, but now we need to feed it and the philosophy of the center and its can we harness their potential?” This development of cures.” let it grow up. One thing we know is founders—to keep a focus on basic vision dovetails well with the medi- In that effort, state support has that this baby is full of potential.” questions of stem cell biology, with cal school’s strength in basic research, been a critical factor, but it is only the 0OMJOF:BMF/FUDBTU the idea that this will lead to clinical and makes the OI99a unique player beginning. “We will be eternally grate- ²5IF´MFBECZTDJFODFµBQQSPBDI applications. in the stem cell fi eld. “Few other ful for the support from the state, but UPTUFNDFMMSFTFBSDI³ www.medicineatyale.org