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‘Improve the System’ NIH Hosts H1N1 Flu Summit By Belle Waring above · Why do some dogs have short legs? Scientists think they know. See p. 9. n July 9, NIH hosted the White House’s H1N1 Influenza Preparedness Summit, O jointly led by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, DHS Secretary Janet Napoli- features tano and Education Secretary Arne Duncan. “I’m very grateful that all of you are taking this seriously,” President Obama said by 1 telephone link from L’Avila, Italy. “Although FAES Stays Ambitious at 50 we were fortunate not to see a more serious 3 situation in the spring, the potential for a NCMHD Holds First Health significant outbreak in the fall is looming.” Disparities Seminar The meeting assembled about 500 emer- 5 gency managers, educators, school nurses ORWH Examines Metabolic and public health officials from around the Dysfunction country, including Dr. Nicole Lurie, nomi- 12 nated as assistant secretary for prepared- Jeter’s Leaders Take ‘All-Star’ Break ness and response; Dr. Francis Collins, At NIH HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (l), DHS Secre- nominated as director of NIH; and Dr. Ray- tary Janet Napolitano (c) and Education Secretary nard Kington, acting director of NIH. Arne Duncan team up at NIH for a summit on flu. see flu summit, page 10 departments Ambitious Plans in Offing Policy To Govern Research that NIH Funds FAES Marks 50th Year at NIH Final Stem Cell Regulations Issued Briefs 2 By Rich McManus By Carla Garnett Digest 9 Milestones 11 As remarkable an invention of the federal NIH released its final Guidelines for Human government as NIH is—a common descriptor Stem Cell Research on July 6. They fulfill Exec- in recent decades has been “the crown jew- utive Order 13505, which President Obama el of government,” thank you very much— issued Mar. 9 to remove “barriers to respon- there was a handful of scientists half a cen- sible scientific research involving human stem tury ago who thought the National Institutes cells.” The guidelines, announced online and of Health was just a few ingredients shy of in a telebriefing by acting NIH director Dr. being a true Elysium. Raynard Kington, were finalized after offi- cials spent about 5 weeks reviewing more than It had a faculty—many hundreds of doctors— 49,000 public comments on the draft guide- and a leafy, sprawling campus, but no teaching lines that were received from the scientif- mission and no students, which had been such ic community, patient advocacy groups, and a source of inspiration and ferment on the cam- medical and religious organizations, as well puses from which the scientists hailed. In order as from private citizens and many members to keep the spirit of continuous education alive, of Congress. The comments are posted on the a new, complementary entity was needed. NIH stem cell information web site at http:// Thus it was that on July 2, 1959, the Founda- stemcells.nih.gov. tion for Advanced Education in the Sciences, “We believe the final guidelines we are releas- Inc., (FAES) came into being. Twelve promi- ing today achieve both of the President’s clear- nent scientists, including future Nobel laure- ly stated goals of advancing the field of human ate Dr. Christian Anfinsen, drafted eight Arti- embryonic stem cell research and raising the The NIH Record is recyclable cles of Incorporation specifying creation of a as office white paper. bar of ethical standards,” Kington said. “With see faes anniversary, page 6 see stem cells, page 4 course, including a final exam. For more informa- tion or to register, visit www.cc.nih.gov/train- ing/training/ippcr/application.html or call (301) 496-9425.

briefs FAES Class on Art Songs The fall semester of FAES classes will include “Art Online Tutorials for NIH Applicants Songs, a Guided Tour,” which will feature lectures The Office of Human Resources has developed and live performances. The course will explore three online training tutorials to assist appli- European and American art songs from the clas- cants with applying to jobs at NIH. Each tutorial sical period to the 20th century. The lectures are is no longer than 15 minutes and can be viewed intended for music lovers of all kinds, whether they directly from the NIH jobs web page. All can be have formal music training, a little background or found at www.jobs.nih.gov. none at all. For more information call (301) 496- 7976 or visit www.faes.org. The How to Apply to the NIH tutorial was created to walk applicants through establishing a COPR Nomination Process is Open USAJOBS account, creating a federal résumé, creating Job Search Agents in USAJOBS and The NIH director is seeking applicants to fill vacant uploading and submitting supporting documen- appointments for the 2010 Council of Public Repre- tation into the USAJOBS system. Additionally, sentatives (COPR) roster. Nominations are due Sept. the tutorial discusses the different areas of an 25 and are available at the web address below. NIH vacancy announcement. The COPR advises the NIH director on cross-cut- The Checking Your Applicant Status tuto- ting issues related to medical research and health rial reviews the fundamentals of checking an issues of public interest that ultimately promote application’s status on USAJOBS. The tutorial individual, family and community health. The teaches applicants how to view the status of the council consists of up to 21 individuals who are The NIH Record is published biweekly at application they have submitted, reviews how to selected from among the diverse communities Bethesda, MD by the Editorial Operations request an email confirmation that their applica- that benefit from, and have an interest in, NIH Branch, Office of Communications and Public tion has been received and reviews the different research, programs and activities. Liaison, for the information of employees of application job status codes (such as Referred for the National Institutes of Health, Department For more information or to obtain a nomination of Health and Human Services. The content is Selection Consideration, Qualified Not Referred, form online, visit http://copr.nih.gov/nomina- reprintable without permission. Pictures may etc.) and what those codes mean. be available upon request. Use of funds for tion.asp. To request a nomination form by mail, printing this periodical has been approved by The third and newest tutorial is Federalizing contact the COPR staff by phone at (301) 650-8660, the director of the Office of Management and Your Résumé, which walks applicants through ext. 275, by fax at (301) 650-8676, or by email at Budget through September 30, 2009. creating a strong and informative résumé. The [email protected]. To receive alerts to our latest issue, send an tutorial examines the benefits of working for email to [email protected] with the words NIH, reviews examples of well written and poorly “Subscribe NIHRECORD” in the message body. written résumés and goes over each section of a NIH Record Office Bldg. 31, Rm. 5B41 typical résumé to assist applicants in strength- Phone (301) 496-2125 Fax (301) 402-1485 ening each section. Web address http://nihrecord.od.nih.gov In addition, the NIH Jobs web page has been Editor updated with a wealth of tools and information. Richard McManus Video clips of NIH staff discussing their jobs [email protected] and experiences have been added along with Assistant Editor employee stories, a slide show that highlights Carla Garnett available NIH jobs and new job descriptions. The [email protected] site also has a search function that allows job seekers to search all job repositories where NIH Staff Writers Jan Ehrman positions are listed, including USAJOBS, research [email protected] and training opportunities and fellowships. Valerie Lambros [email protected] Principles of Clinical Research Class Belle Waring Registration for the 2009-2010 “Introduction to Grady Receives EEO Award [email protected] the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research” is now open. The course will run from Oct. 19 The NIH Record reserves the right to make NINR director Dr. Patricia Grady (l) recently corrections, changes or deletions in submitted through Mar. 9, 2010. The deadline for register- copy in conformity with the policies of the ing is Oct. 9. Classes will be held on campus on received the Making a Difference Award from paper and HHS. Monday and Tuesday evenings from 5 to 6:30. the NIH Office of Equal Opportunity and Diver- There is no charge for the course but purchase sity Management. The purpose of the award is to of a textbook is suggested. A certificate will be recognize efforts in furthering diversity and equal awarded upon successful completion of the opportunity in the NIH workforce. Lawrence Self, OEODM director, presented the award. NIH RECORD AUGUST 7, 2009 2 AUGUST2 7, 2009 AUGUST 7, 2009 VOL. LXI, NO. 16

Researcher Describes Barriers to Health poor, mostly minority school funded by a In Poor Communities depressed tax base, filled with aging books By Valerie Lambros and facilities and taught by low-paid teach- ers, and you’ve got what Smedley calls tri- For all the talk of advances in race relations in ple jeopardy. the wake of the 2008 election, there is a lot of “It’s not the fact that our schools remain evidence that shows minorities in America have deeply segregated, it’s the lack of resources much further to go to achieve equality across associated with that segregation,” he said. the board. “Here we are some 50 years after the Brown One of the most striking categories is health. vs. Board of Education decision. These lim- ited resources for poor children constrain To address this issue, the National Center on life opportunities. That means the experi- Minority Health and Health Disparities recently ence of poverty for white children is very kicked off a new seminar series and, for its first different, strikingly different than it is for event, welcomed speaker Dr. Brian Smedley, children of color.” vice president and director of the Health Policy Institute and Joint Center for Political and Eco- This all translates into a culture of recur- nomic Studies in Washington, D.C. His organi- rent, cyclical poverty that keeps poor peo- zation, what he calls a “think and do” tank, not Dr. Brian Smedley gives the first ple from achieving a mentally, emotionally lecture in a new health disparities only analyzes the data coming out of scientif- and physically healthy way of life. And this seminar series. ic and public health studies concerning health is where Smedley says policy can play a big equity and access, but also operates as a vocal photo: michael spencer role by intervening to stop this cycle. player in the formation of health policy. “We need to work for greater housing mobility, build incentives for farmers mar- “How we apply science to policy is critically kets, structure land use and zoning policy to reduce the concentration of health important,” he said. “This is where the rubber risks and improve the physical environment of communities. And we need to meets the road.” expand opportunities for quality education,” he said. Smedley indicated these interventions should be woven into the permanent fabric of neighborhoods. Smedley laid out a wealth of information culled from numerous studies that indicates both “It’s going to take a while,” he said. “These are not 3- or 5-year interventions, black and Latino people in the United States they have to become part of the culture.” face many hurdles to achieving consistent good Smedley offered data that shows how effective intervention programs can be, health. The contributing causes of these hurdles using the widely regarded Head Start program as an example. include lower socioeconomic status, continued residential segregation, risks and dangers while “For every $1 you invest in pre-school programs, you save $17 on the back end on the job that can lead to accidents or hazard- on things like health issues, incarceration costs, unemployment and other social ous exposures, and differences not only in pat- services,” he said. “That’s certainly an argument for exposure to quality pre- terns of health-seeking behaviors, but also in school programs.” access to care and the level of care received once Asked by an audience member how scientists can participate in policy-mak- it’s found. ing without feeling like politicians and thereby compromising their objectivity, For example, said Smedley, it is difficult to Smedley suggested that science has too long existed in a vacuum. encourage minority communities to eat healthy “We’ve got to get over these notions,” he said. “We’ve got to start with our insti- foods and spend time outdoors when the tutions, with our research and academic institutions and help [them] under- resources to make that happen aren’t a reality stand that the application of knowledge to policy and practice is why these insti- for people in low-income neighborhoods. tutions are created in the first place.” “Many of these neighborhoods contain a high Smedley called for greater participation by minorities in the scientific and public percentage of liquor stores, convenience stores health fields to help close the gap between science and understanding. and fast-food restaurants,” he said. “There is less access to quality foods, few sidewalks to “It’s not just an issue of trying to change the complexion of the faces around the walk on and few parks to play in. It does little room, it’s a scientific issue,” he said. “It’s a question of who is asking the ques- good talking about eating five fruits and vegeta- tions, how do we pose the questions that are being asked and how do we inter- bles a day when they don’t have a grocery store pret what we’re learning?” or farmers market nearby.” The next seminar in the health disparities series will be Aug. 13 from 2 to 3:30 Further, many children of disadvantaged p.m. in the Natcher Bldg. Two speakers will discuss community-based participa- minorities fight an uphill battle just by virtue tory research. of being born into a poor family that lives in a poor neighborhood, especially if it’s a communi- ty that experiences such a stark lack of options for healthy living. Add to that enrollment at a 3 ment.” Therefore, exact wording for an informed STEM CELLS consent form is not provided in the guidelines. continued from page 1 Instead, he explained, the rules endorse a pro- cess “where all necessary details are explained to these goals in mind, and reflecting on the many and understood by embryo donors.” thoughtful comments we received, we have Finally, stem cells derived via somatic cell nucle- crafted guidelines to allow NIH to fund scientif- ar transfer (SCNT, also called cloning) remain ically worthy research using responsibly derived ineligible in the final rules. human embryonic stem cells.” The new policy took effect on July 7. The Review Process The Final: What’s New, What’s Not For hESC lines that meet the new requirements exactly, there will be an administrative review Most major elements of the draft were left that makes sure the documents submitted intact (see sidebar). “No changes were made to show that the requirements were met. How- the basic requirements of eligibility as described ever, some scientists may want to use cell lines in the draft guidelines,” Kington that existed before July 7 but that do not meet The Basics of Eligibility pointed out. the guidelines perfectly. Or perhaps the appli- As in the draft document, the new Only research being conducted on cants will want to use lines developed from guidelines clearly spell out how human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) embryos donated in countries that have differ- the human embryonic stem cells that were derived from embryos cre- ent but equal eligibility requirements. For these (hESCs) must have been derived. ated by in vitro fertilization (IVF) hESC lines, NIH will form an ACD (advisory for reproductive purposes only and committee to the director) working group. The embryo that were in excess of what donor(s) The documents the applicants would submit 8 must have been created for needed for reproductive purposes to the work group include informed consent reproductive purposes, via in vitro will be eligible for NIH funding. The forms and other evidence that the principles fertilization, donor(s) must be the individual(s) of the new regulations were met. In the case who sought reproductive treatment 8 must be in excess of clinical need, of lines derived from non-U.S. donations, and must have given voluntary writ- the documents must show informed consent 8 and must have been donated ten consent for the human embryos protections that are equivalent to the U.S. voluntarily. to be used for research purposes. requirements. Written informed consent for To aid investigators in identifying Although specifics have not been finalized, research must have been obtained hESCs that are eligible for NIH fund- Kington said the work group would include at from the donor(s). ing, the final policy also establishes least one or two ACD members in addition to a new NIH Stem Cell Registry that other scientists, ethicists, specialists in IVF and Information about hESC research will replace the previous one. Once a representatives from the public. The working must have been provided to the stem cell line has passed NIH muster, group will report to the ACD, which will then donor(s) in a robust informed con- it will be added to the registry. Cell report to the NIH director, who will make the sent process. lines listed on the registry can then final decision. No research involving hESCs be used without further requests for So, scientists who want federal funds to use derived from a cloned embryo or federal approval. hESCs will proceed in one of two ways: parthenote (further-developed Under prior presidential policy, 21 unfertilized human egg), or created lines were listed on the NIH Registry. 7 Submit proof that the stem cells they intend by IVF but specifically for research, Since then, additional cell lines— to use comply with the new policy and await will be funded. estimated at about 700—have been NIH administrative approval, or Donors cannot have been offered derived with non-NIH sources of 7 Provide documentation and related informa- payment either in cash or in kind. funding. Under the new policy, NIH tion to the ACD work group, which will deter- will review any hESC lines for which mine whether the cell lines were derived with Read the entire policy at http:// information is provided by scien- the ethical integrity of the new NIH rules. stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp. tists through a web-based application form currently under development; In all cases, NIH will make the final decision on the form will be posted soon on the which stem cell lines are eligible and therefore NIH web site. The agency does not know how which stem cell research can be funded. many of the existing lines will be eligible or are Funding, Timing Considered viable or available. The final guidelines recognize that “informed Investigators, including those in the intramu- consent is a process,” Kington said. “It’s not just ral program, with ongoing hESC research using what is written in an informed consent docu- previously eligible lines can continue. 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NIH grants for research using hESCs under the ORWH Seminar Looks at Diabetes, Sleep Apnea, Hypertension new guidelines could be awarded as early as the By Dorie Hightower current fiscal year, Kington said, in answer to a reporter’s question. In anticipation of the new Four perspectives on metabolic dysfunction in women were presented at the guidelines, NIH set aside grant applications recent Office of Research on Women’s Health seminar “Sex and Gender Research: that proposed to use ARRA funds, for example. Metabolic Dysfunction.” Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk fac- Those applications will now be reviewed, with tors linked to overweight the new hESC policy in mind. and obesity that increase the The Executive Order allows the NIH to revisit chance for heart disease and the rules whenever warranted. other health problems such as diabetes and stroke. “We believe the policy we put forth now is the right policy for where we are scientifically now,” Dr. Judith Fradkin of NIDDK Kington concluded. “We will not confine our- discussed obesity trends and selves to a calendar. We will closely watch, close- the worldwide diabetes epi- ly follow the evolution of the science and the demic and emphasized the evolution of the ethical debate and standards, need for education and pre- and when we feel a compelling need to update vention programs. “The rising the guidelines, we will.” tide of diabetes strikes just as we confront the health care crisis in this country with ris- Attendees at the recent ORWH seminar included ing health care costs,” she said. (from l) Dr. Judith Fradkin, Dr. Andrea Dunaif, Dr. NIH Honored for Supporting Clinical David Ehrmann, ORWH director Dr. Vivian Pinn, Research Public Outreach Because intrauterine expo- Dr. Kathryn Sandberg. sure to diabetes is associated photo: ernie branson At the Center for Information and Study with diabetes and obesity in on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) offspring, NIDDK is reaching out to women at risk for gestational diabetes to 2009 annual meeting, Jill McNair, national make them aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle for themselves and director of CISCRP’s AWARE for All Clinical their children. Research Education Days, recognized NIH for “Supporting Public Outreach and Com- Dr. Andrea Dunaif of the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern Universi- munity Building.” ty presented her research that has led the way in redefining polycystic ovary syn- drome (PCOS), a common endocrine condition, as a major metabolic disorder This spring, experts from NIH joined oth- that is a leading risk factor for type 2 diabetes. er medical leaders and public participants at the AWARE for All Baltimore Clini- “We know that insulin, in addition to being a sugar-regulating hormone, is also cal Research Education Day held May 9 at a reproductive hormone and that lowering insulin levels can improve PCOS,” Johns Hopkins University School of Medi- said Dunaif. “It’s now being recognized that high androgen levels contribute to cine. The free educational program includ- the disorder and are also responsible for an independent risk for metabolic syn- ed informational workshops, presentations drome and insulin resistance.” and health screenings. Representing the Dr. David Ehrmann of the University of Chicago Medical Center talked about National Institute of Allergy and Infec- the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the metabolic dis- tious Diseases Vaccine Research Center, turbances of PCOS. Senior Nurse Practitioner Sarah Hubka and Dr. Barney S. Graham discussed “The Role “PCOS represents a unique and important model in which to examine the causal of the Healthy Volunteer.” Dr. Susan M. relationships between OSA and metabolic dysfunction,” he said. “While it is true Resnick of the National Institute on Aging that men tend to have a higher prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea, PCOS is a shared her knowledge of clinical research model to look at this gender-based difference. As it turns out, obstructive sleep on aging and Alzheimer’s disease. apnea has metabolic consequences and is connected to androgen levels, obesity and insulin resistance and PCOS.” “By generously contributing time and expertise, NIH supported CISCRP and its Dr. Kathryn Sandberg of Georgetown University discussed sex differences in organizational partners with the nation- hypertension and associated cardiovascular and renal disease and why premeno- al expansion of AWARE for All to address pausal females are protected from renal-cardiovascular disease compared to men a countrywide lack of fundamental knowl- and postmenopausal women. Her studies suggest that sex differences in gonadal edge about clinical research,” said McNair. steroid regulation contribute to the differences in male and female susceptibility to hypertension and renal disease progression. Accepting the award on behalf of NIH was Sona Thakkar of the National Cancer The ORWH Women’s Health Seminar Series features leaders in women’s Institute’s Office of Communications and health research who present the latest information on topics important to Education. women’s health; the talks are free and open to the public. The next seminar, “The Interaction of Depression with Other Diseases,” will be held Sept. 10. 5 “NIH could use the rooms as conference space during the day,” he said. “The bookstore would be greatly expanded [from its current location on the B1 level] and include a coffee bar.” FAES administrative offices, currently located in the Cloister, would relocate to the SFAC. People who Leading the FAES today want to enroll in both the grad school and the are Dr. Krishna “Balki” health insurance program would do so at SFAC. Balakrishnan (l), executive There would also be a career counseling office run director, and Dr. Edwin by the Office of Intramural Training & Education. “Ted” Becker, president. “We would also like to build a faculty dining room in what used to be the Medical Board Room,” said FAES ANNIVERSARY Becker. “It would have room for 40-50 people continued from page 1 and offer a better ambiance than the cafeterias. It would be a place you could take a speaker to nonprofit “association for education purposes.” lunch after a seminar.” The founding fathers reserved for their organiza- The second big project involves FAES’s valuable tion the ability to acquire real estate and to con- real estate holdings. In the early 1960s, FAES duct business ventures in support of a mission “to acquired parcels of land (one of which Anfin- foster and encourage scientific research and educa- sen owned) opposite NIH on Cedar Ln., near tion by…whatever means may be practicable.” The Cypress Ave., with a view toward developing a eighth, and final, article stated, “The duration of Faculty Club. FAES issued bonds to raise money the corporation shall be perpetual.” to acquire the land (Becker himself remembers buying a $100 bond) and hired an architect for FAES may not yet have reached perpetuity, but at age the project, but couldn’t raise sufficient funds to 50 it has an ambitious portfolio of enterprises under complete the job. Totaling 4 acres, most of the way that may soon restore the organization to a land is currently vacant, but FAES has requested prominence it has not enjoyed since the 1970s when a rezoning of the tract to permit about 30 town- FAES membership, and the organization’s campus homes accommodating 150 predoctoral and post- profile, peaked. doctoral NIH trainees. “There is a lack of afford- “We plan to treat [the anniversary] in much the able close-by housing for graduate students,” said FAES adopted various logos same way that NIH observed its centennial [in Balakrishnan. Still, “it will be years before any- over its 50 years. Above, a 1987]—with a year-long series of events,” said Dr. thing happens,” Becker noted. schoolhouse graphic marks one of several logos the Krishna “Balki” Balakrishnan, FAES executive direc- The land currently includes 4 houses. “Two of the organization currently uses. tor since 2006. He and current FAES president Dr. houses are rented to families,” Becker explained, Below, an emblem represents Ted Becker, an NIH scientist emeritus who has been “and two are rented to grad students, most of an earlier era. here since 1955, recently discussed the organiza- whom participate in the long-standing Oxford- tion’s timely revitalization. Cambridge Program.” We’ve had 40 students in “FAES does a wide variety of things,” said Becker. those 2 houses over the past 5 years,” added Bal- “Some think it’s just a graduate school [which began akrishnan, “and a survey showed that this ame- 48 years ago and is still going strong today], or a nity is highly prized. That gave us a lot of impetus music series, or a bookstore or an insurance pro- to think bigger.” gram.” But it’s all of those things, and more. FAES also acquired, in 1975, a house at the cor- FAES has two major construction projects on the ner of Cedar and Old Georgetown Rd. that is col- drawing board. The first is a proposed Student Fac- loquially known as FAES House, but is formal- ulty Academic Center (SFAC), which would be located ly titled the Social and Academic Center. Large at the heart of old Bldg. 10 and include a bookstore/ enough to hold about 40-80 people, the house coffee bar, grad school office, student and faculty was briefly popular as an after-work place to lounges, and classroom space in what used to be the unwind, but gradually was felt to be too far afield Visitor Information Center. to become popular. Aside from holiday usage and some nursing conferences, the house is underuti- “[The SFAC] began as an FAES vision to do something lized and loses money (operationally, but remains nice for NIH,” said Balakrishnan. “We would like to a good investment), said Balakrishnan. renovate the space in the center of Bldg. 10, but we are awaiting HHS approval before asking the FAES board How does FAES remain robust enough to embark of directors to commit construction funds.” FAES on a development campaign? “We do make a would contribute $10 million to the project, which small profit,” said Balakrishnan. In addition to would include 9 classrooms for evening courses. real estate, FAES has invested over the decades 6 NIH RECORD AUGUST 7, 2009 AUGUST 7, 2009 VOL. LXI, NO. 16

in mutual funds, certificates of deposit and money FAES to provide some relief for this deficiency,” Balakrishnan explains. “It was market funds. Becker and Balakrishnan rank the a small program at the beginning—a few hundred people. But the program has most influential FAES programs this way: mushroomed...It’s mostly young people, [ages] 25 to 40,” he said. “The premiums are relatively low in this demographic. And the coverage is comparable [to federal 8 The FAES Graduate School: Begun in the fall plans] or slightly better.” The insurance program is now FAES’s principal source of semester of 1961, the school now enrolls some income. “It’s not much money per person, but there are 4,000 [people enrolled],” 1,500 students per year, nearly half of whom are said Balakrishnan. postdocs, but does not grant degrees. The faculty is paid a modest $600/unit stipend, but many turn 8 FAES Bookstore: The store, somewhat hidden on the B1 level of Bldg. 10, has it down as not worth the ethics-reporting hassle. lost money for years, said Balakrishnan. However when it relocates to the first Becker taught at the school for about 30 years and floor of Bldg. 10, in the heavily trafficked corridor that will link the South Entry has taken courses, too. “There are a lot of people with the CRC’s atrium and front lobby, great expectations are in store. Especially here who want to learn,” says Balakrishnan, “also when it begins pumping java. many who like to teach and impart their knowl- 8 FAES Chamber Music Series: The only serious cultural rival to the serious sci- edge. It was important to the founders to create a ence done at NIH was epitomized by this august series, organized in 1968 by Dr. university-like feeling [see sidebar below].” At one Giulio Cantoni and his accomplice Paola Saffiotti, a pianist whose husband was an time, the Graduate Program was FAES’s principal NCI scientist. Cantoni wrote an FAES monograph, Twenty-Five Years of Chamber source of income, but today it breaks even. FAES Music at NIH, which covered every performance given between 1968 and 1993. also administers the very successful BioTrac series The series expired with the death of Saffiotti in 2008, but classical music is again of laboratory courses taught by R/M Nardone Asso- on the FAES menu because the foundation has taken over from Merck & Co., Inc., ciates in an FAES laboratory in Bldg. 60. sponsorship, for at least the next 3 years, of the Manchester String Quartet per- 8 Health Insurance Program: Back in the early formances that take place 8 times a year in Masur Auditorium. 1960s, a number of respected NIH scientists, includ- As rich and varied an influence as FAES exerts, the foundation still lacks the pro- ing Dr. Phil Leder, recognized that NIH’s large cadre file it enjoyed in the 1970s, when more than 1,000 members, both on campus of foreign scientists was not covered by the federal and in chapters throughout the country, paid modest dues to join. When Becker government’s health insurance program. “NIH asked continued on page 8

A Word from FAES’s Sole Surviving our program into their already-up-and- universities. The opportunity for formal Founder running program. That was around 1953 training afforded by the FAES programs or 1954. For a number of reasons that would then be a considerable asset.” Only one founding member of FAES sur- arrangement broke down and in 1959 we Asked whether FAES met his expecta- vives—Dr. Daniel Steinberg, FAES’s first created a nonprofit corporation, FAES, to tions as it developed, Steinberg answered, president, who is now scientist emeri- take over the operation of the teaching “We were all really happy with how FAES tus at the University of California, San programs at NIH.” Diego—but his recollections of the origins worked. Having a mechanism to do things of FAES remain acute. Steinberg, who left NIH in 1968, remem- outside the major mission of NIH, people bers that FAES tried to set up a joint grad- began to find other uses for it. For exam- “FAES was established to provide a mech- uate program with Johns Hopkins Univer- ple, Giulio Cantoni, a passionate music anism for offering formal teaching pro- sity, but “Shannon called me to his office lover, wanted to run a chamber music grams to our postdoctoral fellows,” he and made it clear that he did not feel this series in the Clinical Center auditorium. recalls. “Some of us, and I, in particular, would wash. If NIH were to get into the Well, believe me, that did not fit very com- wanted to take advantage of the remark- graduate school business, he said, any and fortably into any congressionally mandat- able concentration of experts in the bio- all universities in the United States would ed missions of NIH. But FAES could, as a medical sciences at NIH and let the train- have to have equal opportunity to par- nonprofit organization, handle the fund- ees at various levels learn from them. ticipate. Besides, such a program might ing. The NIH director could—and did— Also, we missed the traditions and trap- dilute the concentration on research, the make the space available to FAES as to any pings of academia—NIH was intensely real mission of NIH. Our arguments that private group. It worked beautifully!” focused on research. In fact, when we first it might actually strengthen the research Is Steinberg surprised that FAES has last- proposed introducing formal course work, atmosphere by adding formal training ed so long? “At my age I find myself par- we were told by [then NIH director Dr.] opportunities and bringing young minds ticipating in a lot of 50th anniversaries Jim Shannon that NIH could not endorse into [NIH] failed to convince him.” or support such a program—he felt it [50th for NHLBI; 50th for Journal of Lipid was not part of the mission of NIH. To There was “another and more substantive Research] so, no, I’m not that surprised get around these strictures, Chris Anfin- reason for expanding the teaching pro- that FAES is doing the same. I know that sen, Bob Berliner and I, with administra- grams under FAES,” Steinberg notes. “We NIH has been blessed with special status tive advice from Murray Brown, struck a recognized that the flow of outstanding in some respects but it is still a govern- deal with the U.S. Department of Agricul- research and clinical associates applying ment agency and I’m not at all surprised ture. They had an okay to operate a night- while the doctor-draft was in place might that the FAES continues to help all of you school program and they agreed to fold dry up and that NIH would then have to there do things outside the box. Keep up compete on an even playing field with the good works.” 7 continued from page 7 materialize. It did, however, win the author- joined FAES in the early 1960s, membership was ity to run a graduate education program and a common among campus scientists, but interest bookstore. The two foundations almost merged waned over the years. at one point, but we decided just to set up an agreement to let FAES continue running its tra- “It started out with a bang and kind of frittered ditional programs.” away,” he remembers. “Not enough attention was paid to [nurturing the organization]. There are not A memorandum of understanding, with no too many members now.” As part of its 50th anni- expiration clause, enables FAES to pursue versary, FAES will launch a membership campaign, its core functions of the past half century— with yearly fees set at $15. school and books. “It’s not so much for the money,” Becker said, “but FAES is governed by a 26-member board of to get [people’s] interest.” directors, most of whom are not employees. The top officers—president, vice president and Another factor in FAES’s brand-recognition conun- treasurer—cannot be NIH’ers, due to ethics drum, apart from its multifarious identity, is confu- rules, said Becker, who is starting his second sion with the Foundation for the National Insti- year as president. Above, an old registration tutes of Health, which was created not by scientists sign for the organization but by Congress. Look for more details about the 50th anniversa- that began in 1959; in the ry celebration in upcoming issues of the Record. sidebar below, another logo “FNIH was originally created to pay higher salaries FAES plans a special event to coincide with its from FAES’s past to scientists,” Becker explained. “But that didn’t board meeting in April 2010.

What They’re Saying men were protégés of Nobel laureate Dr. Gottesman believes that once FAES About FAES Christian Anfinsen, a founder of FAES. builds its planned Student Faculty Aca- demic Center in Bldg. 10, it will become Schechter, now chief of NIDDK’s Molec- It’s a pretty good reflection better known on campus. on the value of FAES when ular Medicine Branch and senior his- the biggest criticism leveled against it is torical consultant to NIH, says Anfinsen NIAMS scientist emeritus Dr. Henry that it’s not better known. “believed strongly in the importance of Metzger taught in the graduate school, educational activities for a viable research served on the FAES board, beginning “Most people don’t know we exist,” said organization.” He says FAES benefited in 1970, and was twice FAES president. Dr. Robert Adelstein, chief of NHLBI’s him by “allowing me early on to get to Teaching, he said, helped him communi- Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, who know personally many of the then cur- cate and understand science better, and came to NIH in 1961, was president of rent or future leaders of NIH.” As chair of board work refined his leadership ability FAES in the late 1970s and has served the grad school’s department of biochem- in various professional associations. in other leadership capacities. “We need istry, Schechter, who has held virtually Like Adelstein, Metzger puts the teach- more young people…not enough people every leadership position at FAES, also ing mission at the forefront of FAES’s know about FAES and what it does.” got to know many campus biochemists. value to the campus: “With the increasing Adelstein believes that NIH can’t be a “FAES has made the NIH much more like a complexity of both theoretical and practi- topnotch research institution without a research university than is true for almost cal aspects of contemporary science, the teaching function. By offering the oppor- any other government research laborato- menu of courses permits even those with tunity to teach, FAES helps NIH recruit ry,” he said. “This, in my opinion, is a cru- a strong scientific background to broaden the most talented postdocs, he says. “The cial reason for the continued excellence of their expertise.” good ones will want to teach, so that they the intramural research program (IRP).” can get jobs and won’t be at a disadvan- Current grad school dean and faculty tage,” he explains. The current head of the IRP, Dr. Michael member Dr. Connie Noguchi, who is also Gottesman, has been involved with FAES chief of NIDDK’s molecular cell biology Adelstein became an FAES instructor for 30 years, serving terms on the board section, says “teaching a topic is the best because “I wanted to learn how to give of directors and as secretary of the board. way to learn. I continue teaching to learn a seminar. Teaching is difficult. It’s not “For the past 15 years,” he notes, “during and as a community service.” She thinks trivial.” He says the Graduate School is the time that I have been deputy director “each new employee should be given a “the most important part of FAES. There for intramural research, I have enjoyed pamphlet explaining the FAES programs are more than 400 postbacs and graduate many formal and informal interactions and opportunities.” Whether as teach- students here—that’s a very important with the FAES, involving development of ers or students, NIH’ers, she says, “should population at NIH.” joint programs to support the mission of take advantage of the tremendous exper- Adelstein began his teaching career with the NIH in research and training…FAES tise around campus beyond one’s own a course on protein chemistry; his co- is totally dedicated to the success of the research area.” instructor was Dr. Alan Schechter; both NIH Intramural Research Program.”

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Surprising Truth about Dachshunds, Other Dogs with Short Legs A single evolutionary event appears to explain the short, curved legs that characterize all of digest today’s dachshunds, corgis, basset hounds and at least 16 other breeds of dogs, according to a A Child’s IQ Can Be Affected by Mother’s team led by the National Human Genome Re- Exposure to Urban Air Pollutants search Institute. In addition to what it reveals about short-legged dogs, the unexpected dis- A mother’s exposure to urban air pollutants covery provides new clues about how physical known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons differences may arise within species and sug- (PAHs) can adversely affect a child’s intelligence gests new approaches to understanding a form quotientd or IQ, an NIH-funded study reports in of human dwarfism. In a study published in the the August issue of Pediatrics. PAHs are chemi- advance online edition of the journal Science, cals released into the air from the burning of researchers led by NHGRI’s Dr. Elaine Ostrand- coal, diesel, oil and gas, or other organic sub- er examined DNA samples from 835 dogs, in- stances such as tobacco. In urban areas, motor cluding 95 with short legs. Their survey of more vehicles are a major source of PAHs. The study, than 40,000 markers of DNA variation uncov- funded by the National Institute of Environmen- ered a genetic signature exclusive to certain NHGRI researchers are part of a tal Health Sciences, the Environmental Protec- breeds. Specifically, they found that all short- team that identified a retrogene tion Agency and several private foundations, legged dog breeds have an extra copy of the that underlies the short, curved found that children exposed to high levels of gene that codes for a growth-promoting protein legs of dog breeds, including the PAHs in New York City had full-scale and verbal called fibroblast growth factor 4. dachshund and at least 18 other IQ scores that were 4.31 and 4.67 points lower breeds. than those of less exposed children. “This is the Discovery of New Transmission Patterns May photos: tyrone spady, ethan hall first study to report an association between PAH Help Prevent Rotavirus Epidemics exposure and IQ,” said NIEHS director Dr. Linda Birnbaum, “and it should serve as a warning bell New vaccines have the potential to prevent or to us all. We need to do more to prevent environ- temper epidemics of the childhood diarrhea- mental exposures from harming our children.” causing disease rotavirus, protect the unvacci- nated and raise the age at which the infection NIH Launches Human Connectome Project to first appears in children, federal researchers Map Brain Connections reported. The findings were based on chang- ing patterns of rotavirus transmission in the The NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research United States, where the disease is rarely fatal. is launching a $30 million project that will use The results have implications for combating epi- cutting-edge brain imaging technologies to map demics in other countries where the death toll the circuitry of the healthy adult human brain. is much higher. Published in the July 17 issue of By systematically collecting brain imaging data Science, the research is based on mathematical from hundreds of subjects, the Human Con- modeling that takes into account regional birth nectome Project (HCP) will yield insight into rates and predicted vaccination levels and effec- how brain connections underlie brain func- tiveness. The model suggests that when 80 per- tion and will open up new lines of inquiry for cent or more of children in a given population human neuroscience. Investigators have been are vaccinated, annual epidemics may occur on invited to submit detailed proposals to carry a less regular basis and more unvaccinated chil- out the HCP, which will be funded at up to $6 dren will be protected. Data from 2007-2008, million per year for 5 years. The HCP is the first when vaccination first reached appreciable cov- of three Blueprint Grand Challenges intended erage levels in the U.S., validate the model’s pre- to promote major leaps in the understanding of dictions. The study showed for the first time brain function and in approaches for treating that the timing of rotavirus epidemics is depen- brain disorders. The challenges to be launched dent on the birth rate in the population because in 2009 and 2010 address connectivity of the they are driven by infants who have never been adult human brain, targeted drug development infected before. The modeling and analysis were for neurological diseases and the neural basis of done by a team that included researchers from chronic pain disorders. the Fogarty International Center and CDC.— compiled by Carla Garnett

9 As testing confirms the vaccine’s safety, effec- tiveness, appropriate dose and number of dosages, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is organizing state, territorial, city and tribal health departments to line up vacci- nation programs. With the caveat that no final decision has been made, Sebelius said that the vaccination drive might begin as soon as mid-October. She also encouraged people to get a regular flu FLU SUMMIT shot to protect them from seasonal flu, which is continued from page 1 distinct from the H1N1. Seasonal flu alone kills about 36,000 people in the U.S. annually. Above left, NIAID director Dr. Joining them were Maryland Governor Mar- ‘This flu is not over’ Anthony Fauci (r) shares a tin O’Malley and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, whose moment with Bill Modzeleski of congressional district includes Bethesda. Typically, the influenza virus does not survive the Department of Education. “The most important thing for us to do,” said well at temperatures above 70 degrees, which During the summit’s early helps explain why “flu season” starts in the fall. hours, Fauci offered details on Obama, “is to make sure that state and local NIH’s role in the fight against officials prepare now to implement a vaccina- Yet the novel (that is, new) H1N1 virus hit the H1N1. At right, Secretary tion program in the fall.” U.S. last spring. Sebelius discusses federal Sebelius outlined the federal government’s “This flu is not over,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, government preparations for response. the fall season, when the flu newly appointed head of the CDC. pandemic is predicted to pick up A voluntary fall vaccination program against H1N1 has not only continued to spread in U.S. speed again. the 2009 H1N1 flu virus, she said, will depend summer camps, he said, it’s also active in the photos: bill branson on the availability of a safe and effective vac- southern hemisphere, currently in its own cine. Once it becomes available, the first flu season. shots likely would be given to school children, health care workers, pregnant women and After appearing in the U.S. in April, H1N1 has people with underlying ailments that might spread to all 50 states. Of the estimated 1 mil- increase their risk. lion Americans infected, more than 260 had died as of mid-July. Worldwide, some 160 coun- NIH: Part of the Team tries have reported cases. Officials are con- cerned that the outbreak here could worsen NIH research has played a crucial role in when fall arrives and schools open. responding to the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. The next step is preparing and field-testing the vaccine. There are about 100,000 schools in the U.S. and closures have a significant ripple effect, “NIH will use our…clinical trial infrastructure to aggravating parents’ logistical challenges while quickly evaluate pilot lots of vaccine candidates,” straining their resources. said NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci. By early August, he said, “We hope to start our first clini- Get a Plan cal trials of 2009 H1N1 vaccine candidates.” Napolitano urged schools and businesses to Calling All Public Service Announcements make contingency plans for increased absentee- ism and disruptions in service. To help families and communities prepare, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius “As a former governor, I can say: Make sure your said HHS is updating its web site, www.flu.gov, with checklists and fact sheets. payroll continues,” she said. “Whoever processes And to raise public awareness, “This is our YouTube challenge to everyone,” she your checks, make sure they have a backup.” said. “We’re inviting the American people to record and submit their own 60- School nurse Mary Pappas was on the front line second public service announcement regarding the H1N1 virus.” when the flu hit New York City last spring. The The winning PSA will air on national television and receive a $2,500 cash award. only nurse for 2,700 students at St. Francis Pre- paratory School, she described how she coped “This H1N1 pandemic is a tremendous challenge that has brought real hard- with limited resources, space and staff. ship,” said Sebelius. “But it has also brought a valuable opportunity. The atten- tion being paid to the H1N1 virus is accelerating our work to improve the entire “I had every kid [being sent home sick] pull out public health system.” their cell phone, because I had only one office line,” she said. “I got security guards to help.”

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A panel on preparedness lessons learned from states and localities includes (from l) Dr. Marcelle Layton of the New York City department of health and mental hygiene, Dr. Damon Arnold of the Illinois depart- ment of public health and the Illinois Army National Guard, and moderator Dr. Stephen Redd of CDC’s influenza coordination unit. Also on that panel is Anslem Roanhorse, Jr., (below) of the Navajo Nation milestones division of health. NIAMS’s O’Shea Receives Irish Society Honors

Dr. John J. O’Shea, NIAMS scientific direc- tor, recently received the 2009 Irish Society for Immunology Public Lecture Award in Dub- lin, Ireland. The society annually honors an outstanding immunologist in recognition of his/her contribution to the understanding of immunology and health improvement. As part of the award, O’Shea was invited to deliver a talk about his research. Sponsored by Schools should designate “ready rooms [isola- the Royal Society of Dublin, the Irish Society of Immunology and the Irish Times, tion areas],” she said, to handle infected stu- the lecture was titled “Learning from Patients: How Rare Diseases Inform Immu- dents waiting for their parents. And Pappas nology.” He discussed two rare immunodeficiency diseases and how studying the offered students this tip: “I told them: If it’s molecular basis of these diseases has offered new insights into immunoregula- wet, and it’s not yours, don’t touch it.” tion. He also explained how one of these disorders led to the generation of a new class of immunosuppressant drugs. Who’s Closing? Who’s Funding? O’Shea came to NIAMS in 1994 and currently leads the Molecular Immunology O’Malley moderated a videoconference Q&A and Inflammation Branch in conducting basic and clinical investigations on the with several other state governors. Most had molecular mechanisms underlying immune and inflammatory responses in rheu- questions about school closures and vaccination matic and autoimmune diseases. program funding. Education secretary Duncan noted that, at OIR’s Mills Retires the peak of the outbreak in May, 726 schools closed. This fall, any decisions to close schools Friends and colleagues of Deloris Mills gathered at will be made on the local level, he said. The the Cloister on May 29 to celebrate her retirement Obama administration will offer updated, clear after 34 years of government service. guidelines “on a case-by-case basis.” Her service to numerous parts of the NIH culmi- Sebelius said that the federal government will nated most recently with her contributions to the provide $260 million in “preparedness grants” Office of Intramural Research (OIR) under the to all U.S. states and interests for the vaccina- leadership of Dr. Michael Gottesman, NIH deputy tion effort and $90 million to hospitals for a director for intramural research. He praised Mills projected surge in cases. for many of the same qualities found in NIH scien- “A federally funded vaccination program may tists, including persistence and creativity. recapture payments from insurers, but we don’t In addition to service to OIR’s Office of Human Subjects Research and the anticipate [that states will cover the costs],” administrative office, she supported the Intramural AIDS Targeted Antivirals Sebelius said. “This will be a public effort funded Program (IATAP) led by NIDDK’s Dr. William Eaton. Many of the laboratory sci- by the federal government.” entists supported by this program attended the reception to honor Mills. IATAP Congress has already appropriated $1 billion has supported novel approaches to study the biophysical structure of HIV over to purchase bulk ingredients, and up to $7.5 the past 22 years with an investment of over $125 million. billion more for vaccine testing, purchase and Mills is succeeded in these duties by Jackie Roberts in the OIR. Mills’ colleagues distribution. wished her well in retirement and applauded her upcoming active roles in the life of her church and community. 11 At left, students in the Jeter’s Leaders program visit with Dr. Dennis Twombly of NIAAA in front of his interactive Drunken Brain exhibit. Right, Dr. Fumihito Ono shares a laugh with the group during their visit to his zebrafish lab. photos: fred donodeo

A Field of Science Dreams editor of the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Teens Visit NIH for Alcohol Science, Reduce Underage Drinking. Faden explained why underage Education Program drinking is one of NIAAA’s research priorities. She then fielded By Gregory Roa a barrage of questions on binge drinking and related topics. “The students asked fascinating questions,” she said, “giving For baseball lovers, summertime means heading to the ball- us a window into how they process scientific information and park to root, root, root for the home team. But for some young relate it to observations about their family and friends.” fans of Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, it means a road trip to The students then toured the National Library of Medicine’s NIH. They belong to Jeter’s Leaders, a youth leadership pro- exhibit on global health, allowing a seventh-inning stretch gram named for the baseball superstar and funded by his Turn before visiting Dr. Markus Heilig, NIAAA clinical director. He 2 Foundation. On July 7, 60 students from the group traveled described how alcohol use can progress to alcohol dependence. to Bethesda to see the “big leagues” of biomedical research. For the next half of the double-header program, the group split This marked the sixth year that Jeter’s Leaders have visit- up for site visits. The “rookies” on their first NIH experience ed NIH, a relationship that started with an invitation from traveled to the Poolesville facility for a tour and presentation by NIAAA public liaison officer Fred Donodeo. “It’s a great match Dr. Christina Barr, who investigates the interaction of alcohol for our outreach efforts because the program serves youth and genes involved in the brain’s reward circuitry. Meanwhile, from New York City and Kalamazoo, Michigan, who are com- the veterans from previous trips viewed the Drunken Brain mitted to living healthy lifestyles and becoming peer educa- exhibit created by NIAAA scientist Dr. Dennis Twombly. tors,” he said. From the day’s opening pitch, an introducto- ry overview about NIH from Visitor Center director Jennifer Always a popular speaker with the students, Twombly threw a Gorman, this year’s students were once again treated to a full curveball this year by revealing he had planned with the team’s lineup of science presentations. coordinator to show the older students how to set up and pres- ent their own Drunken Brain exhibit for younger audiences Leading off was Dr. Judith Arroyo, an alcohol treatment and back home. “The kids usually are good listeners anyway, but this prevention researcher and NIAAA’s coordinator for minority year I think they paid extra attention knowing they’d be expect- health and health disparities program. Smiles broke out across ed to give this talk themselves,” said Twombly. the room as she began her presentation in rapid-fire, fluent Spanish. As a first-generation child of Mexican immigrants, The day’s big closer was Dr. Fumihito Ono in NIAAA’s Laborato- Arroyo is bilingual and bicultural, something she has in com- ry of Molecular Physiology. He explained how the tiny zebrafish mon with many of the Jeter’s Leaders students whose families has a big role in advancing our understanding of alcohol expo- also came to the U.S. from Latin American countries. She dis- sure during development. Peering closely at some zebrafish, cussed her background and presented results of NIAAA-spon- one student was amazed as a hatchling emerged right before sored research on alcohol use disorders in Latino and other her eyes. “That baby should be named after me,” she announced ethnic communities. proudly to her friends. “I think I got their attention with my Spanish. It’s not every day “For me, that moment was like a home run,” said Donodeo. these kids get to meet someone with a Ph.D. who can tell them “That’s the kind of enthusiasm for science that can only come in Spanish she did not speak English when she started school,” through a hands-on experience like today’s visit.” He looks for- says Arroyo. “It’s important to model that attribute to them, so ward to welcoming future students to a front row seat at the they know somebody with a similar background can excel in sci- friendly confines of NIH. ence and go on to college and advanced studies.” Next up was Dr. Vivian Faden, acting director of NIAAA’s Office of Science Policy and Communications, and a senior scientific

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