The Newsletter of the NIH Alumni Association
Winter 2003 Vol. 15, No. 1 date
New Surgeon General: The 'Right Dust' 'Still a Tourist' Living Zerhouni Plots NIH 'Roadmap for Action' The American Dream By Rich McManus By Carla Garnett The worst job Dr. Elias Zerbouni ever He read books on how to make con- had was before he entered medical crete. An engineer showed him how to Young Richard Cam10na was just 12 school at the University of analyze sand, rocks and years old when he first bad the sense Algiers. He took a job with cement. Zerhouni found knocked into him. His startling moment a construction laboratory, that, of au the elements in of clarity - provided inadvertently by testing the strength and the rec.ipe for concrete, the his mother - occurred on a day when durability of concrete and most important is the fine he and his three siblings were hungry. steel bars for large con dust that acts as a binding Poor and struggling, Living in a tiny struction projects. Project agent for the larger stones. apartment with bare cupboards, four foremen had been com Without the right volume kids and an absentee alcoholi.c hus plaining that batches of the and type of dust, the band, Carmona 's mother, also addicted company's concrete had concrete lacks strength. to alcohol, had "come home not with been failing regularJy, crum Zerhouni presented his food buL with a bottle of rum." bling under heavy Loads. Dr. Elias Zerhouni findings to the company, After an argument, Carmona took it Zerhouni set out to d is- which selected a new upon himself to pour the contents of her cover why. quarry for its sand dust and soon real brand new bottle down the sink. Out (See Zerhouni, p. 11) raged, his mom swatted him across the legs with a broom. Carmona said the lash - the only time his mother ever No One To Lose Job, But Work May Differ struck him - served solely to reinforce NIH Works To Apply A·76 Fairly a harsh lesson he had already begun learning: "I started to understand then By Rich McManus same goods or services that federal how this substance can assist in de workers had been providing, at at least stroying a family. We made up and ev No less than the wisdom of Solomon a IO percent savings to Uncle Sam. erything was fine, but I decided then is required of NIH officials who are (See A-76, p. 14) that I wasn't going to do that." obliged to comply with an old federal If Carmona had squandered the rest policy given new urgency by the Bush In This Issue Page of his life - ending up in the streets, administration: namely, that the govern in jail or worse - few would have been ment should not compete with private Kennedy presents sixth Shannon lecture 3 surprised. After all, not many high industry for services that the private Calendar of exhibits and e1·e11ts 5 sector can provide. The challenge at school dropouts from poor Latino fami News from and about NIHAA members 6 lies living in the Washfogton Heights Nil-J is that almost bal f the workforce of part ofHarlem go on to exemplary mili 18,000 people fall into occupational cat NIGMS celebrates 40 years of discovery 16 tary service careers, graduate from col egories that are commercial in nature, Another kind of NIH centennial 18 lege, ace medical school and find them not inherently governmental. In order Exit S1mTtrus1, emer NIHFCU 19 selves as the nation's top doctor. to comply with OMB Circular A-76 and the FAIR (Federal Activities Inventory "Thefirst time I met Dr. Carmona, I FYI 20 thought, 'Wow. what an energetic Refom1) Act of 1998, NIH must review man,'" remarked NIH director Dr. Elias up to half of the total of its potentially NIH notes 22 Zerhouni, who introduced Carmona at commercial positions in the next few Update on NIH cons1r11ctio11 28 the Hispanic Heritage Month obser years, and "outsource" those jobs that Mail-ill ballot 29 vance last Sept. 19. "The second the private sector can do in instances where the company can provide the NIN retrosvectives 3 1 (See Carmona, p. JO) N I H A A UPDATE
NIHAA Annual Meeting Scheduled for June 7 In 2003, the NlH AJumni Association role in domestic efforts regarding Update will host two events. First, the annual bioterrorism/smallpox, but also his inter meeting of lhe group will be held on national effort with wno to eradicate The NIHAA Update is the newsletter ofthe Saturday, June 7, JO a.m. to l p.m., at smallpox worldwide. NIH Alunmi Association. The NIHAA office is Bethesda United Methodist Church, The NIHAA board of directors has at 9101 Old Georgetown Rd. , Bethesda, MD 8300 OldGeorgetown Rd. (comer of also selected Randy Schools, presi 20814-1616, 301-530-0567; email address: Huntington Parkway). Because ofse dent of the R&W [email protected]; website: wwwfnih. curity regulations on the NIH campus, at NIH, for the orglnihaa.html. group's NIH Ser we are unable to use tbe Cloister. Edi/or's Note The NIHAA board ofdirectors in vice Award, also January selected Dr. Donald A. to be presented at The NlHAA Update welcomes letters and Henderson, to re the annual meet news from its readers. We wish to provide ceive tbe group's ing. He was cbo news about NIH to its alumni and to report sen because his alumni concerns and information-appoi111 2003 Public Ser ments, honors, publications and other interest vice Award. He tireless efforts ing developme111.'1-10 their colleagues. If you started at CDC have added immea have news about yourself or other alumni or and is the found surably to life at NIH for employees, pa comments/suggestionsfor the N1HAA Update, ing dfrector of the tients and their families. Invitations please drop a note to the editor. We reserve the right lo edit materials. Center for Civilian with program details will be sent to lo Dr. D. A. Henderson Biodefense Strate cal members in May. EdiJor: Harriet R. Greenwald gies at the Johns Second, in fall 2003, the seventh James Hopkins Bloomberg School ofPublic A. Sbannon lecture will be offered. De NJHAA Newsletter Editorial Advisory Health. He was dean of the school tails will be in the summer issue ofUpCommittee date. ( l 977-1990). Now he is distinguished Storm Whaley, Chair service professor at Johns Hopkins In 1997, the N1HAA established a lec Artrice Bader University and director ofresearch and ture series in honor of Dr. James A. Michael M. Gottesman development for the Office ofPublic Shannon, NIHdirector ( L955- L968), to Victoria A. Harden Health Preparedness. Henderson is be promote public discussion of issues af Carl Leventhal fecting NU-l's mission. Robert G. Martin ing recognized not only for his current Abner L. Notkins Saul Rosen Mark your calendar Richard G. Wyatt
NJHAA Newsletter Board of Contributing Annual Meeting and EdiJors Awards Presentation Pamela E. Anderson Linda Brown Giorgio Bernardi Saturday, June 7 H. Franklin Bunn JO a.m. -1 p.m. Henryk Eisenberg Lars A. Hanson George Klein Bethesda United Richard M. Krause Methodist Church Richard McManus Carlos Monge Roger Monier 8300 Old Georgetown Rd. Michael Sela Refreshments
2 WINTER 2 0 0 3
Nlfl.ltit 3 N I H A A UPDATE taxes on capital gains and offered more hammer out "guidelines for the new uni lofty status, and were seen as providing deductions on capitalization of re verse." They established three major prin a valuable social function, be said. search, Kennedy explained. A flood of ciples: agreements between universities "This preferred status is eroded at the venture capital ensued. and industry were to be public; licensing edges when we're perceived to be in At Stanford University today, some was to be nonexclusive whenever pos business - and to be rather good at it." 60 faculty are involved in more than sible; and coinvestment on the part of in The major research universities earned 100 companies, he said. ''The propor vestigators with universities was forbid the same deference as Big Oil when it tion of basic research do11e in the pro den - "schools shouldn't go into busi came to tax lobbying on Capitol Hill in prietary sector rose dramatically, due to ness with their faculties." Nowadays. the the late 1980s, he noted. Like multina powerful economic incentives ... The re latter situation is common, Kennedy said. tional corporations, universities run the search portfolio became as important as "Of U1e three principles, only the first is risk of encouraging student unrest as one's business plan." Landing a paper sti ll reasonably intact." they are seen more as economic power in as respected a journal as Science be He warned of other dangers: gradu houses than as solvers of the world 's came not only academically, but also fi ate students coerced to work on be problems. "This might become the nanciall y rewarding, even prospec half of faculty company projects, con hardy perennial of student resentment," tively so: "Papers in Science came to flicts of interest (objectivity sacrificed he said, citing protests about high-cost have street value ...Companies that were to profit pressures), the invariabl.e drugs discovered with public money. years away from having a product were muddying of such issues as space, "Universities pay a public-image price in valued by how their labs were per salary and promotion. "Scientific ex their overeager response to Bayh-Dole." ceived, how prestigious they were. change, too, is hurt," Kennedy con Kennedy returned to the Homestead "Bayh-Dole is the Homestead Act of tinued, by the proliferation of technol Act to find a remedy for the current di our time, along with accompanying ogy Hcensing offices. MTAs, or mate lemma. The act was very effective at the statutory changes in the tax laws," rial transfer agreements, "are increas beginning, as settlers moved West, first said Kennedy. "Unclaimed spaces in ingly burdensome legal documents to the com belt and prairie grasses, then the knowledge commons are filling in." most researchers would like to be free to the wheat bell and the range. In the Benefits from this new enclosure are of them." He quoted Stanford's Nobel ideal situation, yeoman farmers thrived. sund1y, he allowed. "It's good to see pa laureate Dr. Paul Berg: Bayh-Dole has But the mountains brought more serious pers in Science from company research engendered "onerous barriers to the problems for settlers and few staked ers rather than from MIT and Johns free exchange" of ideas and materials. mountain claims, which were hard to lay Hopkins," he noted wryly. He credits Dr. Journal editorship, too, has become a out. Mining and railroad interests J. Craig Venter's hugely expensive private tougher enterprise; Kennedy gently gained control of huge parcels, often effort to map and sequence the human called the results of the new profit orien without offering any improvements. genome as another advantage of the new tation "a little odd and unexpected." For Late in the game, forests and parkland economic landscape (Venter is a forn1er example, Science requires authors to pro were ceded back to the government as NIH scientist who took his ideas and am vide cell lines and reagents to other sci privately unprofitable, which gave rise bitions to the private sector). entists. What happens when a third to a generous network of national parks. But there are costs, too, to Bayh-Dole, party acquires the materials with a view Kennedy sees much the same sort of Kennedy warned. '"There are serious to commercializing them? What about a endgame playing out in Bayh-Dole, pre problems for our venture tbat have fallen company researcher who refuses to pub dicting continued border skirmishes and on scientists, institutions and journals," lish if coerced to share materials? sectional hostility, and continued capture he said. "The erosion ofeasy communica Papers in the agricultural sciences are of public value by private interests. tion anlong scientists, which used to be particularly affected by issues involving He concluded by reminding the audi common, has been disappointing to me." trade secrets vs. openness, Kennedy re ence of the wisdom of an old English Universities, whose technology licensing ported. A new requirement of some jour poem, once read on the floor of Con offices began with cautious guidelines, nals is a "conflict statement" in which au gress: "The law will punish man or have become far more aggressive than thors disclose links to industry, he said. woman/ Who steals the goose from off ever anticipated, he said. Two years after "There is a new public suspicion the common,/ But leaves the greater Bayh-Dole passed, he related, the presi about our enterprise," Kennedy contin felon loose/ Who steals the common dents of five research universities met to ued. Universities used to enjoy a more from the goose." 4 WINTER 2 0 0 3 Calendar of Upcoming Exhibits and Events Elhlblts NIH Events Frederick Event On Wednesday, May 14 and Thurs National Library of Medicine The NJH Director's Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series (WALS) is at 3 p.m. in day May LS, the Seventh Annual Fort Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10. For more Detrick-FCRDC Spring Research Continuing until J uly 3 1, 2003 information, reasonable accommodation, Festival will be held in Frederick, Md. in the NLM Rotunda, "Dream and confi rmation of the fu ll schedule, call Events of interest to scientists and the Anatomy," an exhi bit that features Hilda Madine, program director, at 301- general public are planned from l I a.m. illustrntions from NLM's collection 594-5595 or check www I .od.nih.gov/ to 5 p.m. each day. This event is sub of fantastic imaginati ons from 1500 wals/schcdulc.hun. ject to cancellarion because of secu to the present. Guided tours are March 12-Florence Mahoney rity so please confirm 1-301-846-5382. available. For more infonnation, call Lecture: Dr. Elizabeth Blackbum 30'1-496-5963, or email: Apr. 16 - Robert Gordon NIHAA Events educator@nl m.nih.gov Lecture: Dr. Jeremiah Stamler Another exhibit on "AIDS Ephem The NIHAA Annual Meeting and May 7- Margaret Pittman Lecture: era," is on display in the glass cases Public Service Award will be held on Dr. Pascale Cossart near the fron t entrance of Bldg. 38, Saturday, .June 7, at Bethesda United J une 11-GM Cancer Research NLM. It continues th rough May 27. Methodist Church, 8300 Old George Laureates Lectures 2003. town Rd., I 0 a.m.-l p.m. AU members J une 18-NIH Director's Lecture: are invited. Invitations will be mailed Dr. Eric Lander DeWitt Stctlcn, .Jr., Museum in May (see article on p. 2). CC Grand Rounds and Great Teachers For more information about the Coming Up in the Fall Contemporary Clinical Medicine: Great Stetten Museum exhibits, call the Teachers is given the second Wednesday NlH Historical Office at 301-496-6610 Research Festival 2003 is scheduled from February to June at noon in Masur or check out: www.nih.gov/od/mu for the week of Oct. 14-17. Auditorium, in conjunction with the NIH/ scum. FAES continuing medical education com Share the Health, Saturday, Oct. 25, mittee. For infonnation call 30 l-435-7231or Other Activities of Interest 2003. email [email protected]. Feb. 2003- April 2003 FAES Chamber Music Series The Chamber Music Series, spon sored by FAES, Sundays at 4 p.m. has had to change its loca tion. The concerts are now held at the Landon School's Mondzac Performing Arts Center. For more information and confirmation call 301-496-7976 or visit www.faes.org. Feb. 23 - Wolgang Holzmair, bari tone, Russell Ryan, piano Mar. 2 - Winner Borciani Qua1iet At a small reception, following the Jan. 9, 2003, board meeting , NIHAA competition president Dr. Cyrus Creveling (I) presents to Dr. Rulh Kirschstein an Mar. 23 - Trio Fontenay etched crystal piece honoring her as the first recipient of the group's NIH Service Award for her significant and outstanding contributions to NIH. For more inrormntion nbout NIH events call 301 -496-1 766. For more information about NIHAA events call 301 -530-0567. 5 N I H A A UPDATE News From and About NIHAA Members Dr. Ellsworth C. Alvord, Jr. wrote, "I strengtJ1 building exercises enabled her ing upscale condomin.iums on the will retire from the University of Wash to lose weight, bring down her blood Chesapeake Bay for Long & Foster Re ington School of Medicine where I pressure and lower her risks for dis altors. Last year she had over $16 mil have been professor of pathology and eases. lion in sales. chief of neuropathology since 1960." Alvord, who was known as "Buster," Bobbi Plocinik Bennett recently re Dr. Robert Butler. director of the Na was in neuropathology at NINDS tired after 39 years at NIH. At her Dec. tional Institute on Aging (1976-1982), is ( 1953-1955), working under the late Drs. 3 retirement party she remarked that now president and CEO of the Interna MUton Shy and Maitland Baldwin, she "had one of the luckiest careers tional Longevity Center, an affiliate of when he began his long-rime collabora ever. " She was one of the few two-way Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The tion with the late Marian W. Kies, (bio players in the science communications center has recently published a book chemist at NIMH) on experimental aller community because she spent 11 years let, "ls there an 'anti-aging' medicine?" gic encephalomyelitis, still the most ac in various laboratories and then be to help readers become informed con ceptable model of multiple sclerosis. came a science writer for the last 28 sumers. Please visit www.ilcusa.org for After leaving NIH, he spent 5 years at years. Bennett plans an active retire more information about the publication Baylor Medical Co.liege as associate ment that will include doing orcaU1-800-424-34LO. professor of neuropathology. genalogical research, taking classes, and advocating better care for the eld Dr. Paul Carbone who died in Febru Dr. Norman Anderson, who was the erly. An early support.er of NlHAA, ary 2002 has been honored with the first NUT associate director in charge of she joined as an associate member in Paul Carbone Memorial Award for In behavioral and social sci.ence, and the 1990. ternational Oncology. Carbone was as founding director of the NlH Office of sociate director for medica1 oncology at Behavioral and Social Sciences Re Linda Rhodes Bray was at NIH from NCI (1960-1976) and then went to the search (1995-2000), has left his position 1971 to 1988, finishing as chief of Spe University of Wisconsin where he at Harvard University School of Public cial Events at the Clinical Center. Linda served as director of the school's Com HealtJ1 where he was professor of is now living in Virginia Beach and sell- prehensive Cancer Center. health and social behavior. In Septem ber 2002, he was named CEO of tJ1e American Psychological Association. APA president Dr. Philip G. Zimbardo said that Anderson was selected "for his renaissance qualities as an educa tor-scientist with clfoical credentials and a public interest orientation. His enormous energy and expansive vision will increase the impact of psychology for decades to come." Anderson was also recently elected to the National Advisory Council of the NIDA. Dr. Ar trice V. Bader, who was a re search and science administrator at NLH ( 1957-1990), and a member of On Oct. 18, 2002, Dr. Robert L. Berger served as Honorary Grand Marshall of the home NIHAA's board of directors ( 1998- coming parade at the Pennsylvania State University, accompanied by his wife, Dr. Victoria present), was the subject of a recent ar Harden, the NIH historian. Berger, who retired from NIH in 1996, was chief, biophysical ticle in the Washington Post derailing Instrumentation section, Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, NHLBI. He has worked her success in starting an exercise pro closely with Penn State to arrange co-op positions at NIH and Walter Reed Army Institute of gram that focused on walking. The Research for students in PSU's Eberly College of Science. combination of walking, dieting and 6 WINTER 2 0 0 3 Dr. George Canellos, wbo was at NCI as a clinical associate (1963-1965), as a Dr. Donald S. Fredrickson, 1924-2002 senior investigator (1967-1974), and acting clinical director (l 974-1975) is now in Boston at Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Center. He has been named the editor of the Classic Papers series published by the American Society of Clinical On cology. The latest one is "Classic Pa pers and Current Comments: High lights of Melanoma Research" (Vol. 7, Issue 3), which is on cutaneous mela noma. He is the former editor-in-chief of .fournal of Clinical Oncology. Dr. VincentT. DeVi ta, Jr., former di rector ofNCI ( 1980-1988), is professor of medicine and also epidemiology and public health at Yale University School of Medicine. He is also director of the Yale Cancer Center. Last September, he was elected to the European Academy of Sciences and Arts for his "outstand Attending the Oct. 18 service in memory of the late Dr. Donald Fredrickson are (from I) ing and lasting contributions to cancer NIH director Dr. Elias Zerhouni, Fredrickson's son Rurik, the director's wife Dr. Nadia research and medical education." Zerhouni and Fredrickson's widow Henriette. Dr. Charles H. Evans, Jr., former chief The papers of former NIH director Dr. Donald S. Fredrickson have been of the tumor biology section, Labora added to Profiles in Science, a web site created by the National Library of tory ofBiology at NCI ( l 975-1998) and Medicine that is dedicated to documenting the lives and works of prominent senior advisor for biomedical and clini 20th century biomedical scientists. cal research (1998-2002) i.n the Institute Fredrickson discovered the relationship between cholesterol and heart dis of Medicine at the National Academies ease, and headed NIH from 1975 to 1981. (Science, Engineering, and Medicine), Fredrickson, wbo died in June, was remembered as a scientist, statesman has been appointed professor of health and humanitarian by co11eagues at a memorial program in Natcher Auditorium sciences at Georgetown University. He on Oct.18. The occasion was marked by the addition of his papers to NLM. also directs the science programs in the "Fredrickson's studies of the connection between lipids (fats and choles School of Nursing and Health Studies at terol) and heart disease made him one of the most widely cited physiologists Georgetown University Medical Center oftbe 1960s and 1970s, and highlighted the benefits of a healthy diet," said and teaches research design and com NLM's Dr. Alexa McCray who beads the Profiles in Science project, located munication, and concepts of disease. at www.profiles.nlrn.nih.gov. The online exhibit about Fredrickson features correspondence, diaries, un Dr. Joseph Goldstein, 1985 Nobel Jau published manuscripts, published articles and editorials, photographs and reate and at NHBLI ( 1968 -1970), has audio recordings illustrating his l.i fe and career. Visitors to the site can view, been elected a trustee of the Howard for ·example, his childhood scrapbook, as well as extensive documentation re Hughes Medical Institute. He will be lating to the regulation of genetic research and to government funding for come one of 10 trustees of the institute. biomedical research in a time of fiscal constraints. An introductory exhibit He has been on the HHMI medical ad places Fredrickson's accomplishments in historical context. visory board since 1985 and was named 7 N I H A A UPDATE chainnan in 1995. He is chairman of the health sciences and dean of the School honor in May 2002. His widow, department of molecular genetics at the of Medicine at the Joan C. Edwards Mildred Peterson, writes, "I've gone to University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine at Marshall Univer Chicago twice to celebrate and memori Medical School at Dallas. sity in Huntington, West Virginia. alize Pete's contributions .. .lt has been gratifying to watch the scholarship Dr. Murray Goldstein, currently vice Dr. John Parascandola, U.S. Public fund in Pete's name grow; and to meet president of NIHAA, and director of Health Service historian, and fonner the capable students who are benefit the National Institute of Neurological chief, History of Medicine Division, ing from the scholarships." Disorders and Stroke for the last 10 of NLM(l983-1992). wasrecently his 40 years at NlH ( 1982- 1993), is now awarded the first Sidney M. Edelstein Dr. John C. Ruckdeschel, a staff fel medical director of the United Cerebral Award for Outstanding Achievement in low and associate at NCI ( 1972-1975) Palsy Research and Education Founda the History of Chemistry from the and a visiting scientist (1983-1985), has tion in Washington, D.C. Recently he American Chemical Society. The award been named director, president and was appointed to the Advisory Council was presented at the group's annual chief executive officer of the Barbara of NIH's National Center for Comple meeting in Boston on Aug. 20, 2002, Ann Karrnanos Cancer Institute in De mentary and Alternative Medicine. where he participated in a symposium troit, Mich. He will also serve as presi The council provides recommendations in his honor on "The Retort and the dent of the Barbara Ann Karrnanos on the conduct and support of comple Mortar: Chemistry's Impact on Phar Cancer Foundation. director of the mentary and alternative medicine re macy and Drug Development." Meyer L. Prentis Comprehensive Can search for the center. cer Center; associate dean, cancer af John W. Peters, who worked at NIH fairs at Wayne State University School Dr. John W. Hiemenz, who was at ( 1957-1980), in the Office Services of Medicine and director of WSU 's NCI as a clinical associate (1980-1983), Branch, communications section, OD, Cancer Institute and president of the was recently appointed professor of participated as he has done for many cancer hospital and senior vice presi medicine at the Medical College of years in the program to commemorate dent at the Detroit Medical Center. Pre Georgia where he will serve as associ the anniversary of Dec. 7. The pro viously he was director and chief ex ate director of the bone marrow trans gram, sponsored by the Fleet Reserve ecutive officer of the H. Lee Moffitt plant program and director, infectious Association, is held at the National Na Cancer Center and Research Institute at disease research program in the Cancer val Medical Center in Bethesda. Peters the University of South Florida in Center. is a Pearl Harbor survivor and was the Tampa. only survivor attending the service. Dr. William B. Jordan, Jr. , is a Peters spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Richard Schilsky, who was a clini fonner director of NIAlD's Microbiol retiring as a chief boatswain's mate in cal associate in the NCI Medicine ogy and Infectious Diseases Program 1957. He joined NIH the same year. Branch and the Clinical Pharmacology ( 1976-J 987), and past president of Branch, Division of Cancer Treatment NIHAA. At NlA1D, he was involved in Dr. Paul Peterson, who was a U.S. ( 1971-1977), is now professor of medi conceiving and supervising the publi Public Health Service officer, and also cine and associate dean for clinical re cation of "The Jordan Report," which at NIAID for many years, died Oct. 9, search in the biological science division is an annual comprehensive update on 200 L. After he left government service, at the University of Chicago. He was a the state of vaccine development. Jor he was the founding dean of the school member of NCI's board of scientific ad dan remains active on a voluntary basis of public health at the University of flli visors. Last year, he was elected a nt NlAID. The latest edition was just nois at Chicago ( 1971-1977). In fall board member of the American Society issued, The Jordan Report 20th Anni 2002, he was honored with a set of of Clinical Oncology. He is also chair versary (www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/vac sculptures depicting the spirit of public man of the cancer and leukemia group. cinesf.jordan20.) health to commemorate his life of ser vice; they were placed in the lobby of Dr. Leon Smith, who was at NlATD Dr. Charles H. McKown, Jr., diagnos the new school of public health build as a staff fellow ( 1957-1959), is now tic radiology fellow ( 1963-1967) is com ing. "The Paul Q. Peterson Reference chairman of medicine of Seton Hall pleting his 14'h year as vice president of Center" was also dedicated in his postgraduate school and preventive 8 N I H A A UPDATE Carmona, continuedfrom p. I culture," Carmona explained. "She came "This is absolutely the most phenom time I met him, I said, 'This guy is ener to the country in her 60s and she would enal job I could have ever envisioned," gizing!' The third time I saw him, I said always tell me, ' I' m too old to learn En he said, "but the enormity of the job, the to him, 'Can you give me some of your glish, you gotta talk to me in Spanish.' responsibility.. .I feel every day as if the energy?' He has an amount of enthusi I didn't understand at the time the im weight of the world rests on my shoul asm and commitment to his mission portance of the culture and how my ders, because at times the world hangs that is absolutely remarkable. He is a grandmother wanted me to maintain on your every word. I don't take that dynamic leader with a remarkable back that culture, through the food we ate, responsibility lightly. To be honest with ground. He has dedicated his life to through the traditions that would be you, it scares me. I get up every day serving his patients, community and perpetuated, through the understand thinking, ' How can 1 be sure I'm doing country in ways that few can match." ing of the importance that Latinos have the best job I possibly can?"' Zerhouni and Carmona were an had in our country - she used to talk If his words indicate the keen sen"te of nounced as potential presidential ap to me about the explorers and my an duty he feels, Carmona insists all leaders pointees at the same time last spring cestors - and the important contribu should feel that way about their jobs, and both navigated the congressional tions they have made." and that all meaningful work is accompa confirmation process together. Despite what he had told his uncle, nied by a measure of obligation to past, Cannona's story may sound like the Carmona admitted that the thought of present and future generations. American dream now, but it didn't start college was more frightening to him than " I never used to talk about my story," out that way. His father was the combat had he admitted, "but people encouraged youngest of 27 children and his mother been. "I me to, because it was a story of hope was the daughter of an alcoholic. The was afraid of for those trying to find their way out. word poverty might have been used to failure," said recognized that it did provide a horizon define his neighborhood. No one in his the former for some young person to say, 'If he family had ever completed higher edu Special did it, I can do it. '" cation; in fact, finishing high school Forces Throughout his remarks, Carmona com was not a priority in most of his com medic who mented on the rapport he has established munity. The most many in his family served in with Zerhouni, HHS Secretary Tommy could predict for him and his siblings Viet Nam Thompson and the President. Recently Dr. Richard Carmona was a life spent in a spare apartment and was while at the White House, the surgeon doing an ordinary, but steady job. awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple general was privately marveling at the in Recalling how his uncle rapped him Heart and a combat service medal. "l credible circumstances be now finds him - physically as well as verbally, "Our knew there were a lot of smart people in self in, frequently mingling with people people don' t do that" - for turning college. But, as you all must know, with he had only read about or seen on TV. down a job as an electrician in favor of out accepting some risk there usually He confided the substance of his attending college, Carmona said, "I isn't any progress, so I said, 'Okay, I'm musings to President Bush. "I said, 'You learned another lesson: Culture is won going to give it a shot."' know, I still feel like a tourist.' And he derful, but it also binds you." Carmona undertook higher education said, 'Well, that's good. So do J. If you Nevertheless, his mother - who with a sense of purpose, vowing to ever you lose that, I probably don't want Carmona describes as "a single mom give back to the community. " It was a you working for me anymore. That's the before the term was coined" - had a commitment I made to myself that ifl kind of people we need in our adminis dream to see one of her children gradu ever made it," he said, " I wouldn't for tration, [people] who see the gravity and ate before she died, and she lrietl to in get where I came from. I always had enormity, the immense responsibility sti 11 in them an appreciation for learn this idea that I would go back and you have inherited in this position.' ing. "Get an education, because an stamp out disease and famine and pes Carmona ended with, "I realize J have a education will set you free," she would tilence and save the world after J got finite amount of time to do the very best say. If she was concerned about his fu my education. The Lord didn't see it job I can, to leave a legacy of change ture, it was his grandmother who that way for me, as far as going back to that is positive, to leave this office with wanted him to remember his roots. Harlem, but I did get the education. I the President and the secretary saying, "My abuelita tried to perpetuate our put those tools to use in other places." ' He was the right one for the job."' 10 WINTER 2 0 0 3 Zerhouni (continued from p. I) ersbip Forum, a traditional exercise be philosophy is that every institution and ized that the young employee's hy embraced for its opportunity to identify its people have a certain amount of en pothesis had been correct. Concrete priorities in conjunction with the IC di ergy, and you don't want to diffuse it - no longer broke under stress, and the rectors, build consensus and "really go try to be all things to all people - but company could avoid the costly pro into depth" on the major issues con try to focus it strategically on the things cess of demolishing substandard fronting NIH. An unabashed lover of that will make the most difference." batches. But it took someone willing to the water - he grew up on the Mediter Zerhouni said the briefings he has dig deep, and deal with the fine par ranean Sea and spent hours of every been getting at his fact-gathering visits ticles to solve the problem. summer day swimming and diving with to the ICs have been an inspiration as These days (Aug. 2002), 4 months friends (he can hold his breath for nearly he learns the ropes at NIH. "It's been into his post as the 15th director of 3 minutes, and is still able to dive to terrific, actually. 1 have to say that the NIH, Zerhouni is again acquainting depths of 30 or 40 feet and linger for up quality of the presentations, the dis himself with the fine particles, this time to half a minute) - Zerhouni nonethe cussions, the people - it's just out of a $27 billion agency. By immersing less put aside pleasure to focus again standing," he said. 'Tm very pleased himself in the small parts of the insti on leading NIH, an activity he says to walk around and meet people, and tutes - by late August he had been to takes all of his time, postponing even get a sense of the challenges and the nearly half the 27 institutes and centers the radiological research projects he opportunities for the institution." and impressed many IC directors with hopes one day to pursue here. Changes in OD and Recruitment his quick grasp of their issues (see "I think it's important initially, when sidebar p.13), not to mention the many you take on a new job, to focus 100 With respect to the Office of the Di individuals be has surprised with his percent on the new job, build teams, rector, Zerbouni said he's mulling some wannth - Zerhouni hopes eventually have appropriate interactions with the eventual changes. "I'm really thinking to mold a stronger, more enduring NIH. IC directors and all of the management through that," he said. "At this point I "After being a [construction] consult team, set up some operating principles, have not made up my mind yet... ant, I said 'That's a great job, but I and become also a spokesman for NIH, Change for the sake of change is not think I like research better, in the lab," across many constituencies," be said. something that I encourage. I want to Zerhouni recalls. "That was before J "That requires 100 percent commitment identify what are the right things to decided to go to med school. I had and focus." do." He envisions an OD that works wanted to be an engineer because I The forum, he said, would enable him more closely with the I Cs, co.mmuni was good at math and physics .. .! to define a "roadmap for action" that cates more effectively with the outside worked [construction] for 6 months, be had been thinking about for the pre world, and that adopts a decision and it was good money, but I didn't like vious three months, and which would making process that is more cogent the engineering aspect. I liked more cover the next 3-5 years of NIH's fu and less taxing on staff. the research aspect. My experience ture. Focus groups composed of both Of several vacancies at the top of was to test, to test, to test and ask intramural and extramural scientists some .institutes, be said, "One of the ' Why is it failing?' That's when some helped set an agenda that was to in most, if not the most important jobs of one said, ' You know, you should go clude such topics as: access to re a director is to recruit the best and into research - you seem to ask the search resources, databanks, bioinfor brightest as heads of institutes and questions rather than implement the so matics, molecular libraries, clinical re centers. I consider that probably my lutions.' That's what convinced me to search networks - "a whole slew of is highest priority .. .lt is not good to leave go into medicine, actually." sues that seem to be multidiscipUnary, institutes without permanent leadership requiring teamwork. How do we en for too long a time.. .I think we'll be Business Before Pleasure courage that, and more importantly, making some announcements pretty As the Labor Day holiday weekend what new areas of science do we need soon. I'm very pleased by our ability approached, Zerhouni was not prepar to focus on that have a lot of promise to attract some outstanding candidates ing to enjoy a few days of windsurfing to them, but may need NIH encourage to the NIH. It's taking me some per or boating at his house fronting the ment? Systems biology is one, biologi sonal effort and many, many phone Chesapeake Bay. Rather, he was plan cal engineering, mathematics of model calls, but I think that's what you need ning for the NIH director's annual Lead- systems - those are the issues ... My - you need to create a sense of excite- 11 N I H A A U P D A T E ment and positive energy so that tbe everyone ...! believe the NIH director during the past 5 years, Zerhouni said best people out there will consider a should not be a remote figure. After he would advocate as strongly as he leadership position at NIH. After all, a ll , transparency in who you are, what could to defend the value of continued being an IC director is an outstanding you do and where you intend to go is investment in biomedical research. opportunity for someone who would very important not only for morale, but "The opportunities in science have want to make an impact on science." for effectiveness of the organization. never been greater. My job is going to So I intend to communicate, communi be to make tbat point." Town Meeting Series Planned cate, commun.icate." Zerhouni is concerned that "public To improve morale on campus, Addressing NIH relations with its recognition of the agency is not as high Zerhouni proposed a series of "town parent Department of Health and Hu as one would think. And yet, all of the hall" meetings, the first of which was man Services, Zerhouni said that, par major advances in health care, and in held on Friday, Oct. 4. "For an organi ticularly after a period of growth, it's discovery, over the past 30 years bave zation as large as NIH, town meetings important to "harmonize interactions come from NIH." He wants to promote need to be regular events," he said, between various functions ... So far NIH as being in the vanguard in health "where the leadership of the institu we' ve had a very open dialogue in ar care and research progress. tion communicates with the members eas of public affairs and legislative An Appetite for Fun of NlH and the community at large. affairs ... Departmental and govern It's a chance to share challenges and ment-wide activities need to be coor Turning to his hobbies, tbe director opportunities, have questions asked. dinated, but there are activities that avidly descri bed a lifelong love affair I am very much in favor of an open are NTH-specific that need to be pre with the water. "l started diving and interactive style of management. served at NIH, and tbey wiJ I be pre when I was probably 3 years old ... I Good communications belps morale, served. You need the proper balance grew up by the water. I spent prob helps everyone continue their out between centralization and decentrali ably 5 or 6 bours per day in the water standing commitment to the NIH. l'm zation." when I was a kid. From age 12 to 19, I impressed with the culture here of To achieve a so-cal.led "soft landing" was a competitive swimmer. From 10 dedication to the NIH mission by after the doubling of the NlH budget o'clock in the morning I was in the water til 3 in the afternoon - like the 'Communicate, Communicate, Communicate' kid who was swimming with Flipper (the dolphin star of a 1960s TV show) Whether ornotDr. Elias Zerhooni knew he was mimicking Joseph Pulitzer's all the time. I was also spearfishing journalistic admonition, "Accuracy, accuracy, accuracy," or perhaps real estate's - that was my hobby. Then when I maxim, "Location, location, L0cati0n/' he nonetheless offered his own advocacy grew up and had a little more means, 1 - in memorable trip.l icate- forc0mrnunications. began recreational scuba diving, not "The best scientists are great communicators," be wreck-diving or deep-diving. r said. "I have not known a great scientist who was not trained all my kids to scuba dive, a great communicator. .. Wl1en you have to compete for too ... My daughter, she's the best of your grants and your programs, you have to be a very the group." good communicator because you need to convince He spent an August vacation simply people. I really believe that the best science is served enjoying the pleasures of a waterfront by the best communication. To not communicate as a home. "I love crabs," he said. "My scientist means that maybe you den't know or under wife hates them, but I Jove 'em, so I stand your science well enough to communicate it take her share." Playing music on the wel I. What you understand well can be communicated Jute is probably his second favorite well. It's a matter of not just discipline but obligation pastime, he said, chiefly Spanish and to the public for scientists.to communicate both the Moorish tunes "from where I grew up." excitement of science, the prospects of sci.ence and Of his home country, he said he rarely the accomplishments of science. This belief in commu returns to Algeria "because it is very nication is something I've bad all along." troubled - maybe once every 2 or 3 years I'll have a trip." 12 WINTER 2 0 0 3 Before the interview began, Zerhouni pause, and posed - posed for NIH photographers on the chin up, chin down, lawn of Bldg. I; these would be lhe of somber and grave, jo ficial photos of the NIH director. The vial and amused, director's aides had been worried arms crossed, arms at about the photographers' plans to his side - whatever have Zcrhouni stand atop a picnic the photographers table, in order to get tl1e best angle of asked of him. Game him with Bldg. I in the background. to do whatever he Whal if he fell and got hurt? Would needed to in order lo he look ridiculous? Discounting their get the job done, concerns, Zerhouni simply said, "Let's even if it kicked up a do it," mounted the table without little dust. Zerhouni poses for one of his new official portraits on the lawn of Bldg. 1. 'How's the New Director Doing?' At the end of a half-hour interview with the Record, NIH "ln my opinion, Dr. Zerhouni is doing an excellent job as director Dr. Elias Zerhouni proposed something unortho the new NTH director,'' said NlDCD director Dr. James Battey, dox: "Maybe the thing you should do is talk to other whom Zerhouni has tapped to lead a new NlH task force on people about what they have seen of me over the past embryonic stem cell research and related issues. "He has three months .. .l think it's more interesting than me taken the time to listen closely to his colleagues at NIH speaking... After aJJ. how much can you get out of a 30- about research opportunities, and has actively sought input minute interview? Maybe you want to ask the IC directors from the research community. Based on tllis broadly-based and some people around here, 'How's the new director do input, 1 am confident he will chart a course for NIB tllat will ing?'" capitaJize on tlle many opportunities and compelling needs "It is impressive to see how quickly Dr. Zcrhouni has be of the biomedical research community." come knowledgeable regarding tlle quality and loyalty of "Dr. Zerhouni has rapidly proven himself to be a knowl the NlH senior staff," observed Dr. Yvonne Maddox, edgeable and highly capable leader," noted Dr. Francis deputy director of NlCHD and recently acting NIH deputy Coll ins, director of NHGRI. "His command of basic and clini director as well. "In doing so, he has re-instilled a tremen cal biomedical research is impressive, and he has a real vi dous amount of confidence among staff. He seeks their sion for tlle future of NTH. Furthermore, he has already dem counsel, gives them significant responsibility and lets onstrated remarkable skills in organizational leadership. We them get their jobs done." arc fortunate indeed to have such an inspiring and dynamic Said Dr. Michael Gottesman, NIH deputy director for new director." intramural research, "Dr. Zerhouni has been a very Adds N1AID director Dr. Antllony Fauci, "l have been very quick study, absorbing huge amounts of NIH lore and favorably impressed with Dr. Zcrhouni, botll as a person and policy and adeptly adding his own, unique perspective. as a talented scientist/administrator. He has quickly grasped He has impressed everyone by his grasp of both basic the complexities of tlle job, has shown leadership, insight. science and clinical research, and his goal is to maxjmize energy and conviction, and importantl y, he is a very enjoy the return on the public's investment in the NIH. He able person to work with." understands the important contri butions made by tlle Concluded Charles Leasure. Jr., NIH deputy director for NIH intramural program and has encouraged intramural management and chief financial officer, "He appears to be the scientists to take fu ll advantage of the opportunities af perfect person for the limes - an outstanding scientist and forded by the resources in the intramural program. He physician who recognizes the need to apply the latest man favors facts over opinions, and all of his decisions so agement theories and techniques to make the best use of the far have been data-driven. All in all , an outstanding be resources given to us by the taxpayers as NIH tries to priori ginning." tize future research efforts." 13 N I H A A UPDATE A-76 (continued from p. 1) Targets for FY 03 and 04 are I 0 per for employees to understand," he said. Charles E. "Chick" Leasure Jr., who is cent of tile commercial total, or about "People want me to estimate what per NlH deputy director for management 930 positions for each of those years. centage of (NCH jobs) will be contracted and chief financial officer, is at the top The review doesn't end until NIH has out, and I can't answer. There's no his of a major effort on the part of execu examined some 4,650 positions, or half torical precedent to go by. tive officers and other officials from all tile estimated 9,300 jobs that could po "lt's easy for me to understand why institutes and centers to review com tentially be outsourced. employees are concerned," he contin mercial activities throughout NlH and Many jobs at NCH are already ued. "They may be retrained, moved or provide a fai r comparison - "apples to outsourced: "There are well over 3,000 end up working for a contractor. Obvi apples" - of fu nctions currently clone contractors on the Bethesda campus ev ously these things can be unsettling to inhouse that could conceivably be ery day," said Leasure, "and that doesn't people. But I can't assure them until clone more cheaply and just as well or include all of the construction workers." the studies are complete." Thus far, better by the private sector. But NIH doesn't get credit for those in the printing function at ORS has been This can be fearful news to the half of the current A-76 review, he cautioned; studied, soon to be followed by animal us who do work Umt is also done outside "We have to study today's workforce." care, grants technica.I assistants, and government. But Leasure has an armload Certain jobs at NIH, Leasure ex the fire department; a recent all-hands of assurances for frightened federal plained, have almost always been done email from Leasure details functions to workers: "First of all, the Secretary (of by contractors - the people who cut be reviewed in FY 03 and 04. HHS) has said that everyone (currently the grass, run tile cafeteria, and guard Leasure sees an upside to a policy that federally employed) will have a job, the campus as hired security. "We forces tile government to examine whether contracted out or not. Second, know tllere are Functions at NIH that whether it is running a fiscally tight op just because jobs are studied does not can, and should be, performed by con eration, but admits it means walking a mean that they wi II be contracted out - tractors," he continued. "The chal knife-edge: "We shouldn't be wasting we have to await the outcome of the lenge now is to find, 'What else?'" taxpayer money, but we also don't want study. If it turns out to be in the best in Protected positions - those deemed to destroy the commitment and quality terests of NIH. we'll pursue contracting." "inherently governmental" - include of work done by federal employees," he The A-76 process began, conceptually, setting program direction and obligat said. "(A-76) seems to me not totally a during the Eisenhower administration, ex ing funds. Patient care, too, is pro bad thing. lt combines U1e best interests plai ns Tom Pitzpall·ick, who directs the tected, as is direct intramural research. of NTH and the taxpayers. We can con commercial activities review team (CART) But that leaves seven broad functional centrate on the things that we do well. at NCH. It became policy, however, in areas ripe for review: information tech It forces us to get our own house in or 1965, when the Oflicc of Management nology, personnel, general administra der, which is a side benefit of this exer and Budget published its circular direct tive, fac.ili ties and installation services, cise." He envisions potential savings as ing all agencies to assure U1at Uncle Sam R&D, grants and finance. The process workers are retrained in areas where wasn't taking jobs away from private in of review is Lime-consuming and some there is more demand for a particular dustry. Successive administrations have times repetitive. skill. put more and less emphasis on U1c The OMB tools used by reviewers were Leasure chairs the steering committee policy, but President Bush has elevated originally developed by U1e Department in charge of A-76/FAIR at NIH, which competitive sourcing to one of U1e top of Defense, observes CART's Fitzpatrick, is composed of representatives of the five items on his President's Manage and have had to be modified to apply ac institutes and centers in areas such as ment Agenda (along with e-government, curately to civilian positions. The A-76 EEO, personnel, information technol human capital management, budget and review process itself is undergoing modi ogy and contracts. Their goal is to ap program integration), said Leasure. 'This fication, he said, which will determine ply consistency of criteria and method raises A-76 to anoU1er level." how extensive the examination of each ology in all reviews. They have hired a NIH began responding to the initia position must be (see sidebar p. 15). private firm - Warden Associates - tive in fiscal year 200 I, when it was di Leasure acknowledges that it can be with expertise in this field. rected to review 5 percent of its poten unnerving to learn that one's job is un Leasure is aware that many NI H em tiall y commercial functions, or some der review as a potentiall y commercial ployees perform multiple duties, and 465 positions. activity. "It's a complex deal, and hard arc not easily categorizable. " Most of 14 WINTER 2 0 0 3 us perform several runctions, for ex ample secretary and timekeeper. That Sparing Employees Pain, Uncertainty person might also do some editorial as There are agencies within the federal government where compliance with the sistant work, and maybe some travel mandates ofOMB Circular A-76 and the FAIR Act of 1998 are given rather less and procurement. It's a very difficult attention than NIH is devoting, especially when it comes to the concern for its process to determine how lo fairly as employees, said Tom Fitzpatrick, a veteran of several federal agencies - most sign a job category, and to be as fair recently GSA -who has joined NIH to direct the commercial activities review and judicious as possible. team, a key player in the A-76 role. Along with his boss, Tim Wheeles, who di "What we're trying to get is the best rects the Division of Management Support, he is responsible for assuring that, bang for the buck - that's the common when a comparison is done between what federal workers do and produce vs. theme for both the government and pri what a contractor can offer, the terms of the equation are virtually identical. vate industry," Leasure summed up. That is, that apples are compared with apples, and oranges with oranges. "In an ideal situation, everybody wins." There is lots of nit and grit when it comes to this subject, and these two are el He knows there arc fears out in the bow-deep in it. Fortunately for NIH 'ers, they are also dedicated to a fair and workforce "that highly paid people who open approach. Says Fitzpatrick, "We try to help federal employees to win (re are at no risk personally arc making de tain their status as federal employees) by giving them every opportunity to win. cisions for people in some smoky back We have the welfare of the NIH community in the forefront of our minds." room," but insists he is only working A-76 is a process governed by rules originally developed for the military. It toward goals elucidated by NIH direc initially included some 900 " function codes" used to place worker bees into tor Dr. Elias Zcrhouni; that in all deal distinct categories. But those have since been fine-tuned, to add flexibility. ings, NlH be transparent, proactive and FAIR. on the other hand, is an inventory that must be undenak.en annually by accountable. every federal agency to determine what activities are commercial and which are He laments, "I can't guarantee any inherently governmental; it tells tl1e private sector where opportunities to body anything. But I do assure you compete with government can be found. Both acti vities are mandatory that we are not keeping any secrets. I requirements for federal agencies. feel kind of like (Mongomery County "The FAIR Act means you have to say which employees are doing what, and Police) Chief Moose (who oversaw the what the actual numbers are," said Wheeles. "A-76 compares functions; (FAIR recent sniper investigation) - I need to Act accounting and A-76 accounting) don't necessarily match up one-for-one." reassure NIH'ers that we are looking out The managers know they must overcome a bias - "that everything done at for what's best for them. I know it's a NIH is inherently govemmental" (and that some supervisors wiU inevitably try tension-raising, emotional business. to "hide" employees from scrutiny). They also know that blue-collar jobs are That's why it 's critical that we do it right typically commercial, whereas white-collar posts are more vague, which can the first lime .. .lf we 're good at what we lead some groups to feel targeted. Fitzpatrick jokingly refers to the "Yellow do, we can benefit everyone. It won't Pages test: If you can find (a job description) there, it can be contracted out." be easy, but l think it can be done." Along with the executive officers at NJH, they are committed to a "corporate He repeats one or his management approach, so that both the benefits and pains are shared across Nlli." mantras: "Fair does not mean equal... When a job is under review, different cost comparison methods can be used. At NIH, people don' t fit into neat pigeon The most strict is a "full generic review," which is very involved and can take holes very well." from 2 to 3 years. A "streamlined review" takes only 3-4 months, and is used NLH expects to open an outplacement for study sizes of 65 or fewer FTEs. An "expedited review," which is an NIH office, he said, for those who want to invention, can be completed in 2 months, and is also for groups of 65 or fewer. seek employment elsewhere, under the What happens when "challenger" faces "incumbent?" The incumbent's auspices of the Office of Human Re strength lies in rwo areas: its MEO (most efficient organization, in other words, sources. Leasure also foresees offers a self-description of a group's leanest, meanest version of itself), which in turn of early or optional retirement. depends on a well-written and comprehensive performance work statement But buyouts are not currently an op (also known as an SOW, or statement of work). It says to private industry, tion. Follow developments in the A-76/ "Match this." FAIR Act story as they unfold at http:// (See A-76 sidebar~ p. 27) A-76.nih.gov. 15 N I H A A UPDATE NIGMS Celebrates 40 Years of Discovery, Progress stitute. The GenBank database. which NIGMS established in 1982 to meet the critical need for a central storehouse of By Alisa Zapp Machalek degrees in science and has enhanced genetic sequence information, is now research and training at minority managed by the National Center for Bio The year is 1962. John Glenn, Jr., be serving institutions throughout the technology Information. The database comes the first American ro orbit the country. Adding to the air of celebra contains more than 20 billion nucleotide Earth, Sam Walton opens the first Wal tion atNIGMS, both ofMORE's bases from over 100,000 organisms, in Marr, a first-class stamp costs 4 cents, branches - Minority Access to cluding the nearly completed human ge and - most relevant here - NIGMS is Research Careers and Minority Bio nome. created. medical Research Support - com An exciting new area of exploration is Established by Congress to support memorated their 30th anniversaries in RNA interference, which was first de research and training in the "general or 2002. scribed in 1998 by an NIGMS grantee. basic medical sciences," NIGMS has a This natural process, in which small Championing Basic Research strong record of supporting scientists pieces of double-stranded RNA "tum at the forefront of their fields. In i.ts 40- Many NIGMS-supported scientists off' individual genes, has tremendous year history, more than 50 of its grant dedicate their careers to detailed stud potential as a research tool and as a ees have won Nobel prizes for their ies of the individual molecules - pro possible therapeutic approach. For ex groundbreaking research. teins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and ample, RNA interference has recently Today, NIGMS has one of the largest lipids - that form living systems. This been harnessed in vitro to block infec budgets at NIH, coming in at more than research steadily improves our under tions by HIV and poliovirus. $1.7 billion. The institute-which is standing of how these molecules func True to its commitment to basic stud almost entirely extramural - funds tion in healthy cells and how faulty ies that are not targeted to specific dis more than 4,000 research grants to uni molecules can cause disease. eases, NIGMS supports the bulk of versities, medical schools, hospitals NlGMS grantees working in the field of NIH-funded chemistry research. Chem and other research institutions. Its genetics identified key regulators of the ists supported by the institute have broad interests lie in areas such as cell, cell cycle. Others discovered restriction made seminal discoveries in many ar molecular, developmental and computa enzymes, which launched the field of re- eas, including catalytic RNA. organic ti onal biology; genetics; chemistry; combinant synthesis and chiral reactions. and pharmacology. Basic studies in DNA tech- Another area within NIGMS' broad these and other areas covered by nology. mission is research on bums and other NTGMS increase our understanding of Molecules Two forms of trauma. Every year, more than life processes and lay the foundation NIGMSef I million Americans suffer serious bum for advances in disease diagnosis, to Medicines forts in ge injuries. One of the most significant treatment and prevention. •• netics have NIGMS-sponsored advances in this As part of its 40'h anniversary cel •• spun off to area is the development of an "artificial ebration, NIGMS selected 40 topics ,. • other NIH skin" that promotes the healing of that reflect its interests and accom ••• • components. bums. This product, along with other plishments. Brief descriptions and il • NIGMS' NIGMS-supported discoveries on the lustrations of these topics are at http:// ••••• early invest body's response to bum and trauma in www.nigms.nih.gov/anniversary/dis • ~ • 1¢z-aoo:z ment in ge jury, has dramatically increased sur covery/...... nome se vival and recovery. The institute has a longstanding com quencing Training Tomorrow's Scientists mitment to increasing the number and ••••:. spawned an competitiveness of minority biomedical .... initiative that Since its inception, NIGMS has been and behavioral scientists. Through its grew into the dedicated to teaching students how to Minority Opportunities in Research National Hu become independent researchers. (MORE) Division, NlGMS has helped NIG~\\S man Genome Nearly half of all NIH predoctoral thousands of minority students pursue Research ln- trainees, and a large portion of 16 WINTER 2 0 0 3 postdoctoral trainees, receive tbeir sup 2000, NIGMS plans to invest more than help make it possible to predict the port.from NIGMS. $I 00 million. structure of any protein based on its Recognizing that the most significant Another area that benefits from sequence. The institute expects to biomedical investigations often involve NTGMS • emphasis on collaboration is commit at least $220 mi llion to the and affect severaJ different fields, the pharmacogenetics, the study of how project for its initial, 5-year pilot phase. institute designed its training programs genes affect the way people respond To further advance the field of mo to cut across disciplinary and depart to medicines. Already, more than a lecu.lar structure detem1ination, NIGMS mental lines. In addition, NlGMS has dozen NIGMS-sponsored research funds the cutting-edge equipment and several programs that address areas of ·teams have begun unraveling why the facilities necessary for these studies. criticaJ scientiJic need. One of these, same dose of a drug can help some In recenl years, tbe institute has sup the Medical Scientist Training Program, people, have no effect on others and ported construction of the most power leads to a combined M.D.-Ph.D. degree harm a few. This knowledge can allow ful NMR magnets available (900 MHz) and prepares scientists to bridge the physicians to tailor the doses of cer and, together with NCI, it is fund ing gap between basic and clinical re tain medications and save lives. tJ1e design and construction of three search. Other programs train scientists ln 2000, NIGMS spearheaded a trans beamJines at ATgonne National Labor to conduct research in the rapidly NIH initiative in pharmacogenetics. It atory's Advanced Photon Source, the growing field of biotechnology and at now commits more than $10 million newest and most advanced synchro the interface between chemistry and bi each year to the effort. At the heart tron in the country. ology. The institute also sponsors a of the program is a shared online re A Bright Future Pharmacology Research Associate Pro source caJLed PharmGKB, where partici gram - its only intramural activity pating researchers deposit their data. "The most important biomedical ques that trains postdoctoral scientists in This knowledge base, which does not tions today - how genes are regulated, pharmacology in NIH and FDA labora identify study participants, is acces how cells and organisms develop and tories and clinics. sible to scientists worldwide. function and what causes cellular pro The institute recognizes tJmt vast scien cesses to go awry - have not changed Forging Paths into New Areas tific treasures are hidden within the bur much in the last four decades," says Dr. geoning masses of genome sequence Judith H. Greenberg, acting director of In Lhe late 1990s, NIGMS held meet and otJ1er biological data. To mine tJ1ese NIGMS. "But the level of detail at ings with leaders of the scientific com will require quantitative tools and ap which we can answer these questions munity to get their advice and vision proaches. Beginning in 1998, NIGMS has changed dramatically. This on new directions in science and the created a set of initiatives to encourage progress· not only helps us understand needs of researchers. A common mathematicians, physicists, computer sci the biological basis of life, it has also theme emerged: Solving many of the entists and engineers to apply tJ1eir ex been translated into new approaches to most comp.lex - and interesting - pertise to biomedical research. In 200 I, to treating and preventing diseases." questions in biology requires interdis serve as the focal point for such activi For 40 years, NIGMS has been at the cip.linary cooperation and multi-faceted ties, NIGMS created its newest compo leading edge of supporting this approaches. In response, NIGMS es nent, the Center for Bioinformatics and progress. As it continues to champion tablished collaborative and integrative Computational Biology. basic research, to train future scientists grants (better known as "glue" grants) NIGMS has also capitalized on ad and to forge paths into new areas, its to bring together large groups of scien vances in genome sequencing through future promises to hold even more ex tists from diverse fields to help tackle its Protein Structure Initiative. citing and significant advances. these complicated research problems. Launched in 2000, this project builds The institute currently supports glue on the institute's significant invest grants to investigate cell communica ment in structural biology. The goal You will receive a 2003-2004 re tion (including the roles of G proteins is to sofve the structures of 10,000 ge newal notice this spring. PLEASE and carbohydrates), cell movement and netically unique proteins in 10 years, pay promptly. Dues are an impor inflammation. (NIAID and NCI also co enabling scientists to produce an in tant source of our income, and we fund the G protein grant.) For the first ventory of all the shapes that proteins need your support. 4 years of the initiative, which began in can take in nature. This, in tum, wi ll 17 N I H A A UPDATE Another Kind of NIH Centennial leagues, Edward Francis, picked up McCoy's work and subsequently dem By Victoria A. Harden good laboratory work at the site of epi onstrated that the bacterium also demics, and he launched publication of caused a disease in humans, tularemia. In 1987, the NIH observed the centen the Hygienic Laboratory Bulletin. The The causative microorganism was later nial of its founding as a one-room labo first bulletin dealt with studies on bu renamed for Francis and is now known ratory, but last year, 2002, marked an bonic plague, newly arrived from Asia as Francisella tularensis. Today the other important anniversary: the cre on the west coast of the United States. NIH continues to conduct research on it ation of an organized research program. In 1902, Congress enacted a law that, because of its threatened use as a When young Joseph J. Kinyoun was among other items, reorganized the Hy bioterror agent. asked to set up a "laboratory of hy gienic Laboratory into four divisions, ln August 1902, Charles WardelJ Stiles giene" at the Staten Island Marine Hos adding the cutting edge scientific disci became the first director of one of the pital in 1887, the United States was em plines of that time - zoology, pharma newly created divisions, zoology. He barking on an experiment to see if the cology and chemistry - to the original came to the post from the Bureau of new science of bacteriology would re work on infectious diseases, which was Animal Industry in the Department of ally be helpful to the medical officers in placed in a division called "bacteriology Agriculture, where three months earlier the Marine Hospital Service. Within a and pathology." With the addition of he had described a new species of decade, the U.S. Congress had found the new areas, it became evident scien hookworm, Necator americanus the laboratory to be extraordinarily use tists who had more specialized training (Stiles), known to cause disease in hu ful. Kinyoun, however, was relieved of - a Ph.D. instead of an M.D. - would mans. He also prepared an Index Cata duty as director in 1899. The reason re also be needed in the research program. log of Medical and Veterinary Zoology, mains a mystery, as no explanatory An advisory board of non-federal scien a monumental reference work published documents survive. Kinyoun was not tists was established for the Laboratory, by the Hygienic Laboratory. a "scientist's scientist," however, and and the first members included the lead The first chief of the Division of Chemis the Surgeon General, Wal.ter Wyman, ers of medical research at that time. try was Joseph Hoeing Kastle. Trained at who appointed the Hygienic Labor The previous year, the Congress had the Johns Hopkins University, Kastle was atory's director at that time, may have allocated $35,000 for a separate build representative of the chemists at that time wanted a director more skilled in labo ing for the Laboratory, and as the new who were adopting the then-new meth ratory practices. director, Rosenau oversaw every detail ods of biochemistry. He published "two The person named as second director of the construction. He designated Hygienic Laboratory Bulletins on the oxi was Milton J. Rosenau. Thirty years that the building contain a scientific li dases. He also worked on a chemical old when he brary large enough to hold l 0,000 vol method to identify and estimate the assumed umes. Workrooms were large with high amount of hydrochloric acid in the stom leadership, ceilings and generous light. The area ach and worked on the development of a this young should also contain "an incubator and "hemoglobinometer" for measuring the physician a cool chamber." amount of hemoglobin in the blood. stressed the How productive was the new research Reid Hunt, another Hopkins-trained need for an program in its early years? scientist, was named the first chief of organized In the area of infectious diseases, the Division of Pharmacology. In 1903 program of cholera, typhoid fever, bubonic plague, and 1904, while his new laboratory at scientific re smallpox, yellow fever, Rocky Moun the Hygienic Laboratory was being pre search in his tain spotted fever were alJ investigated. pared, Hunt worked in Germany with the In 1908, George McCoy-later a direc distinguished chemist Paul Ehrlich. Dr. Milton J. Rosenau first Annual Report in tor of the Laboratory - discovered a Hunt's major interest was the powerful 1900. He recommended, for example, a new bacterium, which he named Bacte biological action of acetylcholine on longer period of study for fewer offic rium tularense after Tulare County, blood pressure. He was also interested ers in the bacteriological course. He California, where he first identified it as in the effects of alcohol and in 1902 also requested the outfitting of two the cause of a "plague-like disease of . alerted the American medical profession portable laboratories in order to do rodents." In 19 ll, one of his col- to the toxicity of methyl alcohol. 18 WINTER 2 0 0 3 Exit SunTrust, Enter NIHFCU Bldg. 10 Loses Commercial Bank, Credit Union Takes Space By Rich McManus not handle business accounts, including After 52 years of hosting a commercial commercial check bank, the NIH campus lost its lone ing and business banking company, SunTrust, when the loans, she ex branch on the BI level of Bldg. 1O plained, "but we will closed permanently on Nov. 27. be able to do those The space occupied by the bank, just things in the near outside the B I level cafeteria, will be re future." opened as a branch of the NIH Federal Alexander pre Credit Union, which is expanding its dicted that custom range of services to meet the needs of ers of her new the private bank's clients, chiefly pa branch "won't sec tients, visitors and employees. much difference" Mrs. Luke I. Wilson, joined Mr. S. Waller Bagley (I), president of SunTrust had been on campus for 4 between the credit the Bank of Bethesda, Dr. Norman Topping, NIH associate director, years, according to K. Mark Steigerwalt, union and what and formally opened the Bank of Bethesda branch at NIH on Apr. assistant vice president/NTH branch, SunTrust offered. 10, 1950. but before that was called Crestar Bank, "Most of the people who bank there are 1955, according to the Record, its safe and before that, the Bank of Bethesda. probably eligible to be credit union deposit boxes had been relocated The bank's customers were primarily members anyway," she said. there. Because the bank has a dedi- patients and visitors, many of whom SunTrust's decision to leave NIB was cated vault, it is thought that the took advantage of its services over the the result of several factors. With two branch opened when the Clinical Cen years, said Steigerwalt. "I have loved other SunTrust branches close by (at ter did in 1953. The credit union, by working here," he said. "It's been a real Wildwood and in Bethesda), and a big in contrast, had been established in 1939 treat." crease in phone and Internet banking, the and for years had a branch in Bldg. I 0, He notified NIH customers in a letter bank decided to close the NIH branch. although there hasn' t been a credit dated Aug. 27 that the bank was set to The Bank of Bethesda's original cam union presence, other than two ATM close at 3 p.m. on Nov. 27. Staffing at pus branch opened Apr. 10, 1950, on machines, there in recent years. the bank, once at seven employees, had tbe third floor of Bldg. I. Its first de Alexander concluded, "The credit dropped to four by mid-September. All positor was Mrs. Luke I. Wilson, who union is absolutely delighted to be of the SunTrust employees were told with her husband donated, in five seg able to assume the bank branch space they would be relocated within the ments, their 92-acre Bethesda estate to and provide in-person service to our company. NIH. Hours then were from 9 a.m. to 2 members, potential members and pa According to Lindsay Alexander, p.m., hence the term "banker's hours." tients of NIH in the Clinical Center. chief executive officer of the NIH Fed According to the Apr. 24, 1950, NIH This move further solidifies our com eral Credit Union, "the NIHFCU is very Record, the bank was allowed to open mitment to the NIH community, where excited about the opportunity to pro on campus by special permission: "The we have been considered to be an em vide more convenjent member services Treasury Department authorized the ployee benelit for over 60 years." to the Clinical Center employees." ln pennanent banking facility because of For infonnation and an update about addition, we ' II be able to handle foreign the growing imponance of NIH and as a the Credit Union's new location check currencies, patient accounts and NIH service to the large number of NIH em their web site at http://www.nihfcu.org. cashier accounts," she said. "We'll of ployees ... " fer basically all of the services that It isn't clear just when the Bank of SunTrust offers." Bethesda migrated from Bldg. 1 to the For the moment, the credit union can- Clinical Center basement, but by March 19 N I H A A UPDATE For Your Information Where Were You When ... ? Calling All NIHAA Members Last September, NIH joined others around the nation and the world to honor the victims of Sept. 11, 2001. Hundred of NIH'ers gathered For Travel on Land and Sea from all parts of campus ro attend the so.lemn and sober memorial ob servance on the Bldg. 1 lawn. A joint honor guard comprised of mem Two 2003 trips sponsored by bers of the NIH police and fire departments presented the colors. NIH NIH/NOAA Recreation. & Welfare director Dr. Elias Zerhouni spoke briefly to one of the largest crowd Association are available to ever to appear for an outdoor event near Bldg. l. At the end he asked interested NIHAA members. for a moment of silence, after which "Taps" was played, the colors were retired and he ended the ceremony with "Ladies and gentlemen, The first trip will go from Oct. 20 - God bless you." 0ct. 29, and will focus on "Reflec Jn addition to the 9/11 observance that took place on Sept. 11, 2002, tions ofltaly" covering in 10 days, there were several other high-profile events on campus that enabled Rome, Perugia, Florence, Venice NIH officials to tell stories about where they were when they learned and more. Includes airfare, hotels, tJ1e awful news of the terror attacks on New York, Washington and sightseeing and L3 meals. At 5 aboard an aircraft streaking over Pennsylvania. At a special hour-long p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26, Grand Rounds that kicked off the new academic year, NlAID director R& W will host a presentation by Dr. Anthony Fauci offered his views on "Bioterrorism and Biodefense: Collette Vacations about the trip. One Year Later" and was introduced by Zerhouni, who fi lled in details It will be at the FAES house, 910 L of a story he had only begun to tell at the public ceremony earlier that Old Georgetown Rd. Ca!I Julie at day in front of Bldg. J. 301-496-6061 if you wish to atrend. "I li kened it (9/1 1) to the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963," said Zerhouni. "Those who were alive at the time never forgot Then from Nov. 20 - sDec. 5, 2003, tJ1at moment .. Jt's something that wiH be with us for the remainder of visit Oahu, Kauai, Maui and our Ii ves, and of the life of the nation." Hawaii. Includes airfare, hotels, Zerhouni recalled tJ1at he had been in a symposium at Johns Hopkins sightseeing, transfers, tips and (where he was executive vice dean of the medical school before be gratuities. "YMT Vacations" are coming NIH director last May). "Someone handed me a note and said the travel agency. there had been a major accident in New York, and that we had acti vated a Code Yellow at Johns Hopkins. I called the chief of surgery to For more detailed info1mation inform him, then I was told that a plane had hit the Pentagon. I jumped about the trips, please contact: in my car to go to the (Hopkins) hospital, where we called the gover NIH/NOAA R & W nor (of Maryland) and Tommy Thompson (HHS secretary). We imme Attn: Randy Schools diate.Ly stopped all operations at tJ1e hospital," he continued, thinking 31 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD all hands would redeploy to casualty response. "Unfortunately, the 20892-0001 or call 301-496-606 l. number who made it out alive was not that much." His principal memory of that morning? "Every institution in the area responded, Also Continuing Education, Inc., and NIH was among the first." University at Sea is sponsoring, Fauci told the Masur Auditorium crowd that he had actually been in i.n conjunction w,ith several cruise New York City on 9/11. "l was coming out of the Queens-Midtown lines, a series of CME medical Tunnel in a taxi , and r looked up and saw some smoke on the skyli ne. conferences on many topics to I thought that the air conditioning unit on top of a building had mal destinations such as Alaska, functioned." He had. been enroute to a meeting, and ~hen he got Caribbean, Hawaii and Europe in there, the television was on. Only then did the magnitude of what had 2003. Interested NIHAA mem happened sink in. "1 had no idea then how i.t would transform our na bers should call 1-800-422-0711 or tion," he said. "As the smoke cleared, it was clear we (NTH)J1ad a ma email contactus@www. jor role, which was confirmed by the anthrax attacks so soon after." continuingeducation.net. 20 WINTER 2 0 0 3 NIH Convenes Hormone Therapy Conference Research Festival - Past And Long-term use of the estrogen plus progestin combination - one of the most Future commonly prescibed hormone regimens - does not prevent cardiovasular dis eases and other chronic conditions in postmenopausal women. In fact, the risks The 2002 Research Festival at (increased breast cancer, heart attacks, strokes and blood clots in the lungs and tracted the usuaJ number of visitors. legs) outweigh the benefits (fewer hip fractures and colon cancers). This was the "B iodefense: A New N1H Mis finding of a recent NIH scientific workshop on Menopausal Hormone Therapy, sion," was the subject of the first which featured the world's leading experts on the subject. plenary session. Basic science, and The purpose was to review results from one component of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trial - an NIH sn1dy that was halted in May 2002 due to an increased risk of invasive breast cancer and cardiovascular dis ease - and place these results in the context of other completed and ongoing research on menopausal combination hormone therapy. The goal of the meet Gitanjali Saluja (r) of NICHD shares her- poster with institute colleagues ing was to assess what researchers Margaret Hillier (I) and Courtney know about the use of menopausal hor Johnson . Former NIH director Dr. Bernadine Healy mone therapy, particularly as a preven established the Women 's Health Initiative tive agent, and decide what questions clinical science and clinical research in 1991. NIH director Dr. Elias Zerhouni still need ro be addressed through fu were highlighted ia the second ple opened and closed the workshop. ture research. nary session on "Bench to Bedside: "There is not a simple, single answer NIH Success Stories." for all women," said Dr. Elias Zerhouni , NIH director. "However, the WHl resu.lts There were 12 mini-symposia aad do help simplify and clarify- not complicate-the decision-making process. almost 400 posters. At tJ1e start Women now have information from a randomized clin.ical trial- the gold standard there was the job fair and a huge for evidence-based medicine. Combined hormone therapy should no longer be Technical Sales Association vendor considered the effective prevention strategy against chronic diseases." show ended the 4-day event. Re Women who are considering whether to start or continue hormone therapy to re search Festival in 2003 is sched lieve menopausal symptoms need to consider the findings from this and other u.led for the week of Occ. 14-1 7. studies and discuss with their health care provider their individual risk for specific cbronic conditions Groundbreaking for New Edmond J. Safra Family Lodge and their personal preferences. Breaking ground for the Edmond J. The workshop, which was attended Safra Family Lodge are (from I) by nearl y 800 people, may be Dr. Michael Gottesman, NIH deputy viewed online at http://videocast. director for intramural research; Dr. nih.gov/PastEvents.asp?c=l. For Elias Zerhouni, NIH director; Dr. John more infom1ation on hormone Gallin, director, Clinical Center; Jeffrey therapy, go to the NIH menopausal Keil, president, Ellesse L.L.C.; Amy hormone page at http://www.nih.gov/ McGuire, executive director, Foundation for the NIH; and Susan Lowell Butler, member Clinical Center patient advisory group. The groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 29, 2002, was held PHTindex.htm. - Ellyn Pollack indoors due to inclement weather. Construction should begin early next year, with completion forecast for the summer of 2004. The Edmond Sarra Family Lodge, located near the corner of Center and Convent Dr., will be a home-away-from-home for the families and caretakers of NIH Clinical Center patients. For more information call Jan Weymouth,301- 496-2925 or visit http://WWW.cc.nih.gov/ccc/family lodge.html. 21 N I H A A UPDATE NIH Notes August 2002 Population Sciences, is returning to December 2002 California in February to become director of executive director. She comes from Austin, population science at the University of Appointments and Tex., where she was the first non-family California, San Francisco and professor of executive director of tbe RGK Foundation. epidemiology at UCSF School of Medicine Personnel Changes Previously she was executive director of ... Dr. David Jollie has joined CSR as volunteer services and the children's art scientific review administrator for fellowship Dr. David Armstrong has been named chief project at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center ... applications in the biophysical and chemical of the brain disorders and clinical neuro Ur. Peter Guthrie bas joined CSR as sciences integrated review group. He came sciences integrated review group at the CSR scientific review administrator of its to CSR from the University of Maryland, ... Dr. Wendy Baldwin, NIH deputy molecular, cclJular and developmental where he was an assistant professor in its director for extramural research since l993, neuroscience-4 study section. Before department of chemistry and biochemistry ... has left to become vice president for research coming to CSR, he was an associate Dr. Michele Kiely recently joined NlCHD at her doctoral alma mater, the University of professor at the University of Utah School as chief of the collaborative studies unit in Kentucky in Lexington. In 1973, she joined of Medicine, Salt Lake City, where he the Division of Epidemiology, Statistics and NICHD as a health scientist administrator investigated intracellular and extracellular Prevention Research. la this capacity, she and stayed within NICHD taking on mechanisms underlying interactions of has become scientific advisor to the NlH- expanding roles until 1993 when she went to astrocytes with neurons and microglia ... 0.C. Initiative to Reduce Infant Mortality in OD ... Dr. Anna Barker was named deputy Dr. Alan E. Guttmacher has been named Minority Populations in the District of director of the NCI 's Strategic Scientific second deputy director of the National Columbia ... Dr. Cheryl A. Kitt recently Initiatives Branch, OD, a newly created Human GenomeResearch Institute. In that joined NlAMS as director of its extramural position. She is the cofounder and Fonner position, he will oversee the translation of program. She was fo rn1erly at NINDS ... president and CEO of Bio-Nova, a biotech the findings of the Human Genome Project Dr. Theodore Kotchen has been named nology company based in Portland, Ore. into new diagnostic tests and therapies. He special advisor on clinical research review at She will develop public-private partnerships is also acting director of the NHGRl Office CSR. He wiU serve part-time and maintain to advance the development of targeted new of Policy, Planning and Communications ... his research and academic efforts at the therapies and plan for modernization of Dr. Robert Hiatt, deputy director of the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he is NCI's Frederick Cancer Research and NCI's Division of Cancer Control and professor of medicine and epidemiology and Development Center ... Stephen Benowitz has left his job at NIH to become an associate director reporting directly to Kay New Director Named for NIMH Coles James, deputy director of the Office of Personnel Management. He was the human In mid-September 2002, NlH director Dr. Etias Zerhouni, announced the appointment of resources and prod ucts services leader in Dr. Thomas R. Insel, as the new director of NlH's National Institute of Mental Health. OD ... Dr. Marshall Bloom, an internation lnsel, who had served as professor in the department of psychiatry and as director of the ally recognized authority on Aleutian mi nk Center for Behavioral Neuroscience at the Emory University School of Medicine in disease, persistent infections and Atlanta, Georgia, began his new position in November 2002. parvoviruses, has been named associate "After a thorough and careful search process," said Zerhouni, director of NIAJD's Rocky Mountain "it became clear t11at lnsel 's ability to communicate a Laboratories in Hiunilton, Mont. ... Dr. Dan compelling vision for mental health research, his outstanding Brock is now an NIH senior scientist in the scientific research career and his leadership roles in shaping department of clinical bioethics at the CC. research in the academic arena make him well-suited to lead the He comes to NUl from Brown University NIMH." where he was director of the Center for lnsel is no slranger to NIMH. He first joined the institute in Biomed.ical Ethics and had a joint appoint 1979, and served in various administrative and leadership posts ment in the department of philosophy and the for 15 years. Within that time, he conducted key research in medical school ... Dr. Donna J. Dean has obsessive-compulsive disorder, initiating some of its first been named first deputy director of the treatment trials. He also launched a research program in social National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and neuroscience, focusing on the neurobiology of complex social Bioengineering. She had been acting behaviors in animals. In 1994. lnsel went to Emory University as a professor in the director of NrBIB and had played a role in department of psychiatry and as director of Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center. As the formation and development of the newest director of the primate center, he was responsible for building one of the nation's leading of Nil-l's institutes and centers. which HIV vaccine research programs. supports fundamental research that applies Inset serves on numerous academic, scientific and profossional committees, including 10 principles of engineering and imaging editorial boards. He is a fellow of the American College of Neuropsyehophannacology and sciences to biological systems and 10 human has received awards from the National AUiance for Research on Schizophrenia and health and well-being ... Tyrrell Flawn Depression, the Society for Biologic.al Psychiatry and the U.S. Public Health Service. He recently joined the Children's Inn at NIH as received his bachelor's and medical degrees from Boston University. 22 WINTER 2 0 0 3 associate dean for clinical research ... Mary McCabe has stepped down as head of tl1e ew Director Named for NIAAA NCI 's Office of Cancer Communications to advise NCI director Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach on clinical research strategy and Dr. ling-Kai Li will lead the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as its policy. Jill Bartholomew, the deputy new director. Appointed by NIH director Dr. Elias '.lerhouni last fall. Li comes from the director of OCC, has also left to take a dcpanment of medicine and of biochemistry and molecular biology al Indiana University position at HHS. Nelvis Castro and Mary School of Medicine in Indianapolis, where he recently served as distinguished professor of Anne Bright arc acting director. OCC, and these departments and as director of the Indiana Alcohol Research Center. acting deputy director, OCC. ... Dr. " It gives me great pleasure that one of our nation's preeminent scientists in the alcohol Sheldon S. Miller has been named NEI research field wi ll be taking the helm at NlAAA to lead our federal alcohol research scientitic director. Pormerly a professor of effons." said Tommy Thompson, HHS secretary. molecular and cell biology at the University An author of more than 400 journal articles and book of Cali fornia, Berkeley, he has focused his chapters, Li has produced ground-breaking research in several research on understanding tl1e regu lation and areas, including alcohol metabolism and animal models of functi on of epithelial layers throughout the alcoholism. He is a major participant in two NlAAA body, especially epitheli a from the breast. supponed research consortia - the Collaborative Study on lung and eye. He has authored or co the Genetics of Alcoholism and the lntegrntive Neuroscience authored more than 60 scientific papers, and Initiative on Alcoholism. has received continuous grant support from He received his medical degree from Harvard University in NIH since 1978 ... Or. Melody Mills is the 1959 and joined the faculty of Indiana University School of new scientific review administrator of the Medicine in 1971 and served as the associate dean for bacteriology and mycology-2 study section research from 1986-2000. Li's research accomplishments at CSR. Before coming to CSR, she was :11 include the Markle Scholar in Academic Medicine: the 1hc Uniformed Services University of the Research Society on Alcoholism Award for Research Health Sciences ... Dr. N. Kent Peters Excellence; the James B. lsaacson Award for Research in recently joined NlGMS as a scientific Chemical Dependency Disease; the Jellinek Award; the R. Brinkley Smithers Distin review administrator in the Office of guished Scientist Award; an honorary degree (D.Sc.) from Nonheaslern Ohio Universities Scientific Review. He was formerly a College of Medicine and tl1e Mark Keller Honorary Lecture Award. Li is an honorary program director for metabolic biochemistry fellow of the Society for the Study of Addiction (UK) and is a member of the Institute of at the National Science Foundation. Before Medicine, National Academy of Sciences. He also serves as the current journal editor of that. he was a professor in the department Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. of chemistry and biotechnology a1 the Li replaces Dr. Raynard Kington, who has served as acting director of NlAAA since Agricultural University of Norway ... Dr. January 2002 following the retirement of Dr. Enoch Gordis, NlAAA director from 1986 to Joanna Pyper is now the scientific review 2002. administrator for the virology study section at CSR, after participating in the CSR Review Internship Program. Prior to coming to CSR, she was a research feUow in Clinical and Population-Based Studies at Or. Marian Wachtel has joined CSR as the the picomavirus virus replication section of CSR. She was previously chief of CSR 's new scientilic review administrator of the NlAID's Laboratory of lnfectious Diseases biobehavioral and behavioral processes IRG special reviews study section that examines ... Dr. Alexander Politis is the new chief of and its predecessor ... Dr. Vonda Smith has small business innovative research grant the infectious diseases and microbiology joined CSR as scientific review administra applications for the infectious diseases and integrated review group at CSR. He tor of the SSS-6 study secti on, which microbiology integrated review group ... previously was scientific review administra reviews small business innovative research Dr. John Whitmarsh recently joined tor of CSR 's immunological sciences study grant applications for tlie biophysical and NIGMS as a program director in the section ... Dr. Barbara Rimer, director of chemical sciences integroted review groups. Biophysics Branch of the Division of Cell NCl's Division of Cancer Control and She comes to CSR from Hewlett-Packard in Biology and Biophysics, where he will population sciences, has left NCI for a Palo Aho. Calif., which then became Agilent administer grants in bioinformation and position at the University of North Carolina Technologies. There she performed spectral computational biology. For the past 21 as professor of health behavior and health analysis and liquid phase analysis of various years, he served on the University of Illinois education in the School of Public Health and biomolecules ... Dr. Nadarajen A. at Urbann-Champaign fac ulty in the plant also as deputy director for Population Vydelingum has been named deputy biology and biochemistry departments. Sciences at UNc·s Lineberger Cancer director of the NCI Center to Reduce Center. Or. Robert Croyle, associate Cancer Health Disparities. He came to NTH director for behavioral research, has been in 1991 when he joined the Division of Awards and Honors named interim head of the division ... Dr. Research Grants (now CSR) where he Anita Miller Sostek has been named headed a scientific review group on peer Or. Duane Alexander, NICHD director. director of a newly reconfigured Division of review in bioengineering and physiology ... recently received the American Acudcmy of 23 N I H A A UPDATE and Kidney Diseases, died of cancer Sept. J. Highet., 78, an NHLBI organic chemist years, died Oct. 6. She worked at NIH on 27 at bis home. He began working at NIH who specialized in nuclear magnetic and off during the 1950s and 1960s. She in the early 1960s working first at NIAID resonance (NMR) studies of natural returned to NIH in the l 970s to become one and then at NIDDK until he retired in 1994 products, died of colon cancer on July 15 at of the CC's first hospital administrative . . . Ilse A. Fleischman, 78, who worked at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring. He officers. She retired in 1995 ... Dr. NIH as a teacher and tutor, died of cancer retired in 1994, after more than 41 years in Lawrence Kilharn, a research virologist at Oct. 23 at her home in Chevy Chase. For NHLBl's Laboratory of Chemistry. While in NIH (1949-1960), died in Lyme, N. H. on the past 30 years, she worked with employ the lab, he was instrumental in bringing to Sept. 21, 2000. After he left NIB, he joined ees at NIH in a program designed to help NlH the first chemist-oriented NMR the faculty at Dartmouth in 196 L. While on a them earn the equivalent of a high school instrument, called the Varian A-60. Most sabbatical in Uganda in the mid- I 950's, he diploma ... Marlene J. Foster, 70, who was recently, he collaborated with NIDDK developed an interest in bird behavior. In on the nursing staff at NIH (1957-1 988), scientist Dr. Herman Ziffer on substances 1988, bis book On Watching Birds won the died of pulmonary fibrosis Sept. 20 at from the plant Artemesia annua, which is John Burroughs Award for best book on Washington Hospital Center ... Jean used in the treatment of malaria. Highet, a nature writing ... Dr. Lloyd W. Law, a Maclay Garvey, 53, who worked at NIH as long-time Bethesda resident, is survived by geneticist and researcher at NCI (1947- a food service manager for Guest Services, his wife, Patricia, who worked at NHLBI and 1992), died Oct. 20 at his home in Asbury lnc., died suddenly while at work on Nov. 8. NIDDK for 35 years until retiring in 1999 ... Methodist Village in Gaithersburg. He was She had been working as a chauffeur for David Beall Hoover, 78, a biostatistician and one week short of celebrating his 92nd RMA Chauffeured Transportation ... Public Health Service official who had birthday. His outstanding scientific career Dorothy "Toby" Hertz, 87, a psychiatric worked at NIH in the mid- I 950s as a spanned over five decades, including more social worker, died Oct. 17 at her home in researcher in early pregrancy, died Nov. 16 at than 40 years at NCI. He joined the institute Hollywood, Md. She had Alzheimer's home in Rockville. He had a systemic in 1947 and headed a leukemia studies disea$e. In the early 1960s, she did research disorder, mastocytosis ... Frances section where he developed a combination at NlMH in family therapy and personality Humphrey Howard, 88, a special assistant chemotherapy to treat childhood leukemia. disorders in young people. She was the wife to the associate director for extramural He retired in 1990 as a scientist emeritus and of Dr. Roy Hertz, a longtime NIH scientist programs at NLM ( 1970-1999), died of cl1ief of the NCI's Laboratory-of Cell who died LI days later ... Dr. Roy Hertz, congestive heart failure Sept. 23 at Sibley Biology, but was a frequent visitor to the lab. 93, former NCI researcher and NICHD Memorial Hospital. The sister of the late Vice On the occasion of hi.s 90th birthday, a scientific director, died Oct. 28 of congestive President Hubert Humphrey, she was a force symposium was held in his honor and the heart failure at hi s home in BolJywood, Md. in her own right who helped draw attention to Lloyd W. Law Library for Cancer Research He came to NTH in 1941. He became medical libraries and served as a liaison was dedicated in Bldg. 37. He was a two chairman of the endocrinology section at between NLM and other federal agencies, the term member of the NlHAA board of NCI before becoming NTCHD's scientific biomedical community, private nonprofit directors ... Florence Mahoney, 103, a director and then chief of NJCHD's organizations and universities ... Dr. Morris tireless advocate for medical research since Reproductive Research Branch. Tn 1956, he T. Jones, 85, who was head of the special pre-World War n years, died Nov. 29 at her developed the anticancer drug methotrexate, foreign currency program at the Fogarty home in Washington, D.C. Her goal was to the first successful treatment for choriocarci lnternational Center when he retired in 1994. persuade those individuals with political noma. a cancer of the placenta. This was the died of heart arrhythmia on Aug. 12 at his power of the value of a strong national first effective chemotherapy for a sol.id home in Bethesda. He came to NIH in 1956 medical research endeavor, especially tumor. In 1972, he received the Albert working first at NIA[D as a parasite through an expanded mission and funding Lasker Award for Clinical Research for this researcher. In 1964, he embarked on his long for NlH. She worked closely over the years achievement. Hertz developed two synthetic career in the international arena working at with her colleague, Mary Woodard Lasker. forms of the hormone progestin, which later FIC for 30 years before retiring. He was In her own right, she was the most intluen provided the basis for the development of instrumental in enabling NIH to support lial backer of the legislation that led to the oral contraceptives. He also developed biomedical research in countries using U.S. establishing of the National Institute on drugs useful for the treatment of Cushing 's owned excess local currencies. He managed Ag.ing. l.n June 1996, she was honored by d.isease, a disorder of the adrenal glands. NIH participation in programs involving the NIRAA with the Public Service Award After he left NlH in 1966, he was scientific Poland, Hungary, Egypt, Israel, the Czech . .. Delphine Moeller, 92, a secretary at NrH director of the National Child Institute and Republic, Yugoslavia, Slovakia, Slovenia, for more than 40 years, died of a heart attack then Rockefeller University where he Croatia, and India ... Dr. Sewa Ram Joshi, Sept. I at Suburban Hospital. She first came worked with the Population Council. He 70, who was a retired FDA toxicologist and to NIH to work as a clerk-typist in the returned to NIB as a scientist emeritus and researcher, died Sept. 2 at a hospital in DepartmenLof Infectious and Communicable continued research focusing on the treatment Canton, Mich., after a heart attack. He was in Diseases. She then became head secretary in of AIDS in pregnant women. A memorial Detroit to attend a wedding. In 1971, after 6 the CC's department of pharmacy until she program was held on Dec. 7 in the CC chapel. years as a research associate at Harvard retired in 1996 ... Dr. Sanford L. Palay, 83, ln 1953, when the CC opened, Hertz, then Medical School, he came to NrR to work as a neuroscientist who worked at NIH in the chief of NCJ's Research Medicine Branch, an oncology research scientist. He left to join early l 960s, died Aug. 5 of kidney failure at admitted NrH 's first research patient who the FDA in 1976 and retired in 1997 ... a hospital in Concord , Mass. He came to was treated for prostate cancer ... Dr. Robert Nancy Kelley, who worked at NlH for 40 NIH from Rockefeller University to become 26 WINTER 2 0 0 3 chief of the neurocytology section where be chemist at the National Cancer Institute Combat Team. This unit, made up of published several papers that described the (1950-1980), died of a cerebral hemorrhage Japanese Americans, fought in Europe. He structure of cells that support and protect Aug. 7 at Suburban Hospital. He began his received a Bronze Star with three clusters. neurons, cal.led neuroglia. He left NIH to career in 1950 and worked at the National In his retirement, he worked on archival become professor of neuroanatomy at Heart Institute and National Institute of material concerning the combat team. Harvard University Medical School, where Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases until 1960 he worked until retiring in 1989 ... Gene when he moved to NCI where he was chief Rogot, 74, a statistician and epidemiologist of the Office of Extramural Research and at NHLBI, died in October 2001 in Resources. After he retired he was a Bethesda, Md. His work at NHLBI consultant ... Dr. Richard Yamamoto, 82, a involved the National Longitudinal Mortality retired NIH research scientist (1956-1984), Study, which Hnks census data to the died of pneumonia Dec. 7 at Suburban Mrs. Mary Calley Hartman made a con national death index and allows comparison Hospital. He worked at NIAMD, but tribution to NIHAA in memory of of socioeconomic mortality statistics. He specialized in cancer research. During World Delphine Moeller. also worked on the development of matching War II, he was in the 442nd Regimental algorithms for record linkage using the National Death Index. After be retired he was a consultant on the National Longitudi nal Mortality Study ... Madeline Stuart Ross, 92, an administrative assistant at NIH A-76 Sidebar (continued from p. 15) (1957-1964), died of pneumonia Dec. 8 at Shady GroveAdventist Hospital ... William H. Schuette, 68, who worked at NIH as an Fitzpatrick says an accurate SOW is paramount for groups under review; a electrical engineer ( 1963-1988), died Sept. strong one is the best defense against loss to private industry. It is important to 21 of a heart attack at Inova Fairfax Hospital. capture all of the details of the work we do in the SOW in order to level the play While at NIH he worked on an ultrasonic ing field and be competitive, Wheeles adds. "If, at that point, in the process device used for fetal monitoring. He left NlH to become deputy technical director of of studying ourselves we find out that we're not competitive, then A-76 says, the Naval Surface Warfare Center's 'VVhy are we doing (the activity)?' " Carderock Division. He retired from there in All NIH jobs that come under review first evaluate themselves, according to 1993 and worked as a consultant for commonly agreed upon criteria developed in a software program called biomedical research firms. He published ExpertChoice, to determine which functions get reviewed first. "That's a defen over 180 papers and held 14 U.S. patents. He was also a flat-water canoeist who was sible model," according to Wheeles. named to the 1952 and 1956 U.S. Olympic Both men know of situations, albeit not under the A-76 program, where federal teams ... Emmie V. Seggel, 86, a volunteer activities were contracted out, only to be brought back under Uncle Sam's um and club member, who was the wife of brella after costs skyrocketed and performance suffered. "Not all of these (con former NIH executive officer and associate versions) are going to work out perfectly," said Fitzpatrick. director of administration ( 1958-1971) Richard L. Seggel, died Oct. 8 at Suburban Some functions are already converting to contract. The Clinical Center's Hospital. She had cancer. She came to housekeeping department is converting, but only by attrition - no one cur Washington, D.C. in 1940 to work as a rently on staff is being forced out. "We hope to do more of this," Wheeles secretary in the Office of Price Administra noted. Lab technicians, and some aspects of intramural research, are also due tion and two years later married Seggel ... for review. Dr. Winifred Sewell, 85, a retired librarian who worked at the National Library of Meanwhile, the A-76/FAIR team is doing its best to educate, clarify and main Medicine from the early 1960s until 1970, tain fairness and consistency as the review rolls forward. "We're an incredible died of congestive heart failure Oct. 23 at her congress at NIH," notes Wheeles. "Any 'senator' can shut down the process. borne in Cabin John. After she left NLM, So there's lots of education on what A-76 is and what it isn't. We've got a lot she worked at the University of Maryland of scared employees who think we' re going to give their jobs away. There's a until. 1992. She did consulting work and was honorary president of the American lot of' Anywhere but my backyard.' But for every one person who is trying to Association of Colleges of Pharmacy ... spin us in the wrong direction, there are twice as many urging us to do it right." Dorothy Ramsay Sharman, 87, an Like NIB Deputy Director for Management Chick Leasure, they hope that at administrative secretary who worked at the end of the day, NIH retains its core strengths - the things at which it excels NIH (early 1970s and early 1980s), died of - and cedes, in accordance with the President's policy, to the private sector pneumonia Nov. 12 at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital nursing home ... Dr. those activities that companies do best - and at least 10 percent cheaper. Harry Burgess Wood, Jr., 83, a research 27 N I H A A UPDATE Update on Construction at NIH Site preparation (I) goes forward at the Children's Inn at NIH on a project to expand the facility by one-third. The new wing will be built on the south side of the existing structure, some of whose windows can be seen boarded-up. The new wing - slated to open in 2003 - will provide space for 18 more families, bringing the inn's total capacity to 55 families. NIH's new firehouse (r), just a few ladders' lengths away from a county firehouse at the corner of Old Georgetown Rd . and W. Cedar Lane, will include 22,000 square feet and open this spring as home to the NIH Fire Department. The new John Edward Porter Neuroscience Research Center labs (I) will occupy 560,000 gross square feet, or approximately the same space as three Bldg. 36s. II is to be built in two phases, with completion of the whole lab facility by spring 2007. Other construction projects at NIH The Mark O. Hatfield C linical Research Center (870,000 gross square feet) is scheduled for completion in summer of 2003 with the additional secti.ons being completed in the fall and winter. The facility will be fully completed by March 2004. The Bldg. 10 Revitalization Program has 4 phases of construction and the old Bldg. t 0 Research Program will be re placed by 2011 and construction will be fully completed by 2018. The Power Plant Expansion is part of the overall infrastructure Modernization Program for Bldg. 1 I that wi II increase the existing chi lled water plant capacity by 20,000 tons. · 28 WINTER 2 0 0 3 NIH Retrospectives: 5 Decades of History sor and chairman of the department of pediatrics at the University of Wash ington School of Medicine, has been X~'\record named director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Develop Winter 1953 ment (NJCHD), which is expected to be Winter 1983 in operation in early March. Dr. Clinton On Friday evening, Jan. 30 the new Powell, who had been chief of Lhe Divi Dr. Murray Goldstein has been NIH switchboard began operation. It is sion of General Medical Sciences since appointed director of the National located in the new Clinical Center's first last August and has been at NlH since lnstitute of Neurological and Communi floor basement. The board is larger 1954, has been appointed director of cative Disorders and Stroke. He had than the old one, which was located in the National Institute of General Medi been acting NINCDS director since Bldg. 3, and will provide the necessary cal Sciences (NIGMS). Dr. Wyndham February 1981 ... On. Jan. 18, Bldg. I additional service required when the D. Miles, the NIH historian, is trying to was officially named the James A. CC begins operation ... Regular tours assemble a complete file of NIH tele Shannon Building in honor of the of the CC started on Feb. 16, so N rH phone directories for reference use. former NTH director ( 1955-1968) ...TI1 e employees could see the new facility (Editor's note: the current NIH histo advisory committee to the NIH director before patients arc admitted ... NIH has rian, Dr. Victoria A. Harden, is still look recently held its first meeting under the established a new series of annual lec ing for telephone directories chairmanship of Or. James B. tures to recognize outstanding scien and NIH Scienti fic Directories/Annual Wyngaarden, NTH director ... The area tific achievement and to facilitate the Bibliographies for the time before the suffered a bli zzard ormajorproportions exchange of information. Each year early 1950s. If you have any of the on Feb. I I. Despice the severe weather, eight lectureships will be awarded by above please call Brooke Fox at 301- the Clinical Center remained open as did the seven research institutes and the 451-4344 or email: [email protected].} the other buildings on campus. Office of the Director. Lecturers will be nominated by senior investigators in the various institutes and chosen by a committee composed of the institutes' TheNIH Record .._ ~.. . scientific directors. The first lecture is ···--· -· .- scheduled to be given o.n the evening of Jan. 2 1 by Dr. Severo Ochoa, profes Winter 1993 sor of pharmacology at New York Uni Winter 1973 versity School of Medicine. Ochoa will NIH director Dr. Bernadine Healy an speak on "Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle: NIH director since 1968 Dr. Robert Q. nounced on Feb. 26 that she will resign Enzymatic Mechanisms." Marston's letter of resignation was ac her position by June 30. She has been cepted by President Nixon. Dr. John F. director for the past 22 months. Sherman, deputy director of NJH, was Citing his "acti ve advocacy of biomedi named acting director of NIH on Jan. cal research as a necessary national 2 1, 1973, and served uni ii a new direc investment" the NlH Alumni Associa tor, Dr. Robert Slone, was appointed on tion has selected Rep. William H. May 29 ... A committee has been Natcher (D-Ky.), chairman of the House Winter 1963 formed to consider all phases of park Appropriations Committee, to receive ing administration and traffic control its first NIHAA Public Service Award. The NIH Pacific Office was estab on the reservation ... Edith F. Philips The award was established in 1992 by lished in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. I ... Dr. has been appointed administrative of the NIHAA board of directors to Luther L. Terry, surgeon general of the ficer of the Division of Cancer Grants, recognize individuals who have Public HealU1 Service, announced the NCT. She is the first woman in the insti rendered outstanding service through directors of the two newest institutes tute to be named an administrative strengthening public understanding at NlH. Dr. Robert A. Aldrich, profcs- officer. and support of biomedical research. 31