I I z he Newsletter of the / NIH Alumni Association ·
Spring 1993 Vol. 5, No. 1 date NIHAA Presents Its First Liotta Recharting Public Service Award to Course for Intramural Chairman Natcher Research at NIH
Citing his "active advocacy of bio Since he became NI H's new deputy medical research as a necessary nation director for intramural research in Jul y al i11 vestmen t"· the NIH Alumni Asso 1992, Dr. Lance Liotta has left his ciation (NIH AA) has selected Rep. imprint on virtually every facet of NlH William H. Natcher (D-Ky.). chairman campus research life- from paychecks of the House Appropriations to parking, and protocol review to poli Committee, to receive its first NLHAA cies on consulring. Public Service A ward. The award was "I've had a very good experience established in 1992 by the NJHAA here," notes Liona. ·'J want everyone to board of directors to recogni ze individ have that same experience." Liotta is a uals who have rendered outstanding 17-year veteran of NTI-£'s lntramurai service through strengthening public Research Progran1 (IRP). He has spent understandi.ng and support of biomed NIH director Dr. Bernadine Healy announces most of his scientific Hfe investigating ical research. her resignation at a press conference at how cancer cells metastasize and invade Chairman Na tc her, now in his 40th Stone House on Feb . 26. new tissue-the main cause of death in year as a member of Congress, has cancer patients. Liocta wants every NTH been a friend and champion of Nll-1 'Deeply Honored To Have Served' scientist to have what he enjoys him during his long tenure as a member of self-a stimulating, rewarding career at the appropriations commi11ee. Prior to Healy Announces Plans the cutting edge of modem science. (See Natcher p. 2) Liotta's highest pri ority in h.is new To Leave NIH by June 30 job is ··co protect and enhance the great est commodity we have-creative By Rich McMcmus (See Liotta p. 18) NLH director Dr. Bernadine Heal y announced, with clear reluctance, on Feb. 26 drnt she will resign her position In This Issue by June 30. "Before I wen!' to bed last night, I Bemhord Witkop's efforts IO have Percy Julian smmp issued prow: sm·c:css/11/ p. 3 looked out the window and hoped T'd Clinic(I/ Center m c1•h:bra11· see enough snow thai work would be 40ih a1111i1·cr.rnry in )11/y p.5 called off today," she told a gathering Calendar fl· 5 NJf/"s spirit lauded tl11ri11.~ 6th 11111nwl of reporters, OD staff and lCD direc re.1·ct1rch fest fro/ p. 6 tors at Stone House before reading a News/rem tmd about NIHl\A members and statement (see sidebar on p. 21) forei.~n clwprers p . •~ Science research updtues p. 12 announcing her resignati on. War 011 i11fectia11s tlise11ses 111us111' t As a snowfall too meager co cancel 11bt111•.mys Fauci t11 TB c Natcher (cowi1111ed from p. I) Thank you to our friends his elcvalion to the chaim1anship of the The NIHAA warmly welcomes lhl! fol full appropriations commi 11 ee at the lowing organiza1ions 1ha1 joined in thl! ca1e opening of the curren t session of gory of "Friends" and wishes lo ;icknowl Congress, he had served 14 years as cdge its apprecia1ion for 1heir generous chairman of the approprimions subcom suppon: mittee concerned direc tly with ~I H American AsMwimion tif Retired funding. Persons First elected lo Congress in 1953. Unirt•1-.1·i1y 2 SPRING 1 9 9 3 Move Over Elvis Update NIH'er Bernhard Witkop's Efforts To Have Percy Julian Stamp Issued Prove Successful The Nl/-IAA Update is 1he news/el/er of~he By Carla Gamel/ NIH Alumni Associmion. The N/HAA ojjice is al 9101 Old George10 1vn Rd., Be1hesda. ln the mid-l 930's in Munich. 20 MD 20814. (301) 530-0567. year-old college student Bernhard Editor's Note Witkop came across some "exciti ng" The NIHAA Upda1e welcomes leuers and research published by a budding newsfrom readers. We wish nm only to American chemist. So interested and bring alumni news abo111 N':1-1. but also t.o serve as a meansfor reporlmg ll!formmton impressed was he by the Ameci can 's abo111a lumni-their concerns. i11for111a1io11 research that he initiated what would 011 rece111 appoi111me 11ts. honors. ':1.oaks p11/J become a 38-year correspondence and lished and other developmcms of 1111erest to their colleagues. If you have news a/JOI/I friendship with the chemist., Dr. Percy yourselfor abo111 Ql/ter alumni. or:mgges· L. Julian. 1ions. please drop a 11~ 1 e 10 t it ~ ed11or. We DlLI'ing those years. years in which reserl'e the right 10 edtt matenals. the battle for civil rights- Jul ian was Edif1>r: Harriet R. Greenwald Black-became entangled with the usu NfHAA Newsfe/ter Editorial A 3 N I H A A UPDATE J11 /ia11 (co111i1111ed from p. 3) .. , am telling you that chis is a \\On Dr. Anna Julian. Percy\ widow. derful time to be living-a day ofgreat wrote Witkop to thank him for his ef opponunity.'' he said. speaking in 1972 forts. " I understand why Percy always 10 a young Black studem at the dedica thought of you not on ly as a great tion of a lab in Julian·s name at chemist;' she said in her note, "but also MacMurray College in Jacksonville. Ill. as a very special human being." ·The country has changed course. One of only two active researchers to Don't nurse your ;mgcr. but get togeth claim the title NIH honorary scholar. er and help make this a really united W itkop considers the issu;mcc of rhe nation." Twenty-four years before. he Julian stamp as both u personal victory had spoken at the same college in a and part of the prof'essionnl legacy he town where Blacks were not allowed to left when he retired from NIH in stay overnight in the hotel. December 1992 after u 42-year science Profoundly disappointed at the rejec career. Throughout his self-appointed tion by Harvard. bm not to be stopped. quests for Julian. the 75-ycar-old scien Julian took a chemistry professor hip in tist frequently referred 10 the optimistic 1926 at th e then all-Black West words or his colleague. especially dur Virginia State College. By 1929. he ing times when Witkop's determination had moved abroad to ~ llld y in Vienna nagged: on a Rockefeller fellowship he received ..There is no problem that cannot be while teaching at Howard Univen.ity. . olved by hard work and dedication,'' Dr. Bernhard Witkop Fluent in Gcnnan. Julian received his Julian often said. and according to Ph.D. in 193 1 in Vienna and promptly Witkop, fervently believed. continued his research at the Glidden " Those are important words for friendship woven together with human Company on the chemical components today"s generation of Black people," understanding as well as scientific of the . oya bean. In t11e 197o·s. he said Witkop, a researcher in NIDDK's inquiry: served a<, a counselor on the advisory 1 Laboratory of Chemistry. who. in the ''In the treasury of letters received board of the ational Institute of 1960.s with colleague Dr. John Daly. from Percy Julian over a time span of' Arthritis and M etabolic Diseases. discovered the SlrUCI ll l'C of unusual 30 years, the woof or chemistry and the Among hii. many accomplishments venoms of frogs from South A merica. warp of the human condition inter were two important contributions 10 " I do not think many young people arc weave LO form a fabric that shows biomedical chemistry: the discovery or willing to buy this philosophy." Percy Jul ian the scientist 10 be as great a more economical way to extrac1 Somewhat of a Julian hiMorian. as. and inseparnblc from. Percy Julian steroids from soybean oil to producl! Witkop in 1980 wrote a touching bio the humanist.·· i.cx hormones and the development of a graphical memoir that was published Phi Beta Kappa keyholder and vale way to produce conisone synthetically by the National Academy of Sciences dictorian ofhis 1920 graduuting class"' in l 4 N I H A A U P D A T E Combining 'Brillianceand Collegiality' NIH's Spirit Lauded During &th Annual Research Fete By Carla Gamelf The agency's annual under-1he-1en1 affair- 1he NJI I Research Festi val drew campus colleagues and would-be collaborm ors en massc ror the sixth time since J986. Packed chock-full wi 1h 31 workshops, five symposia, fou r poster sessions and 2 full days of scien1ific equipmenl demons1rations. the 4-day celebration of NIH's intramural program last fall provided the essence of what many researchers come here expect ing-a forum for establishing success ful partnerships with talented col leagues. "That's our businel>S at NIH today." said NIH director Dr. Bernadine Healy, Dr. John I. Gallin (I), director of NIAID's Division of lnlramural Research and NIAID director in opening remarlo.s. "to provide bril Dr. Anthony S. Fauci (r) co-chaired the lnslilute's alumni symposium , which kicked off the annual NIH Research Festival last Sept. 21 and honored Dr. Sheldon M. Wolff, recipient of liant scientists with bri lliant colleagues. the 1992 Distinguished Alumnus Award. to give you not jul>t the tools and the labs and budgets to do your work. but wave Logelher:· lad e~ and in 1989 shared I.be Duke to give you as we ll the inleruction wi 1h The festi val's first event found u Uni vers it y Award for Excellence in professional companionship that turns capacity crowd gathered in Mllsur Audi Immunologic Research with protege id ea.~ into discovcrics." torium to witness what has become in and close fri end Dr. Amhony S. Fauci, Ci ting 1he late NII l'er Dr. Joseph Lhe last 3 years a Lraditional highlight of NIAI D director. Golclbcrgcr's hypolhesis about n "pella lhe festival- lhe NIH Alumni Sym Wolff is physician-in-chief. New gra-preventi ve facior" thlll, after his posium, which 1h is year honored Dr. England Medical Center, and Endico 11 death. led his coll eagues to discover Sheldon Wolff, recipienl of the 1992 professor and chairman of the depart niacin. the ''cure" for the chronic dis Nfl-1 Distinguished Alumni Award. ment of medicine at TuftS Uni versity ease, Healy extolled the virtues of col Wolff's 17 years in intramurnl NI11 School of Medicine. laboration. Golderger's brill iance, by began in 1960 when. following a resi The symposium on •·immunology and itself. only scratched the surface of the dency at Alben Einstein School of Infectious Diseases·· co-chaired by Dr. problem. she said. Medicine. he joined NIAID'!. Ant hony S. Fauci. NlAID director. and "Our research festi val celebration this Laboratory of Clinical Investigation. Dr. John I. Callin. director of IAID's week ii. a perfect demon!. tration of botl1 The sympo ium was marked by fond Division of lnrramural Research. fea the brilliance and collegiality we have and humorous remembrance of the tured not only Wolff but the following on this campus.'' Healy continued. highly regarded scientist. who in 1968 i.pcakers: Dr. Richard M. Krause. FIC: "Where ebe could you hear about so became chief of LCI and NIAID clini Dr. Charle. A. Dinarello. Tufts Univer much important work and find l>O many cal director. sity: Dr. Baruj Benacerraf. Dana-Farber people turning out to hellr about it'? Widely recognized for his research Cancer Institute: Dr. Mark M. Davis. TI1e companionship of bri lliance was on the origin and development of fever Stan ford Uni versity: and Dr. Charles A. the shaping idea behind Niii in 1938 and his investigations on diseases Janeway. Jr.. Yale University. and it sti ll is. The amazing tide of dis involving immune system malfunc ti on, New this year to the festival was a covery is created by individuals making Wolff has collected numerous acco poster session held in the Clinical 6 SPRING 1 9 9 3 Center's main corridor and sponsored by the NlH Office ofEducatfon for its national clinical residency program. Of the 50 participants chosen from med ical institutions around the counrry, five were selected to receive OE's Research Award for Clinical Trainees. "I applied because this is a chance to talk to a lot of people in my field," said Dr. J-Cheng Ho. a 2nd-year internal medicine resident at the Uni versity of Michigan-Ann Arbor and one of the five awardees. "When my residency program is over, I' ll be looking into applying for a rheumatology fellowship here as well." Explaining her research poster is NCl's Dr. Ofelia A. Olivero (I), as NEl's Dr. Patricia More than a scientific "show · n' Becerra listens. The two Research Festival '92 poster sessions drew some 2,000 partici tell," the research festival also serves as pants, said officials. a yearly sounding board for the most recent advances in technology and This year's program will open on Sepr. 20 and the otber on Tuesday, materials. Monday, Sept. 20, with NIDDK's Sept. 21. On Thursday. Sept. 23. and "This gathering of scientists with Alumni Symposium, followed by five Friday. Sept. 24. rhe Technical Sales diverse research interests allows us to olher symposia o.n Monday, Tuesday, Association scientific equipment show inrroduc.e some of the latest computi ng and Wednesday. Forry-five workshops will be held in the Research Festival rools ro those who may be able to use will be conducted on Tuesday and tents located in parking lot IOD. diem in basic and clinical research," Wednesday. In the next issue of NIHAA Update said Dr. Davi.cl Rodbard, DCRT direc There will be two equal-length poster there will be more information about the tor. "The technologies change so sessions at the festival, one on Monday, derai.ls of the program and scheduling. rapidly. We want people to know about recent developments as they become avai.lable." DCRT employees participated in var ious workshops and presented 26 posters, most of which highlighted the division's commitment to supporting research with such services as l1igh-per fo1mance (massively parallel) biomed ical supercomputing applied to structur al biology, computer networking, client-server technologies, and the newly established Scientific Computing Resource Center. In 1993, Research Festival is sched uled for the week of Sept. 20-24. This la year's organizing committee. chaired The last two days of the 1992 Research Festival week were reserved for the Technical Sales by Dr. lrwin Kopin. NfNDS scientiJic Association Scientific Equipment Show in the Festival tents. There were over 300 director, has chosen "Molecular exhibitors. The NIHAA staff: Harriet R. Greenwald (I) and Mary Calley Hartman, retired Medicine" as the general theme. chief of the Office ol Special Events at the Clinical Center, had atable to recruit members and inform attendees about the alumni association. 7 N I H A A U P D A T E News From and About NIHAA Members and Foreign Chapters Dr. Carolyn H. Asbury, who was a when he moved to Miami to become the Community Clinical Oncology Pro science writer at NINCDS until 1980. professor of oncology and deputy gram, which provided a way for com and then a senior program officer at the director of the University of Miami's munity physicians to take pan in clini Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. has Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center cal trials. This program greatl y increas been appointed direc1or of the health and professor of oncology. He remains es accrual 10 important trials and faci li and human services program al the Pew a professor emerirus at Miami. Recen 1l y tates continuing education in oncology. Charitable Trusts. This national and he was elected to the NlHAA board or intern ational philamhropy has a special directors and named chairperson of the Dr. W. K ing Engel, who was at commitmenl to the Phi ladelphia area. science policy forum committee. NINCDS from 1956 to 1981. is profes The Trusts also support nonprofit activ sor of neurology and patho.logy a t the ities in the areas of conservation and the Dr. Kenneth Alan Collins, who was University of Southern California's environment. culture, educati on. public at NLM from 1983-86; DRG from 1986 School of Medicine and founder as well policy, and religion. Asbury has been 88: and FIC from 1988-92. is now at as director of the Neuromuscular serving as the program's acting director Los Alamos National Laboratory in Center located at the Good Samaritan since August 1992. She joined the New Mexico, where he writes that he Hospital in Los Angeles. Dr. Valerie Trusts in 1991 as deputy director of "began working on June 22. 1992. Askanas, his wife, who was at heahh and human services. She has returning to my professional area, NTNCDS. is aJso at USC as a professor done extensive research on orphan Library and Infonnation Science. I am of neurology and pathology. The mosr drugs and is 1he au1hor of Orphan the Report Secti on Leader. one of the recent honors accorded them were lheir Drugs: Medical 1•s. Market \lalue. components of the Library. Jam in election as vice presidents of the vm charge of the technical report collection Jntemational Congress on Neuromus Dr. Nathaniel I. Berlin, who left and online searching of databases cular Diseases 10 be held in Kyoto. NCI in 1975 after serving as 1he first weighted towards the report literature. Japan, in July 1994. He was invited 10 director of its Division of Cancer Bio The collection, numbering in excess or give the keynote address on Amyotro logy and Diagnosis, has returned to work I, I00.000 technical reports (almost 90 phic Lateral Sclerosis and she to orga at NCI to work on special projects with percent on microfiche) contains both ni ze and chair a symposium on Dr. Alan Rabson. his successor as the unclassified and classified reports.'' ·inclusion-body Myosiris. division di rector. After leaving NCI. Berli n served as prol'cssor and director Dr. Peter E. Dans, a research associ Dr. Samuel J. Fomon, professor of of the cancer center at Northwestern ate at NIAID from 1964 to 1967, and pediatrics at the University of Iowa University, Evanston, Il l. , until 1987. associate professor of medicine at College of Medicine, and a member of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, has various Nl}I committees, recently re been named deputy editor of Annals of ceived the 1992 Bris1ol-Myers Squibb/ Internal Medicine. He wi ll edit and Mead Johnson Distinguished Achieve process manuscripts for the journal. He ment in Nutririon Research Award for is an internist with special interests in making .. major contributions to the infectious diseases. health policy. quali knowledge and understanding of pedi tv. ac;surance ~ n 8 SPRING 1 9 9 3 the Weizmann Institute of Science in Epidemiology and Psychopathology in learning more about orjoining ESME Rehovot, Israel. This past year she has Research Branch, N1 MH. was honored please caJI her at (202) 296-0254. been working in Lhc Diabetes Branch. Dec. 2. 1992. upon his retirement from NIDDK, and rhe Experimental federal service with a symposium on Dr. J ohn Parascandola, Fonner Therapemic Branch. NINOS. and ··Psychiatric Epidemiology: Current chief. History of Medicine Divis ion. returned to Israel in February 1993. Issues and Fumre Directions.·· He had NLM, from 1983 to 1992. has been She and Dr. Michael Sela, who has started work at NfMH in January 1956 selected for the position ofPHS histori been named president, are involved in and commented that, before he left , an. He is the first fom1al PHS historian establishing a NlHAA chapter in Israel. NJMH had returned again to NIH on and will be working in the office of the In connecti on with the November 1992 Oct. I , 1992, when the NIH/ADAMHA assistant secretary for health, HHS. symposium in honor of Dr. Christian merger took effect. Parascandola will direct the PHS histo B. AJ1(insen. funds were raised that will ry activity in connection with the 200th be used to honor him with a lecturship Jean Moore has joined the Emeritus birthday celebration of the PHS in atthe Weizmann lnsti1111e. The Nll-I AA Scientist. Mathematicians and Engineers 1998. and will be responsible for pro Jsraeli chapter wi ll help sponsor the Program (ESME), a volunteer program moting awareness of the importance of first lecture this November. 1.hat brings retired scientists. mathe historical activities t.hroughom PHS, maticians and engineers into the class supporting scholarly research on the Dr. T homas E. Hamm, J r., who room to introduce school children to history ofPHS, coordinating PHS his was at NCI from 1978 Lo 1980 as an career opponunjties in scientific and torical activities with the National expen consultant in the bioassay pro technical fields. Previously she had Museum of Health and Medicine. and gram. has been appointed director of worked with the NTH Office of Educa providing historical background on Laboratory Animal Resources at Lhe tion and the NlHAA to find alumni to contemporary issues. North Carolina State University join this program. Lf you are interested (See Members p. JOJ College of Veterinary Medicine. He will be in charge of the care of all lab animals used for reaching and research throughout the university. Prior to this appointment on Oct'. I , 1992. he was at Stanford Uni versity's Medical School where he was professor and department head of comparati ve medicine and director of the animal medicine lab. Or. Annabel G. Liebelt, who was at NCJ's Laboratory of Pathology from I 949 to 1952, and then returned to NCI in 1982 to work again with Dr. Harold Stewan in the Registry of Experimental Cancers, officially retired in I 991. but reports 1.hat she is a special volunteer working half-time entering new patho logical material into the Registry and fini shing up projects. In 1991. she was elected to the Board of Governors of Talking after the symposium to honor Dr. Christian B. Anfinsen, which was held last Nov. 2, the Alumni Association of Western the 20lh.anniversary of the notification that he won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, are {from Maryland College for a 4-year tenn. I) Dr. Phillip Gorden, NIDDKdirector; Dr. Christian B. Anfinsen, professor of biology in the department of biology at Johns Hopkins University; and Dr. Joseph E. Rall, former director Ben Z. Locke, who was chie f, of intramural research at both NIDDK and NIH. 9 N I H A A UPDATE Members (co 111i1111edfrom p. 9) reeweg 244, B 1700. Dilbeck, Belgium. 1992. EsiabJjshed by Mrs. Jane His fax is 32-2-569-6952. Lazarow Stetten. the Lectureship hon Dr. Paul Par k man, who was on ors Lazarow. Lhe long-time chairman of campus from 1963 until his re1iremenL Richard L. Seggel, who was execu the medical school's department of in 1990 as director of Lhe Food and tive officer and associate director for anatomy. noted for his research on the Drug Administration's Center for administration, NIH. 1958-7 1, and islec cells of the pancreas and for his Biologics Evaluation and Research. deputy assistant secretary health/policy pioneering efforts in development and received th e 1992 Distinguished implementation in the Department applying new techniques of infom1ation A lumnus Award from SUNY Health (HEW). 1971-73. is a fellow of the management to biomedical research. Science Center on Oct. 9, I 992, in NaLi onal Academy of Public Admin He was also a consultant to the then istration and a member of the NIHAA NIAMD as well as a gnuu-supponecl board of directors. He has w rinen an inve.stigator for many years. article on " The Organizational Roles of the Public Health Service Commis Dr. Ellen K. Silbergeld, who was in sioned Corps and Surgeon General: A NJN CDS from 1975-81: and NICI-ID Monograph on their Recent History." from 1982-84 is now professor at the In a future issue of Update we hope 10 University of Maryland Medical School have excerpts from it. and chaim1an of Maryland·s advisory council on lead poisoning. Dr. John F. Sherman, fo m1erly deputy director of NfH, and now retired Dr. Jay S. Skyler , a staff a')socia1e at from the Association of American Nl-ILBl in the Hypertension Endocrine Medical Colleges, delivered the inau Branch, Laboratory of Biochemical gural Arnold Lazarow Lecture in Pharmacology from 1973 Lo 1975. is Medical lnfonna1ion Sciences at the the outgoing president of th e American University of Minnesota on Oct. 16. Diabetes Association (ADA). He Syracuse, NY. Parkman (shown with his wife at the ceremony) was honored for his pioneering work in lhc discov ery and isolation or the rubella virus. and the testing of 1he first vaccine in 1965. It was put into common use in 1969 and virtually eliminated what was once an epidemic disease. He gradu<1t ed from the College of Medicine at Syracuse. then called Upstate Medical Center. in 1957. Dr. H ar vey L . P. Resnik , who was at the Fogarty Intern ational Center in t·hc 1960's and also at the National Institute or Mental Heahh. is clinical professor of psychiatry at George On Sept. 18, 1992, the occasion of his Both birthday, Dr. Julius Axelrod, was honored wllh a Washington Uni versity School of symposium featuring his former postdoctoral fellows. Standing with Axe lrod (c) are (fro m I) Medicine. He wants LO start a chapLer Dr. Lance Liotta, NIH deputy director for Intramural research; Dr. Irwin J. Kopin, NINOS sci· of' NTHAA in the BENELUX countries. entific director; Dr. Frederick Goodwin, now NIMH director; and Dr. Steven Paul , director of If you know of any N n-t alumni in th at NIMH's intramural research program. At the symposium, Liotta presented to Axelrod th eNIH area or are interested, please contact director's award that cited him for his "llfetime of extraordinary achievements in the neuro· sciences and legendary talents as a mentor to young scientists." him c/o Bio Brite Europa. N inoofses 10 SPRING 1 9 9 3 received the ADA 's Banting Medal for Attention Service for his distinguished service to NIHAA wants to hear from its members. Please type or print your note for a future the diabetic communiry. He is a pro issue and mail it to Update. fessor of medfoine, pediatrics and psy chology at the University of Miami and Name is co-director oJ tile National l:ieart, Lung and Blood Institute's Medfoal Home phone Research Center at the university. Home address Dr. Panu Vilkii, chaim1an of the "Sunomen NIH Alumni Association" News, include dates/position at NIH and photo if possible chapter, reports from Finland that the group met on Jan. 7, 1993, in connec tion with a meeting on "Medicine 1993" in Helsinki, Finland. Ralph 0. Williams, who was with NHLBI as a branch chief in planning from 1976 to 1979, is the founder and chairman of R.O.W. Sciences, Inc. He was recently honored as the National Minority Small Business Person of 1992 at a White House ceremony spon sored by the Small Business Admin istration. R.O.W. Sciences is a 400 Suggestions for newsletter person professional services fim1 head qumtered in Rockville, Md. The firm conducts basic pre-clinical research at its 30,000-square-foot Gaithersburg laboratory and does general consulting and telecommunications services at its Rockvil le headquarters. Dr. Marvin Zelen, who was with the Biometry Branch at NCI from 1963 until 1967, has written that "Two years ago I stepped down as chair of the department of biostatisti cs at the Harvard School of Public Health after serving for ten years. Suggestionsfor NIHAA l fell it important to devote more time to research and teaching. Jn addition to my academic duties, I continue to be the director of the Division of Biosratistics and Epidemiology at lhe Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Last year l was on sabbatical I.eave and devoted time to topics which were placed on the 'back burner' for many years. I wrote a paper on ethics in cli nical trials as well as other papers on a number of esoteri c topics in biostatistical science." 11 N I H A A U P D A T E Science Research mouse embryonal cells to nonfunction bodies for thempy has inherent prob ing copies of the alpha inhibin gene. lems, but added that rhese studies serve Updates one of two genes needed for the manu as a prototype for local administration facture of inhibin. Mouse cells that had of other TGF-B antagonists currently NICHD Grantees Identity Protein taken in the nonfunctioning gene were under development. as Tumor Suppressor then injected into mouse embryos. The TGF-B is a multifunctional molecule resultant mice, known as chimeras. that plays a pivotal role in switching Researchers !'uncled by NICHD have were composed of two types of cells, the immune system on and off. In the determined that a reproductive hor one lacking the alpha inhibin gene, and early stages of an infec ti on, TGF-1.l is mone known as inhibin is directly one capable of normal producti on of secreted by white blood cells and acts involved in preventing the formation of Lhe honnonc. as a signal that attracts other white ce lls certain reproductive tract tumors. In Through conventional breeding tech and stimulates them to fight the infec the study. published in the Nov. 26. niques. the researchers were eventually tion. As the infection subside . TGF-6 1992 issue of Na1111·e. the researchers able to produce mice lacking a func reverses its role and suppresses the reported that mice deprived of the gene tional copy of the alpha inhibin gene. acti vity and recruitment of white cells. coding for a portion of inhibin quickly Although the mice developed nonnally However. in chronic disease situa develop reproductive tumors of the at first. virtually all (47 males and 23 tions such as anhritis. the nomml cycle gonadal . tromal cell type. out of 24 females) showed evidence of of e\'ents does not occur and TGF-B The research team W 12 SPRING 1 9 9 3 preparation experienced a significant disease. The results may also help in their assembly into £Fs and coul.d lead reduction in both acute and chronic understanding the causes of other dis to srrucwral defects in the cells that forms of arthri tis. Acute symptoms eases, including hereditary scaling and might account for their fragility in were reduced by over 75 percent and blistering skin diseases. EHK. chronic symptoms by over 60 percent. EHK causes thickening, scaling, and Steinen 's group identified a specific Moreover, when anti-TGF-B was blistering of the stratum corneum- the mutation in the keratin I gene that administered only after the chronic dis outermost layer of cells in the epider causes the disease. This mutation caus ease phase had begun, arthritis symp mis. This chronic disease is often es an amino acid substitution in the ker toms were still reduced by almost 70 severe and disabling, especially in chil atin I protein, which has the potemial percenr. dren. In newborns with EHK, even the to disrupt significantly the three-dimen According to Wahl and her associ pressure on the skin caused by a diaper sional structure of the protein. and ates, anti-TGF-B works by interrupting can cause blistering, and these babies' occurs in a region that is important for the cycle of white cell migration into bl istered, fragile skin makes them high the assembly of kera1in fi laments. the joints. The researchers feel this ly susceptible to in fection. which can Fuchs' group found a defect in another antibody and other TGF-B inhibitors be fatal. keratin-keratin I0-in several EHK may provide a mechanism for treating Microscopic examination of skill patients. Keratin 10 is found paired arthritis and olher chronic inflammato samples from EHK patients reveals a with keratin l in JFs in the stratum ry diseases. characteri stic partern that includes the corneum. Like the keratin I 111utatio11. disintegration of skin ceUs and abnor the mutation in the kera1in I 0 gene mal clumping of keratin filaments. causes a single amino acid subs1irution Two Research Teams Show Nonnally, keratins fonn long, rope-like in the protein in a region thai is impor Genetic Causes of Skin Disease strands called intem1ediate fi laments tant for fil ament assembly. (fFs). These su·ands form part of the Steinert's group devised a way to Two independent research learns cytoskeleron-a web-like network of show that a piece of the defective ker supported by NJ AMS have found molecules that rein forces the cell's atin I protein could interfere with the generic defects responsible for the often strucrure. The researchers fou nd normal behavior of keracin filaments in debilitating blistering and scaling of the defects in keratin proteins that affect (See Research Updates p. 14) skin that occurs in people sufferi ng from epidermolyLic hyperkeratosis (EHK). EHK is one of the ichLhyoses, a group of hereditary scaling, drying skin disorders that affect more than I million Americans. The work of both teams, in which specific defects or mutations in keratin proteins (structural proteins found in the outer layer of rhe skin) were shown to cause EHK, appeared in the Sept. 4 issue of Cell. The two research teams were led by Dr. Elaine Fuchs of the University of Chicago and Dr. Peter M. Steinert of 1he Laboratory of Skin Biology, NrAMS. These find ings are the first step 1oward being able 10 develop molecular probes for the disease, and should enuble prernual test ing and, ultimately, Dr. Peter Steinert (far I) and members of the Laboratory of Skin Biology, NIAMS: (fromI) ln the development of treatments for the Gyu Kim , Song-Qing Gan, Bernhard Korge , and Kozo Yoneda. 13 N I H A A U P D A T E Research Updates (co11ti1111ed from p. 13) ic material from a large number of recipient tissue typing. the test tube. Their data provides EHK patients. both research groups More than 40.000 cornea! transplam strong evidence that the defect in ker hope to end up with a "catalog" of the operations are perforn1ed annually in atin I will also affect the way this ker specific mutations that cause EHK. the United States. But about one in lO atin functions in human skin cells, lead "A deeper understanding of the loca patients receiving a corneal transplant ing 10 a defective cy1oskeleton and thus tion of mutations in EHK genes should is at high risk of rejecting the donor tis making the cells very fragile. help us not onl y in developing sue, or graft. because: (I) they have The keratin 10 defect identified by improved methods for diagnosis, but previously rejected a corneal transplant. Fuchs' group occurs in a pan of the also in exploring whether it may be or (2) new blood vessels have grown pror.ein that corresponds exactly to the possible to treat this disease by gene into their damaged cornea. introducing place in a related protein. keratin 14. therapy." explains Fuchs. Steinen immune cells into this normally avas which is mutated in another blistering agrees, ··once we have a catalog of cular region of the eye that may later skin disease, epidermolysis bullosa sim mutations, we can design treatments recognize the graft as foreign and plex. Fuchs and colleagues showed that that are directed toward correcting the attack it. this keratin 14 mutation can disrupt the molecular defects rather than treating If donor-recipient tissue were to normal keratin filament network in cul the symptoms ... become standard practice in corneal tured human epidermal cells. Taken cr,msplantarion, it would greatly 1ogether with data from Fuchs· previous increase the cost and waiting period for experiments with mice transgenic for a Blood Type Matching Improves this operation. The process of match more radically mutated keratin 10 gene. Cornea Transplant Success ing antigens is labor intensive and these results suggest th:ll keratin 10 would add at least $1,000 to the cost of mutations. like keratin I mutations, can Researchers report that donor-recipi the procedure. now about $5.000. cause EHK. ent tissue ryping had no significant Moreover. since there is already a Future studies of other patients with long-term effect on the success of national shortage of donor corneas, EHK will detenninc whether they have cornea! transplantation in a nationwide high-risk patients would likely have to the same defects in keratin I and ker clinical sn1dy of more than 400 patients wait even longer for a suitably matched atin 10 as have been found by these two at high risk for rejection. The results of donor cornea. research teams. By studying the genet- this NEl-supported research were pub The researchers also noted that lished Oct. 14 in rJ1e Archives of CCTS patients who matched the Ophthalmology. donor's blood type had a better out The Collaborative Corneal come than unmatched patients. This Transplantation Studies (CCTS) sug finding was particularly interesting gested chat matching patient and donor because ABO compatibility has been blood types (ABO compatibility), a test shown in several other organ transplan that is not currently standard practice in tation studies to enhance graft survival. corneal transplantation, might be effec but it had never been reported in tive in improving patient outcome. corneal transplantion research. CCTS investigators aJso believe that "If future studies prove ABO com treating patients with high-dose topical patibility has an effect on corneal tranS steroid therapy for several months after plant survivaJ:· said Dr. Carl Kupfer. surgery may have improved transplant NEI direcLOr. "this easily administered survival in this study. and inexpensive test would improve These findings, based on 3 years of transplant survival without substantial extensive patient followup. indicate ly increasing the cost of the operation." that these two inexpensive strategies Dr. Elaine Fuchs of the University of may potentially be more effective in This material was compiled}i"om Chicago contributed to the epidermolytic improving high-risk corneal transplan various institute i11formatio11 articles. hyperkeratosls study. tation than the more expensive donor- 14 SPRING 1 9 9 3 World Congress on TB War on Infectious Diseases Mustn't Abate, Fauci Says By Greg Folkers (MOR-TB) is 40 to 60percent even with treatment- the same as for TB The recent resurgence of tuberculosis patients who receive no treatment. For (TB) underscores the imporrance of persons coinfected with HJY and sustaining research on infectious dis MDR-TB, the death rate may be as eases, even those perceived to be on 11ig h as 80 percent. ln L990-1 99 I , the the wane. NIA ID director Dr. Anthony Centers for Disease Control and S. Fauci told an international audience Prevention received reports of L3 out of more than 900 scientists, physicians breaks of MDR-TB. during which the and hettlth care workers at the recent disease sometimes spread 10 hospital World Congress on Tuberculosis. patients, health care workers, prisoners, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci "The lesson of the recent rise in TB and prison guards. is that you cannot let any field lie ''It is our obligation in the biomedical Since then, the disease has returned unnurtured," he said. "We are vulnera research community to bring TB with a vengeance, fueled by the HfV ble to both new and reemerging epi research into the era of advanced mole epidemic, immigration from TB demics and need an ongoing research cular biology, biotechnology and endemic areas, and poor living condi commitment to TB as we ll as to other pathogenesis.'' said Fauci. ti ons associated with homelessness and infectious diseases, at both the basic Toward this encl , he presented NlH's poverty. Between 1985 and 1991. U.S. and applied level.s. Otherwise. history comprehensive TB research agenda to cases rose 18 percent to 26,283. will repeat itself." the World Congress and outlined plans Worldwide, TB kills 3 million persons From the 1950's through the 1970's, for increased support for: every year, more th;ui any other infoc progress against tuberculosis in the • basic research on the biology of the ti ous disease. United Scates was so good-an average TB organism Particularly alarming is the spread of 5 to 6 percent decline in cases each • the development of new tools to strains of the organism resistant to year- that the public's attention, as diagnose TB treatment with two or more drugs. The well as government and pr ivate fun d • the development of new drugs or ing, was diverted elsewhere. death rate for multi-drug-resistant TB new ways 10 deli ver standard drugs Actual Versus Expected Tuberculosis Cases • cl.inical trials ofanti-TB therapies in United States, 1981-1991 • the development of new vaccines to preven1 TB • training to increase the number of 30 TB researchers • new ways to educme health care C/l workers and the public about TB pre "O c: 25 vention. 15 N I H A A UPDATE NIHAA Essay From Two To Five By Dr. Henryk Eisenberg In January 1993 Bldg. 2 personnel on the NJH campus moved into the reno vated Bldg. 5 in the musical chairs game devised for t:he physical renewal of the antiquated NTH buildings. My own formal associati on with Bldg. 2 goes back 10 1965, but l had been in its "proximity'' much earlier. In the summer of 1952. while a post doc with Ray Fuoss at Yale. I came to visit Washington and made an appoint ment with Terrell Hill. then at U1e Naval Medical Research Institute on Rock Dr. Eisenberg is a member of the structural biology department, the Weizmann Institute of vi lle Pike in Bethesda. Terrell was we ll Science, Rehovot, Israel. He was a Fogarty scholar-in-residence in 1973 and recently spent known to us for his work on statistical time here at NIHduring move from Bldg. 2 to Bl dg. 5. mechanics of polyelecti-oJytes. which we were studying in Rehovot as models of biological macromolecules. Note had met Chris and the fami ly on their started in discussions ranging over that 1J1is was before Watson and Crick. visit to the Weizmann lnsiitute one year nucleic acids. polynucleotides and. later J took the trolley to Chevy Chase later. As [ was planning to spend L958 chromati n. Gary. however. remmed to Circle and noticed that there were sepa 16 SPRING 1 9 9 3 ascribe to the personality of Gordie whom one could not pass in Lhe corri dor or near the coffee pot wi th out a fruitful scientific exchange, or a humor ous but profound comment on a current political. social or cultural C\'ent. Aphoto Scientists most often stand at their taken of bench or sit at their desk and ralk little Bldg. 2 to other scientists in close-by laborato in the ries or offices, who are doing the same. 1950's. Here. on the other hand. communica tion and human relationship became a major contributing factor to the scien tific work. Further exchanges were conducted in a continuous stream of outstanding lectmes, group meetings and journal clubs. I am not sure whether Gordie wai; responsible for creating this atmosphere or whether it already started in a period with which I was not familiar. After all. in an earlier fore devote their full attention to their extreme halophilic bacteria from the period Arthur Kornberg roamed in and work and many ourstanding contribu Dead Sea, which occupy us LO the pre around Bldg. 2 and left a lasting ti ons have emerged from Bldg. 2. sent day. I have been coming back impression. I was happy during my stay in 1965 continuously to Bldg. 2 since these It has certainly maintained itself to complete a stud y on Poly A configu early days and umil today. collaborat strongly to the present day after Gordie ration with Gary in which I used the ing with Gary on chromatin and beta left in 1969, when the outstanding sci Model E analytical ultracentrifuge and globin gene structure. Being here con entists and section chiefs at rhe time, the SOFICA light . cauering machine tinues co be a source of non-ending Gary Felsenfeld, David Davies. Marty which 1set up in the auic. Both these delight. Gellert, Bob Martin and Todd Mi les instrumems have now been replaced by Outstanding basic scientific work of decided they would romrc in the posi ultramodern Brookhaven laser light world renown emerged From the LMB tion of lab chief, vacated by the depar scattering and Beckman Optima XLA in Bldg. 2 in X-ray crystallography of ture of Gordie, a procedure maimained analytical ultracentrifuge instruments. proteins and nucleic acids. gene struc to the presem day. Much of the One day, still in 1965. Gordie got ture and function and many related top smoothness and success wi th which hold of me in the corridor and said ics. Many well-known scientists have LMB was run was due to Ed Rall, who could I spend one afternoon to solve spent longer or shorter periods in the was director of NIDDK's intramural the molar mass and subunit structure of lab. When 1was here in 1965 Bruce research. who carried the whole admin bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase. Ames was part of the crew. and I men istrative burden and provided strong a highly controversial topic at that time. tion him in particular because. 10 the encouragement for new and ongoing h took more than an afternoon but we end he still haunted the upper floors. scientific programs. To hire a new established the then outrageous hexam On the benches and in the cold rooms worker or to order a new piece of er stTucrure of the enzyme monomer, one still ran across desiccators. 1la<;ks. expensive machinery, all that was nec contradicting Monod's dogma; the stirrers, etc. clearly marked with his essary at the time for the LMB group monomer self-associates ro fonn long name. Did the younger generations leaders was to pick up the phone and rods. We have continued for a number notice this and are they aware that this talk to Ed who wottld give each justifi of years in Rehovot to work on this is the guy who often appears in the able request due consideration and interesting system and it eventually led pages of Science? quick action. The scientist could there- us to the study of dehydrogenases from (See Eisenberg p. 18) 17 N I H A A U P D A T E Eisenberg (co111i11 11edfrom p. 17) While LMB occu Liotta (continuedfrom p. I ) pied noors 2 and 3 and freedom. The unique aspect of NlH is the attic. lloor I and that a scientist can wake up in Lhe U1e lower depths of the morning with an idea and have the basement and the sub resources 10 go into the lab and stan basement in Bldg. 2 that experiment before breakfast. were occupied by the '·NlH is a haven for imaginative outstanding Laboratory research,,. he continues. " Here. a tal of Chemical Physics ented scientist can give free rein to his (LCP), led for many or her creativity ...eve n if that means years by Ted Becker. pursuing what others might consider have in particular scientific longshots. It is this NIH tradi enj oyed close relations tion that encourages our scientists ro go and discussions with wherever their data lead Lllem. to trust Karl Sollner. the well their instincts.'' known colloid chemist. NCI direcror Dr. Samuel Broder. and Elliot Charney. on who headed the search committee for DNA structure and Ute position. urged Liorta to apply. But folding. Bill Eaton until he actually had ajob interview was not there yet in with N IH director Dr. Bernadine Healy. 1965. he came later. Liotta didn·1 think he was a serious belongiJ1g to a younger candidate. He wentarmed wiLll a posi generation assembled Lion paper he had just drafted that by him in Llle laborato included bis evaluation of Llle strengLlls ry. doing outstanding and needs of the rRP. • d Dr. Gary Felsenfeld , acting chief of the Laboratory of Molecular 11 ·c researc in ynami f Biology, NIDDK, packing for the move fro m Bldg. 2 to Bldg. 5. Liotta was heanened by the inrerview 1aser spectroscopy o and impressed by Healy's dual commit haemoglobin. multidimensional NMR Moving into another more modern ment to innovation in the basic and of proteins and modern theory; Jim and comfortable building, better clinical research program s. ro hastening Hofrichter, Ad Bax, Angeln designed and executed, should not laboratory discoveries into the clinic, Gronenborn. Marius Clore, Alli la affect Llle subtle interactions which, in and to recruitment of top scientists for Szabo and th e somewhat older Bob my belief, are an essential ingTedient in the !RP. Zwanzig whom I hacl met at Yale, are the creation of great science. Doors to When Liotra accepted Llle job. Healy names known to ull. The atmosphere in offices aad labs should remain open in insisted Lllat Liona keep his lab. " I LCP is as stimulating as on the upper a real and in a figw·ative sense. even if U1ink that helps me do my administra floors. l auend their seminars and jour the design strives towards increasing tive job in Building l better- I can nal clubs, play tennis with some of isolation. The human values of Bldg. 2 understand both sides. and sympathize Lllem-the intellectual game which should not be lost in Lhe process of cold w ith the needs of the scientists.·· brings scientists together for whnt pass modernization. One of the themes in Lioua ·s plans es among us as exercise. both physical Some months ago l suggested to my for Llle IRP is fostering ""an electricity and of a deeper nature-and 1am also friends that Llle appellation Bldg. 2 and cross-fertilization that comes from grateful for b1,;i11g iuvitw to the ir should be maimained and moved into the diverse expertise and proximity or Christmas party when I am in town. Lhe new surroundings. This has appar scientists here. We need to put prote Relations between the two laboratories en1Jy not been approved and the move dures in place so that the spirit of Llle are excellent and it is a pleasure to is inro Bldg. 5. So. in conclusion. rake annual Research Festival will charac enjoy their complementarity in outlook five, but remember two. and proceed on terize N lH year round.·• and scientific problematics. They the parl1 which will continue to produce To reach this goal. Liona is taking moved together to Bldg. 5 and should great science, while maintaining the several steps. Based on a report by continue on the path of progress. humanity which makes it all worthwhile. 18 SPRING 1 9 9 3 N"ICHD's Dr. Richard Klausner, Liotta NH-l's master plan. a new Clinical hopes to create "sciem ific senates'· in Center. and the new Conte and Natcher specific disciplines that would fom1 the buildings. This year. ORS is promising nuclei for inter-institute exchange of a multi-level parking garage and more ideas. In February he launched a news satellite parking. Liana would also like letter. called ·The NIH Catalyst" to to improve day care arrangements for foster collaborations and bridge the employees, upgrade computerization. infom1ation gap between bench scien and institute better rraining on safe han tists. scientific directors, and the Office dling of research animals. "Our general of the Director. goal is co improve the quality of Ufe Liotta wiU also start a "Break around here." throughs" seminar series ...We will Liona is also raking steps to improve invite intramural people from certain procedures for technology transfer disciplines to learn about the hottest computerizing invention reports. speed work of new, young scientists. It will ing up li censing and patenting proce boost morale and stimulate collabora dures, and educating scientists "on what tion:' Lioua says. a patent is. and whar is patenrable .. , To Other morale-boosters include plans Dr. Lance Liotta free scientistS from the burden of res to enhance both pay and the recruit ponding to hundreds of requests for ment and retention of outstanding sci support for women. one of Liotta's first reagents. genes, cell lines and probes entists at NJH. But here Liotta is find actions was to appoint NTDR 's Dr. developed at NTH, the institute's scien ing he must work his way around Hynda Kleinman 10 chair a new intra tific directors have approved a new bureaucratic roadblocks. One victory mural women sciemiscs· task force. arrangement to give dislribution tasks came when the rules governing consult Kleinman's committee has completed a to !he American Type Culture Collec ing and outside activities were changed. report that recommends measures to tion in Rockville. Md. ·'This will free "Scientists can now make up 10 boosr the visibility of women scientists. up scienrists to do what they do best $25.000 in consulling fees per compa Liotta says his goal is to make NIH science." Liona stares. ny, with no limit on the number of "che leading federal agency to have Liotta also wants to raise the profile companies they can advise, and they equal pay for all employees based on of the Intramural Research Program. can consull up 10 a ceiling of 500 hours merit and total equality.'' A survey by "We need to demonstrate more aggres per year," Liotta reports. "We have also Kleinman and Dr. Michael Fordis, sively the fantastic return you can get broadened eligibility for outside med director of the Office of Education, on investment in intramural NCH ical practice. especially to accommo "has made clear that women are under research." Liotta says. To this end he is date colleagues from our newly merged represenred at nearly all levels," Liotta preparing testimony for legislative bud ADAMHA components... NIH scien says ...Bur tbis year. we have seen the get hearings that will highlight intra tific directors have also approved a for highest rate for women nominated and mural achievements. malized tenure track for NfH scientists approved for tenure positions, and the Liotta is even contemplating a new. which ..should help reduce ambiguity highest number of women in the more vibrant name for the IRP. ··or. wilh regard to career goals .. for tenure-eligible pool. I really feel good Healy wants the IRP to be known as the researchers, Liotta hopes. about that:· Liotta notes !ha! in 1992. nagship of the NTH system. We want ro In an effort to enhance intramural "'the percentage of women granted have NTH be a household word.·· tenure has nearly doubled to more than 45 percent. Previously, of those put for Ifyour presem address differs ward for tenure. only one out of five Ifyou did not receive issues of were women." from that shown 0 11 tile address N"IHAA Update and would like a label, please send your new In response to scientists' concerns copy. please notify the editor at address to 9101 Old Georetown about the physical environment on 9101 Old Georgetown Rd., Rd.. Bethesda, MD 20814. campus. Liotta has been working with Bethesda, MD 20814. the Office of Research Services on 19 N I H A A U P D A T E 'Glorious History' Noted Biostatistics Conference Draws Distinguished Alumni An audience of more than 250 bio first day of scientific sessions to honor statist"icians and oLhers interested in chose sratisticaJ scientists who were the applications of statisti cs 10 medicine catalysts for the initiation and growrh filled Lhe Lister H_ill auditorium and of biostatistics beginning in Lhe late two overflow rooms for the the recent 1940·s. The conference and banquet NJH Conference on Current Topics in celebrated past achievements as well as Biostatistics. ongoing merhodologic and collabora The 2-day conference was held ro tive research in biostatistics. commemorate almost five decades of NIH statisticians have made seminal contributions or biosraristicians to NIH contributions to appl ied and theoretical and ro create an inter-institute forum statistics particularly in biomedical for discussion of approaches to rJ1e research. This work includes the wide design. implementation nnd analysis of ly used Mantel-Haenszel test. which biomedical studies. Statisticians repre allows the combining of evidence from senting nearly all of the institutes dis a nwnber of 2x2 coniingency tables: cussed problems ranging from sam the development of the odds ratio as a pling methods to estimating the number measure of association in case-control Nathan Mantel of neurons in Lissuc culture wells to Lhe studies; Lhe fom1ulation of logistic design of large. simple clinical trials for regression for the estimation of Lhe addressed Lhe conference. ~aying , the study of AIDS treatments. probability of disease as a function of .. Statistics has had a glorious history at N.IH alumni-statisticians who previ risk factors and confounding variables: NIH. Indeed. for almost 50 years NlH ously worked at NIH beginning in and the melhodology for ..ear ly" stop has been home to the most influential l947-were invited discussants. These ping of clinical trials where efficacy is biostatisticians and most profound individuals included: Dr. John C. Bailar demonstrated pdor 10 the scheduled developmenLc; in tJ1e design and analy llI ( 1956-1980 at NCI), currently pro completion of the trial. This early work sis of biomedical experiments. For fessor of epidemiology, McGill defined the unique and important role example. the statistical foundations for University; Dr. Seymour Gcisser that statistics played at NIH and set the (1955-1965 al NIMl-I, NIAMD), cur stage for the continuing role of statis rently professor and director, School of tics in tJ1e biomedical community Statistics. University of Minnesota; today. Nathan Mamel ( 1947-1974 al' NCI). NIH director Dr. Bernadine Healy currently research professor of statis tics. American University: Tavia Gordon ( 1954-1977 at N 1-11. NCI. NHLBI). currently research professor. George Washington University biosta tistics center; Dr. Marvin Zelen ( 1963 1967 at NCI). current Iy professor of biostaListics. Harvard University: Fred Ederer (1957-1986 at NCl. NHI. NEI). currently senior epidemiologist. EMMES Corp.: and Dr. Marvin A. Schneiderman ( 1948-1980 at NCI), currently principal scienti st, National Research Council. A banquet was held following ch e Dr. John C. Bailar Ill Dr. Seymour Geisser 22 SPRING 1 9 9 3 BIOSTATISTICS Tavia Gordon Dr. Samuel Greenhouse epidemiologic case-contrnl studies, the Dr. Samuel W. Greenhouse ( 1948 to use of regression models for identifica 1974 atNTMH, NICHD), cunently pro tion of high-risk individuals and key fessor emeritus of statistics, George methodology for the conduct of modern Washington University and associate clinical trials all originated with NIH director of GW's biostatistics center. sant profiles and abstracts of presenta statisticians. Biostatistics, representing queried, ''Why did we have to wait 45 tions. The second volume contains: a the science of the design ofbiomedical years ro hold this conference, after so pictorial foray into the spiri t of biosta experiments and the analysis ofquanti many of tl1e illustrious NTH statistical ti stics at NTH; a series of wri tten com tative data, is more imponant today alumni have passed away? We should ments proffered by former N1 H biosta than ever. We are fortun ate to continue do this more often." The enthusiastic ti sticians on the occasion of the confer to benefit from a communi ty of biosra response of the NIH biostatistics com ence; and an alumni di rectory of NTH tisticians who provide insight and 1igor munity makes it likely they will. biostatisticians. If you would like a ro NIH investigations." The organizing committee of the copy please write to: Dr. Jonas H. conference has published a 2-volurne Ellenberg, NLH , NINDS, Biometry and document on the proceedings of the Field Studies Branch, Federal Bldg .. conference with the program, discus- 7A1 2. Bethesda, MD 20892. Dr. Marvin A. Schneiderman Fred Ederer Dr. Marvin Zelen 23 N I H A A UPDATE NIH Notes - October 1992 Leadership Aw:1rds dinner. the honor New Orleans. It recognizes Hoak's signifi recognized his personal commitment to bio cant contributions to scientitic knowledge 1992 to January 1993 medical research aimed at addressing the about cardiovascular medicine and to the health issues of 1he agi ng. wi th particular associati on's Council on Thrombosis, AWARDS AND HONORS emphasis on Alzheimer's disease research which he chaired from 1986-88 ... Dr. Alice ... Dr. Ronald Dubncr, chief of the NIDR Horowitz. an education specialist in the Dr. Ad Bax of NlDDK 's Laboratory of Neurobiology and Anesthesiology Branch. Disease Prevcntio11 and Health Promotion Chemical Physics has been declared the received an ttward from the American Pain Branch of NIDR's Epidemiology and Oral world's most cited chemist. The newsletter Society in recognition of his "individual Disease Prevention Program. recently was Science Watch analyzed publication and excellence and achievement in pain presented wi th the H. Trendley Dean citation data for articles published in 339 rescC1rch." The F.W.L. Kerr Memorial Memorial Award. She wus honored for her chemistry journals between 1984 and 1990. Award was presented to him on Oct. 25 24 S P R N G 1 g g 3 Dudley White Award. He accepted it dur was chosen for his "distinguished career as named acting director ofORS after Norman ing the recent annual meeting of the a teacher, inves1igalor and scientist" and for Mansfield's retirement ... Dr. Jean Flagg Association of Military Surgeons of the his devotion to increasing resources for kid Newton recently rejoined NIGMS as a sci United States in Nashville. The award rec ney disease research ... Dr. Michael D. entific review admini strator for the ognizes Lakatta, an international leader in Walker, director of the Stroke and Trauma Minority Biomedical Research Support cardiovascular research, for "nis outstand Division, NINDS has been named a recipi review commi1tee. She comes from Tinker ing clinical and basic research discoveries ent of the Senior Executive Association Air Force Base in Oklahoma, where she on how the heart ages." His research ranges Professional Development League's 1992 was an environmental protection specialist. from the studies of the heart and circulation Executive Excellence Award for Executive She previously had worked for NJGMS as in man to how hean cel l~ function, with Achievemenl. executive secretary of the Minorit y Access emphasis on how aging alters this process ... r.o Research Careers review commiltee ... Dr. Lance A. Liolta, NIH deputy director APPOINTMENTS AND Dr. Diane Blackmore Forsythe, a cli11ica.l for intramural research, received on Dec. PERSONNEL CHANGES veterinarian in NlEl-IS' Comparative 15, the ninth annual Barbara Bohen Pfeifer Medicine Branch, has been appointed acting Award for Scientific ExceUence from the Dr. W. French Anderson, former chief of chiefof the brnnch. She will manage a pro American-Italian Foundation for Cancer the Molecular Hematology Branch, NHLBI, grrun for ex:perimental anim 25 N H A A U P 0 A T E Notes (comi1111edfro111 p. 25 ) of programmatic i:;sues including attracting here has been wi1h the Operations Dr. Marian J ohnson-Thompson has joined new scientisLS to environmental health Accouming Branch in the disbursing :;ec NfEHS as the director of !he newly estab research. He is a gradu<1lc of NIH's Grants 1ion and the classification and processing lished Office of Institutional Development. Associate Program. Prior to this appoint unit. In retircmem, she plans to spend time In her position, she will serve as the focal ment. he served as chief of the Scientific with her grandchildren. and iravel ... Rossie point for setting goals to assure diverse pop Programs Branch in N"IEHS' Division of Fitzgerald, a supervisory grants manage uln1ions' panicipation in the institute' Extramural Research and Training. ment assistant in the National Institute of research and training programs ... Or. Gener.ti Medical Sciences. retired recemly Robert W. Kneller has become a program after 29 years ofgovernment service. She officer for the Pacific and Southern Asia at RETIREMENTS spent 24 or those years with NIGMS. and the International Coordi.nation and Liaison lhe renrnindcr in the Veterans Administra Branch of the Fogarty lnternalional Center. Dr. John M. Dement, chiefof the Office tion. She joined N"IGMS in 1968 as ;i file Prior lO lhis he was a cancer epidemiology ofOccupational Heallh and Technical clerk. and over lhc years advanced 10 grants research fell ow from L988 to 1991 studying Services at NIEHS. has retired from both clerk and grants technical assistant before risk factors for precancerous stomach the institute and the Public Health Service. her promotion 10 a supervisory job. She changes in rural China. He recently served He had been with the ins1itu1e since 198 1. plans to spend her retirement in the Wash as a consultant to WHO and worked at Dement. whose research interests include ington area. where she can be will! her fam OSHA as n rcsidenL physician in occupa occupational lung disease with emphasis on ily. Her hobby is books and she plan,~ to tional heahh ... Dr. Peter Preusch has the health effects ofasbestos and other continue as 1he librarian at !he Southern joined NIGMS as a health sciemis1 adminis fibers. came 10 NIEHS from 1he National Baplist Church of Washington. D.C.... Dr. tr:llor in the Cellular and Molecular Basis of lnstitule for Occ upational Safety and John Fletcher, acting head of DCRT's Disease Program Branch. He comes 10 Heahh in Morgamown, W. Ya., where he Laboralory of Applied Studies and a widely NIGMS from DRG. where he served as u was deputy director of the division of respi recognized cxpcn on the application of scientific review administrator in the special ratory disease sciences. Al NIEHS, he mathema1ics 10 biomedical research. re li red review section ... Leo J. Rossiter has been assumed responsibility for maintaining on Jan. 3 after 26 years at DCRT. His work named NIH depury police chief. He previ health and safety standards and procedures al NIH has cemered on applying mathemati ously worked for the Prince George's for !he employees working in NTEHS cal methods and models to problems in the County police department where he reti red offices and laboratories. He was also biological. physical. engineering. and com as depuly chiefof police. His duties will responsible for initiating a new program at puting sciences. His algorithms for data include working with the patrol section and N"IEHS involving research in prevention of and model fining influenced the develop inves1iga1ion unit and overseeing any l:tbor environmental diseases ... Or. William mem of the successful computer program or rnnnagemenl problems, as well as budget Driscoll ha'> retired after 30 years in the MLAB. whi ch continues lo be used widely and other administrative duties. He wi ll PHS- lhe last 2 1 of them at NIDR. He by scicmis1s al NIH. His retiremem plans allend roll c;ill, inspection ofofficers, and most recently served as chief of lhe disease will combine leisure and teaching ... Melvin review commendations and disciplin;iry prevention section in the ins1i1ute's Harding has retired after working nearly actions ... Dr. Elliot R. Siegel, NLM assis Epidemiology and Oral Disease Prevention half a century to advance the science of ani tant director for planning and evaluation. Program. During his PHS career. he mal care at NIH. Be witnessed over the and manager of NLM·s first long-range became an imemational expcn on the epi· years an era where animal care was infor plan. has been named NLM associate direc demiology ofdenml caries. 1he relationship mal to its present state-of-the-an position. tor for health infom1ation programs devel between nuoride and caries prevention, and He sta11cd at NIH right after World War II opment. He will head the newly created methods for delivering fluoride and mea and in 1953 joined NlDR as an animal care Office of Heallh Information Programs suring its effic;1cy. He has wriuen numer technician. He worked for Dr. Rachel Development, wh.ich will bring together ous anicles and position papers that were Larson. lhe insti1U1e·s first female scientist representat ives of various library pro instrumental in the development of policy in the denrnl caries section. He helped grams-each of whom may be concerned for the use ofdietary fluoride supplements. establi sh NfDR 's gem1-free animal unit, with u different uspccl of un informntion He plans to continue his involvc menl in which p 10dUCCU 0 110:: vf the lll V~t CXl.:iling producl. service or emerging technology oral health research 1h rough consulting di scoveries in dental re.search by proving so that all can work more effectively toward work. Now that he has retired he hopes to that 1oolh decay is an infectious disease. In common NLM goals ... Dr. C hristopher spend more.Lime on his off-duty passion. 1968. he became manager of the ins1itu1e's Schonwalder was recently appointed assis driving high-performance spons cars ... Animal Care Unit, a position he held until tant lO the director for program coordinmion Frieda Egber has retired after 30 years his retirement. He has already embarked on for NIEHS. He will work on a wide variety with the U.S. Navy and NIH. Her career a second career. He will stay in !he area. 26 SPRI N G 1 9 9 3 DEATHS mcnt specialist within the NTH Training where he is expanding a business providing Center, Division of Personnel Management, custom decorations for special occasions Or. Morris Belkin, 9 1. former chief of the died suddenly on Sept. 3. Belter known as and plans to contfoue volunteer activiLies ... cellul 27 N I H A A UPDAT E (co11ri1111ed.fro111 p. 27) 1991) ... Walter E. Howard, 71. an electri he wem 10 London in 1969 and then he computer research and the office of infor cian who was a retired NIH employee. died became an associate professor of medicine mation resources management ... Dr. Ira of cancer Nov. 22 at Suburban Hospital. In at Emory University School of Medici ne. Goldstein, 50, a natiomtlly renowned 1962. he joined NIH and he retired in 199 1 In 1975, he returned 10 NIH as chief of the rheumatologist and a past president or the as an electronics planner-esti mator ... Or. neuroimmunology branch ... Delherf I .. Ame rican College of Khcumatology. died Bill H. Hoyer, 70. a microbiologist who Nye, 73. a Public Hea!Lh Service officer Dec. 2 at Mount Sinai Medical Center of retired in 1986 as a senior researcher and who retired as chi ef of rhe No1mal metastatic lung cancer. He was the Murray faculty member at Georgetown University Volunteer Program for Medical Research at M. Rosenberg professor and chai rman or Medical School. died of cancer Nov. 23 at NIH . died of cancer Nov. 5 at the National the Samuel Bronfman department of medi his home in Bethesda. ln 1948. he was Naval Medical Center. I-le was with the cine. He wns an ex pert on inflammation, commissioned in the U.S. Public Health Public Health Service at NIH !'or 24 years. the process by which the body responds to Service. He worked at Lhe Rocky Mountain He began as a medical caseworker at the injury and wrote the defi nitive Laboratory in Hamilton, Mon t. until 1962, Heart Institute and l:uer was chief of the "lnflamma1ion, Basic Principles and when he transferred 10 NIA1D where he volu nteer program 28 SPRING 1 9 9 3 at NHLBl as secretary to the director. and returned to the Washington area after Heall'h, where he developed the lnstilute of Division of He;u-t and Vascular Diseases, he retired ... Dr. William Henry Sebrell, Human Nutrition. After retiring from and as administrative assistam t.o the direc 9 1. a retired assistan t surgeon general in Columbia in 1971 . he became the first med tor, Office of Prevention. Ed ucation, and PHS, a former director of Nlli, and emeri ical direct·or of Weight Watchers Control ... Dr. Leonard A. Scheele, 85, a tus professor of nu tri tion at Co lumbia International ... Dr. Saleem A. Shah, 60, a Fonner U.S. surgeon generaJ as we ll as NCI Uni versi ty. died of cancer Sept. 29 at his senior sciemist at NIMI-1 , d_ied Nov. 25 at director, died of pneumonia Jan. 8 at home in Pompano Beach, Fla. He had a the Shock Trauma Unit at the U11ivers ity of George Was hi ngton University Medical distingui shed career in nutrition research Maryland Hospital in Ba.ltimore. He had Center. He began his career with the U.S. education and worked on international suffe red mulliple injuries in a Nov. l9 traf Public Health Service iJ1 1934. ln 1937, he nutri1 ion problems. He lirst recognized and fic accident. He was a specialist in law and transferred to NC I in Washington. Following descri bed the dietary deficiency disease ari mental health studies. In 1966. he joined World War IT, he returned to NCI and the bol'lavinosis, and made signi ficanr contribu NIMH, where he directed a multi-discipli fo llow ing year he wa~ named di rector. IJ1 ti ons to knowledge of dietary needs and nary program of research on antisocial and 1948, President Truman named him U.S. deficiencies. £11 1948, he became direCLOr of violent behavior that included law and men surgeon general. He resigned in 1956. but the Experimental Biology and Medicine tal health studies as one of its leading priori during the time he was in the post he was lnst·itute and on Oct. I, 1950. was appointed ties. He resigned from that position in 1987 cred ited with plnying a major role in certi director of NIH. He retired on July 31, to concentrate on research. wri ting and con fying ;111d making available the Salk polio 1955. As director of NlH, he opened the sultation as a senior scientist ... Dr. .James vaccine. He was also responsible f'or build Clinical Center and set po)jcies for its oper Marshall Sl.engle, 75, an authority on ing t.hc 500-bed re~earc h clinic at NIH and 29 N I H A A UPDATE have any prior to 1953. {Editor's note: (co111i1111ed/mm p. 29) NIH Retrospectives The current NIH histori an. Dr. Victoria Or. Stewart H. Webster. 92. a reLired NlH A. Harden, is looking for telephone research chemist. died Jan. 24 m Wilson directori es for 1948 to 1953. She also Health Care Center at Asbury Methodist neecl-; l\11H Scientific Directories/ Village in Gaithersburg after a heart attack. Annual Bibliographies for the time He joined Lhe NJH staff in 1937. During before 1970 and 1980, 1985 and 1986. World War JJ . his work al NIH included If you have any or the above please call 1es1ing of air pollutanls th!ll were causing Spring 1953 her ar (30 I) 496-66 10.1 sickness among crew members at Lhe Navy submarine base al New London. Conn. In On Friday evening. Jan. 30. the new 195 1. he was assigned ro Nevada whore he NlH switchboard began operation. II is studied the effecis of radiation on animal located in the new Clinical Cencer's and plum life at an a1omic bomb tcsl site. fi rst floor basement. The board is larg He retired in 1965 ... Dr. Gil bert Llewellyn ~II~· ·-- ~('.:. _:::;:i-_ _ Woodside, 83. a zoologist and former er than the old one, which was located dep 11 1y direc1or of NICI-ID. died Dec. 14 a1 in Bldg. 3, and will provide the neces Spring 1973 a health care center al Delray Beach. Fla.. sary additional service required when after a SIToke. He joined NICHD in 1963 as the CC begins operation ... Regular Edith F. Phillips has been appointed assistant 10 the director for Scientific tours of the CC started on Feb. l 6, so administrative officer of the Division of Program Planning and Development. In NIH employees could see the new Cancer Grants, NCI. She is the first J967 he became associate director for facility before patients are admitted ... Extramural Programs. and in 1975. deputy woman in the institute to be named as director. Hj s major scientific interests administrative officer ... At a press focused on embryology. He conducted briefing al NlH on Feb. 9. Soviet and investigations on the effects of hormones on American heart experts described plans embryonic growth and development and for a cooperative research attack against embryonic mortality as inlluenced by nutri the greatest cause of death in both tion. He retired in 1978 ... Dr. William G. countri es~o rona r y heart disease ... A Workman, 93. a physician who was a Spring 1963 committee has been formed to consider retired captain in the U.S. Public Hcnllh all phases of parking administrati on Service, died of leukemia Sept. 22 in SiJ ver Dr. Luther L. Terry, sw·geon general and traffic control on the reservation. Spring in the Carriage Hill nursing home. of the Public Health Service, has an where he had lived the last 1wo year!>. After nounced Lhe establishment of two addi he graduated from medical school he was tional institutes here at NIH. They are commissioned in the Pl-IS and came 10 NJH the National Institute of Child Health in 193 1. The rest of his ciU"cer was spem at TheNHRecord and Human Development (NlCHD) NTH where he worked in preventi ve medi :..- cine. He was chief of the Laboratory of and the National lnstitute of General Biologics Control from 1949 until retiring Medical Sciences (NJGMS). Dr. Robert Spring 1983 from the Public Health Service in 1963. He A. Aldrich. professo r and chai nnan of then worked on the licld staff of the the department of pediatrics at the The advisory committee to the NIH American Medical Association· s CounciJ Uni versity of Washington School of director (DAC) recently held its first on McdicaJ Ed ucation. He was a consuhan1 Medicine, has been named director of meeting under of the chairmanship of 10 the Maryland Stale Health Depar1ment on NICHD, which is expected to be in Dr. James B. Wyngaarden, NTH direc issues related to nursing homes before retir operation early in March. Dr. Clinton ing in 1978 ... Dr. Robert Stuart Wright, tor ... On Feb. 11, the area suffered a Powell. who has been chief of the blizzard of major proponions. Despite 79~ a retired psychologist at NlH who had Division of General Medical Sciences supervised research gTants in Lhe behavioml the severe weather, the Clinical Center since last August and has served al NIH sciences, died of pneumonia Jan. 4 at remained open and funccioning as did Cameron Glen Care Center in Res1on. He since 1954. has been appointed director the other buildings on the campus ... ofNIGMS ... Dr. Wyndham D. Miles, had worked at Nl "H from 1963 10 1988, fir~ t Alzheimer's disease has been traced as a grams associate and later as a research the NlH historian, is trying to assemble back eight generations in one family by scientist with the Division of Research a complete fil e ofNll-1 telephone direc Linda Nee of the Laboratory of Clinical Grnnts. tories for reference use. He does not Science, NfMH. 30 SPRING 1 9 9 3 BALLOT NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PLEASE TEAR OUT AND RETURN WITH YOUR VOTE In accordance with the bylaws of the NIHAA, alumni members of the assocation are to elect one-third of the board of the association. The nominating committee, appointed by Acting President John Sherman, has nominated the alumni members listed below, each of whom has agreed to serve on the board of directors if elected, to occupy positions on the board left open by expiring terms of office of present member. Each alumnus(a) member may vote for three of the nominees. Please note that associate members (current NIH employees) are not eligible to vote in this election. NOMINEES FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Please vote for up to three (3) and return your ballot to the NIHAA office, 91DI Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda, MD 20814, by May 7, 1993. D Dr. William R. Carroll- Scientist, NIAMD, retired D Ms. Belia Ceja - Assistant to Directors, NIH, retired D Ms. Mary Calley Hartman - current Board member D Mr. Terry Lierman - current Board member D Dr. Thomas E. Malone - Deputy Director, NIH, retired D Dr. Seymour Perry - Assoc. Director, NIH, retired D Dr. Paul Peterson -Assoc. Director, NIAID, retired D Mr. Randy Schools - ~urrent Board member D Ms. Helen Schroeder - current Board member D Dr. Emma Shelton - Res. Biologist, .NCI, retired 31 Harvard Medical School si nce 1972, and from 1942 until her rc1iremeni in 1970, wa ment at the Zhenjiang Medical University in was on the staffs of Brigham and Women's known by her peers as ·'The First Lady of Hang Zhou. Province of Zhejiang, People's Hospital. the V.A. Medical Cen1er. and Cancer Research ... most no1:1bly for her Republic of China ... Mariah May has Children's Hospital. From 1958 to 1968. research on the pathogenesis of cancer in retired after 34 years in the federal govern she was deputy chief of cardiac surgery at ani mals. particularly the laboratory mouse. ment. including 29 years with NIH. She IH. She was the first woman to be board During most of her career. she served in the wa~ most recently an accounting technician ceriilied in curdiothoracic surgery and w Laboratory of Pathology. The Dunn histo in the Federal Assistance Accounting perfonn open heart surgery. In 1960. while logic classification of mammary tumors of Brnnch, Division of Finunci;il Management. here at the hean institute. she became 1he the mouse made possible scientific correla She plans on visiting her two daughters in li rst surgeon to replace u mitml valve suc tions of animal age. strain. genetics. breed· Texas and Kentucky, and spending more cessfully. After she left NIH in 1968. she ing, hormonal stale. and the eLiology of neo time with her six gnmdchildren. a great established the first hcan surgery program plasms. Cancer investigators worldwide gmndson, and many family members and at U.C. San Diego ... Or. Char les N. adopted her "'sorting scheme.. for their friends ... Sue Meadows has retired from Breed, Jr .. 78. a surgeon at Memorial experiments on mouse mammary cancers ... govemme111 service after 31 ycnrs a1 NTH. Slo1111-Kettering Cancer Center, died of can Alice Fordyce, 86. executive vice president Sini.:c 197 1. she had been a writer, edi tor. cer at his home in Munhallan on Jan. 29. of the Albert and Mary Lasker FounclaLion and public affairs specialist in the Office of An expert in breast cancer surgery he and fonner di rcc1or of the Albert Lasker Grunts Inquiries, Division or Research became a fellow of NCI in 1947 and served Medical Research Awards Program. died Gmnts. In retirement. she pluns to sum her at Memorial Hospital. Jn 1951. he was Sept. 9 in New York City of lung cancer. own consulting firm, specializing in writ appointed to the surgical staff at the hospital She helped her older sister Mary Lasker to ing, editing, and desktop publishing. in and associate professor of surgery at establish the medical research awards pro Murt insburg. W. Va.... Dotty Pulver has Cornell Medical School. He retired in 1974 grnm in 1944 ... Helen E. " Pully" Gillette, rc1ired afler a 23-year career wi th R&W. In ... Bruce Carson, 72. died on Oc1. 2 of can· 57, a computer specialist wi lh the Division relircmcnt. she hopes 10 spend more time cer. He came to work at NI H in 196 1 and of Computer Research and Technology. wi th her Lhrcc children and eight grandchil worked in Bldg. I as chief of the Legisla1ivc died of pneumonia Oct. 29 at Sibley Memor dren. get her house in order and do some Division and later as the deputy director or ial Hospital. She had post-polio syndrome. volunteer work with the homeless of the Office of Progmm Planning and In 1972. she joined NIH. where she worked Baltimore. She plans 10 travd abroad to Evaluation. He retired in 1982 ... Leroy C. in the Division of Management Policy ;md France and Germany. Chisholm, Jr., 46. an employee develop (co111i1111ed 011 p. 28)