B ~ C 0 R a Still The Second Best Thing About Payday

Friends of the Clinical Center Fills HIGH LI G H-T S Hurray for Hollywood Gaps for Patients Prime-Time Television Show Offers By Jane DeMouy NIH Teams with NIB Opportunity At 11 a.m. any day of the week, Christine Hollywood, TV Brake, executive director of the Friends of By Carla Garnett the Clinical Center (FOCC), is likely to be triding purposefully down a bustling city street, a business­ considering a request from a Clinical Center Pardes To Give man stops suddenly in mid-cell phone conversation and social worker. A patient from Michigan has Shannon Lecture Scollapses to the sidewalk. Up close, his complexion takes on a bluish tint. Moments later the man is seen in an isolation unit of an emergency room, an oxygen mask affixed to his face. In walk several physicians, barking orders sharply to the hospital's Survey Shows staff and interrogating the patient. Sounds like a medical mystery Thirst for Medical Information NIH researchers solve on a routine day at the Clinical Center, right? Perhaps not, but when NBC decided to develop its new prime-time drama Medical Investigation, the show's writers and producers deliberately chose the National Institutes of Health as NIH To Accept the government agency employing its fictional team of physician­ Electronic Grant detectives. The story of how-within a few short months-NIH FOCC board member Joa1111e Pomponio Applications came nor only to welcome the drama and aid in its development, (I) and Executive Director Christine Brake but also to embrace the power of Hollywood is something of an been unable to work during his 3•month ongoing mini-documentary itself. SEE PRIME TIME, PAGE 6 treatment at NIH, and has no money for Seminar on Stigma rent and utilities at home. The Patient Of Obesity Participate in 'National Wear Red Day' Emergency Fund can't handle needs like SEE FOCC, PAGE 4 Wear Red to Support Awareness of Heart Disease in Women A Slam-Dunk Case NIH Mourns Economist Cutler Says Research Axelrod's Passing riday, Feb. 4 is National Wear Red Day- a day when thou­ Investments Are Well Repaid Fsands of Americans nationwide, including federa l employees, will take women's health to heart by wearing red to show their By Richard Currey support for women's heart disease awareness. More women die of When anticipating a presentation by a heart disease than all cancers combined, yet less than half of Harvard•based economist and former women know that heart disease is their biggest health threat and presidential advisor, one might imagine an most fail to make the connection between its risk factors and their event bordering on the impenetrable. Not personal risk of developing heart disease. so with Dr. David Cutler, whose humor and National Wear Red Day is an annual event held on the first personable style spiced a lecture grounded Friday in February, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and in practical, everyday Blood Institute. The event is part of The Heart Truth, NHLBI's realities. His recent national awareness campaign for women about heart disease. The talk, uMaking Sense U.S. Dcpanment centerpiece of the campaign is the Red Dress-the national symbol of Medical Care" of Health and for women and heart disease awareness. The dress works as a offered a version of Human Services visual red alert to get the message heard loud and clear: "Heart health economics National Institutes Disease Doesn't Care What You Wear-It's the o. 1 Killer of that was plain• of lkalth Women. " spoken and in the NIH'ers enthusiastically celebrated the first National Wear Red service of a central January 18, 2005 Day in February 2004. Stephanie Glezos Bell, NIH presidential SEE CUTLER, PAGE s Dr. David Cutler Vol. LVII, No. 2 SEE WEAR RED, PAGE 2 WEAR RED, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 management fellow, said: "I really like the red dress Nine Complete NIGMS's PRAT Program campaign, and I was very excited to get [NIH Nine postdoctoral fellows recently completed the director] Dr. Zerhouni's message about National r IGMS Pharmacology Research Associate (PRAT) Wear Red Day. I forwarded it to everyone in my program. PRAT supports training at NIH or FDA office and was so excited laboracories for individuals with backgrounds in the ~ to see the majority of basic or clinical sciences who wish to obtain ad­ f.! people here wearing red __ today-both men and vanced experience in an area of pharmacology, or women. I just wanted to for those who are already pharmacologists to gain let you know that it really experience in new fields. did raise awareness in our This year's graduating fellows and the institutes in office!" which they worked are: Dr. Frank I. Comer, NCI; For 2005, the Office of Personnel Management will help spread the word to federal employees and encourage them to wear red on Feb. 4 to unite in the national movement to NHLBI staffers give women a personal and urgent wake-up call turned out in red about their risk of heart disease. on Feb. 6, 2004, and plan to do it Everyone can participate in National Wear Red again in 2005. Day by showing off a favorite red dress, shirt or tie or by wearing the Red Dress pin. Encourage your family, friends and coworkers co do the same. To help you plan a celebration, the Wear Red Day Recent PRAT grad~tates include (from I) Dr. Jennifer Toolkit and Red Dress pin are available at Swisher, D1: David Williams, Jr., Dr. Benjamin Kagan www.hearttruth.gov. and Dr. Kate Prybylowski. Join in and help spread the word about women and heart disease. Send your best picture (electronic Dr. Kristi A. Egland, NCI; Dr. Benjamin L. Kagan, file) of your Wear Red Day celebration co Ann NIDDK; Dr. Daniel £. Kolker, NICHD; Dr. Franklin Taubenheim at NHLBI. Iii W. Outten, NICHD; Dr. Kate L. Prybylowski, NIDCD; Dr. Byrn B. Quimby, NICHD; Dr. Jennifer NINR Launches New Web Site F. Swishe1; NIDCR; and Dr. David C. Williams, Jr., NIDDK. Iii The National Institute of Nursing Research has launched a new web page that highlights the work of its Division of Intramural Research. The site focuses on the division's two principal intramural N I H R f 0 R a areas of interest: the Symptom Management Laboratory and Research Training. Visitors can Published biweekly at Be,hcsda, Md., by the Editorial Operations Branch, Office of Communica1ions and Public Liaison, for the learn about NlNR's unique symptom management informa,ion of employees of the National Institutes of Health, laboratory and its program of basic, clinical and Department of Health and Human Services. The content is reprinrable without permission. Picrures may be available on request. Use of funds translational research in that field. Also, present for printing this periodical has been approved by the director of the and future nurse scientists will find cutting-edge Office of Management and Budget through Sept. 30, 2005. research training opportunities at this site. The new pages can be accessed at http://ninr.nih.gov/ninr/. Iii NIB Record Office Pbone (301) 496-2125 Bldg. 31, Rm. 5B41 Fax (301) 402-1485

Healthy Volunteers Sought Web address Tl1e NIH Record reserves hrrp://www.nih.gov/nihrecord/ the right to make The Mood & Anxiety Disorders Program, NIMH, is corrections, changes, or looking for healthy volunteers, not on medication, Editor deletions in submitted with no current or history of psychiatric illness, Richard McManus copy in conformity with [email protected] the policies of the paper between the ages of 18 and 65, for a multitude of and HHS. studies. These may include PET scans, MRI, Assistant Editor psychological interview, neuropsychological testing, Carl a Garnett and other procedures depending on the project in [email protected] which you choose to participate. Stipend available. Call 1-866-627-6464 for more information. Iii U The Record is recyclable as office white paper. Pardes To Give Shannon Lecture n Thursday, Jan. 27, Dr. Herbert Pardes, more than 100 articles and chapters on diverse 0 president and chief executive officer of New topics in mental health. He has been involved in York-Presbyterian Hospital and its health care many international collaborations, working with system since December 1999, will deliver the 8th governments in India, China, Egypt, Israel and the annual James A. Shannon Lecture at 3 p.m. in former Soviet Union. Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10. His talk is titled, He also chaired the intramural research program "Ensuring Excellence in U.S. Medical Research and planning committee of the NIH (1996-1997) and Health Care." served on several presidential committees. He has Medical research and health care are in an unparal­ earned numerous honors and awards. leled level of centrality and profile in the United The Shannon lecture was established by the NIH States. Policy decisions in these fields are compli­ Alumni Association in 1997 to honor the former cated by the broad array of forces in and out of NIH director (1955 to 1968), and to promote public health that have an discussion of issues that affect the mission of NIH effect. The intertwining research. Iii of the nation's productiv­ ity, the nation's economy NIMH Training Program Draws Women, Minorities and international A National Institute of Mental Health training program to expand the relations with programs pipeline and diversity of new researchers in geriatric mental health has and policies in medical turned out to be not only a huge success in generating a cohort of research and health care motivated trainees co enter the field, but has also attracted an abundance have never been greater. of women and ethnic minorities. The nation has valued The Summer Training on Aging Research Topics-Mental Health its leadership in medical (START-MH) Program provides mentored research opportunities to research and care, but undergraduate, graduate and medical students across the United States. great challenges exist co The program was the ability to sustain that piloted in 2003 leadership. The primary Dr. Herbert Pardes and extended into issues and pressures that a 5-year grant in create these challenges 2004 to be and a plan for policies and programs to respond will conducted by the be the focus of this presentation. division of geriat­ Pardes is nationally recognized for his broad ric psychiatry at expertise in education, research, clinical care and the University of health policy, and for his ardent advocacy of support California, San for academic medicine. Diego and VA San During the Carter and Reagan administrations Diego Healthcare (1978-1984), he served as assistant surgeon general System. and director of the National Institute of Mental START-MH Health. Pardes, whose training is in psychiatry, left Fellows at the START-M H conference poster session offers competitive lIMH in 1984 for Columbia University and the scholarships to College of Physicians & Surgeons, where he chaired students who may be interested in aging and mental health research. In the department of psychiatry. In 1989, he became its first year, the program attracted 85 student applications. Thirty vice president for health sciences at Columbia and trainees were selected to participate with 30 primary mentors-all then dean of the faculty of medicine. He managed established investigators in the field. In the second year, the number of major changes in the education of physicians, applicants jumped to 159. More than 75 percent were women and more enhanced clinical and basic science research and than a third came from ethnic minority groups. Thirty-two applicants assumed a national role as an advocate for educa­ were selected and paired with 38 mentors; some students had co-men­ tion, health care reimbursement reform and support tors. The grant funding was used primarily for stipends to the trainees so of biomedical research. that they would not need to find other summer employment. In December 1999, he moved to New York­ Each trainee spent 10 weeks in the mentor's research lab. Labs ranged Presbyterian Hospital, where he has embraced a from basic science to clinical research to epidemiology. At the end of the clinical mission to provide each patient with the summer, each trainee prepared a poster presented at a weekend-long highest quality care delivered in the most compas­ mini-scientific meeting at UCSD. For most students, the workshop was sionate manner. their first experience attending a professional meeting. Pardes is on the editorial boards of numerous More information about the program and guidelines for applicants can medical and psychiatric journals and has written be found at http://startmh.ucsd.edu. Iii FOCC, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 this. Can FOCC help? perfect example of how financial disaster can strike Brake reviews the outstanding bills, any previous a second blow after a diagnosis of serious illness. help to the patient and seeks a decision from the Steve Muska's illness cost him a lot of time off FOCC board, most of them volunteers who work at from his job as IT director for a small company. NIH. If the answer is yes, as it most often is, a Eventually, he was laid off, just 2 months before check can be sent out directly to the landlord or more tumors came to light. After he completed an utility company within 24 hours. NCI protocol, a PET scan revealed two tumors in Families are often overcome with gratitude. his bowel. Lynn Muska is CFO for the same "They're just amazed this could happen. But that's company, but her travel to Bethesda and a downturn what we're here for-to be a bridge for people with in business reduced her income substantially, just financial emergencies when they needed it most. Steve couldn't collect stemming from their unemployment because he wasn't capable of looking treatment at N IH," for work, a requirement for unemployment support. Brake says. "We have a pretty healthy mortgage," Lynn says, With an annual largely because they remodeled their house to budget of under accommodate Steve's aging mother, who moved in $80,000, the FOCC with them 7 months before Steve's melanoma was is the smallest and diagnosed. "Steve couldn't work. My pay was cut, probably the least­ gas prices were going up and the mortgage, car and known NIH charity. homeowner's insurance were all due at the same "People often confuse time. We were really feeling the crunch. If we had us with the Children's had to pay for Steve's medical supplies, I'd be selling Inn," adds Brake. the house." It was an FOCC moment. The Friends The Patient Emer­ came tluough with a mortgage payment of nearly Steve and Lynn gency Fund provides $1,600. Muska keep their help with bare essentials such as travel money or "We had always been so blessed. We never spirits up with emergency cash for food, but can't address the thought we'd need money, but God has sent so many help from the broader needs of families who have lost income wonderful people tO help us out," Lynn Muska says, Friends of the because the breadwinner got sick or because of holding back tears. "I hate to ask for help unless I Clinical Center. unusual illness-related expenses. When there's can return it at some point," she adds. "When we're nowhere else to turn, CC social workers go to the working again, FOCC goes right to the top of our Friends, a CFC-supported charity. list of contributions." In the past year, FOCC has paid rent, phone bills, Steve had to spend Christmas at NIH and Lynn car payments and travel for a mother who needed to needs work with a better salary in the new year. But come tO NIH to escort her disabled son home after the new NCI protocol he's just completed has shown his treatment. When an African boy needed a success in shrinking tumors, and Lynn will find a wheelchair, FOCC found a donor and paid the new job when Steve's better, she says. "NIH keeps shipping charges to the boy's home country. Patients our hope alive. We met a patient who's been coming leaving an alcohol abuse protocol usually transition to NIH for 22 years. She hasn't beaten the cancer, back to the community through a halfway house. but the cancer hasn't beaten her. We feel Steve's got FOCC often covers the 2 months' rent. They picked a good chance." up the tab for storage of personal effects for a FOCC gets about a third of its budget from CFC homeless woman being treated for terminal cancer, contributions. The rest comes from an annual golf and made it possible for a family from the Domini­ tournament and fund-raisers run by the R&W such can Republic to spend time with their terminally ill as the NIH Outdoor Film Fest. Iii son in a rented apartment near NIH. "The Friends of the Clinical Center was a godsend NIH Paddling Club To Start to us," says Lynn Muska, whose husband, Steve, was diagnosed with melanoma in 2002. He was R&W is helping organize a new NIH Paddling Club first treated at Johns Hopkins in their home city, co promote paddling sports at NIH, both for Baltimore. Because Steve's surgeon, Julie Lange, was competition and leisure. The club plans a boat a former NIH fellow, she and Steve's oncologist racing team with 20 paddlers, a steerer and a drummer to provide stroke rhythm. The club also suggested an NIH protocol when the cancer returned ro in 2003. offers chances to learn how kayak, row, canoe and paddle outrigger canoes. :Members will be able "I had no idea what NIH did before we came here. co learn how to build their own canoes and kayaks. I've never seen a hospital run like this place is," says Lynn. "The dedication is incredible. I tell every­ An organizational meeting is planned for late body how wonderful NIH is." The Muskas are a February. For more information, contact David Winter at [email protected]. Iii Attention Woolley Shows There's a Thirst for Medical Information Female By Abhijit Ghosh Baseball Players call for increased dialogue between the media before menopause. A and NIH was delivered to attendees at the 20th Women, however, have different opinions about The Recreation meeting of the advisory committee on research on the average age at which menopause begins; 38 and Welfare women's health, sponsored by the Office of Research percent say it starts between ages 46 and 50 while Association is on Women's Healch recently in Wilson Hall. 23 percent think the age is between 41 and 45. starting a Mary Woolley, president of Research!America, "There is an opportunity here fo r additional Women's Baseball presented findings from a 2004 nationwide poll of education about this topic," said Woolley. Club to promote 1,000 women conducted in collaboration with The poll also provided insight on advocacy and and support Parade magazine. support for research on women's health. Some 81 baseball-playing "Research on women's health has never been a percent indicated it was "very important" for the opportunities for higher priority, and there has never been stronger U.S. to invest in research designed to improve the women. The new support for research voiced by the American pub­ health of women. More than half the women said club would field a lic," she said. they would be willing to pay $1 more a week in team in the A key finding showed that the public is not aware taxes for research that could lead to a cure for Eastern Women's of where health research human papillomavirus infection and other sexually Baseball Confer­ is conducted in America. transmitted diseases. According to ence. Players According to Research!America data, less than 1 cent of each U.S. range in age from Research!America, nearly tax dollar is spent on prevention research. 15-55 with most 95 percent of the Ameri­ "Stakeholders in research must raise their voices of the players in can public could not loud and clear in order to be heard," says Woolley. li1 their 20s to 40s. name NIH as the federal Many previously agency that funds most NIEHS Launches Center for Rodent Genetics played slow-pitch medical research paid for With 'Resequencing Project' softball and have by taxpayers. made the This suggests an oppor­ A new $13-million "Resequencing Project" will map transition to tunity for better commu­ the DNA of 15 mouse strains important to lab baseball. nication, Woolley ob­ research on human health. The project is the first served. According to the for NIEHS's new Center for Rodent Genetics, an Each EWBC team Mary Woolley study, 65 percent of extension of ongoing efforts plays one game Americans want more to understand the genetic per weekend, information about medical research. basis for differences in drug early May through "Younger people get their news from late-night response and other environ­ September. All television talk shows," Woolley reported. " People mental factors. teams have pre­ who vote and influence elected officials are much NIEHS's deputy scientific season practices more likely to read newspapers and watch television director Dr. Bill Schrader, and scrimmages news." who directs the center, said in the spring; She suggested that media-science roundtables be knowing the organization of some practice conducted several times a year, in which local the mouse genome is a key once a week reporters and researchers talk about covering news component in identifying during the season. in science and about how to faci litate such conversa­ those gene-environment We are looking for tions. This would improve communication of interactions that are linked 15-20 players to medical information to the public. to disease in humans. field a team; Dr. Bill Schrader Nearly all human genes The report also generated insight and opportunities coaches/ manag­ for researchers about public attitudes. For example, have counterparts in mice. ers (of either most women (82 percent) do not know what causes Almost 200 h uman diseases are affected by exposure gender) are also cervical cancer, thus providing significant opportuni­ to environmental substances. Researchers hope to needed. If ties for education. Depression tops the list for gain a better understanding of the complex interplay interested contact potential impact on the quality of women's lives, among genes that results in the development of Susan McCarthy followed by cancer and heart disease. disease. at (301) 594-8785 In a related note, efforts to raise awareness of heart The mouse strains will be sequenced in parallel, or disease in women show evidence that the campaign and inter-strain comparison will begin immediately. mccarths@mail. has made inroads; 47 percent of women surveyed Their entire genomes are expected be complete nih.gov. were aware that heart disease is the leading cause of within the next 2 years. death for women. Nearly half of the women polled The Resequencing Project will be conducted understand that atherosclerosis begins to develop through a 2-year contract with Perlegen Sciences, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif. li1 PRIME T IME, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 NIH Star Rising? uneasy, and we knew that the folks at CDC were not The first hints that a show relating to NIH was in happy about it either." In addition, several specific images and scenarios the works came early last summer when press officer Don Ralbovsky of the NIH Office of Communica­ needed correction or at least clarification, if the NIH tions and Public Liaison took a call from television show was to reflect more accurately. researchers who wanted to know what kinds of "There were some things about the pilot that made vanity plates might be displayed on the vehicles of us squirm," Stein admits, recalling the initial NIH staff. The request was thought unusual, but episode. "There was the NIH helicopter that the was answered and filed like every other inquiry. NIH team jumped into to fly off to where the Next, however, promotions for the show began to disease outbreak was taking place. The NIH logo appear as well as tidbits and ads in various enter­ appeared, but it was upside down. In a hospital tainment media. When Calvin Jackson, OCPL scene with people who might be very contagious, no public affairs specialist, one even wore masks. But on the other hand, we was contacted by NBC thought that the TV program made the NIH staff publicists working for look a lot cooler than they actually are. And, at the Medical Investigation, beginning of the pilot, words on the screen read the vanity plate query 'The National Institutes of Health, the nation's ' took on new meaning. foremost medical research center, has for the last "They wanted to do hundred years been on the cutting edge of disease some filming on prevention, diagnosis and cure.' You can't buy location here," Jackson publicity like that." says, "and they wanted Mutually Beneficial to do an interview with [ IH director] Dr. Communication specialises at the National Cancer ..... a slltk lhnller ....w ■ll•fllitdO 1nd l ippy.- - Los Angefn Ttme-s [Elias] Zerhouni." In~titu~e had already seen the wisdom of cooperating NEXT ON MEDICAL INVESTIGATION Although NIH Associ­ with Tmseltown, says science writer Michael Miller, NCI project officer overseeing Hollywood, Health SPIKED 1111 ate Director for 10pm ?OOS-Ot..07 All NEW! Communications John ~(ASIDE T0\\1'1 DlGULf[D \',!Tit DCAO\.Y MYSTLRY WiH'I to team moeo Burklow nixed the DISEASE ltt;\T ATI'ACKS lilR,~,, NS ANO SE;ALS AlJt

By Jennifer Loukissas obel laureate Dr. Julius Axelrod, an NIH Axelrod in N veteran of over 50 years, died in his sleep Dec. an inter­ 29, 2004. He is probably best known for his work view with the NIH on brain chemistry in the early 1960's that led to Record on modern-day treatments for depression and anxiety how he disorders. In 1970, he shared the Nobel Prize for chose Physiology or Medicine for discovering how brain research cells communicate with each other. over a Axelrod, known to his colleagues as "Julie," came postal to NIH in 1949 to the then National Heart Institute career (Feb. (now NHLBI). In 1954, before moving to NIMH 19, 1991 to begin a new career in neuroscience, he returned issue) to school to complete his Ph.D. in pharmacology; he needed the credential in order to open his own lab search," said Dr. Thomas Insel, NIMH director. where he continued to work for over 40 years. In "He will be greatly missed, but his legacy lives on in 1996, NIH awarded him the title scientist emeritus. the work of others." "Dr. Axelrod made contributions to the fields of Colleagues say Axelrod had a remarkable ap­ neuroscience and pharmacology that did much to proach to discovery, not only because of the breadth improve the lives of countless millions of individu­ and depth of his interests, but also his attitude in the als who benefit daily from the medications that his lab. He mentored and trained more than 70 scien­ insights made possible," tists, many of whom went on to become leaders in said Dr. Elias Zerhouni, brain research. Axelrod was a founding member of NIH director. "Our the now 40-year-old NIGMS Pharmacology Re­ understanding of the search Associate program (PRAT) to support post­ biological basis of human doctoral fellowships in the pharmacological sciences behavior owes much to at NIH and FDA. the work of this gifted "Axelrod's laboratory was an active training and dedicated scientist program for many of today's leaders in pharmaco­ who wi ll be greatly logical research," said colleague and friend Dr. Ruth missed by his friends and Kirschstein, senior advisor to the NIH director. "He colleagues at NIH." was one of the key people responsible for its success NIH deputy director for and the perennial first choice mentor for students intramural research Dr. coming in to the program. There wasn't a year Dr. Julius Axelrod Michael Gottesman said of Axelrod, "He was an when he didn't have a fellow through the PRAT enjoys lunch at a NIH icon-the model of a brilliant and compassion­ program." 1987 event in ate scientist whose work on neurotransmission honor of NJ H's One of his most distinguished proteges, Dr. revolutionized modern neurobiology and medicine. 100th anniversary. Solomon Snyder of Johns Hopkins Medical School His intellectual independence and courage have and co-discoverer of the brain's opiate receptor, inspired generations of NIH trainees and scientists called Axelrod "a humble giant of neuroscience and and he will be much missed on the campus." pharmacology. Most will agree that his contribu­ Axelrod's Nobel Prize-winning research explained tions to our understanding of how drugs act in the how neurotransmitters operate in the brain, forever brain was greater than any other scientist of the last altering the design of modern antidepressant drugs. half of the 20th century. Julie never tooted his own His work laid the foundation for the treatment of horn, preferring the lab to the lecture circuit. anxiety and depression. He coined the phrase "re­ Indeed, at a banquet honoring Julie following his uptake" inhibitors, referring to the "re-uptake" receipt of the Nobel Prize, he quipped, 'It seems mechanism in brain cells that regulates the level of these honors are a conspiracy to keep me out of the neurotransmitters available, influencing how lab."' neurons communicate. This revolutionary under­ Axelrod's studies of brain chemicals were far from standing of the brain's chemistry led to the modern his only laudable success in science. Before coming generation of antidepressant medications-selective to NIH, he helped discover the pain-relieving serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRis). properties of acetaminophen, better known by its "Dr. Axelrod was one of the giants. His contribu­ brand name, Tylenol. tions to the fields of mental health and neuroscience Axelrod took a circuitous route through science, make possible current breakthroughs on mood and initially hoping to be a physician. But he was anxiety disorders, and many other areas of re- rejected from all the medical schools to which he HIRf lOUC ATI ON

applied; there were strict quotas on the number of Jewish applicants, he told the Record in 1991. NIH Training Center Classes Refusing to accept defeat, Axelrod began his career by using his degree in biology to test vitamin The Training Center supports the development of supplements for the New York City department of NIH human resources through consultation and health's laboratory of industrial hygiene. While at provides training, career development programs and that lab, he took courses towards his master of other services designed to enhance organizational science degree in chemistry. He wrote his master's performance. For more information call (301) 496- thesis on the chemical breakdown of enzymes in 6211 or visit http://LearningSource.od.nih.gov. cancerous tumor tissues. Management Seminar Series 2/17, 3/17 In 1949, Axelrod arrived at the National Heart Purchase Card Training 1/31, 2/8 Heping Cao, a Institute, where he studied the tissue distribution Travel for NIH Travelers 1/31 research fellow and metabolism of caffeine, amphetamines, ephe­ Delegated Acquisition Training Program 2/1-4 on the Environ­ drine and narcotic drugs. In 1953, he delved into NIH Domestic Travel (NBS Travel System) 2/1-3 mental Biology diabetes research where he described a new class of Fellowship Payment System 2/7 Program at enzymes in liver microsomes that metabolized drugs Professional Service Orders 2/7 NIEHS, received Intercultural Communications at the NIH 2/8 by a variety of pathways- all before receiving his the Acres of Simplified Acquisitions Refresher 2/9 Diamonds Award Ph.D. Purchase Card Processing System 2/10 at the recent Following the completion of his doctoral studies, Minority Trainee he promptly set out to direct research in a lab of his ~ Computer Classes Research Forum own at NIMH. His early work there focused on the CIT meeting in metabolism of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and All courses are given without charge. For more Miami. The other psychoactive drugs. He went on to revolu­ information call (301) 594-6248 or consult the award was tionize the field of pineal gland research, discovering training program's home page at http:// recognition for melatonin as the gland's key hormone. Axelrod and training.cit.nih.gov. Cao's oral presentation and his collaborators from NIDDK described the Budget Tracking 1/25 mechanism for glucocorticoid formation and poster: "The Genetics Computer Group (GCG) Sequence Anti-Inflamma­ showed that congenital non-hemolytic jaundice is Analysis 1/25-27 tory due to a defect in glucocorticoid synthesis. Dara Warehouse Query: Human Resources 1/26 Tristetraprolin Is Until his retirement in 1984, Axelrod worked on Introduction to mAdb 1/27 a Low Abun­ research projects that sought to elucidate the Data Warehouse Analyze: Human Resources 1/27 dance, Inducible, relationship between drugs and behavior. His nVision Travel 2/l Stable, C)•tosolic, research suggested that mental states were the result Data Warehouse Query: Property and Hyper­ of complicated physiology and brain chemistry, Management 2/2 Phosphorylated rather than the sole result of psychological or Dara \Varehouse Query: Research Contracts 111RNA-Binding and Grants 2/3 environmental factors. For years after his official Protein" (by Cao retirement, Axelrod continued to have an active and Perry]. Blackshear) and research program as an unpaid guest researcher; he NIEHS's Dr. Allen "Immunological was still coming to his lab regularly in mid-Decem­ Wilcox got top ratings Characterization ber 2004. He conducted research on transduction for characteristics of Tristetraprolin of neurotransmitter signals in cells, and more postdoctoral trainees as a Low recently, he had been involved in studies on the Abundance, natural ligand of the cannabinoid receptor rated as very important Inducible, Stable anandamide. His many contributions still influence or extremely important Cytosolic the work of his colleagues. to their success: Protein" (by Cao, Reflecting about his mentor and friend, long-time mentoring, direction Blackshear a11d NIMH co-worker Dr. Michael Brownstein says and visions, funding Jane Tuttle). Axelrod was special: "It wasn't only that he had a and grants, assistance capacity to enjoy other people's novel findings, he in finding employment had a special appreciation for data and biology. He and networking. showed me that science could and should be fun. Science magazine, which conducted an online There was nobody who was more genuinely buoy­ survey of postdocs last spring, listed Wilcox among ant about the scientific enterprise than Julie. He loved to read and think about science, and talk the top principal investigators who mentored about data. His magic was not in doing experi­ postdocs. Respondents rated 12 characteristics of ments that required lots of technical finesse; it was their principal investigator, and five characteristics in doing work that anyone could have done- if of institutes hosting postdocs. Science recently they'd had the ideas. What separates the giants listed NIEHS as the third best place in the U.S. for from the rest is the capacity to ask great questions."li) postdocs. NIEHS's 'Kids Pages' Touch Lives NIEHS's Dr. Dale Sandler has been selected for Organic Style ast November, the NIEHS Kids Pages got more magazine's Environmental Lthan 3.5 million hits. In all, there are 1,079 Power List of 50 "heroes" who pages that use music and games to reach kids about are doing their part to make the science. That's a lot of outreach. planet a better place. Sandler is But for Marcia Soward, program coordinator at the NIEHS chief of epidemiol­ NIEHS who created the pages, it is not the volume ogy and principal investigator of of hits that is important, it's the difference the pages the Sister Study on breast can make in someone's life. Like the 12-year-old girl cancer. The magazine editors identified people they consider who needed some information for a "eco-superstars" from a variety science-fair project, for example. She of fields, and looked for specific turned to Soward for direction. " achievements by each. The list Using the resources Soward pro­ was published in the November 2004 issue of Organic vided, the child completed a project Style. Sandler is ranked 18 for her work with the Sister on the sugar content in "sugar-free" Study, which recently began nationwide recruiting for candy. Her project included the 50,000 sisters of breast cancer victims. The study will scientific method-the familiar work to ideHtify environmental causes of breast cancer. question, hypothesis, variable, control, materials, procedure and Dr. Richard Rodewald has conclusion. The girl won first place in joined NIGMS as a program the seventh grade science fair and director in the Division of went on to represent her school at the Cell Biology and Biophysics. next level. He will oversee research Then there was a television screen­ grants in the areas of cell biology and imaging. Prior writer who wanted information he to joining NIGMS, he spent could use in a CSJ episode. As it 4 years as a scientific review turned out, his proposed plot was too administrator at the Center farfetched, but he only discovered chat for Scientific Review, where Marcia Soward, by contacting Soward, who referred him to NIEHS he managed the study program coordi­ researchers. section for postdoctoral nator at NIEHS, Then there was the little girl who emailed Soward fellowships in cellular and created the asking her to add Power Rangers songs to the site. developmental biology. Prior to that, he was a faculty popular Kids member in the department of biology at the University of Pages web site. While the Power Rangers have no connection to the environment or health, Soward saw no harm in Virginia. His research there focused on immunoglobulin transport and kidney function. adding the songs and did so. Soon, she got a thank­ you note back from the little girl. The girl's brother, it seems, has cerebral palsy and cannot do things NIHSeniorHealth.gov, a web site with formats and that are physically demanding. But he loves the topics specially tailored to the needs of older people, has Power Rangers and was delighted with the addition won a 2004 Industry Innovators Award from the co the site. International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), the In 2003, Soward responded to more than 1,300 world's largest trade association for the senior fitness inquiries through the Kids' Pages. She was closing and wellness in on that number as 2004 ended. industry. NIA The pages feature games and puzzles, music, stories educational and information-all with a science twist or lead-in. research Soward spent a lot of time in the late 1990s setting specialist the site up and writing content and lead-ins. Now, it Stephanie only takes a few hours a week to update the content Dailey (I) and respond to inquiries. and head of There is also a whole series of kids pages in NLM's Spanish. Biologist Lisa Padilla-Banks volunteered ro reference translate some of the pages into Spanish. Soward section Joyce said she also gets help from other staffers, who take Backus (r) join [CAA Chief Executive Officer Colin Milner to accept the award. The !CAA presented six the time to explain puzzles to people when they such awards at its recent "Active Aging 2004" confer­ don't understand them. ence in Orlando. The award-winning site at http:!! Visit the Kids' Pages at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/ www.nihseniorhealth.gov is a joint project of NLM and kids/home.htm.-Colleen Chandler Ii) NIA.