June 11, 2021, NIH Record, Vol. LXXIII, No. 12
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June 11, 2021 Vol. LXXIII, No. 12 school] was my first encounter with being and more than 30 years pursuing medical excluded. I attribute the lapse in my career research as a full-time profession. path to my feelings of being excluded.” That No stranger to NIH, Valantine served for UNRAVELING HEALTH DISPARITIES and other teen distractions at the time—“the 6 years since 2014 as the agency’s first chief Swinging Sixties, the Rolling officer for scientific work- Valantine Discusses Genomics Stones, the Beatles”—also force diversity while also in Organ Transplantation may have contributed to maintaining a lab as a senior BY CARLA GARNETT her less than enthusiastic investigator in NHLBI’s embrace of textbooks. intramural research A decades-long career in medicine and “That’s my story and I’m program. She returned to research never occurred to an adolescent sticking to it,” Valantine her post as professor of Hannah Valantine. Born in Banjul in the quipped, smiling. medicine and cardiology at small West African nation of The Gambia, A job in a microbiology Stanford Medical Center in 13-year-old Hannah and her family relocated lab put her back on an spring 2020. to London, where she was the only youngster achievement-filled educa- In her NIH virtual lecture, of color in her high school. Within a student tional trajectory that has led “Inclusive Excellence in population of 500 adolescents, her sense of to an M.D. degree, cardiology Biomedical Research— isolation took a toll. fellowship at Stanford Applying Genomics to “My academic struggles at age 18 were University, her own lab Dr. Hannah Valantine Unravel Health Disparities such that I had zero aspirations to go to and principal investigator in Organ Transplantation,” university,” recalled Valantine at a recent authority on numerous grants, authorship she used evidence from some of her NHLBI Clinical Center Grand Rounds. “[High of 200-plus peer-reviewed publications SEE VALANTINE, PAGE 4 A SCIENTIFIC JAM SESSION Panelists Collaborate to Develop Toolkit for Music- Based Therapies BY DANA TALESNIK Performers and music lovers the world over will attest that music moves and rejuvenates us, affecting our brains in profound ways. But can investigators prove it? NIBIB director Dr. Bruce Tromberg (r) briefs visiting senators on RADx Tech. PHOTO: CHIA-CHI CHARLIE CHANG “Eye Candy” of the plant world? See more, p. 12. ALSO THIS ISSUE Cadre of Senators Visit NIH, NIH’ers Nominated for ‘Sammies,’ Government’s Take Home Tech Oscars ...................................3 A bipartisan contingent of U.S. senators and staff members visited NIH on May 17 Health Disparities Events Scheduled .........5 for science briefings, a lab tour and biotech Opera singer Renée Fleming UNITE Releases Priorities, Plans for Updates ...9 demonstration. The group included Sen. Digest ...................................10 Four years ago, world-renowned soprano Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sen. Roy Blunt Renée Fleming spent 2 hours in an MRI (R-MO), Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), Sen. Milestones ................................11 scanner that tracked her brain activity as John Cornyn (R-TX), Sen. Dick Durbin Seen ....................................12 SEE MUSIC, PAGE 8 SEE SENATORS, PAGE 6 BRIEFS “Allyship in Action” poster art ‘ALLYSHIP IN ACTION’ Join EDI in Celebrating Pride Month A scene from the Community Market pre-Covid The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will celebrate Pride Month—June—with a focus on Community Market Returns to Campus cultivating and enhancing allyship in the NIH community. The NIH Community Market, sponsored by the NIH Recreation and Welfare Association, has returned to campus on Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the south lawn of the Clinical Center, Bldg. 10. Expected The theme, “Allyship in Action,” emphasizes are 5-7 vendors each week. Confirmed currently are All Things Olive (olive oils/vinegars), the Caramel usage of correct pronouns as an act of allyship for Kettle (gourmet popcorn), Cupcakes Lounge (baked goods), Shafa Blends (spices) and Apple Valley sexual and gender minorities (SGM). EDI hopes to (fresh produce). encourage the regular expression of pronouns in emails, meetings, conversations and all settings at While at the market, don’t forget to visit the food trucks for lunch between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The NIH to help support the broad diversity of identities schedules and menus of trucks can be found at https://govemployee.com/nih/food-trucks/. Make sure within the SGM community. to maintain proper social distancing and other safety measures. Gender identity is multifaceted and nuanced, and The NIH Blood Bank will also make appearances periodically to discuss donation. For details about the gender expression varies immensely. In addition, R&W, call (301) 594-2411 or visit online: www.govemployee.com/nih. pronouns and gender identities are not inherently linked and may not match in socially predictable NIDA Launches Drug Addiction Treatment ways. behavior, feelings, motivations and attitudes Challenge across episodes of care. EDI invites the entire community to join Allyship in The National Institute on Drug Abuse has Learn more at https://www.challenge.gov/ Action, which will provide an opportunity to learn launched the “Mapping Patient Journeys in Drug more about pronoun usage, how to be an ally and challenge/mapping-patient-journeys-in-drug-addic- Addiction Treatment” Challenge. Applicants are tion-treatment/ or email [email protected]. where to find resources. challenged to create a “journey map” to show EDI will co-host a Twitter chat to discuss pronoun the good and bad experiences people with substance use disorder have when navigating the 2nd Lecture in ‘Diverse June 24 usage with contributors from across NIH using Voices’ Series Set #NIHPronounAlly. health care system to get treatment, an expe- rience that’s often challenging, confusing and NIH’s Office of Research on Women’s Health Additionally, in collaboration with Salutaris, the inconsistent. will host “Analysis and Action: Applications of NIH SGM employee resource group, EDI will host Submissions, due Sept. 22, will enable NIDA to Intersectionality in Covid-19,” the second lecture in a presentation by Dr. Erin A. Cech, department of the Diverse Voices: Covid-19, Intersectionality and sociology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, on focus research efforts into alleviating those areas of difficulty. the Health of Women series, on Thursday, June 24 research in the most extensive study of barriers for from 1 to 2 p.m. ET. LGBTQ professionals in STEM on Wednesday, June The challenge offers up to 3 awards: $50,000 (1st 23 from 1 to 2 pm. pl.), $30,000 (2nd) and $20,000 (3rd). Anyone The virtual presentation features two speakers. Dr. Lisa Bowleg of George Washington University and Also staff are encouraged to sign up for quarterly who has experience with a patient’s journey with substance use disorder is encouraged to participate. Dr. Tonia Poteat of the University of North Carolina Safe Zone training at https://www.edi.nih.gov/ at Chapel Hill. people/sep/lgbti/safezone. Knowledge and experience of steps individuals To participate in this webinar, register at https:// Follow on Twitter (https://twitter.com/nih_edi) and take on the road from addiction to recovery are invaluable in solving this challenge. nih.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsce2urD- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nih_edi/) wjGUOB7CXzPxET5ft_pBDbrCM. Details are to stay abreast of news and events for Pride Month. Journey maps incorporate physical and emotional available at https://orwh.od.nih.gov/about/ Check out EDI’s SGM Portfolio page (https://www. experiences with the aim of capturing patient newsroom/events/analysis-and-action-applica- edi.nih.gov/people/sep/lgbti/about) to learn more obstacles, interactions and movement through tions-intersectionality-covid-19. about the diversity and inclusion strategy. the health care system along with the patient’s 2 • NIH RECORD • JUNE 11, 2021 they believe has made the most significant contributions in public service. Go to https:// servicetoamericamedals.org/peoples- choice-award/ by Friday, July 2 to vote. The People’s Choice winner will be announced in the summer. Renamed the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals in 2010 to commemorate the organization’s founder, the program NIH’s Sammie nominees are (from l) Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, Dr. Barney Graham, Dr. Gary Gibbons, has honored more than 500 outstanding NIMHD director Dr. Eliseo Pérez-Stable and below, Dr. Brigitte Widemann. federal employees since its inception in 2002. Details about the program and the ‘OSCAR’ NODS ANNOUNCED participation in Covid-19 treatment and 2021 finalists are available at servicetoameri- camedals.org. NIH’ers Among 2021 Sammies vaccine trials in underserved communities Finalists across the country. The Science and Environment Category Five employees of NIH are among 29 final- recognizes significant accomplishment in ists for the 2021 Samuel J. Heyman Service fields such as medicine, economics, energy, to America Medals (Sammies), the nonparti- information san, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service technology, recently announced. The partnership space, mete- called the 29 nominees “exceptional federal orology and employees who have helped make the nation resource healthier, safer and more prosperous.” conservation. Also known as the “Oscars of federal NIH’s service,” the Sammies are the premier nominee, awards program recognizing America’s best NCI senior in government. This year, the partnership investigator added a Covid-19 Response medal to recog- and Pediatric nize the extraordinary federal workers who Oncology ON THE COVER: Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. played a leading role in responding to the Branch chief Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an pandemic and saving lives. Dr. Brigitte apoptotic cell (green) heavily infected with NIH’ers were nominated in two catego- Widemann and team, developed a break- SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (purple), isolated from a patient sample. Image at the NIAID Integrated ries, including the newly added pandemic through medical treatment for children Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Md.