The Newsletter of the NIH Alumni Association Winter 1992 Vol. 4, No. 1 date Anderson To Speak NIH Relocation to At NIHAA Meeting Bethesda Is Recalled The annual meeting of the NIH Nostalgia was the theme of a cele­ Alumni Association (NIHAA) wi ll be bration held on Nov. 23, 1991, at the held on Saturday, Mar. 21, 1992, from Mary Woodard Lasker Center to com­ 2 until 4:30 p.m. at the Mary Woodard memorate the move of the NIH campus Lasker Center, Bldg. 60. Dr. W. to Bethesda between 1938 and 194 1. French Anderson, chief of NHLBI 's "Celebrating Arrival in Bethesda" was Molecular Hematology Branch, will cosponsored by the NIH Alumni Asso­ speak on "Human Gene Therapy." ciation (NIHAA) and the NIH Histor­ Human gene therapy is a novel ical Office/DeWitt Stetten, Jr. Museum method of treating genetic disease. It of Medical Research. involves removing defective cells from The reception and seminar were the body, correcting the defect by insert­ attended by more than 120 members. ing a nomial gene and then reinserting guests, and current NIH personnel. In the corrected cells into the body. The Sen. Barbara Mikulski beams with pride conjunction with the meeting, the corrected cells are then able to produce after receiving a new NIH lab coat from Dr. Stetten Museum sponsored an exhibit the previously missing gene product. Bernadine Healy at town meeting II. and brochure entitled "Seventy Acres of Anderson ond his colleagues have Science: Establishing the NIH Campus at used gene therapy to treat children with A 'Lotty Gripe Session' Bethesda, 1930-1941," which may be adenosine deaminase deficiency (ADA). seen in the NlH Clinical Center, ADA-deficient patients lack the gene Improvements for NIH Bldg. 10. responsible for the production of (See Relocation p. 5) (See A nderson p. 2) Future Are Focus of Town Meeting II In This Issue By Rich McManus Fond farewells follow William Raub So that future NIH may be better, to White House p. 3 present NIH endured a cold, hard look Calendar p. 4 Nov. 25, 1991, when NIH director Dr. £rcerptsfrom NIH alumni talks and Bernadine Healy convened her second reminiscences p. 6 •'town meeting" in two months. Timeline ofNIH Discol·eries p. 9 Participating in the proceedings were Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) News from and abo111 NIHAA members p. 12 and Dr. James 0. Mason, HHS assistant Joe R. Held writes abow what secretary for health, who heard a panel is happening wi1h NIHAA p. 15 of seven NIH authorities give a frank Science Research Updates p. 17 assessment of areas where the institutes Van Slyke exhibit illuminates could stand improvement. soul ofa machine p. 24 Critiques focused on recruitment of NE! emphasi:es testing junior scientists. retention of senior for blindness. glaucoma causes p. 25 scientists. infrastructure problems, red NIH Notes p. 26 tape in procurement and personnel. and Dr. W. French Anderson, chief of NHLBl's ethics laws that were called .. unfair and NIH Retrospectives p. 30 Molecular Hematology Branch, will speak at punitive:• the NIHAA annual meeting on Mar. 21 , 1992. Ballotfor NIHAA board ofdirectors p. 31 (See Town Meeting p. 20) N I H A A U P D A T E Anderso11 (cowin11ed./im11 p. 1) NIH was represented to Sem11or ADA, an enzyme which breaks down Mikulski by three clinicians. the head toxic substances in the body. Without Update of rehabilitation. two administrators 1his essen tial gene and th e resulting and--0h, yes. a laboratory scien tist. The NIHAA Update is the 11ewsle11er ofthe enzyme, toxic substances arrack the The point was made repeatedly that NII-l's NIH Alumni Associ(lfirm. The If/AA office immune cells in lhe bloodstream and function is to bring advances made at is at 9101 Old Georgetown Rd .. 81'/hesda. the body's immune system eventually the bench 10 th e bedside: but almost no MD 2081./. (301J530-0567. fails, leaving the patient at risk of mention was made of how these new Editor's Note infection. ADA patients have been lindings magically appear. receiving weekly injec tions of PEG­ The NIHAA Updme 11·e/co111es letters and This is lhe pitch that IH has always news from readers. IIewish 1101 011/y to ADA, a drug that temporarily replaces made 10 Congress. And maybe it's bring al1111111i news aho111 N~H. ~Ill also ~o the missing enzymes. In addition. th e worked more effecti vely than the truth serre as a 111ea11s for ffportmg 11ifor111a11011 patients have received their own abo111 al1111111i-lheir concerns. i11for111a1io11 NIH ever could. But maybe it's time we 011 rece111 appoi111111en1s. honors. /Jooks p11b­ gene-corrected cells and they are doing gave Congress a liule more credit for lishecl mu/ mher de1·e/op111entl of i111eres1 to very well so far. intelligence and explained in simple their collea.~ u es. lf .m11 h111·e new.1 alw111 Human gene therapy has potential rourse/f or abo111 other al11111ni. or c0111111en1s terms th at advances at the bench don't ·011 and s11 gges1io11sfar the Nl/-IAA Update. for treating many other diseases just happen- that N IH"s first job is to please drop a note 111 the editor. Wt• re.1·en-e including cancer. cardiovascular make those fundamental discoveries so the ri.i:lrt 10 edit 111C//erials. disease, hemophilia and A IDS. The that IH clinicians and industry can Editor: Harriet R. Greenwald technology is progressing rapidly. The develop practical applications. NIH1\1t Newsletter Editorial tldrisory Commillee applications for this therapy may Would it real ly be so difficulc. for Robert G. Martin. Chair1111111 potentially have a tremendous impac t example. to explain to the Congress Linda J. Bmw11 on disease treatment approaches and th at the . obel prize for the polio vaccine Michael Go11es111011 outcomes in the next cen1ury. Jerome G. Green went to neither Salk nor Sabin, but to Htirriet /( Grl'enwold There will be a short business meet­ Enders. Wellers and Robins?-that in a \icwria Hartlen ing to let members and guests know very real sense the Nobel Prize for HI V Colleen He11richse11 what is happening with th e NIHAA. Harrev Klein has already been awarded- not to Rirlwi·d Mc.\'/anus For more information about the Montagnier or Gallo, but to those whose Abner Louis Nmkins mee ting call the office at (301) 530­ fundamental work made the discovery John L. Porosamdola 0567. Lois A. Sal:ma11 possible. Baltimore and Temin? Philip£. Sclwmbra Congress and the American people Eli:abl'lh H. Singer are not stupid. Told repeatedly that Richard G. Wmu . FEEDBACK biological science is on the "'verge of a NIHAA .Ve..·sletter Board ofCo 11trib111i11g Editors breakthrough in .. : ·-you fill in the Giorgio Bernardi gap-they have long since concluded H. Fra11kli11 8111111 With this issue ofrhe NIHAA that NIH's word is no more reliable Bernard D. Dcwis Roger 0. £gehe1:~ Update, we wo11/d like 10 srarr a seerion than the Defense Department when it Henrrk Eisenberg 011 rhe 1·il'WS of our 111e111hers 0 11 evaluates the 82 bomber. D01uild S. Fredrickson 111a((ers relating ro the hiological The love-hate relationship between L.ors A. lfa11so11 Walter \\'. Holland sciences and the NIH in parric11/ar. th e public and the biological sciences George Klein Please /er us know how youfeel 011 any has slowly but appreciably shifted from Richard.\!/. Krause issue you consider sig11ij/ca11r. To srarr the / to the It side of that hyphenated Robert Q. Mars1011 Carlos Monge rhe hall rolling. here's one scienrisr's affair. Perhaps a growing contempt by Roger Monier view 011 an old problem wilh a neir Congress for scientific spokesmen is Ser111011r Pern· twis1: the result-witness, for example, Dr. Alim·1B . Sabin Michm•ISela Healy's recent grilling by Congressman At the mos t recent town mce ting­ Dingell. What do you think? Credit featured elsewhere in this issue-the NIHAA Update is supported by grams from GhLW Inc. Sando: Research /ns1i1111e and tlw Upjolm Cu111v1111.r. 2 w N T E R 1 9 9 2 Hundreds Honor Deputy and for nurturing the committee. Dr. Raub Fond Farewell Follows Raub to White House had the foresight to see the value of a diversified workforce,'' she said. ·' He By Rich M cManus special to the !CD directors- a good understood that the workplace is enriched friend and confidant. He's been a very by diversity. One coworker once said, Hundreds of well-wishers crowded good shrink when we came to his office ·or. Raub always saw the diamond in Wilson Hall on Nov. 25, 1991 , ro bid needing intensive psychotherapy. But us where others onl.y saw coal. ,. farewell to NTH deputy director Dr. the main feeling we have for him is Diane Am1strong. director of the William F. Raub, who ended a 25-year true, sincere affection." Division of Equal Opportunit y, said, NIH career to take a job as special assis­ Fauci said Raub wouldn 't hear of a "Dr. Raub has been a special person to tant for health affairs in the White House's gift acknowledging his skillful hand­ all of us. He is always there for you. He Office of Science, Technology and ling of NIH during his acting director­ gives sincere advice, and has been very Policy. He had been acting director of ship. So Fauci and his fellow !CD special to the EEO network." NTH for nearly 2 years while a successor directors, recognizing that Raub always Master of ceremonies Stom1 Whaley, to Dr.