December 6, 2013, NIH Record, Vol. LXV, No. 25
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DECEMBER 6, 2013 The Second Best Thing About Payday VOL. LXV, NO. 25 The Joy of Science Research Festival Celebrates 60th Anniversary of ABOVE · NIH scientific directors not only cre- Double Helix, Clinical Center ated posters for Research Festival, but also By Dana Steinberg did some baking. See story on p. 1. very year, the NIH Research Festival highlights the work of the intramural com- features E munity. It’s an opportunity to learn about the amazing research taking place in 3 NIH laboratories. And it’s an occasion for NICHD Shares Important NIH scientists, from the apprentice to the Information with Expectant Moms veteran, to mingle and network. 5 At the 27th NIH Research Festival, held Casadevall To Give Kinyoun Lecture Nov. 6-8, “The joy of doing science was pal- pable,” said festival co-chair Dr. Luigi Fer- 7 rucci, scientific director of NIA. Holland To Present Mider Lecture This year’s festival celebrated two mile- 16 stones: publication of the Watson & Crick NIH Ceremony Marks Veterans Day paper that first described the double helix structure of DNA and the 60th anniver- NIA’s Dr. Luigi Ferrucci at Research Festival 2013 sary of the Clinical Center. To honor these departments achievements, much of the festival focused on advances in molecular medicine. see research festival, page 8 Briefs 2 Great Expectations 2013 Nobelist Levitt Speaks at NIH Digest 10 Colloca Re-Evaluates the Placebo Effect Milestones 12 By Belle Waring Dr. Michael Levitt, 2013 Nobel laureate in chemistry, gave a special NIH lecture on “The The placebo effect Birth and Future of is surrendering its Computational Struc- secrets. tural Biology” Nov. 18 in Masur Auditorium. “The placebo effect is a very complex psy- Along with Drs. cho-neurobiological Martin Karplus and phenomenon where- Arieh Warshel, Lev- in humans or ani- itt won this year’s mals experience an chemistry prize for enhanced benefit via the development positive expectations,” of computer-based Dr. Luana Colloca 2013 Nobel laureate Dr. said Dr. Luana Colloca methods to model Michael Levitt in her recent lecture at Lipsett Amphitheater. complex systems. A research fellow with NCCAM and NIMH, Col- Speaking to a full house in Masur, he reviewed loca presented the talk, “Re-evaluating the Pla- “how it all began,” ongoing research and cebo Effect in Medicine,” as part of the Grand offered his thoughts on the future of the field. Rounds for Clinical Fellows lecture series. Now a professor in the department of structural “There are many contexts where we are talk- biology at Stanford University School of Medi- cine, Levitt was present at the birth of computa- The NIH Record is recyclable ing about placebo and placebo effects,” Colloca as office white paper. continued. “Randomized clinical trials, experi- tional structural biology more than 46 years ago. see placebo, page 6 see levitt, page 4 briefs Author Greitens To Present at DDM Seminar is free and open to all. To learn more and register online, visit www.ninds.nih.gov/PD2014. The Deputy Director for Management (DDM) an- nounces the first DDM seminar of the 2013-2014 series “Management and Science: Partnering ‘WISER’ Survey: Let Your Voice Be Heard for Excellence.” The event on Thursday, Dec. 12 The NIH chief officer for scientific workforce diver- from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Masur Auditorium, sity has launched an NIH-wide employee survey: Bldg. 10, will feature Eric Greitens, who will the WISER survey—Working towards creating a discuss “Inspiring Leadership in Challenging more Inclusive and Supportive Environment for Times.” Greitens, author and former Navy SEAL, Research at NIH. The survey is asking you to share will focus on extraordinary leadership during your experiences and perceptions at NIH. It can be difficult and uncertain times. found at http://WISER.nih.gov. Videocasting and sign language will be pro- Broad NIH participation is essential in making sure vided. Individuals who need reasonable accom- the different perspectives represented by our work- modation to attend should call (301) 496-6211 or force are captured. The survey will close Dec. 31. the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339. For more information, contact [email protected] For more information about the series, visit www. or (301) 827-4000. ddmseries.od.nih.gov or call (301) 496-3271. Register for Spring Courses at FAES STEP Forum on Brain Injury, Dec. 17 The NIH Record is published biweekly at The schedule of courses for the spring 2014 semes- Bethesda, MD by the Editorial Operations The staff training in extramural programs (STEP) ter at the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Branch, Office of Communications and Public committee will present “Playing It Safe with Liaison, for the information of employees of Sciences Graduate School at NIH is now available. the National Institutes of Health, Department Brain Injury” on Tuesday, Dec. 17 from 9 a.m. to The majority of the school’s evening classes are of Health and Human Services. The content is noon in Rockledge II, Rm. 9100. held at FAES’s new location in Bldg. 10. reprintable without permission. Pictures may be available upon request. Use of funds for From T-ball to pro football, the awareness and In seven new state-of-the-art classrooms, the FAES printing this periodical has been approved by incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) has Graduate School offers scientific and non-scientific the director of the Office of Management and dramatically increased. What do we know and Budget through September 30, 2014. courses at a limited cost, including: biochemistry, what do we still need to learn about mild to bioinformatics, biology, biotechnology (daytime To receive alerts to our latest issue, send an email severe sports-related TBI? Come and join us courses), chemistry, immunology, medicine, to [email protected] with the words “Subscribe to discuss the latest in prevention, diagnosis microbiology, pharmacology, statistics, technology NIHRECORD” in the message body. and treatment while exploring the psychosocial transfer, alternative medicine, GRE, MCAT prepara- NIH Record Office Bldg. 31, Rm. 5B41 impact of TBI. tion, ESL, modern languages as well as courses of Phone (301) 496-2125 Fax (301) 402-1485 general interest. Web address http://nihrecord.od.nih.gov NINDS Sponsors Parkinson’s Meeting, Jan. 6-7 Online registration is available now through Jan. 13 Editor NINDS will sponsor a 2-day public conference, and mail registration is open until Jan. 10. Walk-in Richard McManus “Parkinson’s Disease 2014: Advancing Re- [email protected] registration is Jan. 14-22 and classes start the week search, Improving Lives,” on Jan. 6-7 at Natcher of Jan. 27. Associate Editor Conference Center. Carla Garnett There will be an Open House on Jan. 7 from 4-7 p.m. [email protected] The meeting will bring together leading national in Bldg. 10, Classroom 6, Rm. B1C208 and registra- and international neuroscientists, physicians tions will be accepted. Tuition is $145 per credit Staff Writers and other members of the Parkinson’s com- Jan Ehrman hour; courses may be taken for credit or audit. [email protected] munity to assess the most significant challenges to Parkinson’s research and treatment and to Textbooks for spring 2014 are available in FAES’s Dana Steinberg identify the highest priorities for advancing new bookstore in Bldg. 10, 1C172 (near Masur [email protected] basic, translational and clinical research on the Auditorium). Spring catalog supplements are avail- Belle Waring disease. The conference is open to all stakehold- able in the Graduate School office in Bldg. 60, Suite [email protected] ers, including researchers in academia and 230, or the Foundation Bookstore or the business The NIH Record reserves the right to make industry, health care professionals, patient office in Bldg. 10, Rm. B1C18. To have a catalog sent corrections, changes or deletions in submitted advocates and advocacy groups, scientific and to your office or institute, call (301) 496-7976 or visit copy in conformity with the policies of the professional organizations, federal agencies and www.faes.org. paper and HHS. the public. NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health Representatives of patient groups will have an opportunity to speak during a public comment period on day 2 of the meeting. Registration 2 NIH RECORD DECEMBER 6, 2013 2 DECEMBER 6, 2013 DECEMBER 6, 2013 VOL. LXV, NO. 25 Let That Baby Grow issue is targeted and spe- NICHD, Partner Agencies Implement cific,” said Fowler-Lee. “It Successful Baby Health Campaign tells providers and patients By Dana Steinberg that these babies are not the same, that there are serious NICHD has an important message for expecting medical consequences when moms: if mom and baby are healthy, wait until babies are born pre-term.” at least 39 weeks to deliver. In recent months, The campaign was 2 years this message has reached thousands of preg- in the making. NCMHEP nant women and doctors through a well-coordi- worked closely with its coor- nated, low-cost public health campaign. dinating committee—more At the heart of the Is It Worth It? campaign is than 30 maternal health care a set of short, patient-focused videos that were provider associations and shown in more than 300 obstetric and gynecol- federal agencies—on content ogy offices around the country. To help spread NICHD’s Dr. Catherine Spong welcomes her fourth and strategy. the word, NICHD’s National Child and Mater- child, Beatrice, on Aug. 10, joined by proud big sister Genevieve, who turned 6 the next day. “Collaboration was key,” nal Health Education Program (NCMHEP) col- recounted Fowler-Lee. “We laborated with partner agencies to promote the want [our partners] to feel ownership for this campaign so they don’t hesitate videos through their web sites, social media and to use it.” So they planned and compromised and tweaked it.