October l 1, 1994 Vol. XLVI No. 21 "Still U.S. Department of Health The Second and Human Services Best Thing About Payday" National Institutes of Health Dunbar To Give First Pittman Lecture, Oct. 26 By Sara Byars scientist recognized internarionally for A her pioneering work in contraceptive vaccines has been selected to deliver the first Margaret Pittman Lecture, a new NIH series chat honors outstanding women scientists. Dr. Bonnie S. Dunbar, professor of cell . :/ biology and obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine, will speak on "New ':'' .:' f ,; ... .. Fromiers in Reproductive Biology and I !- J ~ , • I , , ' f ., ' / , , Contraceptive Vaccines" at 3 p.m. on 0cc. 26 ' • /} : 4 t ., : in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. I 0 . ' ' . ! • ' I I I • Guiding che development of che Pittman • ' ' ,• ,: k'I I ' I lectureship series is the NIH women scientists J: • ! • •'I I It♦ l'- : ,4 • • •· ... / ;~ ~ advisory committee, a group char advises At the NIH Research Festival 1994 poster session, Dr. Lynn Hudson (r), chief. molecular genetics section scientific directors on matters pertaining co rhe ofNJNDS' Laboratory ofViral and Molecular Pathogenesis, stops by to view the work ofDr. Rosemary role of women scientists at NIH. Wong, one ofthe authors who works in NIDDK's Molemlar, Cellular and Endocrinology Branch. See This lectureship honors Or. Margaret additional coverage ofthe event on Pages 6-7. Pittman, rhe first woman co hold the position (See PITTMAN LECTURE, Page 2) NIGMS Reorganizes, Moves to Natcher Bldg. is month, che N acional Institute of General Medical Sciences is undergoing a reorganiza­ Vitetta Is NIAID's 1994 tion and a move to che new William H. Natcher Bldg. on the main NIH campus. The Kinyoun Lecturer, Oct. 20 reorganization is designed ro enhance che inscicuce's effectiveness and efficiency in T r. Ellen S. Virecra, who is known for her supporting basic biomedical research and research training, as well as co align NIGMS' organiza­ pioneering contributions to under­ tional scruccuce and position tides wich chose of ocher NIH insticuces. D standing che immunobiology of B cells, will The most significant change is che rearrangement of four program branches-Cellular and present NWD's Kinyoun Lecture on Thurs­ Molecular Basis of Disease; Genetics; Biophysics and Physiological Sciences; and Pharmacology and day, 0cc. 20 ac 2 p.m. in Lipsett Amphitheater, Biorelated Chemistry-into three divisions: Cell Biology and Biophysics; Genetics and Develop­ Bldg. 10. The rirle of the ralk is "Antibodies as mental Biology; and Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biological Chemistry. According co Dr. Carriers of Toxins and as Agonises in Cancer Marvin Cassman, acting NIGMS director, "The reorganization reAects che increasingly interdisci­ Therapy." plinary nature of the research funded by NIGMS. By refining che discribucion and balance of Since 1988, Virerra has been director of che (See REORGANIZATION, Page 4) Cancer lmmunobiology Center at the Univer­ 1994 Lasker Award Signal Transduction Is sity of Texas Souchwestern Medical Center in Winners Are Grantees Focus of Stetten Lecture Dallas. In her studies of the mechanisms underlying he three winners of 1994 Alben ll cells-from the simplest one-celled rhe activation and differentiation of immune Lasker Medical Research Awards share, T A organisms co rhe highly specialized cells cells known as B lymphocytes, she was che first in addition co disringuished medical careers, a of planes and animals-are continually co biochemically characterize both IgM and rich funding history ac NIH. Together, chey bombarded by information from che outside IgD antigen-specific receptors on B lympho- account for some $64 million in funds for world. A central quesrion in the srudy of cell (See KINYOUN LECTURE, Page 8) research and training acrivicies spread across biology is how messages from che oucside are more than JOO NIH grants. relayed through the cell ro the nucleus, where, NIDCD Invites Hudspeth The winners are: Dr. Stanley B. Prusiner, through rhe actions of selected genes, appropri­ To Lecture on Hearing who received the Basic Research Award for ate responses are made. This process, called discovering prions, a completely new class of signal transduction, is che focus of the research r. Albert J. Hudspeth will give the disease-causing agents rhac cause several rare conducted by Dr. Sruarc L. Schreiber, a D NlDCD Anniversary Lectute entitled, neurodegenerative diseases; Dr. John A. professor of chemistry and molecular and "How Hearing Happens: Mechanoeleccrical Clements, who won the Clinical Medical cellular biology at Harvard Universiry. Transduction, Frequency Tuning, and Synapric (See LASKER, Page 8) (See STETTEN, Page 9} Transmission." A distinguished scientist whose research focuses on the movement of sensory NIAID's Hartley Lauded receptors in che inner ear called hair cells, he By Greg Folkers Healy Portrait Unveiling Set will speak on Thursday, 0cc. 27 ac 11 a.m. in he extraordinary scientific accomplish­ There will be a portrait unveiling for Lister Hill Auditorium, Bldg. 38A. Sign ments and 41-year NIH career of T former NIH direcror Dr. Bernadine Healy language interpreting will be provided. virologist Or. Janet W. Hardey, chief of the on Wednesday, 0cc. 12 ac 10 a.rn. in Hudspeth is a professor in che department of viral oncology section in NlAID's Laboratory Wilson Hall, Bldg. I. Healy and Ruch cell biology and neuroscience, director of the of lmmunoparhology, were celebrated recencly Bryant ofAmarillo, Tex., the anise who Center for Basic Neuroscience Research, and in a scientific symposium ac rhe Clinical painted che portrait, will be present for the investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Cenrer. Paying tribute to Hartley in scientific occasion. All NIH'ers are welcome to Inscicuce, University of Texas Southwesrern presentations were a "Who's Who" of prorni- attend. Medical Center ac Dallas. He received both his (See HARTLEY, Page 5) (See HUDSPETH, Page 4) page 2 The Record Ocrober I I , 1994 PITTMAN LECTURE ovulated eggs and embryos before they are (Continued from Page 1) implanted. oflaboraro1y chief at NIH, explains Dr. Susan Dunbar has dcmonsrraced char a vaccine Swedo, women scientists advisory committee made from zona pellucida proteins can trigger chair and acting deputy scientific d irector of an immune response char destroys che ovarian NIMH. "She exemplifies rhe best in scientific follicles in several species of mammals. "Our investigation and her pioneering work in current srudies are to identify which protein vaccine develop­ and which form of protein produced by ment has left a recombinant DNA technology are as effective lasting mark on as rhe narive protein," she adds. health care Dunbar earned her bachelor's degree in worldwide. We zoology and master's degree in physiology at are honored ro rhe University of Colorado, Boulder, and a have Dr. Dunbar Ph.D. in zoology at the University of deliver the first Tennessee, Knoxville. She did postdoctoral lecrure. Her work work at rhe University of California at Davis in contraceptive in biochemistry and biophysics. Prior ro vaccine research joining the Baylor medical school faculty in could have the 1981, she was staff scien cisr for rhe Population same far-reaching Council at the Rockefeller Universiry. Robyn Strachan, former budget officer with impact on the T he lecrure series honors N!NR, has been appointed budget officer far q uality of health Dr. Bonnie Dunbar Pirrman, who was named, NIAMS. She wilt be mpomible for all pha;e; of and life." in 1958, chiefof che budget formulation in mpport ofNJAMS Dunbar is noted for her work in developing Laboratory of appropriation; and will ;erve as principal con traceptive vaccines. "In humans, rhe Bacterial Products in financial advi;or to the imritute director. research is geared coward developing a vaccine the Division of using antibodies to keep the sperm from Biological Standards, Heritage Program Planning Starts binding to and fertilizing the egg," D unbar which was at the time explains. "The vaccine under development is a part of NIH. She is The first planning meeting for the 23rd being designed so that it is effective bur will noted for her annual Asian/Pacific American Heritage not affect the ovary or alter normal hormone significant contribu­ Program at NIH is scheduled for Friday, Oct. levels." tions co microbiology, 21 ar noon in the Little Theater, Visitor Another form of the vaccine is being including devising serological typing methods Information Center, Bldg. 10. The program developed for animal sterilization. Ir is a for identifying Hemophi/u;, and for vaccine will be held in May 1995. All interested parties humane alternative to surgical spaying of dogs development, especially for her work in are invited to attend che planning meeting. For and cars, for example, and ro slaying of animah pertussis and tetanus toxin vaccines. more information, call Victor Fung, 6-3511. D such as elephants because of overpopulation in A native of Prairie Grove, Ark., Pittman restricted habitats, she adds. earned her master's and Ph.D. degrees in T his vaccine works by wiping out ovarian bacteriology at rhe University of Chicago. She follicular development. The desired result for came co NIH in 1936, and retired in 1971. The NIH Record chis vaccine in most animals, she says, is After her retirement, she continued co serve as Published biweekly ar Berhesda, Md., by 1he Edirorial permanent sterilization and blockage of estrus. consultant co medical and scienrific organiza­ Op<:rarions Branch, Division of Public Information, for The vaccine is developed from proteins from tions arou nd the world and was a guest worker the information of cmploy«s of chc National In.srituces. of Healrh, Depariment of Health a.nd Hurnan Services. The the zona pellucida. The zona pellucida, for the Division of Biologic Standards of the conrcnr i.s reprinrable without permission. Picmres may be I irerally rhe zone char allows rhe passage of Food and Drug Administration's Center for available on requesr.