October 2, 2020 Vol. LXXII, No. 20 has put a real time-consuming—structure” that governed focus on the how the world came to know about a novel inadequacies coronavirus that was first publicly reported TRACKING ‘DIGITAL EXHAUST’ of public on Dec. 30, 2019, when 7 patients in Wuhan, health data China, came down with a mysterious illness? Digital Disease Detection collection.” Early reports were linear and slow, Needs Boost, Brownstein Says Brownstein arising from the public, to health care BY RICH MCMANUS offered a workers, to laboratories, to ministries of whirlwind health (such as the CDC) and finally to The current global coronavirus pandemic overview of world bodies such as the WHO. is going to be a poster child for all sorts how digital “Our view is that all stakeholders in public of future public health preparation, but disease health should have access immediately,” perhaps nowhere more actionably than detection can said Brownstein. Monitoring public health in real-time surveillance of an infectious be improved at threats should be as obvious and simple as disease as it explodes across the world. the National whipping out your smartphone to check the “Every domain except health care has Library of weather, he said. data—shopping, travel, news, entertainment, Dr. John Brownstein Medicine/ “Why this doesn’t happen in public health learning—that helps with our decision-mak- Medical baffles us, right?” he continued. “A National ing,” said Dr. John S. Brownstein, professor Library Association’s annual Joseph Leiter Weather Service for disease outbreaks is of biomedical informatics at Harvard Lecture on Aug. 11. something people keep talking about. But Medical School and chief innovation officer “What data streams,” he asked, “can we we lack the underlying data sets, we lack at Boston Children’s Hospital. “Covid-19 tap into that unwind the hierarchical—and SEE BROWNSTEIN, PAGE 4 WHAT HAPPENS IN VAGUS Burgess Illuminates Light’s Experts Expound on Role in Health Interoceptive Processes BY ELLEN O’DONNELL BY DANA TALESNIK Many of us have Feeling thirsty or tired? With every breath, been spending heartbeat and hunger pang, there’s a vast, more time inside intricate maze of neural circuits commu- during the nicating these Covid-19 public signals and sen- health emergency, Tonnage of dunnage on CC roof; see story, p. 7. sations between and one of the your organs impacts is less ALSO THIS ISSUE and your brain. exposure to light. CC Offers Asymptomatic Testing for SARS- Research into In a virtual lecture CoV-2 to NIH Staff .........................3 these pathways titled “Lighting Up Our Lives: How D’Souza Selected as Next NIDCR Director ....5 and how they can be modulated Light Influences Big Doings Behind, Atop the Clinical Center ..7 by different Our Physical and Dr. Helen Burgess Upcoming Talks Feature Women in Science ..9 practices and Mental Health,” Dr. Helen Burgess recently explored this topic. Digest ...................................10 techniques— from yoga The event was part of NCCIH’s Integrative Milestones ................................11 to electrical Medicine Research Lecture Series. Foil the Flu! ..............................12 stimulation—can Dr. Eleni Frangos Burgess is professor of psychiatry and SEE INTEROCEPTION, PAGE 6 SEE BURGESS, PAGE 8 BRIEFS 2020 NIH Director’s Awards Now Online This annual series highlights the achievements of Fauci Receives 2020 Lienhard Award An NIH Director’s Award is the most prestigious NIGMS’s early career grantees. It is designed to The National Academy of Medicine has named non-monetary award at NIH to recognize the introduce students to cutting-edge research and NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci as the recip- outstanding achievements of all institutes, centers inspire them to pursue careers in the biomedical ient of the 2020 Gustav O. Lienhard Award for and offices. Each nomination undergoes a rigorous sciences. Advancement of Health Care. review process that includes each institute/ NIH trainees are encouraged to watch via Zoom center director, the NIH awards review committee Fauci is honored for his role as a leader of federal and participate in the live Q&A. For more details, research and and selection by the NIH director for special visit https://www.nigms.nih.gov/News/meetings/ recognition. policy on infectious Pages/2020-nigms-directors-early-career- diseases and, in Historically, the in-person ceremony provided an investigator-lecture.aspx. particular, for his opportunity to showcase stellar service in the areas deft, scientifically of research, administration, technical and clerical Segre Set for Roberts Lecture, Nov. 3 grounded leadership support, mentorship, clinical care, Commissioned NHGRI senior investigator and Translational in shaping an effec- Corps, work/life and well-being and equity, and Functional tive response to the diversity and inclusion. This year, the remarkable Genomics Covid-19 pandemic. accomplishments of 660 NIH staff from the 2019 Branch chief Dr. The award will be calendar year are presented in a virtual format. The Julie Segre will presented at NAM’s site https://go.usa.gov/xGm6k was developed in present “Human annual meeting, held partnership with IC leadership across NIH. Microbiome: virtually for the first time ever, on Oct. 19. Nominations for the NIH Director’s Award are Friend and Foe,” accepted from late fall through mid-winter and the 2020 Anita B. Fauci is the 35th Roberts Lecture, should be based on accomplishments fulfilled recipient of the Dr. Anthony Fauci during the last full calendar year (January– on Tuesday, Nov. Lienhard Award. December). Any NIH employee with familiarity 3 from 12:30 to Given annually, the of the work performed either by an individual or 2 p.m. award recognizes outstanding national achieve- group can nominate. Nominations for the 2021 Segre’s research ment in improving personal health care in the NIH Director’s Awards will open soon and must be integrates United States. entered through the electronic honorary awards high-throughput and ranking system at https://go.usa.gov/xGm6Q. The Lienhard Award is funded by an endowment sequencing, from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Email [email protected] for more information algorithm devel- Gustav O. Lienhard was chair of the foundation’s on the nomination process. opment and Dr. Julie Segre board of trustees from the organization’s establish- clinical studies ment in 1971 to his retirement in 1986. to explore the 5th NIGMS Early Career Investigator microbe diversity of human skin in both healthy and Lecture, Oct. 14 disease states. Her team established the first topo- 2020 Anti-Harassment Training Launched Dr. Michael D. L. Johnson, an assistant professor in graphical maps of human skin bacterial and fungal Online, Must Be Taken by Dec. 14 the department of immunology at the University diversity, enabling the study of alternations in those As part of its continued commitment to achieving of Arizona, will give the NIGMS Director’s Early populations that are associated with eczema and a harassment-free work environment, NIH recently Career Investigator Lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 14 other microbial-associated infections. launched the 2020 anti-harassment training. The at 1 p.m. via Zoom goals are to educate individuals in the workplace and NIH videocast. Segre’s laboratory also integrates genomic tools to to prevent harassment; raise awareness of what The lecture is track hospital-acquired infections, model out- constitutes harassment and the consequences of open to everyone breaks, monitor evolution of antibiotic resistance harassing behavior; and stamp out instances where in the scientific and develop risk assessment strategies. harassing behavior may exist. The online training community. She is a fellow of the American Academy of is mandatory and replaces the No FEAR and Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) training. During his talk, Microbiology and the National Academy of titled “Microbes, Medicine and she received the Service to America All NIH federal employees, trainees, fellows and Metals, Music Medal in 2013. contractors are required to take the training annu- and Lessons in Segre is also an outstanding mentor and currently ally. The 2020 training must be completed by Dec. Disproving Your serves as a member of the NIH woman scientist 14. New hires must complete it within 90 days of Hypothesis,” executive committee. onboarding. Failure to comply with the training will Johnson will result in disablement of a person’s active directory describe his The seminar series is dedicated to the memory accounts until the requirement is met. Anyone research on how of Dr. Anita B. Roberts, former chief of NCI’s whose active directory account is disabled will be bacteria maintain Laboratory of Cell Regulation and Carcinogenesis. unable to sign into their computer or access emails. Dr. Michael D. L. Johnson homeostasis Lectures highlight outstanding research achieve- To learn more about EEO mandatory training, PHOTO: MARI CLEVEN within the metal ments of women scientists in the NIH Intramural milieu. He hopes Research Program. The virtual talk will be available visit the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion that understanding how bacteria interact with via NIH videocast at https://videocast.nih.gov/ website at https://www.edi.nih.gov/training/ metals during infections will identify novel thera- watch=37780. mandatory-training. peutic strategies against bacterial infection. To arrange sign language interpretation, contact After a 30-minute lecture, Johnson will answer Joy Jackson Farrar or Dee Andrews at jacksjoy@ questions from participants about his research and ors.od.nih.gov or [email protected]. career path. 2 • NIH RECORD • OCTOBER 2, 2020 transmission from staff to patients.” The to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Staff CC Offers Asymptomatic CC has also helped to develop testing stay at least 6 feet away from each other, Testing for SARS-CoV-2 to programs for staff at NIEHS in Research wash their hands often, don’t attend large NIH Staff Triangle Park, N.C., NIDA and NIA in meetings and stay home if they are sick.