March 19, 2021 Vol. LXXIII, No. 6 Public health actions, such as physical A PATH PAVED BY MANY distancing and mask wearing, are critical to slowing the spread of Covid-19, but they have Crowther Underscores the rapidly and Value of Mentorship Intramural NIMH Looks at dramatically BY DANA TALESNIK Pandemic’s Mental Health changed our lives. Wherever in the Impact Schools world Dr. Mark BY ERIC BOCK transitioned Crowther may to remote travel, there’s The Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on daily usually a mentee he life has negatively affected people’s mental learning. Office employees can visit. Crowther health, said Dr. Joyce Y. Chung during a has trained and recent virtual Clinical Center Grand Rounds. teleworked Dr. Joyce Y. Chung while frontline mentored countless “We know why things have changed,” said successful aca- Chung, NIMH deputy clinical director. “But workers, such as health care providers and grocery store employees, became essential. demics who span do we really know how these changes have the globe. Of all his affected us? It’s something that we really Large indoor social gatherings were discour- achievements, the Dr. Mark Crowther need to understand.” aged. Families—especially those with older SEE CHUNG, PAGE 10 renowned clini- cian-scientist with hundreds of publications Mid-March marked 1 year since we entered the pandemic age—social distancing, mask under his belt is proudest of the careers he wearing, nationwide lockdowns and maximum telework at NIH. Look for a special feature has helped shape. Apr. 2 on coping strategies and how people are acknowledging the historic anniversary. SEE MENTORSHIP, PAGE 6 LIVING TECHNOLOGY ‘UNITE’ LAUNCHED Programmable Cells Poised NIH Targets Structural Racism to Benefit Biology, Disease in Biomedical Research Detection BY RICH MCMANUS Earlier this month, NIH launched a wide-ranging, comprehensive initiative to In the brave new end structural racism in biomedical research. world plausibly A five-committee group—called “UNITE”— envisioned by that consists of a cross-section of more than MIT’s Dr. James 75 NIH’ers from all 27 institutes and centers Collins in a will guide the long-term initiative. Self-care images lead Wear Red Day 2021. See recent Covid-19 “The time for upholding our values and story, p. 12. scientific taking an active stance against racism, in ALSO THIS ISSUE interest group all its insidious forms, is long overdue,” lecture, wearable said NIH director Dr. Francis Collins, in a Briefs ....................................2 sensors may Mar. 1 statement. “As a science agency, we Rural Health Seminar Examines Challenges of one day detect Dr. James Collins know that bringing diverse perspectives, Covid-19 Care, Research. .3 the arrival of backgrounds and skillsets to complex 2021 Mahoney Lecture Scheduled . .5 whatever pandemic will almost certainly scientific problems enhances scientific succeed Covid-19 as a global threat, and productivity. NIH has long supported Digest ....................................9 even the mask one dons on such an occasion programs to improve the diversity of the Milestones ................................11 might be capable of diagnosing what that scientific workforce with the goal of har- Seen ....................................12 bug tangled in the fibers happens to be. nessing the complete intellectual capital of SEE COLLINS, PAGE 4 SEE UNITE, PAGE 8 BRIEFS ‘Take Your Child to Work Day’ Goes Virtual visitors seeking to enter campus unless those The REAL ID Act of 2005 established minimum NIH’s “Take Your Child To Work Day” (TYCTWD) credentials are compliant with the REAL ID Act. security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses will be held virtually on Thursday, Apr. 22. and identification cards and prohibits federal As a federal agency, NIH cannot admit visitors agencies, such as NIH, from accepting for official This year’s online registration will be conducted in without an acceptable form of ID. These same purposes licenses and identification cards that do two phases. The first phase will begin on Tuesday, standards apply to NIH staff who forget their ID not meet these standards as of Oct. 1, 2021. Mar. 23 at noon. The second phase will begin on badge and must access NIH facilities as a visitor. Tuesday, Mar. 30 at noon. Patients, regardless of identification, will continue For additional information about the Real ID Act, to be allowed on campus upon verification of their visit: https://www.dhs.gov/real-id. During the first phase, parents or guardians can status on a protocol with the admissions office at register their child for only two “limited-space” the Clinical Center. activities each. During the second phase, children may be registered for up to 2 additional limited-space activities for a maximum of 4 limited-space activities per child. Open-space activities do not count toward the limited-space activities. TYCTWD offers children in grades 1 through 12 an opportunity to explore career paths in science and public service at NIH. Visit https://takeyourchildtowork.nih.gov/Pages/ default.aspx for more information. Year-round athlete Stuart Kern masked and in motion at left, and above, breaking for a bridge-crossing WHEN IDEAL IS NOT AN OPTION weights, an exercise ball, two teenagers—which provide adequate resistance workouts for the Kern Finds Short Workout Better Than no muscle groups I don’t use when cycling or running. Workout My biggest challenge is a mistaken notion that The Record asked readers about their exercise if I can’t do a full ideal workout—like three sets regimens during cold weather. Stuart Kern, of all exercises or a long run or a long ride—that contract specialist, NIDA Office of Acquisition, it’s not worth doing. I have to remind myself NCATS section, replied below. that one set of pushups, or a half-hour ride, or a run around the block is better than nothing at 5th Pathways Issue Looks at Imaging “I’m a year-round athlete, so the winter is always a time for working on my base conditioning in all. Likewise, it’s all too easy to go directly to my NIGMS has launched its fifth issue of Pathways, a anticipation of cycling and running events later in chair and not take any stretching breaks through collection of free Scholastic resources for grades 6 the year. the day. I try, with mixed success, to get out of my through 12. This issue is all about the microscopic chair regularly and do that one set of pushups, or world and the science of imaging. The goal of Prior to the pandemic, my base miles were built into stretch while I’m making a cup of coffee, or push NIGMS’ collaboration with Scholastic is to teach my commute. I biked the 8 miles from Silver Spring the teenagers out for a walk. to my office at White Flint, and then extended my students about basic science, its importance to For motivation, I’ve signed up for a few races health and the many different career paths of ride on the way home, or rode straight home and ran when I got there. With proper clothing and later this year. They may be cancelled or when the researchers. Visit www.scholastic.com/pathways/ time comes I may not feel it’s safe to participate, index.html and download the free magazine and lights, I rode all through winter [2020] except those few days when we had ice or snow. but for now it gives me a target to shoot for. I accompanying resources to help students learn follow friends on Strava, so we see each other’s about how scientific imaging technology allows Once we were sent home, I shifted to single, workouts—we trade encouragement, and there’s researchers to unlock the mysteries of our cells longer rides or runs —either before or after my the quiet satisfaction of knowing that I rode or and molecules. These discoveries can aid in work day. That’s great through the longer days of ran on a colder or wetter day than they did. I also learning about the body’s normal and abnormal summer, but now in the winter I’ve shifted again. keep a simple written log of my workouts, so I processes and lead to more effective, targeted I enjoy running just before dawn, so on running can look back over the month and see whether treatments for illnesses. days I get up and out early. On cycling days, I I exercised on more days than I didn’t. I keep an start my workday early and get out at lunchtime. eye on the weather forecast for the week, plan on NIH Will Enforce REAL ID Act In October taking the worst day as an intentional rest day, I also try to work through a core strength and flex- Starting Oct. 1, NIH will no longer accept driver’s and commit to getting decent workouts on the ibility routine a few times a week. We have some days before that.” licenses or other forms of identification from simple resistance items—elastic bands, simple 2 • NIH RECORD • MARCH 19, 2021 Rural Health Seminar and Billy Charles, tribal member of the Native Village of Emmonak in Alaska, explained that in Examines Covid-19 rural Alaska, people cooperate as a community Challenges to survive and be resilient. Drs. Alice Ammerman of UNC and Carla Norwood, executive director of BY SALLY PAUSTIAN Working Landscapes, showed attendees some cre- NIH hosted a seminar examining the ative collaborations with local farms and restaurants many ways the Covid-19 pandemic has to address the increase in food insecurity during the affected health and health research pandemic, such as a program that provides frozen, in rural communities. The seminar healthy meals made with local ingredients.