NOVEMBER 21, 2014 The Second Best Thing About Payday VOL. LXVI, NO. 24 At Kinyoun Lecture Blaser Explores Link Between Obesity, Antibiotic Use By Rich McManus ABOVE · Minnie Mouse (aka Tiffany Webb) stopped by R&W’s Halloween Party for the CFC. See story, more photos, p. 12. vidence is mounting that the epidem- E ic of obesity now girdling the globe might be traceable to alterations in the features human microbiome introduced by wide- 1 spread exposure to antibiotics, not only Blaser Probes Suggestive Links as medication for people but also possibly Between Obesity, Antibiotic Use in our diet; farm animals are fattened for 3 market with sub-therapeutic antibiotic Kumanyika To Give Gordon Lecture treatment introduced in animal feed and water from an early age. 5 Such was the case made at this year’s Spong Named NICHD Deputy Director NIAID Joseph J. Kinyoun Lecture by Dr. Martin Blaser, Muriel and George Singer 12 professor of medicine at New York Uni- Dr. Martin Blaser gives Kinyoun Lecture at NIH. Halloween Costumes Entertain at versity Langone Medical Center. His talk, CFC Event “Early Life Microbiome Influences on Metabolism, Immunity and Disease Risk,” ar- gued that human exposure to antibiotics early in life induces permanent changes in departments see blaser, page 6 Melanoma: Both Disease and Treatments Global Health Ramp Up From Ebola to E-Cigarettes: Experts Briefs 2 By Rich McManus Discuss Global Challenges Milestones 10 By Dana Talesnik Feedback 11 Among all the types of cancer affecting Ameri- Seen 12 cans, none is increasing faster than melanoma, As Ebola rages on in West Africa, the world the diagnosis of which has been steadily grow- caught itself unprepared to quell the outbreak ing at a rate of about 4 percent each year since of this deadly, infec- 1973. It is the sixth most common malignan- tious disease. Mean- cy among men and the seventh most common while, in the battle malignancy among women. But that onslaught to combat HIV/AIDS is being countered by a slew of new therapies, worldwide, U.S.-led six of which have been approved since 2011. efforts have helped save millions of “Immunotherapy [for melanoma] has nev- lives but much work er been as exciting as it is right now,” said Dr. remains to eradicate Rhoda Alani, who gave a Contemporary Clini- this deadly virus. cal Medicine: Great Teachers lecture recent- Still other global ly in Lipsett Amphitheater. “New therapies challenges, from air and targets are being anticipated on almost a pollution to climate monthly basis.” NIEHS/NTP director Dr. change, threaten Alani is Herbert Mescon professor and chair Linda Birnbaum countless lives. And in the department of dermatology at Boston safety debates con- University School of Medicine and dermatol- tinue over the growing global phenomenon The NIH Record is recyclable ogist-in-chief at Boston Medical Center. No of e-cigarettes. These provocative issues were as office white paper. see melanoma, page 4 see global health, page 8 Storytellers Sought Calling all storytellers in our community—NIH wants you. NIH’s Office of Science, Outreach and Policy (OSOP) is partnering with national nonprofit briefs StoryCorps to capture stories of the NIH community. StoryCorps has recorded more than 50,000 Grenny Kicks Off Seminar Series, Dec. 4 conversations involving more than 90,000 individu- als—oral histories that are archived at the American The Deputy Director for Management (DDM) Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. On Dec. Seminar Series is set to offer another round of 8-10, StoryCorps will visit the NIH campus to record leadership and management presentations, our stories. Participants sign up for a 1-hour slot; beginning in December. 40 minutes of the time will be dedicated to record- The ninth annual series will host speakers ing your conversation. People typically volunteer known for delivering meaningful insights into in pairs, since the recording is intended to be a workplace concepts, challenges and solutions. conversation between two people who know each The seminars will provide NIH employees an other well. Volunteers determine the topic of their opportunity to advance their knowledge of best discussion and often learn something new about practices in a variety of leadership and manage- each other in the conversation. Participants can be ment issues. anyone in the community—two patients or partici- pants in a clinical trial, a patient and doctor, two The first seminar will feature Joseph Grenny, nurses, a researcher-mentor combination or a staff “Crucial Conversations and Accountability” on member and volunteer, for example. Dec. 4 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Masur Audi- torium, Bldg. 10. The series continues into the “Our goal is to provide those connected with our new year with three more seminars: Bonnie St. community an opportunity to share their stories, John, “Normal is Overrated—Aim Higher” on Feb. which we hope to integrate into the NIH visitor expe- 12; Sian Beilock, “Performing Under Pressure rience,” explained Daozhong Jin of OSOP. “We plan The NIH Record is published biweekly at When it Counts” on Apr. 9; and Simon Sinek, to share these stories via the NIH web site, social Bethesda, MD by the Editorial Operations “Inspiring Trust and Loyalty in Organizations” media channels and direct outreach activities.” Branch, Office of Communications and Public on June 4. These presentations will focus on the The project is currently recruiting volunteers. If you Liaison, for the information of employees of science of leadership, managing successfully the National Institutes of Health, Department or someone you know may be interested in having of Health and Human Services. The content is during high-stress or high-pressure situations a story recorded and archived, visit www.nih.gov/ reprintable without permission. Pictures may and effective communication. about/storycorps/. be available upon request. Use of funds for printing this periodical has been approved by Presentations will be available via NIH Video- the director of the Office of Management and casting at http://videocast.nih.gov/ for those NCI’s Greenwald Budget through September 30, 2015. who cannot attend or when Masur Auditorium Honored for To receive alerts to our latest issue, send an reaches capacity. Outstanding email to [email protected] with the words Research “Subscribe NIHRECORD” in the message body. Sign language interpreters will be provided. In- dividuals who need reasonable accommodation The Breast Cancer NIH Record Office Bldg. 31, Rm. 5B41 Phone (301) 496-2125 Fax (301) 402-1485 to attend should contact the NIH Training Center Research Founda- at (301) 496-6211 or the Federal Relay Service tion presented Dr. Web address http://nihrecord.nih.gov/ at 1-800-877-8339. For more information about Peter Greenwald Editor the series and to view previous videocasts, visit with the Jill Richard McManus www.ddmseries.od.nih.gov/. Rose Award for [email protected] distinguished Associate Editor Use or Donate Leave Reminder scientific achieve- Carla Garnett ment on Oct. [email protected] Don’t forget to officially schedule your “Use or 9 at its annual Donate” (formerly “Use or Lose”) annual leave Staff Writers symposium & awards luncheon. Greenwald was Eric Bock no later than Saturday, Nov. 29. Questions about recognized for his lifelong contributions in cancer [email protected] “Use or Donate” leave should be directed to prevention research and policy, including his found- your administrative officer. Dana Talesnik ing of the National Cancer Institute’s Division of [email protected] Cancer Prevention and his role as associate director Belle Waring Community College Day Set, Nov. 25 for cancer prevention at NCI’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. In addition to his many [email protected] The NIH Office of Intramural Training & Educa- scientific contributions, Greenwald has served on The NIH Record reserves the right to make tion will host Community College Day 2014 on the BCRF scientific advisory board since 2002. The corrections, changes or deletions in submitted Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the award was created in 1996 in memory of Jill Rose, copy in conformity with the policies of the Natcher Conference Center. Community college paper and HHS. a friend of BCRF founder Evelyn H. Lauder and a students and faculty will visit the NIH campus member of the foundation’s advisory board. NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health to learn about careers and training opportuni- ties in biomedical and health care fields. For registration and more information visit www. training.nih.gov. 2 NIH RECORD NOVEMBER 21, 2014 2 NOVEMBER 21, 2014 NOVEMBER 21, 2014 VOL. LXVI, NO. 24 Kumanyika To Give NIDCD Speaker Series Presents Advances in Plain Language Gordon Lecture Using plain English to talk about scientific advances can be a challenge, but not The Robert S. Gor- for NIDCD’s Dr. Dennis Drayna, chief of the section on systems biology of com- don, Jr. Lecture, part munication disorders. He recently described the genetics of stuttering to help of the NIH Director’s launch NIDCD’s new speaker series “Beyond the Lab, Understanding Communi- Wednesday After- cation Disorders.” noon Lecture Series, The series offers an opportunity to learn about research advances in commu- will be given by Dr. nication disorders—conditions that will affect about one in 6 Americans. It is Shiriki Kumanyika intended for those who might not have train- on Dec. 3 from 3 to 4 ing or a background in biomedical research. p.m. in Masur Audi- The goal is to present the science in ways that torium, Bldg. 10. Her topic is “Research Direc- everyone can understand and to underscore tions for Solving the Obesity Epidemic in High- how NIH staff play a role in advancing scientif- Risk Populations.” ic knowledge.