The Newsletter of the NIH Alumni Association Summer 2000 Vol.12,No.2 date NIHAA Members Enjoy Annual Meeting with Osborn, Kirschstein, and Spiegel "The health of the NIH is good." Dr. Ruth Kirscbstein, acting NIH director, told NIH alumni as she summarized the history and future prospects of the agency at the annual meeting of the NIH Alumni Association. Kirschstein's presentation was the first of three highlights of the well-attended member­ ship meeting on June 17,2000. NTI-lAA Public ServiceAwardee Dr. fane E. Osborn spoke of her experiences as a scientific advisor and reviewer for NIH, and Dr. Allen M. Spiegel, NIDDK director. traced N1H intramural research on signal transduction over a 30-year period. Dr. William Gay, tbe NIRAA president who opened and presided over the Dr. William I. Gay presents the 8th NIHAA Public Service Award to Dr. June E. Osborn during session beld at the Mary Woodard the group's annual meeting, held June 17 at the Mary Woodard Lasker Center (the Cloister) Lasker Center, announced the election on the NIH campus. (See Annual Meeting, p. 12) Shalala Speaks Frankly at BOth ACD Meeting In This Issue Page Angell To Give Fourth Research Festival '00 3 By Rich M cManus NIHAA Shannon Lecture Ca/1111dar ofexhibits anti e11e111s 5 HHS Secretary Donna Shalala Dr. Marcia Angell. fo1mer editor-in­ dropped in on the 80'h meeting of the News from and abour NIHAA members 6 chief of the New England l oumal of advisory committee to the NIH director Update 011 two Nobel laureates I 0 Medicine, will deliver tbe founh James on June 8 Lo offer encouragement and A. Shannon Lecture on Feb. 14, 200 l at congratulations on a variety of topics NlHAA members tour NIH 1 3 3 p.m. in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10. including the FY 2001 budget, NIH's She will speak on, "Tbe Ethics of Missing from rhe stacks 15 effort to bo.lster oversight of human Clinical Trials.'' The Shannon Lecture gene transfer, the progress of the Working draft of h11ma11 is sponsored by NlHAA. Human Genome Project, and NlH's genome a111101111ced 16 Angell. who is a lecturer in social initiative to reduce health disparities. medicine at Harvard Medical School, Health dispariries top NIH agenda 18 She also expanded upon and ap­ bas been associated with the New plauded President Clinton's decision, FNlH rack/es family lodge project 20 England Joumal ofMedicine for over announced that morning, to extend two decades. She joined the Jo11rnal in Medicare coverage to participants in FYI 22 1979 and became executive editor in clinical trials, and answered questions NIH notes 24 1988. In September 1999. she became in a relaxed and freewheeling session. interim editor-in-chief following the "You've bad me as candid as I've ever NIH retrospectives 31 departure ofDr. Jerome P. Kassirer. (See ACD Meeting, p. 14) (See Angell, p. 2) N I H A A U P D A T E Angell (continued from p. I) She is a board-certified pathologist In 1997, the NIHAA established a who received her M.D. from Boston lecture seri es named to honor Dr. James Update University School of Medicine., and A. Shannon, NIH director from 1955 to trained in internal medicine at Mt. 1968, a period of considerable growth Auburn and University Hospitals and and redirection for the institutes. The NIHAA Update is the nell'slerrer of the in pathology at Mt. Auburn and New The first lecrure was given by Dr. NJHA/wnni Association. The NlflAA office is England Deaconess Hospitals. Joseph Goldstein in January 1997 and at 9101 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda, MD Known, both nationall y and interna­ 20814-1522, 301-530-0567; email address: subsequently published (with Dr. [email protected]: website: www.fnih. tionally, for her writings on medical Michael S. Brown) in the Journal of orglnih.111111. ethics and health policy, she is the Clinical Investigation, 99:2803-2812 author of lhe book Science on Trial: under lhe title "T11e clinical investigator: Editor's Note The Clash of Medical Evidence and bewitched, bothered and bewildered ­ The NIHAA Update welcomes leuers and the law i11 the Breast Implant Case but still beloved." The second Shannon news f rom its readers. We wish to provide (Norton, 1996). She has written many Lecture was presented in October 1998 news about NIH to its alumni and to report influential articles and editorials, and by Dr. Leon Rosenberg and published i.n alumni concerns and i11for111ation--appoi111­ is the co-author of lhe textbook Basic both Science, 283:331-332, Physician­ 111ems, honors, publications and other Pathology. Scien1i sts-Endangered and Essential," interesting developmems-to theircolleag11es. you have news abo111 yo11rself or other She is a member of the Institute of and the Journal of Clinical lnvestiga­ If alumni or co111111e11tsls 11ggestio11s for tire Medicine of the National Academy of rion, 103:1621-1626, "The Physician­ NTHAA Update. please drop a note to the Sciences, the American College of scientist: An essential- and fragile­ editor. We reserve the right to edit materials. Physicians, and the Association of link in the medical research chain." American Physicians. In 1997, Angell Last year's lecture was by Dr. Purnell Editor: Harriet R. Greenwald was named by Time magazine as one of W. Choppin, retired president of the NIHAA Newsletter Edilorial Advisory the 25 most influential Americans. Howard Hughes Med.i cal Institute, who Committee The article cited her not only for her spoke on, "A Role for Private Support work at the Journal, but also for her of Biomedical Research." Jerome G. Green, Chairman book Science on Trial, which became Please see invitation to the lecture by Artric e Bader an "instant classic on junk science." Angell below. Michael M. Goflesman Victoria A. Harden Carl Leventhal Robert G. Martin TIDS ISYOURINVITATIONTOTBESHANNON LECTURE Abner Louis Noiklns Saul Rosen The N1H Alumni Association Stonn Whaley corclially invites you to attend the fourth Richard G. Wya 11 JamesA.SbannonLecture NIHAA Newsletter Board of Contrib11ting Editors "The Ethics of Clinical Trials" P. Eliuibeth Anderson Linda Brown Dr. Marcia Angell Giorgio Bernardi H. Franklin Bwm Former Editor-in-Chief, Henryk Eisenberg The New England Journal ofMedicine Donald S. Fredrickson Lars A. Hanson George Klein Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001 at 3 p.m. Riclwrd M. Krcmse Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10 Richard McManus Carlos Monge Reception to Follow Roger Monier Michael Sela 2 SUMMER 2 0 0 0 NI HAA Officers Research Festival 'DO Slated for Oct. 1D·13 William 1. Gay. President By Paula Cohen Murray Goldstein, Vice Preside111 (For details, see box on this page and Jerome O. Green, Vice President Preparations are well under way for sidebar on p. 4). Storm Whaley, Secretwy!Treasurer the '14'hannual Nil-1 Research Festival The NIH Job Fair for postdoctural Past Presidents to be held on the Bethesda campus fellows, sponsored by the Foundation William S. Jordan, .fr., 1997-1999 Oct. 10- 13. The festival organizing for the NIH and spearheaded by the Calvi11 8. Bt1ldwin, Jr., 1995-1997 committee, co-chaired this year by NIH Office of Education 's acting Thomas J. Kennedy. Jr., 1993-1995 NHLBJ scientific directors Dr. Robert director Brenda Hanning and fair Joe R. Held, 1991- 1993 Balaban and Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, has Gordon D. Wallace, 1990-1991 coordinator Shirley Forehand, will kick been busy planning a wide-ranging off research festival events on Tuesday, Board of Directors program showcasing the scientific Oct. I0. A keynote address on "Career Alexander Adler diversity of the NIH intramural research Decision Strategies in the Era of Aririce V. Bader program. This year's festival will Biotech: How to Decide What Pathway W. Emmen Barkley follow a format similar to that of last Edwi11 Becker ls Right for You," by Dr. Wtlliam Robert l. Berger year's festival, comprised of plenary, Schrader, Ligand Pharmaceuticals, will Rita Colwell mini-symposia, and poster sessions; a begin job fair acrivities ar 9:00 a.m. in Pe1erC011dliffe job fair for postdoctoral fellows; a Jack Masur Auditorium, CC. The job Cyrus R. Creveling biomedfoal research equipment show: fair will follow in the NIH Visicor Murray Eden special exhibits on intramural re­ Carl Frells Infonnation Center, CC, and will host a Pe1er /.,. Frommer sources; and a lunchtime food fair. number of representatives from Samuel W. Greenhouse Samuel S. Herman Mini-Symposia I Wednesday, October 11 2:00-4:00 p.m. .lane SundelofJones • Mechanisms ofBlood Pressure ReguWJ.ion and DysregulaJjon Joseph Keyes, Jr. Irwin Kopin Co-Chairs: Mark Knepper, Nm...Bl, and Juergen Schnermann, NIDDK Lloyd W. /.,a IV • Erulocannabinoids and Related lipid Mediators Carl Levemhal Co-Chairs: George Kunos. NIAAA, and Miles Herkenbam, NIMH Waller Magruder • Acquired Mitochondrial Toxicities KQfh/een McCormick Chair: Marinos Dalakas, NINDS Caroly11 McHale James 0 'Don11ell • DNA Polymerases, Helicases, Nucleases, and Genomic (in)Stability Paul D. Parkman Co-Chairs: Vilbelm Bohr, NIA, and Roger Woodgate, NICHD Joseph Perpich • Tile Cell Cyclt! Karl Piez Co-Chairs: Mary Lilly, NICHD, and Oroa Cohen-Fix. NIDDK Harley Sheffield • Development and Degeneration of Glial Cells /.,a.wre11ce E. Shulman Joan Topalian Co-Chairs: Vittorio Gallo, NICHD, and Lynne Hudson, NINDS Paul Van Nevel Mini-Symposia II Thursday, October 12 2.·30-4.·30p.m. NIRAA Staff • Chromatin Structure, Gene Regulati.on and Boundary Elements Harrie/ R. Greenwald Chair: David Clark, NIDDK Mary Calley Hartman • Protein Analyses and Proteomics: Emerging Methods in Mass Spectrometry Chair: Sanford Markey. NlMH Tim NIH ALUMNI A ssocJK rJONTHANKS'fu.£ • Membrane Microdomains FouNDATION FOR rn1> NIH, MERCK & Co., [ NC., AND WYETH·A YERST R ESEA RCH OF Co-Chairs: Teresa Jones.