January 31, 1995 Vol. XLVll No. 3 "Still U.S. Department of Health The Second and Human Services Best Thing About Payday" National Institutes of Health IH Recori Performing a 'Grace Note' OE's 'Saturday School' King Program Stresses 'Everyone Can Serve' Reaps Prompt Rewards By Carla Garnett By Ruth Levy Guyer ,C, and R may be, after N, I, and H, he high temperature on Friday, Jan. 13 was 68 degrees. In Masur Auditorium, che Pthe three letters most often juxtaposed NIH director recalled his I 960 procesc march, a surgeon miked jazz, children made in conversations on the NIH campus. So one T rainbows, and in between, all the traditional trappings-the posting of the colors, the would not normally label a discussion of reading of rhe litany, and entertainment by talented musicians-of an NIH Marcin Lurher PCR basics and the merits of che technology King, Jr. Commemoration were observed as well. "remarkable." But remarkable is an ape term Adopting the theme, "Everyone Can Serve; Help Somebody," rhe celebration sponsored by for a recent session in the Cloister, because NIH's Office of Equal Opportunity actually began weeks earlier when recepracles for donations che discussanrs were teenagers. of canned goods and ocher items to be disrribuced co area homeless shelters were placed in NIH The 25 students comfortably batting facilities. Program coordinaror O.H. Laster of OEO said an estimated "30 million Americans around words like polymerases, chermocy­ nightly go co bed hungry in che so-called cling, and restriction enzymes were summing land of plenty." Srariscics such as those, he (See SATURDAYS, Page 6} continued, prompted the humanitarian theme for this King commemoration. Two organizarions were designated to receive the donations-rhe Montgomery County department of social services in Maryland, and rhe House of lmagene in Washington, D.C. "Marrin Luther King, Jr. had a direct influence on my life and on my convictions," said NIH director Dr. Harold Varmus, who recalled his student days at Amherst College NIH director Dr. Harold Varmus (l) and NCI in chelate l 950's. During char time, he said, director Dr. Samuel Broder {c) join keynote there were about four African American ~ speaker Dr. LaSalle Leffel/ at NJH's Martin students in his class of 300 males. "Amherst Students who took part in the Saturday School Luther King, Jr. commemoration. (See KING COMMEMORATION, Page 8) familiarize themselves with lab work. Maria Freire To Direct Fluoridation Marks 50 Years of Cavity Prevention Technology Transfer By Patricia Sheridan n Jan. 25, 1945, at 4 p.m., one of the most successful public healrh projects in r. Maria C. Freire has been appointed history began. Grand Rapids, Mich., became the first ciry in che world to fluoridate D director of the Office of Technology 0 its drinking water, setting che stage for a dramatic national decline in the race of Transfer (OTT), effective Feb. 5. She dental caviries. Today, established and has headed the office of as water fluoridation technology development at che University of celebrates its 50th Ma ·yland at Baltimore and at the University anniversary, fluoride of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her continues to be dental responsibilities included the effective transfer science's main weapon of technology from academia co industry, in the battle against parenting and licensing acrivities, technical coo th decay. evaluation, legal protection, and che market­ Fluoridation of the ing of i nvenrions and innovations chat arose Grand Rapids water from both campuses. supply launched a 15- "Dr. Freire is uniquely qualified to meet che year study sponsored by challenge of chis imporcanc office," said NIH rhe Public Health director Dr. Harold Varmus, announcing rhe Service, the University appointment. "Her background and of Michigan, and the experience make her the ideal candidate, and ciry of Grand Rapids co we are delighted char she is available co accept monitor che race of chis responsibility." tooth decay among the Freire earned her Ph.D. degree in biophys­ ciry's 30,000 school­ ics ar the University of Virginia in 1981, and children. After j use 11 has completed postgraduate work in immu­ years, scientists Dr. Francis Arnold {l) ofNI DR and Dr. Philip jay ofthe University of nology at the University of Virginia and in announced chat the rare Michigan count colonies ofbacteria in cultures made from the saliva of virology at the University of Tennessee. For of dental cavities had schoolchildren during the Grand Rapids fluoride study. 2 years she held an AAAS congressional dropped more than 60 science fellowship, sponsored by the Bio­ percent. For the first rime in history, tooth decay-the inevitable cause of pain and suffering physical Society and by the American Society for generations of youngsters-was proven to be largely preventable. Today more than 144 for Photobiology, which enabled her to serve million Americans in approximately 10,500 communities drink fluoridated water, one of the (See FREIRE, Page 2) (See FLUORIDATION, Page 4) page2 The Record January 31, 1995 FREIRE APPOINTED TO OTT POST MBRS Investigator Hillyer Grad School Seeks Teachers (Continued from Page 1) Becomes AAAS Fellow The FAES Graduate School at NIH has as a legislative assistant ro Rep. Norman Y. openings for new instructors and new courses Mineta and Sen. John D . Rockefeller, IV. Dr. George V. Hillyer, a professor of (at all levels) in chemistry, physical and Her legislative interests included science pathology and NIGMS Minority Biomedical biomedical sciences, medicine, statistics or technology, higher education, and the ' Research Support (MBRS) Program associate any other area. lf you would like to teach environment. investigator at the University of Puerto Rico one night a week, have ideas for courses not She has received numerous honors and School of Medicine in San Juan, recently was listed in the current catalog, would like to awards, including a grant from rhe National elected a fellow of share specialized knowledge in any scientific Science Foundation in science reacher che American or nonscientific area and/or have the desire to training. She has advised many national and Association for che acquire reaching experience by teaching a new international boards and committees Advancement of course, or participate in the teaching of a including rhe emerging company sec~ion of Science (AAAS). current course, call Lois Kochanski, 6-7976. rhe Biotechnology Industry Organization. He was elected for Even if you are at NIH (or elsewhere) on a OTT serves as the principal agent for the his "pioneering temporary basis, your services are welcome. research insrirurions of the Public Health work on cross­ Nor only can you add "reaching experience" Service-NIH, the Centers for Disease immunity in to your CV, bur you can also be paid for your Control and Prevention, and FDA-in schiscosomiasis and efforts, receive FAES bookstore discounts and carrying our the technology transfer policies fascioliasis and for D G • •v H'll Social Security coverage. A number of FAES of the U.S. government as expressed by careful analysis of r. eorge · i 'Yer instrucrors have written popular textbooks Congress in rhe Federal Technology T ransfer the antigenic determinants both for immu­ based on their courses. 0 Ace of 1986. nity and immunodiagnosis," according ro OTT conduces rhe following activities on AAAS. T his research has been supported by Blue Cross To, Hold Service Day behalf of the PHS intramural research NIAID. Blue Cross/Blue Shield of the National community: assisting in evaluation of Hillyer has been associated with the Capital Area will be on the NIH campus pacenrability and marketability of new University of Puerto Rico system since I 972. Monday, Feb. 6, to assist enrollees who have inventions, obtaining and enforcing domestic During that time, he has served as a professor claims or enrollment problems. A representa­ ~nd foreign patents on inventions made by of immunology and parasitology (1972-1987) tive will be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. rncramural laboratories, marketing and and as chairman of the department of biology on that day in Bldg. 3 I, Conf. Rm. 9 (C licensing patent rights and ocher intellectual (1981-1987) at the Rio Piedras campus. In win~, 6th fl.) armed with a laprop computer prope_rcy to industry, and evaluating requests I 987, he transferred to the medical sciences co d1rectly access the enrollee's records at from 111.tramural scientists that the govern­ campus. Since joining the staff, he has served Blue Cross/Blue Shield headquarters. No ment waive its intellectual property rights co as director of the Laboratory of Parasite appointment is necessary. Assistance will be employee inventions. Immunology and Pathology. Hillyer also was provided on a firsr-come, first-served basis. OTT also administers licensing agreements, responsible for writing che curriculum for rhe his anticipated chat additional service days including royalty administration, helps ~ni~ersity's fir~t intercampus Ph.D. program will be scheduled in the future. 0 agencies administer cooperative research and 1n biology, which began in 1981. development agreements (CRADAs), and His association with MBRS began in 1973, provides policy directives in the field of when he and a colleague wrote the original technology transfer both to PHS personnel The NIH Record MBRS grant application for the University of and to potential technology transfer partners Published biw«kly at Bethesda, Md., by the Editorial Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus. He served outside the government. 0 Operuions Branch, Division of Public Information for as the_ director _of t~e school's MBRS program the information ofemployees of the National lnsri,;,tes of Employee Assistance Workshops from tts tncepnon 111 1974 until 1983. Health, Depanment of Heal,h aod Human Services. The Resume on Tuesdays in the VIC Over the past 20 years, he has acted as a con_ttnt is rc:prinrable widlOur permission.