Announcements

Coming Soon: Faster MTA Processing

Processing Time Will Go From Weeks to Days

In October, the NIH Office of Intramural Research in conjunction with the NIH Center for Information Technology will launch the initial version of a Web-based Material Transfer Agreemand (MTA) management system. The new system will establish an enterprise-wide MTA management system for use by intramural and extramural researchers as well as by NIH’s and external technology transfer offices; use automation to reduce the processing time of MTAs; and reduce the paperwork burden. Look for more details about NIH Web MTA at the NIH Research Festival (see announcement in next column) and in the next issue of The NIH Catalyst. For questions, contact Lili Portilla (Lilip@nih.gov) or Lisa Finkelstein (LFinkels@mail.nih.gov).

FY2012 Bench-to-Bedside Awards

Deadline: September 28 for Letter of Intent

The Bench-to-Bedside program is soliciting proposals for the FY2012 award cycle. Up to $135,000 per year for two years is available to support clinical research intramural-extramural partnerships. NIH intramural investigators are eligible to serve as project leaders on proposals, which require partnership between a basic and a clinical scientist. Priority will be given to proposals with intramural and extramural partners. Extramural partners need to have an existing NIH grant, which will be supplemented for successful applications. Extramural investigators are also invited to initiate proposals and serve as project leaders with an intramural partner, who will be responsible for coordinating proposal submissions. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/btb/awards.shtml or by e-mail to BenchtoBedside@mail.nih.gov. For an insider’s perspective on the program, watch a video at https://www.youtube.com/user/NIHClinicalCenter?feature=mhee#p/u/3/VedJPStjw_k. Additional videos will post weekly on YouTube. Subscribe for free at http://www.YouTube.com/user/NIHClinicalCenter.

NIH Research Festival

October 24–October 28, 2011
Opening session (“Molecular Mechanisms of Human Disease”): October 24, 10:00 a.m.–noon, Masur Auditorium (Building 10)
Remaining sessions: Natcher Conference Center (Building 45), Building 10, and Parking Lot 10H

This year's festival will include scientific symposia, poster sessions, a special session on improving workplace dynamics, the scientific equipment tent show, and more. Meet colleagues from across campus, learn about new research efforts, and celebrate the intramural community. For more information, visit http://researchfestival.nih.gov or e-mail researchfest@mail.nih.gov.

Genomics: Gene Discovery and Clinical Applications for Cardiovascular, Lung, and Blood Diseases

September 12–13, 2011
Natcher Conference Center (Building 45)

This NHLBI conference will focus on cutting-edge findings in recent and ongoing genome-wide research studies, including results from large-scale collaborative studies, new analysis techniques, and more. A cross-section of experts, including researchers and physicians, will discuss the emerging science and the translation of these advances to the clinic. For more information, go to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/meetings/Genomics/index.htm or contact Ann Walsh at walshac@nhlbi.nih.gov or 508-663-4046.

Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion Symposium

Thursday, September 15, 2011
8:25 a.m.–4:15 p.m.
Masur Auditorium (Building 10)

This program will provide practical information about recent developments, current practices, controversies, and laboratory-management issues in transfusion medicine; and be of interest to health-care providers who participate in the collection, production, transfusion, and monitoring of blood products. For more information, visit http://www.cc.nih.gov/dtm/research/symposium.html.

History of Medicine Seminars

The NLM History of Medicine Division sponsors seminars in the history of medicine and related fields. The programs are free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/happening/lectures/index.html.

September 22 (Thursday), 2:00–3:30 p.m., Lister Hill Auditorium (Building 38A): David M. Morens (NIAMS), “The Forgotten Indispensible Man: Joe Kinyoun and the Birth of NIH”

October 27 (Thursday), 2:00–3:30 p.m., Lister Hill Auditorium (Building 38A): Stephen J. Greenberg (History of Medicine Division, NLM): “NLM at 175: A Librarian’s View”

November 1 (Tuesday), 2:00–3:30 p.m., NLM Visitor Center (Building 38A): Hispanic History Month Lecture : Johanna Fernandez (Baruch College, City University of New York), “The Young Lords and the Struggle for Racial Justice and Public Health in New York”

December 1 (Thursday), 2:00–3:30 p.m., NLM Visitor Center (Building 38A) : Dan Cohen (George Mason University): “The Future of Digital History”

Symposium on Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine

October 4–5, 2011
7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Natcher Conference Center (Building 45)

At this NHLBI-sponsored symposium, experts in basic stem cell biology and in cardiovascular medicine will discuss new advances in induced pluripotent stem cell technology; reprogramming for cardiovascular regeneration; stem cells and in vitro disease modeling; translating stem cell biology; tissue engineering; the NHLBI Progenitor Consortium; and clinical trials. For more information and to register, visit http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/meetings/cv-regen11/index.htm.

"Bringing Science to Life: A Healthier Tomorrow"

Thursday, October 13, 2011
8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.

This scientific symposium, which concludes NINR’s year-long 25th-anniversary celebrations, will include presentations, a panel discussion, and poster presentations. Registration is free but required. Keynote speakers include Karen Daley (president of the American Nurses Association), Michael Gottesman (NIH’s Deputy Director for Intramural Research), and Senator Daniel Inouye (Hawaii). For more information and to register, visit http://www.ninr.nih.gov/NewsAndInformation/25years/ahealthiertomorrow.htm.

National Graduate Student Research Conference

October 17 and 18, 2011
Natcher Conference Center (Building 45)

Some 150 advanced graduate students in the sciences—competitively selected from across the United States—will come to the NIH Bethesda campus to share their research and meet with NIH scientists. NIH investigators and current postdoctoral fellows will have the opportunity to discuss potential collaborations and new research directions. For more information visit https://www.training.nih.gov/events/recurring/nih_national_graduate_student_research_festival.

Symposium: “Chromosome Structure and Function”

November 1–2, 2011
Natcher Conference Center (Building 45)

This symposium, brought to you by the Center of Excellence in Chromosome Biology in NCI’s Center for Cancer Research, will feature internationally renowned experts in the fields of chromosome structure and function, chromatin remodeling, single-molecule approaches to chromatin structure, transcription of chromatin, chromatin domains, centromere structure and organization, and nucleosome organization. The symposium is open to all. Deadline for registration and abstracts is September 30. For more information and to register visit http://web.ncifcrf.gov/events/cecb2011/default.asp.

Summit on Cell Therapy for Cancer

November 1–2, 2011
Masur Auditorium (Building 10)

This program, presented by the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, will provide an in-depth review of cell therapy as a cancer immunotherapy and include discussions and lectures by leaders in the field. Presentations will be on the latest research; clinical trials that will affect cell therapies; induced pluripotent stem cells; various cell therapy modalities; regulatory considerations; T-cell expansion; evaluation of biomarkers for T-cell therapies; adoptive immune therapies for melanoma; and persistence of transferred cells. Registration is free for government employees, but seating is limited. For more information and to register, visit http://www.sitcancer.org/meetings/am11/summit11.

Opening Windows to the Brain: Lessons Learned from the Neuroimaging of Pain

Monday, November 7, 2011
Lipsett Amphitheater (Building 10)
9:00–10:00 a.m. (lecture)
10:00–11:00 a.m. (poster session)

The Stephen E. Straus Distinguished Lecture in the Science Of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, established in honor of NCCAM’s founding director, will feature guest speaker Sean Mackey, M.D., Ph.D. from Stanford University School of Medicine (Stanford, Calif.). He is the chief of the Pain Management Division and associate professor of Anesthesia and Pain Management. Registration is not required. The lecture will be videocast live. For more information, visit http://nccam.nih.gov.

WALS 2011–2012

Most Wednesdays
3:00–4:00 p.m. (reception follows)
Masur Auditorium (Building 10)

Don’t miss the Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series (WALS), featuring presentations by research “all-stars.”

September 7: Carlos J. Bustamante, “Grabbing the Cat by the Tail: Discrete Steps by a DNA Packaging Motor and the Inter-Subunit Coordination in a Ring-ATPase”

September 14: Ron DePinho, “Genotoxic Stress Meets Mitochondria: Integrating Aging Mechanisms”

September 28: Antonios G. Mikos, “Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering”

October 5: L. Mario Amzel, “Activation of PI3Kalpha by Physiological Effectors and by Oncogenic Mutations: Structural and Dynamic Effects”

October 12: Russ B. Altman, “The Emerging Network of Data for Understanding the Interactions of Genes and Drugs”

November 2: Kenneth Fischbeck, “Developing Treatment for Hereditary Neuromuscular Disease”

November 16: Jonathan Weissman: “New Strategies for Decoding Genomes”

November 30: Diane E. Griffin, “Virus Clearance: It Isn’t Easy”

December 7: Gerald W. Hart, “Bittersweet Roles of O-GlcNAcylation in Diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease and Cancer”

December 14: Victor Corces, “Throwing Transcription for a Loop: The Role of Chromatin Insulators in the 3D Nucleus”

For the 2012 schedule and other details visit http://wals.od.nih.gov. All lectures are available via live videocast at https://videocast.nih.gov and are archived one week after each lecture.