Announcements

MELCHERS LECTURE TO MARK HISTORICAL EXHIBIT OPENING

  • Monday, May 14, 2018; 9:30–10:30 a.m.
  • Lipsett Amphitheater (Building 10)
  • Fritz Melchers, Ph.D., a professor of immunology at the University of Basel, Switzerland, will deliver a lecture on May 14 honoring the scientific accomplishments of Michael Potter, the Lasker award-winning NIH scientist who helped to establish the field of monoclonal antibodies, largely seen as one of the greatest advances in medical research of the 20th century.

Melchers’ lecture will mark the official opening of twin historical exhibits in Building 10 celebrating the lives of Potter and Nobel laureate Christian Anfinsen. (This will be the first of two celebratory lectures; the second, honoring Anfinsen, will be held in the fall.)

Melchers is a leading expert in the field of immunology and, in particular, B cell immunology. From 1980 to 2001, Melchers was director of the Basel Institute for Immunology, an organization with more than 300 scientific investigators. During this time, he and Potter held a series of workshops alternating between Bethesda and Basel concerning mechanisms of B-cell neoplasia, a precursor to abnormal tissue growth.

Potter, who died in 2013, was an ingenious and generous researcher whose 50-year career at the National Cancer Institute was distinguished by amazing discoveries and superb mentoring. Potter’s research focused primarily on plasma cells, a form of white blood cells that produce antibodies. His 1984 Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research was for his “elegant studies of plasma cell tumors, leading to the development of monoclonal antibodies and enlarging our knowledge of carcinogenesis and the immune system.”

The twin exhibits — titled “Curiosity & Collaboration: The Work of Michael Potter” and “Christian Boehmer Anfinsen: Protein Folding and the Nobel Prize” — are positioned in the long, first-floor corridor of Building 10, just “north” of the FAES bookstore and are expected to be fully installed by May 14.

Following the Melchers lecture, there will be a small ceremony to officially open the exhibits for both Potter and Anfinsen.

Like Potter, Anfinsen had a long and productive career at the NIH, first at what was then called the National Heart Institute and later as chief of the Laboratory of Chemical Biology in what is now the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Anfinsen’s book, The Molecular Basis of Evolution, published in 1959, demonstrated the scientific and disciplinary affinities between molecular genetics and protein chemistry. Anfinsen shared half of the 1972 Nobel Prize in chemistry for “work on ribonuclease, especially concerning the connection between the amino acid sequence and the biologically active conformation.”

The Potter and Anfinsen exhibits were built by the Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum with funding from NIDDK, NHLBI, and NCI.

LEVERAGING THE NETWORK TO ADVANCE WOMEN IN SCIENCE

  • 3rd Annual NIH Vivian W. Pinn Symposium
  • May 16, 2018, from 1:00–4:00 p.m.,
  • Lister Hill Center (Building 38A)

The NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) is delighted to invite you to an upcoming professional development opportunity to support women scientists. As you may be aware, few women are reaching leadership levels in their careers. However, science is enhanced when diverse perspectives are represented at every level.

To address this significant issue, please join us for the 3rd Annual NIH Vivian W. Pinn Symposium, titled Leveraging the Network to Advance Women in Science, to be held May 16, 2018, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., in Bethesda, Maryland, at the Lister Hill Center Auditorium in the National Library of Medicine on the NIH main campus. The symposium is during National Women’s Health week, an observance led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and recognizes Vivian W. Pinn, M.D., the first full-time director of ORWH (1991 to 2011), acknowledging her longstanding leadership in women’s health research.

To register online, go to https://orwh.od.nih.gov/annual-vpinn-seminar/register. Onsite registration will also be available. During this exciting symposium, distinguished speakers will discuss their experiences with and insight on mentoring women and supporting their career progression. The speakers and moderator are listed below.

  • Janet Bandows Koster, MBA (Panel Moderator), Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Association for Women in Science
  • P. Kay Lund, Ph.D., Director, Division of Biomedical Research Workforce Programs, Office of Extramural Research, and Co-Chair, NIH Working Group on Strengthening the Biomedical Workforce
  • Daniel Ford, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Medicine, Director, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, and Principal Investigator, Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health, Johns Hopkins University
  • Rachelle Heller, Ph.D., Associate Provost and Professor of Computer Science, The George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science
  • Following the panel presentations, guests will be able to meet current and prospective mentors as well as aspiring scientists at the Catalytic Connectionssession, a professional development and networking opportunity. Developing opportunities and support for the recruitment, retention, re-entry, and advancement of women in biomedical careers is central to ORWH’s mission.

We encourage everyone to attend and count on you to inform any women in science about this professional development opportunity. Please share the attached flyer.

ANITA ROBERTS LECTURE

“Specializations for Decision making in Primate Prefrontal Cortex”

The presentation will be given by NIMH Senior Investigator Elisabeth Murray, chief of the Section on Neurobiology of Learning and Memory and Chief, Laboratory of Neuropsychology. She has more than 25 years of research experience in the field of physiology. Her research focuses on the neural basis of learning, memory, emotion and decision making. This research makes use of multiple techniques to examine the dissociable functions of different prefrontal cortex regions and their interactions with various medial temporal lobe structures, especially the amygdala. Murray is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, Society of Experimental Psychologists, American Psychological Association, and American Association for the Advancement of Science. She has served as the primary mentor to numerous trainees, been invited to present lectures worldwide, and authored over 160 peer-reviewed publications. The Anita Roberts Lecture series highlights outstanding research achievements of women scientists in NIH’s Intramural Research Program at NIH. To arrange for sign-language interpretation, contact Margaret McBurney at mmcburney@od.nih.gov or 301-496-1921.

THE BIG READ

  • Tuesday, June 5; 1:00–2:00 p.m.
  • Masur Auditorium (Building 10)

The NIH Library and the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES) are pleased to announce the NIH Big Read 2018 featuring I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life, by Ed Yong. This book, published in 2016, examines the world of the microbes that exist within and around us in a fascinating tour that takes us through their history, and illuminates the impact they have on our daily lives. Join us on Tuesday, June 5 when author and science journalist Ed Yong visits NIH to discuss his book with NIH Director Francis Collins in an informal conversation. After the formal program ends, there will be a Meet and Greet and book signing with Mr. Yong on the FAES Terrace in Building 10 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. followed by a reception for the author in the NIH Library from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Before the final event in June, we invite you to discuss the book with your NIH colleagues in a series of book discussions hosted by the NIH Library in April and May. Get started reading now through the NIH Library’s OverDrive platform. Unlimited online access to both the eBook and the audiobook is available from April 2 through July 2 for all NIH staff. Learn more on the NIH Big Read information page at hhps://nihlibrary.nih.gov/nih-big-read. Additionally, Institute and Center staff are encouraged to schedule and hold separate book discussions. The NIH Library is offering two sessions on how to set up and run an independent book discussion to help you get started. BOOK DISCUSSIONS: Talk about the book with your colleagues, hosted by NIH Librarians. Discussions will be held in the NIH Library Media Room, in Building 10. Sign up at hhps://nihlibrary.nih.gov/training/nih-big-read-bookdiscussions.

May 10, 2:00-3:00 p.m.

May 15, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

May 22, 12:00-1:00 p.m.

BOOK DISCUSSION TRAINING SESSIONS: Learn how to lead your own discussion. Training sessions will be held in the NIH Library Media Room, in Building 10. Sign up at hhps://nihlibrary.nih.gov/training/nih-big-read-book-discussions.

May 3, 2:00-3:00 p.m.

May 8, 12:00-1:00 p.m.

PROGRAM QUESTIONS: Contact Kathleen McGlaughlin at the NIH Library, kathleen.mcglaughlin@nih.gov.

The NIH Big Read is intended to foster collaboration and community across NIH through the discussion about a single book over several months, culminating in a special event featuring the author of the book. The program was inspired by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read program and is being presented at NIH by the NIH Library, the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES), and the Office of the Director (OD). Individuals with disabilities who need Sign Language Interpreters and/or reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact the NIH Library Information Desk at 301-496-1080 five business days in advance, and/or the Federal Relay 1-800-877-8339.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE RESEARCH LECTURE SERIES

The NCCIH Integrative Medicine Research Lecture Series provides overviews of the current state of research and practice involving complementary health approaches and explores perspectives on the emerging discipline of integrative medicine. For more information and/or to make arrangements for individuals with disabilities who need other reasonable accommodations, contact Afomeya Agonafer (301-435-6826 or Afomeya.Agonafer@nih.gov).

June 4: “Caring for our Military: Considering Nondrug Therapies for Pain” (Mary Jo Larson, Ph.D., M.P.A., Brandeis University). Dr. Larson will provide an introduction to the U.S. Military Health System and the treatment of pain in that setting, including recent innovations. Trends include movement toward a culture of pain awareness, expanded use of nondrug treatments, and a full continuum of best-practice pain services. These changes are in line with the report of the Pain Management Task Force convened by the U.S. Army Surgeon General, which provided more than 100 recommendations on a holistic, multidisciplinary, and multimodal strategy to manage pain. Dr. Larson will also discuss her NCCIH-funded study on the characteristics and clinical needs of U.S. Army soldiers returning from deployments, the types of treatments (drug and nondrug) that they receive, and the associated outcomes.

FESTSCHRIFT FOR RICK FERRIS

Please join the NEI in celebrating the career of Frederick (Rick) Ferris III, M.D., former NEI clinical director and director of the NEI Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications. Ferris retired in November 2017 after 44 years at the NIH. Ferris was involved in dozens of clinical trials, including NEI’s first—the Diabetic Retinopathy Study. This and other trials served as the basis for treatment guidelines that cut the incidence of severe vision loss from diabetic retinopathy by 90 percent. Ferris was also active in clinical trials for age-related macular degeneration. Taking the reins as NEI clinical director in 2000, Ferris ushered the eye clinic into the digital age, overseeing transition to an electronic medical records system to strategically collect data. The June event will feature presentations from Ferris’ collaborators who will highlight lessons learned from clinical trials.

TAKE A HIKE DAY

  • Thursday, June 7, 11:30 am-1:30 pm
  • Building 1

All NIH staff are invited to participate in the 11th Annual NIH Take a Hike Day, a non-competitive 3.25 mile walk/run around the perimeter of the Bethesda campus. The event begins in front of Building 1, rain or shine. Not on campus? No problem! Take a Hike Day is also held at four off-campus locations: Rockledge, Executive Plaza, Fishers Lane and NCI Shady Grove. The event is sponsored by the NIH Office of Management (OM), Office of Research Services (ORS). For information, contact Shuntrice Holloman, ORS at Shuntrice.holloman@nih.gov.

LOW VISION REHABILITATION: AMPLIFYING SIGHT THROUGH RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

Low vision research is the topic of the next symposium honoring the National Eye Institute’s fiftieth anniversary. Low vision is visual impairment that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, medication, or surgery. The condition affects millions of Americans and can significantly affect everyday activities, from driving and reading to doing household chores. NEI supports a variety of vision research, including the development of technologies that enable people with low vision to make the best use of their remaining sight. The symposium will feature presentations on topics ranging from the neuroscience of blindness and the effects of sight restoration on the brain to new low-vision technologies including retinal prosthetics. Low-vision devices will be on exhibit. For more information about NEI 50th anniversary events, including the symposium series, visit https://nei.nih.gov/neiat50.

This page was last updated on Thursday, April 7, 2022

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