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BULLETINNeuro Center Awards Innovation GrantsThe Center for Molecular Pathology in the Harvard Center for Neurodegeneration and Repair (HCNR) recently announced the recipients of the 2003 HCNR Innovation Grants for Technology Development and Application. The top three proposals were awarded a total of $275,000 for FY04. The recipients are Susan Dymecki, assistant professor of genetics at HMS, for "Tools to map neuronal circuitry changes in disease states versus health"; Dale Larson, lecturer on biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology at HMS, David Standaert, HMS associate professor of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Gavin MacBeath, assistant professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Harvard University, for "Surface plasmon enhanced illumination (SPEI) for proteomics: application in Parkinson's disease"; and Robert Brown, HMS professor of neurology at MGH, Aleksey Kazantsev, HMS assistant professor of neurology at MGH, and Alexander McCampbell, HMS research fellow in neurology at MGH, for "Mammalian RNAi library-based screen for modifiers of a neurodegenerative phenotype." HCNR is a decentralized community of HMS neuroscience and neurology researchers working in the Medical School and seven affiliated teaching hospitals. The organization draws together these more than 500 researchers to reduce duplication and increase collaboration.
Medical School Presents Faculty Teaching AwardsAt the final HMS faculty meeting of the year, on May 28, the School made its traditional presentation of teaching awards.
HMS dean Joseph Martin and medical education dean Malcolm Cox presented teaching awards at the last HMS faculty meeting of the year. (Photo by Liza Green, HMS Media Services) This award, presented by Joseph Martin, dean of the Faculty of Medicine, recognizes contributions of an individual who has significantly enhanced or supported recruitment, retention, or advancement of women at HMS or HSDM. Dean's Award for Leadership in the Advancement of Women Faculty Leonard Bruce Kaban, the Walter C. Guralnick professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery and chair of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at HSDM, and chief of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital Presented by Robert Crone, president of Harvard Medical International, this award honors contributions to international medical education. It is named after the dean of Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, a partner institution of Harvard Medical International. The Klaus Peter Teaching Award Guillermo Herrera-Acena, lecturer on ambulatory care and prevention The following awards were given by Malcolm Cox, dean for medical education. First- and Second-Year Teaching Awards David Hirsh, instructor in medicine at Cambridge Hospital Fred Schoen, professor of pathology at Brigham and Women's Hospital Richard Schwartzstein, associate professor of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Third- and Fourth-Year Teaching Awards Linda Heffner, associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Brigham and Women's Hospital Charles McCabe, associate professor of surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital This award has been given annually since 1981 to a member of the HMS faculty at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for excellence in teaching medical students and house staff. The S. Robert Stone Award for Excellence in Teaching Helen Shields, associate professor of medicine, associate master of the Holmes Society, member of the attending staff in Gastroenterology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and director of the human systems course in gastrointestinal physiology The S. Robert Stone Honorary Award for Excellence in Teaching (Awarded posthumously and accepted by the awardee's widow, Linda Heffner, also a teaching award winner, see above) Douglas Richardson, associate professor of pediatrics and associate chief for academic affairs and director of neonatal research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Initiated in 1990, this award is presented annually to an outstanding teacher who holds joint appointments at HMS and Mount Auburn Hospital. The Leo A. Blacklow Teaching Award Jerome Slate, instructor in medicine James Wiczai was the senior administrator of Peter Bent Brigham Hospital before Brigham and Women's was formed. In that role, he did everything he could to foster the teaching programs of HMS at the hospital. After his death, his widow established this award in his memory to honor a nonphysician staff member of one of the teaching hospitals. The James Wiczai Award for Leadership, Excellence, and Innovation in Medical Education Elena Olson, administrative director of the Multicultural Affairs Office at Massachusetts General Hospital
New Chair in Women's Health Established at Brigham and Women's Hospital
The establishment of the Elizabeth F. Brigham professorship in women's health at Brigham and Women's Hospital, funded by the hospital, was announced at an HMS reception on April 23. The new chair is named in honor of the sister of Robert Beck Brigham and niece of Peter Bent Brigham who named the hospital the sole beneficiary of her trust when she died in 1909. The first incumbent of the chair is JoAnn Manson, chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine and codirector of the Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology at BWH. She is the principal investigator of several landmark research studies that focus on the role of various lifestyle factors and therapeutic interventions in the prevention of chronic disease in women. "The Elizabeth F. Brigham professorship in women's health symbolizes our commitment to fulfilling the health care needs of women around the world and our confidence in Dr. Manson's expertise to carry out such a grand mission," said Brigham and Women's president Gary Gottlieb. Above, HMS dean Joseph Martin congratulates Manson on being named to the new HMS chair. (Photo by Liza Green, HMS Media Services)
Delbanco Receives Glaser Award from the Society Of General Internal MedicineThe Society of General Internal Medicine presented Thomas Delbanco, the Richard A. and Florence Koplow- James L. Tullis professor of general medicine and primary care at HMS and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, with the society's highest award, the Robert J. Glaser Award, at its annual meeting in May. The award is given for outstanding contributions to generalism in medicine through research, education, or both.
Thomas Delbanco receives the Robert J. Glaser Award from Nicole Lurie, chair of the Society of General Internal Medicine 2003 Glaser Award selection committee. Delbanco holds the first endowed professorship at HMS dedicated to primary care. He joined the staff of Beth Israel Hospital in 1971 and helped to create one of the first nationally recognized hospital-based primary care practices and teaching programs. That primary care practice, Healthcare Associates, now has 60 diverse faculty physicians and researchers working alongside HMS students, interns, and residents providing care in areas ranging from cancer prevention to substance abuse, disabling illness, obesity, AIDS, and end-of-life care. Among its recent achievements is PatientSite, a shared electronic patient record that allows patients to communicate with physicians via computer and to collaborate actively in their care. Healthcare Associates also has developed many initiatives to reduce medical errors and improve quality of care and has launched a collaboration with physicians in Ghana. Delbanco developed one of the first residency training programs in general internal medicine and organized the HMS-wide fellowship program to train general internists for academic careers. Delbanco helped found the Picker Institute and Picker Institute Europe and was one of the founders of the Society of General Internal Medicine.
HMS Faculty Named to American Academy of Arts and SciencesFour HMS professors have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the nation's oldest learned society, which is composed of eminent scientists, scholars, artists, business people, and public leaders. Dennis Ausiello, the Jackson professor of clinical medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital; Frederick Ausubel, professor of genetics at MGH; Barry Brenner, the Samuel A. Levine professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital; and Michael Greenberg, professor of neurology at Children's Hospital, will be inducted into the academy in October. Drawing on the wide-ranging expertise of its membership, the academy conducts nonpartisan studies on international security, social policy, education, and the humanities.
Alfred Sommer Wins Warren Alpert Prize Alfred Sommer, dean of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, won the 15th annual Warren Alpert Foundation Scientific Prize. He was chosen by the foundation's scientific advisory committee, chaired by HMS dean Joseph Martin, for his pioneering work in elucidating the impact of vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. His landmark work showed that the cost-effective treatment of vitamin A supplementation cannot only prevent blindness but also life-threatening infections in millions of children in the poorest nations. The ceremony to bestow the $150,000 prize was held on May 27. (Photo by Bachrach)
HMS Faculty CouncilAt the April 23 meeting of the HMS Faculty Council, Raphael Dolin, dean for clinical programs and cochair of the HMS steering committee, reported on the accreditation site visit to HMS by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) that took place from April 6 to 9. Accreditation Site Visit by the LCMEThe site visit was the culmination of a process that began in September 2001. Since then and prior to the visit, 130 pages of questions related to various administrative and academic aspects of HMS were distributed to appropriate individuals. Their responses were compiled and reviewed by self-study committees charged with an in-depth review of the School. At the end of the visit, the site visit team provided a series of oral comments to the dean of the Faculty of Medicine and the president of the University. By June, the team will have prepared a written report for the LCME, which in October will provide a written report to HMS.In the debriefing session, the strengths listed by the site visit team included that HMS dean Joseph Martin is an effective communicator who is committed to the educational mission of the School and has strengthened collaborations with the affiliated institutions; education is a high priority of the leadership of the School; the large faculty provides a rich environment for teaching; research is strong and will be further strengthened by the opening of the new research building; the student body is excellent, with outstanding backgrounds and a wide range of cultural diversity; the Academy should provide the infrastructure for innovations in medical education, provided that it is funded adequately; the TMEC and IT infrastructure are outstanding, including such aspects as simulation; and the leaders at the affiliated hospitals are committed to education and value their relationship with HMS. The one area of partial noncompliance, which was predicted from the self-study, was that the School did not show comparable educational experiences across all sites in some core clerkships. Students report and faculty confirm a lack of comparability in the educational experience in some clerkships. Dolin told the council that the wide range of clerkships was both a strength and a weakness and that it was important to document whether core standards are maintained across all clerkship sites. He also noted that some clerkships considered in need of strengthening during the last site visit were now considered to be excellent. As for HMS initiatives already in progress, the site visitors commented on both medical education and faculty diversity issues. The site visit team was aware that the dean and faculty are currently engaged in a review of the curriculum, and this could have a major impact on medical education at HMS. Some concern was expressed that the resources that are currently available to carry out the proposed changes may be inadequate, especially if more teaching is required on the part of the faculty. The site visit team recognized the importance of the Special Teaching Allocation to the mission of the School and recommended that it be renewed for a second five-year period. The purpose of the Special Teaching Allocation is to provide new Harvard funds to the HMS clinical departments in support of their undergraduate medical teaching activities. Additionally, the team recognized the outstanding diversity of the student body, but noted that this is not reflected in the faculty. The site visit team also noted that the hospital CEOs were eloquent in their commitment to the educational mission of the School and that the chairs had admirable familiarity with students and with the educational mission. Positive comments were also made about the faculty development programs for junior faculty, including the work of the Clinician-Teacher Longer Service Committee. Dolin told council members that at the debriefing session President Summers asked the site visit team which three issues should be focused on. The team responded that HMS frequently takes the lead in innovation of medical education, and the current discussions on curriculum change present another opportunity for leadership. They also noted that IT and the infrastructure for simulation and course accessibility are cutting-edge and that HMS should export these efforts, which could become a national model. Finally, they said the School needs to find a way to reward clinical teaching. The remaining summary of the issues discussed at this Faculty Council meeting will appear in the June 20 issue of Focus.
Reynolds Foundation Awards $24 Million for Heart Research at HMS and Brigham and Women'sThe Donald W. Reynolds Foundation has awarded HMS and Brigham and Women's Hospital $24 million over four years to establish a Donald W. Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center. The center will use findings from the Framingham Heart Study and HMS research on the role of inflammation to develop new risk measures for physicians to use in assessing atherosclerotic heart disease. It will involve identification and validation of possible new biomarkers, tapping genetic data from the Women's Health Study as well as other sources. The center will be directed by Peter Libby, the Mallinckrodt professor of medicine at HMS and BWH. Other Reynolds investigators are Paul Ridker, the Eugene Braunwald professor of medicine at HMS and BWH; David Kwiatkowski, HMS associate professor of medicine at BWH; and Ralph Weissleder, HMS professor of radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital. The center will involve collaborators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the Joslin Diabetes Center, Columbia University, and other institutions. The grant was part of a $54 million award, divided among HMS and the Brigham, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. The award to Hopkins, also $24 million, will support a clinical research center devoted to developing new ways to identify and treat heart disease patients at risk for sudden cardiac death.
Hands-on Training Offered for GenBank and NCBI Molecular ResourcesThe Bauer Center for Genomics Research, Harvard University, and the Countway Library of Medicine are offering a course titled, "A Field Guide to GenBank and NCBI Molecular Resources," on June 10 and 11. The course will be conducted by bioinformaticists from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). It consists of a three-hour lecture and a two-hour hands-on computer workshop. The lecture and hands-on workshop will be on GenBank and related databases covering effective use of the Entrez databases and search service, the BLAST similarity search engine, genome data, and related resources. Concurrent sessions of the course will be held at the Cambridge and Longwood campuses. Attendance is free but advance registration is required. Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. For times and locations and to register, visit www.cgr.harvard.edu/compbio/ncbiregister.asp.
Countway Redesigns WebsiteA new Countway Library website went live last month, which gives users more unified access to Countway services, including the Digital Library. The website address is www.countway.harvard.edu.
CDC Warns of Squeeze on Disease Prevention Funds
Don't count on the billion dollars earmarked for fighting bioterrorism by Congress a year and a half ago to shore up local prevention programs aimed at tobacco, obesity, and childhood vaccinations, said Joseph Henderson (above), associate director of the Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He addressed questions surrounding the federally funded local preparations for possible bioterrorist attacks in a May 8 talk titled "A Conversation with the CDC." "The first responsibility for this money is to ensure we can respond to bioterrorism events," Henderson said. "We want to build the preparedness system on top of a solid public health system. With state and local health agencies' shrinking budgets, you'll see a lot of these [prevention] services shrink because they assume the federal pot of money can resolve all these issues. It's really a problem." A webcast of the event, organized by the Harvard Center for Public Health Preparedness at HSPH, is available at www.hsph.harvard.edu/cdc. (Photo by Suzanne Camarata)
Honors and Advances
Save the Date"What's New at HMS"Third Annual Hollis L. Albright, M.D.'31 Symposium The Scope of Vaccines in Our Present and Our Future (Cancer, Infectious Disease, Allergy, Biological Agents) Challenges & Controversies with |
