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BULLETIN
Creators of Antiviral Therapy Win 16th Annual Alpert PrizeDiscoveries Led to Treatment of Hepatitis CThree scientists whose pioneering research made interferon therapy for hepatitis C and other viral diseases a reality were named as winners of the 16th annual Warren Alpert Foundation Scientific Prize. For his seminal accomplishments in purifying, characterizing, and cloning human interferon-alpha (Hu-IFN-alpha), a virus-fighting substance produced by white blood cells, the foundation recognized Sidney Pestka, professor and chairman of molecular genetics, microbiology and immunology at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and chairman and chief scientific officer of PBL Biomedical Laboratories. David Goeddel, founder and chief executive officer of Tularik, Inc., and Charles Weissmann, a professor at the Institute of Neurology, University College London, and director of the Department of Infectology, Scripps Florida Research Institute, shared the prize for work in which they cloned Hu-IFN-alpha in the bacterium E. coli and demonstrated that biologically active interferon could be produced in large enough quantities to make it a practical treatment for disease. The foundation will divide a $150,000 award among the winners. Interferon-alpha is the key component of the only known treatment regimen for hepatitis C, a viral disease of the liver spread by exposure to the blood of those already infected. Approximately 170 million people suffer from chronic hepatitis C infection worldwide, and two to three million new cases are diagnosed each year. If untreated, chronic hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis, and infection raises the risk of liver cancer 100-fold. By using a combined regimen of pegylated interferon-alpha and ribavirin, however, doctors now cure 50 to 80 percent of chronically infected patients, depending on the viral strain, thereby heading off subsequent deadly conditions. Warren Alpert first established the prize in 1987 to reward scientific breakthroughs with a direct impact on the treatment of disease. The next year, he asked Daniel Tosteson, then dean of HMS, to convene a panel of experts to select and honor scientists from around the world who had made such contributions. Prize recipients are selected by the foundation¹s scientific advisory board, made up of internationally recognized biomedical scientists and now chaired by Joseph Martin, the current dean of HMS. The prize is funded solely by Alpert, who is chairman of Warren Equities.
Yellen Named Head of PhD Program in NeuroscienceGary Yellen, HMS professor of neurobiology, has been named head of the PhD Program in Neuroscience, beginning July 1. The Program in Neuroscience, administered through the Division of Medical Sciences at HMS, is an interdepartmental program that links basic science and clinical faculties throughout the Harvard community.On the HMS faculty for 12 years, Yellen has focused his research on the molecular basis of ion permeation and channel gating. His contributions include identifying the likely pore-forming region of potassium channels and studies indicating the location of gating machinery within the pore.
"We look forward to building on the strengths of the existing program and to enhancing our ties with the growing neuroscience efforts at FAS and the other Harvard institutions," said Yellen. He succeeds Jonathan Cohen, HMS professor of neurobiology, who served as program head for the past 11 years. "The entire neuroscience community is very grateful to Dr. Cohen for his dedication and leadership," said Carla Shatz, head of the HMS Department of Neurobiology, "and we all thank him profoundly for his contribution."
Dana-Farber President Elected to Academy of Arts and Sciences
Edward Benz, president of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Richard and Susan Smith professor of medicine at HMS and DFCI, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS). Benz is a hematologist whose recent research has shown that a key red cell membrane protein has novel and unexpected roles in cell division and control of cell growth in other tissues. The AAAS elected 201 new members this year, bringing its current membership to more than 4,500. (Photo courtesy of Dana-Faber)
Weintraub Named Chief Of Surgery at Cambridge Health Alliance
Ronald Weintraub, the David Ginsburg associate professor of surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and HMS, has been named chief of surgery for Cambridge Health Alliance. Weintraub is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, the American College of Cardiology, and the American College of Surgeons. "Our vision for the Surgery Department is to foster growth and to develop the areas where the alliance has already established a solid reputation for excellence," said Weintraub. "We will also build on our existing cadre of experienced surgeons while strengthening strategic relationships with other health institutions. In addition, we embrace opportunities to bolster our department's contribution to clinical research."
Teaching Honored for 2004
HMS Faculty Prizes for Excellence in TeachingPrize for Excellence in Teaching, PreclinicalWalter Robinson, assistant professor of pediatrics at Children's Hospital and of social medicine at HMS Honorable Mention Lee Gehrke, HMS professor of health sciences and technology and of microbiology and molecular genetics Prize for Excellence in Teaching, Clinical Kitt Schaffer, HMS associate professor of radiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Honorable Mention David Soybel, associate professor of surgery at BWH Special Prize for Excellence in Teaching by Visiting Faculty Dale Berg, visiting from Jefferson Medical College, teaching Advanced Physical Diagnosis for fourth-year students at BWH Special Recognition for Excellence in Teaching by a Department MGH Dermatopathology: Lyn Duncan, HMS associate professor of pathology; Vincent Liu, HMS instructor in pathology; and Martin Mihm, HMS clinical professor of pathology Teaching Awards at HMS AffiliatesS. Robert Stone Award at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterRonald Silvestri, HMS assistant professor of medicine, BID Leo A. Blacklow Award at Mount Auburn Hospital Lori Balestrero, HMS instructor in medicine at MTA Klaus Peter International Teaching Award Andrew Colin, HMS associate professor of pediatrics at Children's Hospital L. James Wiczai, Jr. Award Lori Newman, Education Program Manager at BID
At the HSDM Student Research Day on April 29, Paula Elmi, HSDM 2004, discusses her poster, which shows how she increased the usability of cross-section images of the body for anatomical research. Her project, "Landmarks of the Visible Human Datasets," aimed to establish a set of easily recognizable anatomical landmarks in the "Visible Human Male" and "Visible Human Female" datasets from the National Library of Medicine in an attempt to determine a common language for anatomical quantification. "The landmarks represented by my project and poster mark a starting point from which we can utilize the datasets as a guide or template to register other datasets, such as patient MRs and CTs for minimally invasive procedures, including image-guided surgeries," Elmi said. More than 40 students displayed posters on research day, which also featured oral presentations by selected students. (Photo by Leah Gourley)
The New England Primate Research Center opened a 28,000-square-foot research building on May 12, the largest expansion of lab space since its opening in 1962. The building will support 40 researchers, including HMS faculty, postdocs, and research assistants. Their work, including studies on AIDS and Parkinson's disease, may grow to involve stem cell research, according to Ronald Desrosiers, the center's director and an HMS professor of microbiology and molecular genetics. The center is one of eight National Primate Research Centers. (Photo by Kristen G.Toohey)
SPORE Grant Awarded in Kidney Cancer ResearchThe National Cancer Institute has awarded its first-ever Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant in kidney cancer research to scientists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The five-year, $13 million grant will focus on early detection, minimally invasive therapy, immune enhancement, and identification of molecular prognostic and treatment selection criteria. Vikas Sukhatme, the Victor J. Aresty professor of medicine at BID and HMS, and William Kaelin, HMS professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will serve as co-principal investigators.
Rare Images of HMS Now Available on the Web A special project under way at Countway Library will enable direct access to archival images of HMS like this photograph of the HMS Pathology Department, taken around 1913. These historical photos, a critical part of the School's institutional memory, document the development of medical education, medical practice, and the Longwood Medical Area. More than 4,000 images will be described in Web-based subject guides that will include scans of 1,600 representative images. Each guide contains a statement about rights and usage information. The first guides can be viewed via the project's website at www.countway.harvard.edu/archives/LDI_historical_ images_guides.shtml
Honors and AdvancesPatricia Donahoe, the Marshall K. Bartlett Professor of Surgery at HMS and Massachusetts General Hospital and director of MGH pediatric surgical research, has received the Flance-Karl Award at the American Surgical Association annual meeting. The award honors a surgeon who has contributed to basic research applicable to clinical surgery.David Studdert, associate professor of law and public health in the Department of Health Policy and Management at HSPH, has won the Alice S. Hersh New Investigator Award from AcademyHealth, a professional society for health services researchers, policy analysts, and practitioners. The award recognizes scholars early in their careers as health services researchers who show promise for future contributions. Studdert's research focuses on the nexus between law and health policy. He is currently using records from the malpractice system to examine causes of medical errors that result in severe injury. |
