New Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Public Education Campaign
On March 5, NIAAA and the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) launched a campaign to raise awareness of the risks associated with drinking during pregnancy, the leading known preventable cause of birth defects and learning difficulties. The campaign launch, which was held at Union Station in Washington DC, featured National and D.C. government officials, alcohol researchers, health care practitioners, and media personalities who joined Dr. Kington and the NOFAS leadership. The campaign is entitled, "Play it safe. Alcohol and pregnancy don't mix." The March 5 launch begins as a 2-year pilot program that targets Washington, D.C., African-American women of childbearing age and their families, friends, and others through research-based mass media messages, special events, and community partnership activities. It will include a combination of print and broadcast materials, radio and television public service announcements, mass transit displays, and partnerships with community organizations. The "Play it safe. Alcohol and pregnancy don't mix" campaign is designed as a prototype for future replication in other cities across the country.
College Drinking Initiative
Task Force Report
On April 9, the College Task Force of the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism issued its landmark report, A Call To Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges. The report, which was approved by Council on April 3, was released at a national news conference held at the National Press Club in Washington D. C. The Task Force was Co-chaired by Mark Goldman, Ph.D., Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology at the University of South Florida and Reverend Edward Malloy, President of the University of Notre Dame, each of whom has served as a member of the National Advisory Council. Institute coordination of this effort was provided by NIAAA Executive Officer Stephen Long with program development and support provided principally by the Office of Policy and Public Liaison, with participation by virtually every NIAAA Office and Division. Task Force members and participants are listed in the Task Force Report which Council has received. The report is also available online at the College Drinking Web site (see below).
In the weeks leading up to the April 9 release, NIAAA staff made extensive preparations to inform "stakeholders" of the pending report, including presentations of the report’s findings to senior officials in the U.S. Department of Education, representatives of the NIH Institutes and Centers, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIHM) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA), the Office of National Drug Control Policy. In addition, NIAAA hosted a briefing for a large group of federal agencies and constituency groups. This Constituency/Federal Partners Briefing, which was attended by more than 50 individuals, garnered commitments from outside organizations to issue press releases and disseminate information to their networks in support of the College Drinking Prevention effort.
College Drinking Prevention Materials
In addition to the overall Task Force report, a package of materials was developed specifically for the College Drinking Initiative. These materials have been mailed to every college and university in the United States and include:
- Panel Reports and Journal Supplement -- A special journal supplement that included 18 of the Task Force’s commissioned papers. The papers appear in the March 2002 Supplement of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol. An additional paper prepared by Task Force member Ralph Hingson, Sc.D., Professor of Social Behavioral Sciences and Associate Dean for Research at Boston University School of Public Health, appears in the March edition of the journal itself
- Brochures - Three brochures, which highlight the findings of the subcommittee for specific audiences. Brochures have been developed for college presidents, parents, and student peer educators, with future versions slated for community leaders, high school guidance counselors, and student. Feedback on these brochures has been extremely positive from a variety of groups
- Planning and Evaluation Guide - A handbook for college programming staff provides action steps for campus administrators and alcohol prevention programming staff on creating effective, research-based programs.
College Drinking Web site
A Web site, https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916115537/http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/, was developed and launched in conjunction with the April 9 release of the Task Force Report on College Drinking. In the first three weeks, there have been over 1,200,000 hits to the site, with an average of 40,000 hits a day and a total of 29,265. The site has already won nine awards, including: the "Golden Web Award" from the Internet Association of Webmasters and Designers in recognition of creativity, integrity, and excellence on the Web, the "Excellent Medical Site Award" from the EMS Index and the "Neovision Bronze Award" for Web site design. (See page 44 for complete list of Web site awards and recognitions to date). The Task Force Report and all ancillary materials also can be found on the College Drinking Web site.
Ongoing Activities
The project has now moved into a new phase which will feature extensive activities to bring the results and recommendations of the report to as many constituencies as possible. Such activities include:
- Regional Workshops: Planning is underway for regional workshops for college presidents and administrators, including deans, vice presidents, and health staff. The workshops are designed to share results of the subcommittee in small group settings, motivate presidents to implement Task Force recommendations on their campuses, and encourage them to focus on research-based programs. NIAAA staff have been working with Dr. Susan Pierce President, University of Puget Sound to develop and manage the first regional workshop. It will be held in the Pacific Northwest in October 2002. The limited meeting size and the geographical similarities of the schools are designed to encourage candid discussion, leading to possible joint planning
- Policymakers information sessions: OPPL staff are continuing to explore opportunities to present Task Force information to groups of national and local policy makers. These stakeholders are particularly important partners for colleges and universities attempting to create campus/community partnerships as recommended in the Task Force report.
Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Hearing on College Drinking
On May 15, the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs (Senator Joseph Lieberman [D-CT], Chairman) held a hearing entitled "Under the Influence: The Binge Drinking Epidemic on College Campuses." Testifying before the Committee were Acting NIAAA Director, Raynard S. Kington, M.D., Ph.D.; Mark S. Goldman, Ph.D., Director, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Research Institute, University of South Florida; Ralph Hingson, Sc.D., M.P.H, Professor and Associate Dean for Research, School of Public Health, Boston University.
The purpose of the hearing was to "draw attention to federal research on college drinking and to hear what the experts think are the primary causes and the most effective solutions." Senator Lieberman and Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) stated their concern about the seriousness and alarming size of the college drinking problem and its consequences, their interest in understanding the problem better, and their support for research as a crucial part of the solution. Senator Lieberman especially focused on research-based solutions, and the need (as outlined in the Task Force Report) for comprehensive, community-based efforts to implement effective interventions. Senator Lieberman stated for the record that he intends to hold at least one more hearing on this topic. The witness list and written testimony can be found at: https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916115537/http://www.senate.gov/~gov_affairs/051502witness.htm.
National Alcohol Screening Day
National Alcohol Screening Day, which took place on April 11, was a major success. Office of Collaborative Research (OCR) staff (MS. Peggy Murray and Dr. Anton Bizzell) were heavily involved with changing the focus of this annual event to increase public awareness about the health consequences of at-risk drinking. In 2002, there was a concerted effort to reach under-served populations including the elderly, Spanish-speaking individuals and urban minority populations. This year’s program was an improvement over the past three years, more than doubling the sites that participated. There were a total of 2,825 registered sites – 1,026 community sites (such as public hospitals, senior centers, community centers, addiction treatment programs), 1,176 primary care sites (clinics and private physician practices), 564 college sites, and 49 major corporations.
There also was a significant increase in co-sponsorship of the event by professional and advocacy organizations including the American College of Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Major publicity coverage included a piece by New York Times columnist Jane Brody that highlighted the importance of screening older adults for at-risk alcohol use and coverage by Parade Magazine and Ann Landers. NIAAA Acting Director Dr. Raynard Kington, Associate Director for Collaborative Research, Dr. Faye Calhoun, Peggy Murray, and Dr. Anton Bizzell made numerous appearances on national and local television and radio stations in major cities to promote the program.
A process evaluation and small outcome study are underway. The process evaluation looks closely at what went on at the site level and will systematically identify elements necessary for a successful event at that level. The outcome evaluation will look at the effect of the screening day on individual drinking behavior, knowledge about alcohol use risks and follow-up to treatment referrals.
Preliminary evaluation results will be presented at a project advisory group meeting to be held in mid June. Experts in alcohol screening and early intervention, state alcohol treatment directors, outreach specialists, site directors from select sites and representatives of important co-sponsoring organizations will come to Washington to help develop strategies for Alcohol Screening Day 2003 (April 10, 2003).
NIAAA Names 2002 Senator Harold Hughes Memorial Award Winner
Barbara Foley, R.N., Executive Director and Co-Founder of Emergency Nurses CARE (EN CARE) of Alexandria, Virginia, was named the fourth recipient of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism annual Senator Harold Hughes Memorial Award. The award is made annually to a nonresearcher who has used alcohol research findings to foster research, prevention, or treatment, thereby translating research into practice and building bridges among the research, prevention, treatment, and policymaking communities. NIAAA Acting Director, Raynard S. Kington, M.D., Ph.D., announced the award on February 25 in Washington, D.C., at the 2002 Public Policy Conference on Alcohol and Drug Treatment, sponsored by NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals, and co-hosted by 23 national organizations. Ms. Foley was chosen from a field of prevention professionals, policymakers, and advocates nominated by national, state, and local alcohol field organizations. For more information on the award, please visit the award Web site at https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916115537/http://www.rowsciences.com/haroldhughes.
Leadership To Keep Children Alcohol Free
The Leadership initiative continues to make strides in increasing visibility for the early onset drinking issue, with Governors’ spouses taking the lead in a range of activities. Highlights include:
- Since the last Council Report, First Lady of Ohio, Hope Taft, has been involved in several activities in support of the Leadership Initiative. As a result of her invitation, invited the AMA Alliance, a standing committee of AMA member spouses, has taken on the underage drinking prevention issue as a major focus for its involvement during the coming year. This topic will be discussed at the upcoming AMA Alliance national meeting in October. Mrs. Taft also organized a state-wide Reach Out Now--Teach In aimed at 5th grade children and their parents during April and she invited all Governors’ spouses across the country to participate in similar efforts within their states to raise awareness and support prevention efforts. In Ohio, Mrs. Taft enlisted the Governor and several cabinet secretaries as 5th grade "teachers" to communicate the drinking prevention message and to demonstrate the impact of alcohol upon learning, memory and the brain. The "Reach Out Now – Teach In" represented a collaboration between SAMHSA, Scholastic Magazine, and the Leadership initiative.
- Oregon’s First Lady, Sharon Kitzhaber, joined the Oregon Partnership and the Oregon Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking to promote underage alcohol use awareness and announced a new action kit designed to tackle underage drinking – Wise Up: Straight Talk About Alcohol. In addition to these activities, Mrs. Kitzhaber has had articles appear about her activities in the Oregon Partnership Newsletter, Winter 2002 in which she summarized her experience at the Second National Conference held in January, and an editorial outlining her involvement with the Leadership initiative in The Oregonian, which subsequently appeared in additional newspapers.
- Judy O’Bannon, First Lady of Indiana, created a link to the Leadership initiative on her State Web site to promote underage drinking prevention efforts within her State.
- First Lady of Arkansas, Janet Huckabee, visited elementary schools in her State to speak with fifth graders about the dangers of underage drinking in conjunction with the Reach Out Now—Teach In program.
- First Lady of Colorado Frances Owens launched a new NIAAA/SAMHSA alcohol prevention poster targeted to "tweens" (11-13 years of age) and announced her support of the Reach Out Now--Teach In program in her State. She used the occasion to unveil a national prevention campaign entitled, Make a Difference: Talk to Your Child About Alcohol. She wrote a letter to over 800 middle school principals within the State asking for their support in preventing underage drinking and giving prominent space in the schools to the new poster and discussing its prevention message with middle school children. In early February, Mrs. Owens also received a tour of the laboratories and was provided briefings about the various alcohol-related research and treatment programs of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
- Following the release of the Task Force Report on College Drinking, Leadership Co-Chairs Hope Taft (OH), Columba Bush (FL), Vicky Cayetano (HI), and Sharon Kitzhaber (OR), in a letter to the editor of the New York Times, noted that young people often come to college with already established drinking habits and stressed the importance of early alcohol use prevention programs.
- Alaska First Lady Susan Knowles initiated an Alaska Alcohol-Free Poster Contest for children ages 6-16 throughout the State. The contest paralleled a campaign of TV and radio announcements targeting 9–15 year-olds. Over 175 posters were received and were displayed in the State Capitol outside the Governor’s office.
- North Dakota’s First Lady Mikey L. Hoeven introduced a new television Public Service Announcement (PSA) to appear in her State during April and May as part of a focused underage drinking prevention marketing campaign. Mrs. Hoeven has identified underage drinking prevention as her first priority.
- In April, Minnesota’s First Lady, Terry Ventura, held a press conference to open Sobriety High School in St. Paul, Minnesota, a private school for students recovering from drug and alcohol abuse, and to announce the release of a series of PSAs to prevent underage drinking aimed at kids and parents. The PSAs were prompted by her participation in the Leadership initiative.
- Patricia Kempthorne, First Lady of Idaho, was the keynote speaker at the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Summit luncheon in Phoenix, Arizona. She discussed the effects of alcohol on children, using incidents from her own childhood as examples and introduced the Drinking It In video that premiered at the Leadership national conference.
- Pennsylvania’s First Lady Kathy Schweiker is featured on cards distributed in cooperation with Pennsylvanians against Underage Drinking, now being displayed in State Liquor stores, schools, and other locations. The cards bear the message, "You can help prevent alcohol use by children," and a phone number to report underage drinking.
Office of the Director
Acting Director’s Activities
Dr. Kington’s activities since the February Council meeting have included the following:
- Presented remarks at the March 5 Press Conference launching the joint NIAAA-NOFAS Public Education Campaign on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
- Presented the Luncheon Address at the 2002 Lonnie Mitchell Substance Abuse Conference, Baltimore, MD. This annual conference provides a forum for exchange of cutting-edge knowledge of substance abuse treatment, prevention, research and education as it relates to African-Americans. Conference goals include increasing awareness among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) of disparities in treatment, services, and research for African Americans in substance abuse; promoting majors in fields related to mental health and substance abuse treatment, prevention, and research among minority student; establishing an open dialogue and information exchange network among HBCUs around current and promising practices in substance abuse research, treatment, prevention, education/training and policy development; and increasing the cadre of African Americans and other minorities who specialize in the fields of psychology, social welfare and substance abuse treatment, prevention and research, by establishing educational sequences within regular curricula at HBCUs.
- Presented a talk entitled, "Science and Public Policy Related to Alcohol: Two Case Studies" at a United States-European Union Demand Reduction Seminar: Developing Evidence-Based Demand Reduction Policies. The Seminar, which was held May 13-14 in Washington, DC, was sponsored by the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
- Participated in a variety of activities associated with the release of the Task Force Report on College Drinking including the pre-briefings, April 9 Press Conference, and both television and radio interviews subsequent to the Press Conference. (See pages 5 for details on the College Drinking Task Force Report)
- Testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs on The Binge Drinking Epidemic on College Campuses. (See page 6 for further details).
- Participated in the Second Annual Spirtuality and Alcohol Meeting. The meeting, which was co-sponsored by NIAAA and the Fetzer Institute, was held May 30-31in Kalamazoo, Michigan. (See page 12 for further details).
|
Constituency Group Meetings |
|
> |
February 26 – President and Vice President of External Affairs, Hazelden Foundation. |
|
> |
February 21 - Participated in the Join Together National Advisory Committee Dinner on, to discuss how Join Together can help communities around the country be more effective in their efforts against substance abuse and gun violence. |
|
> |
May 13 - Dr. Louis Gallant, Executive Director National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD). |
|
> |
May 15 - Doyle Randol, Executive Director, American College Health Association |
|
|
|
Deputy Director’s Activities
Dr. Dufour gave a presentation entitled, "Chronic Alcohol-Related Conditions" at the Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) Scientific Work Group Meeting May 22-23, Atlanta Georgia.
Collaborative and Special Projects Branch
Interagency Coordinating Committee on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome – An Update
On May 23, 2002, NIAAA sponsored the 17th meeting of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (ICCFAS). Committee members reviewed sections of the 2001-2005 Strategic Plan and agreed on a number of priority areas for possible collaborative projects that could be initiated within the next two years. The Committee also bid farewell to Dr. Jan Harlow, Committee representative from the Department of Education and Chair of the Work Group on FAS/ARND. Dr. Harlow will be retiring at the end of May, but leaves behind a legacy of devoted service to children and families with special education needs, including those affected by FAS/ARND.
In March 2002, OCR participated in one of four planned regional FAS Town Meetings in Tumwater, Washington to hear concerns and recommendations from local citizens that could be used to guide the activities of the SAMHSA-funded Center for Excellence on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. A panel comprising key staff from the Center and representatives from a broad cross-section of Federal agencies and national organizations heard testimony from more than 30 FAS-affected families and service providers highlighting some of the most urgent needs of citizens in that region. NIAAA/OCR intends to participate in future regional town meetings and in the formulation of Center priorities based on the input received from local communities. Dr. Calhoun continues to chair the steering committee for the Center.
Research Development and Health Disparities Branch
Coordination of NIAAA Health Disparities Strategic Plan
The latest Health Disparities Strategic Plan for FY 2002-FY 2006 has been developed. This document, which was presented and discussed at the February meeting of the NIAAA Council, includes the Institute’s specific action plans for each of the five fiscal years, with accompanying time tables, proposed budgets for each emphasis area and proposed metrics for progress measures and outcome measures. The action plans cover three broad areas: research, capacity and infrastructure development and outreach and information dissemination.
Malt Liquor Developmental Research
As the result of a Request for Application (RFA) one-year ago, NIAAA now funds eight exploratory/developmental grants (R21) for research on high alcohol content malt beverages and related products. These grants cover a variety of topics ranging from pharmacokinetics to advertising. Many also include issues related to alcohol and health disparities. The first annual meeting on research regarding malt liquor, malternatives, alcopops, and related beverages was held on March 11 and 12 here in Washington. This has become a research area of considerable interest as more brands and types of these beverages are marketed. The projects underway represent a significant opportunity for advancement.
Health Disparities Research
An RFA for Alcohol Health Disparities (RFA AA02-002) was developed as an Institute-wide effort to encourage new research and draw attention to alcohol-related topics involving Minority Health and Health Disparities. Thirty-one applications were received in response to this RFA. Twenty-one are R01s, eight are exploratory/developmental projects (R21), and two are educational programs (R25). The applications cover topics of interest to all NIAAA Divisions.
An RFA targeted for Minority Serving Institutions (RFA AA02-013) titled "Cooperative Agreement for Exploratory/Development Grants for Minority Institutions Alcohol Research Planning" seeks applications for cooperative agreement grants (U01 mechanisms) to support research planning and research development at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). The purpose of this program is to promote alcohol research expertise and infrastructure development at MSIs, and thereby ultimately to identify, characterize, and reduce alcohol-related health disparities in American ethnic and cultural populations and their subpopulations. Collaboration with established alcohol research programs is required. The application receipt date is July 30, 2002. We expect to fund up to six applications with maximum direct costs of $250,000. Information is available on-line at: https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916115537/http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HG-02-005.html.
Spirituality and Alcohol Initiative
While the importance of spirituality in the maintenance of sobriety and prevention of alcohol abuse is widely assumed, it has not been a major area of biomedical research. To stimulate research in this area, the Fetzer Institute and NIAAA cooperated to support 15 exploratory/developmental projects (R21) designed to gather the preliminary data to support larger and more comprehensive studies in the future. Consistent with the mission of both Institutes, this initiative is dedicated to the application of scientific principles to describe the role of spirituality in the prevention of and recovery from alcohol dependence. On May 30-31, the second meeting of grantees was held. While the specifics varied greatly for each of the projects, a common theme in many is the assessment of spirituality-related intermediate mechanisms and intervening variables that may contribute to alcohol prevention and treatment. In addition, over half the projects focus on specific age groups (adolescents, or college students) or on minority populations (Filipinos, American Indians or African Americans).
Hispanic Alcohol Research and Career Development Planning Meeting
In response to issues raised at the NIAAA Advisory Council meeting (February 2002) NIAAA has formed a "working group" of experts to guide the development of research approaches targeted to Hispanics and Latinos. It is hoped that the working group (composed of research experts and other professionals in the alcohol field) will assist in understanding alcohol-related health issues affecting Hispanics. The working group, which will meet on June 24, currently includes Drs. Marilyn and Carlos Molina, Dr. Jeannette Noltinus, Dr. Bill Vega, and Dr. Andreas Gill.
International and Health Education Programs Branch
Health Professions Education
As reported at the last meeting, NIAAA is continuing to develop a Social Work Education Model for the Prevention and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders. Isabel Ellis of the International and Health Education Programs Branch developed and led a pilot test of the current draft of the curriculum in Austin, Texas, March 28-29, 2002. Dr. Tina Vanderveen, OCR Deputy Director, also participated. This faculty training event was well attended by the University of Texas School of Social Work faculty and doctoral students from the University’s Austin and Houston campuses, as well as other institutions. The teaching team included social work faculty from the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee, University of Texas/Houston, Brown University, University of Connecticut, University of Buffalo, and Florida International University. The event was co-sponsored by The Gulf Coast Addiction Technology Transfer Center, which brought participants from the University of Southern Mississippi, Louisiana State University, and Northwestern State University.
The model consists of a curriculum and faculty development training course which provides research-based information on alcohol abuse and addiction to MSW and BSW students and graduate social workers in a variety of practice settings. Social work researchers and faculty from 24 schools of social work located throughout the U.S. have been involved in the development and pilot testing of the material to-date. The curriculum consists of 11 user-friendly teaching modules which include PowerPoint presentations tied to the learning concepts of the text materials. The teaching core begins with the epidemiology of alcoholism and builds from that knowledge base to include modules on etiology, diagnosis and treatment, screening and intervention, and prevention and treatment in the wide variety of special populations served by social workers in many different practice settings.
International Research and Training
In April, the NIAAA International Program sponsored a three-day training session for Russian infectious disease specialists in St. Petersburg, Russia.. The course focused on identifying and managing alcohol problems in patients with infectious diseases. Russia has an extremely high rate of tuberculosis, and alcohol is a major factor in the spread of this disease as well as drug resistant forms of TB in that country. In addition, the number of Russian HIV cases is growing exponentially, with alcohol again an important factor. Sixty physicians from TB dispensaries in seven Russian cities took part in the course which was co-sponsored by the Pavlov State Medical Academy. Michael Fleming, M.D., M.P.H., University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine, developed the curriculum. Richard Blondell, M.D., University of Louisville School of Medicine, served as course director. Other faculty included Betsy McCaul, Ph.D. and Thomas O’Toole, M.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Karen Krieger, M.D., University of Louisville; and Davis Burgess, Pharm.D., University of Texas San Antonio.
Science Education
Branch Chief Peggy Murray attended the field testing of a new NIAAA-supported curriculum for middle- and high-school life science and health classes called, Better Safe Than Sorry: The Biological Basis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Other Alcohol-Related Birth Defects. Kathy Sulik, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, developed this curriculum. It will be ready to be disseminated to schools across the country by this summer.
Constituency Activities
Public Liaison Organizations
OPPL is responsible for liaison activities as they relate to Council meetings (and associated "liaison group meetings"). Currently, we share information on a regular basis with over 500 outside groups and individuals that comprise our contact list. Liaison representatives meet informally with the NIAAA Director and senior staff following the adjournment of Council meetings. In addition to general liaison activities, NIAAA also maintains a program of specific, formal collaborations with outside groups. Collaborative activities are described below.
Alcohol Research To Practice Network (Collaborations with Outside Organizations)
In addition to the broad range of informal collaborative activities and contacts between the Institute and its constituent organizations, NIAAA implements an annual plan of specific, formal collaborations with outside groups. Examples of recent and future collaborations include:
April 2002
PRIDE (Parents' Resource Institute for Drug Education): NIAAA cosponsored the PRIDE 2002 "Celebrate YOUth" Conference in support of the organization’s 25th anniversary. The Conference was co-hosted by Leadership Initiative Co-chair, Hope Taft. This conference represents the first time that NIAAA has partnered with a completely youth-focused organization. PRIDE is a provider of prevention services in the area of alcohol and other drugs; and its alcohol, drugs, and violence questionnaires have been used by over 6,400 school systems nationwide. Amy Matush will continue to share research-based information with this group which is known for providing exciting and fun program activities that are attractive to young people.
June 2002
National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD): NIAAA has been collaborating with NASADAD to communicate alcohol research findings and implications to State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (AOD) under a contract managed by NIAAA’s Public Liaison Officer, Kelly Green Kahn. NASADAD members, the Single State Agencies for alcohol and drug abuse, are responsible for certifying professionals, accrediting treatment programs, contracting with community-based providers, collecting and analyzing data, assuring quality services, and establishing performance and outcome measures. Four Issue Briefs will be used to present the most up to date research available on alcohol and drug prevention and treatment services. The first Issue Brief, focused on the use of medications as a component of alcohol treatment and its implications for state alcohol treatment systems. We understand that this issue was extremely well received. The second Brief, which should be completed this month, will address screening and brief intervention and their cost effectiveness.
Ongoing Activities
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
Kelly Green Kahn is working with the AAMFT and two alcohol researchers to develop a guide to help therapists incorporate brief interventions into the couples and family context. AAMFT plans to utilize this guide as part of a knowledge transfer project under a Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) grant to evaluate how well their membership incorporates relevant information into their clinical practices and decisions. This guide will complement the Institute’s update of its manual on screening and brief intervention for physicians and other health professionals.
Researcher in Residence Programs
New York Collaboration, Phase II
NIAAA and CSAT are continuing to work with New York on research to practice projects. NIAAA will supplement CSAT’s Practice Improvement Collaboratives Program to further assist researchers and practitioners in their joint efforts.
North Carolina Collaboration, Phase II
Phase II of this project is nearing completion. NIAAA, CSAT and North Carolina partners will meet in mid-June to discuss a draft final project report, lessons learned and possible future collaborations. The report on the North Carolina experience will be ready later this year and will be posted on the NIAAA Web site.
NIAAA Press Office Activities
Task Force on College Drinking
An estimated one-half of all Americans (155 million individuals) saw or heard coverage of the April 9, 2002, NIAAA news release and news conference that reported the findings of the Task Force on College Drinking.
Coverage swept all network and major public (PBS’ The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, National Public Radio’s Morning Edition) and cable (CNN national and international, MSNBC) news broadcast outlets; Drs. Raynard Kington, Ralph Hingson, and Mark Goldman gave studio or NIAAA-based interviews to PBS, CNN, CBS, ABC, and others. ABC’s World News Tonight with Peter Jennings traveled to the University of Rhode Island to interview URI President Robert Carothers, Ph.D. and others. In addition, an NIAAA-developed video news release with sound bites from the news conference was picked up by local outlets across the country and viewed by approximately 10 million viewers.
Major print coverage included The Washington Post (A-section on April 9, Health section cover story on April 16), the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Washington Times, USA Today, and the Associated Press, among many others, as well as all national news magazines and more than 75 college newspapers. Electronic news coverage also was far-ranging.
More than one-month following the news release, daily feature coverage continues and stories are in progress at several monthly magazines. As recently as May 15, ABC’s "Good Morning, America" mentioned the April 9 NIAAA news in relation to a college drinking story.
Other Press Activities
Interviews
The CNN medical unit (April 10-15) and Health Magazine (January-February 2002) featured interviews with NIAAA Deputy Director Mary Dufour, M.D., M.P.H. on alcohol and women.
Press Releases/Announcements
Since the last National Advisory Council meeting, NIAAA has also issued the following news releases and news advisories:
- NIAAA Names 2002 Senator Harold Hughes Memorial Award Winner (February 25-covered by alcohol, mental health and professional publications);
- NIAAA and NOFAS Launch Awareness Campaign in District of Columbia: Play It Safe. Alcohol and Pregnancy Don’t Mix (March 5-covered by local television and regional print outlets);
- NIAAA Steps Up Search for Brain Mechanisms of Alcohol Abuse, Alcoholism (March 8-covered by alcohol, mental health, and professional outlets and The Blue Sheet);
- Alcohol Researchers Identify Genetic Locus of Human Brain Wave (Beta EEG Frequency) (March 12-pickup by a record 1000 American Association for the Advancement of Science EurekAlert users); and
NIAAA News Releases and Advisories are available at: https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916115537/http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/press/press.htm
Extramural Project Review Branch
For this review round, Extramural Project Review Branch Staff completed 20 review meetings to evaluate a total of 153 grant applications, and one review meeting to evaluate a total of 5 contract proposals. Reviews completed include the following:
|
RFA/RFP |
Title |
No. Reviewed |
|
RFA AA02-001 |
Alcohol-related problems among college students: epidemiology and prevention |
33 |
|
RFA AA02-002 |
Research on alcohol health disparities |
31 |
|
RFA AA02-003 |
Developing alcohol-related HIV preventive interventions |
10 |
|
RFA AA02-008 |
Effects of alcohol on HIV invasion across the blood-brain barrier or placental barrier |
15 |
|
RFP PHS 002-1 |
SBIR Phase I contract solicitation |
5 |
|
|
|
|
The remaining 64 grant applications were not submitted in response to any special initiatives and therefore were reviewed in the Institute's standing review subcommittees or special emphasis panels.
Review committees with the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) evaluated 112 research grant applications over the course of this review round.
Special Review Committees are presently being established for the evaluation of applications received in response to the following initiatives:
|
RFA: |
|
|
|
|
AA00-003 |
Alcohol Research Centers |
|
|
AA02-004 |
New approaches to developing pharmacotherapy for alcoholism |
|
|
AA02-005 |
Medications to clinically treat alcohol dependence and alcohol-related diseases |
|
|
AA02-006 |
Nonhuman primate models of neurobiological mechanisms of adolescent alcohol abuse |
|
|
AA02-007 |
Mutant mouse phenotyping: ethanol-related behavior and nervous system function |
|
|
AA02-009 |
Integrative Neuroscience Initiative on Alcoholism (INIA) |
|
|
AA02-010 |
Stem cells in alcohol research |
|
|
AA02-011 |
Role of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) in the treatment of alcoholic liver disease |
|
|
AA02-012 |
SBIR initiative on alcohol sensing and data analysis system |
|
|
AA02-013 |
Exploratory/developmental grants fro minority institutions alcohol research planning |
|
RFP: |
|
|
|
|
BAA-02-01 |
Alcohol sensor |
|
|
AA02-02 |
Role of cannabinoid receptors in ethanol tolerance |
|
|
AA02-04 |
Estimating alcohol-attributable fractions for morbidity and mortality |
The outcome of these evaluations will be presented at future council meetings.
Planning and Evaluation Branch
- May 1 – May 3 - Dr. Lorraine Gunzerath chaired an NIAAA-sponsored workshop entitled "Gene-Environment Interactions". Other NIAAA staff who helped to organize the workshop included Dr. Gayle Boyd (Division of Clinical and Prevention Research), Dr. Kendall Bryant (Office of Collaborative Research), Drs. Page Chiapella and Vivian Faden (Division of Biometry and Epidemiology), Dr. David Goldman (Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research), and Dr. Antonio Noronha (Division of Basic Research). This workshop was designed to provide information to be considered in the formulation of plans for future research in this area. Development of knowledge in alcohol-related gene-environment interactions is one of the stated strategic goals of NIAAA for 2001-2005.
- A series of workshops on medication development have been held to assist the Planning and Evaluation Branch, OSA to formulate plans for future research in this area.
|
|
> |
March 14 - Preclinical Medication Development Workshop |
|
|
> |
March 15 - Proteomics Workshop |
|
|
> |
March 21 - Clinical Medication Development Workshop. |
NIAAA staff who helped to organize these workshops included Drs. Michael Eckardt, Mary Westcott, and Patricia Powell (Office of Scientific Affairs), Dr. Mark Egli (Division of Basic Research), Drs. JoAnne Fertig and Raye Litten (Division of Clinical and Prevention Research), and Dr. Antonio Noronha (Division of Basic Research).
Scientific Communications Branch
Alcohol Research & Health
Since the February Council Meeting: "Alcohol and Disease Interactions" has been printed and disseminated; Preventing Alcohol-Related Problems, has been sent to the printers; and Issues focusing on comorbidity, women, and epidemiology are in process.
|
Alcohol Research & Health, NIAAA’s quarterly, peer-reviewed journal, is available from the Government Printing Office at a subscription rate of $20 per year. Further information on subscribing may be obtained by contacting the Scientific Communications Branch at 301/443-3860. The full text of all AR&H issues dating back to 1996 is available on NIAAA’s Website and can be accessed at https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916115537/http://www.niaaa.nih.gov. |
Alcohol Alert
Since the February Council Meeting, two issues of Alcohol Alert have been printed and disseminated:
"Alcohol and Minorities: An Update;" and Screening for Alcohol: An Update." The July issue will focus on AIDS.
Other Materials
- NIAAA and the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) are promoting a jointly produced video titled, Alcohol: A Women’s Health Issue. ORWH has contacted cable networks targeted to women; the video will eventually be distributed to treatment centers, doctors’ offices, church groups, employee health centers, and other locations where it could reach women. Design of the companion booklet, with the cover matching the video sleeve, is underway.
- The revision of the Physician’s Guide to Helping Patients with Alcohol Problems has moved through the major writing, editing, and review stages to the design stage. As one significant text change, the title will reflect a broader audience; the current working title is Helping Patients with Alcohol Disorders: A Health Practitioners Guide. Complete mock-ups of two different designs in different color schemes are being produced for evaluation by clinicians. The evaluation will be conducted in two phases, so that comments from the first round of clinicians will be incorporated and then evaluated in the second round.
- The Spanish-language version of the booklet, Frequently Asked Questions, has been printed and disseminated. A web-based version also is available on the NIAAA Web site at: https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916115537/http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/gtfspan.htm.
- A poster targeting underage drinking, developed by NIAAA in partnership with the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, has been printed and distributed. The selections in this colorful poster’s vending machine represent the many activities kids can choose to do instead of drinking. Aimed at middle-school underage drinking programs, the poster directs kids to NIAAA’s/SAMHSA’s adolescent underage drinking prevention Web site, https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916115537/http://www.thecoolspot.gov/. The poster debuted at Colorado’s First Lady Frances Owen’s "Make a Difference" campaign during alcohol awareness month. Please see the Leadership Initiative (page 9) for further information.
- The publication Alcohol Consumption and Problems in the General Population: Findings from the 1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiology Survey will be available shortly. This publication contains more than 40 journal articles based on data from the 1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey of the adult population of the United States. The articles address topics such as alcohol consumption patterns, alcohol dependence and abuse, medical consequences of alcohol consumption, family history of alcohol problems, alcohol and depression, alcohol and smoking, and treatment for alcohol dependence. The articles were authored by staff from the Division of Biometry and Epidemiology. For information on obtaining copies of this, contact the Scientific Communications Branch at 301/443-3860.
Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
- The NIAAA and SAMHSA underage drinking prevention public service announcements (PSAs) have received nearly $3,000,000 in free advertising through the Office of National Drug Control Policy National Media Campaign Pro-Bono program.
- Work has begun on developing two new underage drinking prevention PSAs. Focus groups were held in Chicago, Illinois and Baltimore, Maryland to obtain information about "tweens" attitudes and lifestyles that will be used in developing the messages.
Workshops/Symposia
- Dr. Ellen Witt, Division of Basic Research, NIAAA, and Dr. Linda Spear, Department of Psychology, SUNY Binghamton, co-organized a Satellite Symposium entitled "Neurobiological Mechanisms of Adolescent Alcohol Abuse: New Findings, New Directions," held June 28 at the Annual Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, San Francisco, California.
- Dr. Witt and Dr. Peter Finn, Department of Psychology, Indiana University, co-organized a symposium entitled "Impulsivity, Disinhibition and Alcohol Use and Abuse: Cognitive, Motivational and Neurophysiological Processes," held June 7 at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Society, New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Dr. Laurie Foudin organized a Satellite Symposium, "Experimental Therapeutics for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome," to be held June 27 in San Francisco, California, at the joint meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism and the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism. The workshop will feature six speakers who will discuss mechanistic approaches to preventing ethanol’s effects at the cellular level.
`Requests for Applications (RFA)/Program Announcements (PA)
- The NIAAA is participating in an RFA, "Large-Scale Genotyping for the Haplotype Map of the Human Genome" (HG-02-005), which was issued on March 26 by the National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, in collaboration with the Trans-NIH Haplotype Mapping Working Group. The request encourages applications for the large-scale human genotyping effort. This data will be used to develop a map of the haplotype patterns that will be used as a key resource for finding genes affecting alcoholism. The RFA can be accessed on the web at https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080916115537/http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HG-02-005.html Dr. Lisa A. Neuhold is the NIAAA contact on the RFA and is the NIAAA liaison for the Trans-NIH Haplotype Mapping Working Group.
Contact: Dr. Lisa Neuhold; 301-594-6228; LNeuhold@willco.niaaa.nih.gov.
Contacts: Dr. Lisa Neuhold; 301-594-6228; LNeuhold@willco.niaaa.nih.gov : Dr. Laurie Foudin; 301-443-0912; lfoudin@mail.nih.gov.
- DBR issued a Program Announcement (PA), "Alcoholic Hepatitis: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms," on March 14. This announcement encourages studies of the underlying cellular, molecular, and biochemical mechanisms by which chronic ethanol ingestion lead to the initiation and development of alcoholic hepatitis.
Contact: Dr. Vishnudutt Purohit; 301- 443-2689.; vpurohit@willco.niaaa.nih.gov.
Staff Activities
- Dr. Sam Zakhari gave a presentation on "Sequale of Alcohol Consumption" at the Proteomics workshop held on March 15, 2002 in Bethesda, Maryland.
- Drs. Antonio Noronha and Zakhari co-organized a symposium entitled "Genetics and Alcoholism in the Age of the Human Genome Project," held on April 26 during the American Society of Addiction Medicine's (ASAM) 33rd Annual Medical-Scientific Conference in Atlanta. The purpose of the symposium was to provide clinicians an introduction to the many approaches undertaken to sequence the human genome as well as the impact of this knowledge of the human genome on disease states such as alcoholism and function of individual genes. The symposium also defined the human alcoholic phenotypes and discussed findings from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) including linkages discovered for alcoholism, alcoholism with depression and smoking as well as the neurophysiological findings that substantiated these findings. Finally, the symposium demonstrated the full range of genetic approaches employed to elucidate the physiological mechanisms of alcohol’s effects on behavior including studies of invertebrate mutants, QTL mapping, gene knockout, and microarray studies in animal models.
- Dr. Noronha presented the DBR portfolio on Medications Development at the NIAAA Planning Meeting on Medications Development held in Bethesda and chaired the In Vitro and Behavioral Sessions of the meeting. He also summarized the proceedings of the basic science sessions for the Proteomics and Clinical Medications Development workshops that followed this meeting.
- Dr. Noronha chaired the "Phenotypes Panel" at the NIAAA Workshop on Gene-Environment Interactions and moderated the break-out group entitled "The Role of Animal Models in Genetics Research" with Dr. Page Chiapella.
- Dr. Diane Lucas attended the James W. McLaughlin Symposium on Hepatic Inflammation and Immunity, which was held March 21-24 in Galveston, Texas. This conference examined the unique aspects of the intrahepatic immune system and its role in health and disease. Dr. Lucas was also invited to attend a concurrent meeting of the annual U.S.-Japan Hepatitis Panel where she summarized NIAAA-supported research on hepatitis C and alcohol and outlined plans for future activities in this important area.
- Dr. Vishnu Purohit and Dr. Denise Russo represented the NIAAA at the Digestive Sciences IRG Study Section Boundaries Team Meeting, which was held April 1-3 in Washington, DC. The meeting was convened to establish boundaries for the various study sections that would fall under the umbrella of Digestive Sciences Integrated Review Group (IRG). Many of NIAAA’s grant applications related to medical consequences will be reviewed in this IRG. Five study sections were proposed.
- Dr. Purohit participated in a Keystone Symposium, "Mitochondria and Pathogenesis," which was held April 6-11 at Copper Mountain, Colorado. The symposium was co-sponsored by the NIAAA and included NIAAA-funded investigators who presented their research on the role of mitochondria in mediating alcohol-induced tissue injury. Dr. Purohit interacted with several potential grantees and disseminated information on research opportunities at NIAAA.
- Dr. Russo gave a presentation on programmatic interests at an NIAAA-sponsored symposium, "Neural Immune Mechanisms in Innate Host Defense: Do They Contribute to Alcohol Immunosuppression?" The symposium was presented at the Experimental Biology 2002 meeting, which was held April 20-24 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Laurie Foudin also attended the meeting, and both staff met with potential grant applicants at the NIAAA Exhibitor Booth.
- Dr. Lisa A. Neuhold has been nominated to be the NIAAA liaison on the Trans-NIH Genetics & Genomics Resources Coordinating Committee. The Mouse Coordinating group and the non-mammalian models group has been merged into one committee called the Genetics & Genomics Resources Coordinating Group. This group meets monthly to discuss the need to generate mouse Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and databases and to share mouse and non-mammalian resources generated with NIH grant support and the mutagenesis consortium.
Brain Awareness Week
More than four hundred middle-and high-school students attended the 2002 Brain Awareness Week activities at the National Museum of Health and Medicine, Washington, DC.. On March 13-14, NIH institutes with neuroscience-related programs (NIAAA, NIDA, NIMH, NINDS) sponsored plenary talks as well as hands-on exhibits in brain science. Dr. Dennis Twombly, Division of Basic Research represented NIAAA and displayed his novel "Drunken Brain" exhibit. Using a 4-foot brain model constructed from chicken wire and flashing Christmas lights, Dr. Twombly explained how alcohol-induced changes in neuronal activity translate into altered brain communication, motor performance, sensory perception, cognition, and ultimately dependence. Students visiting the Exhibit then attempted to navigate an obstacle course while wearing Fatal Vision prism goggles. These goggles are designed to approximate the diminished motor performance experienced during alcohol intoxication. On April 25, Dr. Twombly again presented his "Drunken Brain exhibit" to approximately 300 children (ages 8-15) and their parents as part of "Take Your Child to Work Day." The exhibit was showcased in the NIH Visitors’ Center in Building 10. Dr. Roger Sorensen (DBR) and Ms. Virginia Wills (OSA) assisted with the presentations. Approximately 300 children (ages 8 – 15).
Publications
Purohit, V., Russo, D. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of alcoholic hepatitis: Introduction to the symposium. Alcohol 27:1-4.
DBE staff members have participated in the following activities since the last Council Meeting.
- Dr. Page Chiapella planned a 2-day workshop, "Alcohol and Suicidal Behavior," in collaboration with the Center for Prevention of Suicide, University of Rochester. The workshop, which was jointly sponsored and supported by NIAAA and the NIMH, is one in a five-year series of meetings and workshops on suicide-related topics The purpose of the workshop was to elucidate the role of alcohol in suicide and suicidal behavior and to inform future meetings about this important relationship. Workshop participants included 20 investigators in the alcohol and suicide areas, twelve of whom presented on topics including: the neurobiological perspective; the genetic perspective; suicide prevention; treatment (following unsuccessful suicide attempts); and suicide among particular population subgroups including adolescents, women and the elderly. Presenters and discussants focused on the current state of knowledge, as well as on future research needs and priorities. Dr. Vivian Faden, Chief of the Epidemiology Branch, also attended the workshop.
- Dr. Faden moderated the Methodology/Statistics/Epidemiological Analysis Issues Panel, and Dr. Page Chiapella moderated the Current Status Panel on Animal Work at the at the NIAAA Gene-Environment Workshop.
- Dr. Faden was a guest editor of Supplement 14 (March 2002) of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol - College Drinking, What It Is, and What To Do about It: A Review of the State of the Science as well as a co-author of the introductory overview to the volume.
Office of the Director
Symposium
Division Director, Dr. Richard Fuller, organized a symposium entitled "Identification and Brief Treatment of Alcohol Abuse in Emergency Departments and Trauma Centers," at the annual meeting of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, April 27, 2002, in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Fuller also served as moderator of the symposium.
Treatment Research Branch
Workshops
- On May 6-7, Dr. Joanne Fertig organized a two day NIAAA workshop, "Alcohol and Tobacco: Mechanism and Treatment," held in Bethesda, Maryland. This workshop brought together a wide range of experts to explore progress on cross-cutting issues in alcohol and tobacco use disorders and to identify promising directions for future research. Basic scientists and clinical researchers reviewed recent advances in understanding alcohol and nicotine interactions at the genetic, pharmacological, and behavioral levels in order to develop new strategies for treating nicotine-addicted alcoholics. The majority of studies being presented at this meeting were funded by NIAAA’s Alcohol and Tobacco Initiative in 1995-96. A summary of the workshop presentations is planned for publication in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
- On March 21, Drs. Raye Litten, Joanne Fertig and Mike Eckardt, OSA, organized and co-chaired a working group to discus ways to strengthen the infrastructure of medications development for clinical testing. NIAAA-funded clinical researchers with expertise in medications development and a pharmaceutical industry consultant met with program staff to identify logistical obstacles in the drug development process and ways that NIAAA might expedite the process. Several topics were addressed including strategies for obtaining an Investigational New Drug Application (IND), appropriate human behavioral laboratories to screen potential medications, and which clinical endpoints best measure response to alcoholism treatment.
Project COMBINE - Update
The goal of this Cooperative Agreement is to identify optimal combinations of pharmacological, and behavioral interventions for the treatment of alcoholism. The pharmacological agents being studied are naltrexone and acamprosate, both alone and in combination. The two behavioral therapies are Medication Management (MM), a brief intervention designed to enhance compliance to medication and encourage drinking cessation, and Combined Behavioral Intervention (CBI), a moderate intensity intervention combining elements from cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, couples therapy, and Alcoholics Anonymous. Following two safety and feasibility pilot studies, the main trial began enrolling patients in January 2001. As of May 19, 730 patients have been enrolled. Of these, 32 percent are females and 22 percent are minorities. The Data Safety and Monitoring Board met May 7. No major safety concerns were noted in the data, and the Board unanimously recommended continuation of the trial.
TRB-NIDA Meetings
TRB staff has met with several different divisions within NIDA to share information and discuss possible interactions in the future. On March 28, TRB staff met with NIDA's Division of Treatment Research and Development (DTRD). Dr. Frank Vocci, Direction of DTRD, gave a formal presentation offering an overview of NIDA's medications development program. In another meeting on May 8, at the Neuroscience Center, Dr. Lisa Onken, Chief of the Behavioral Treatment Development Branch (BTDB), presented their model of stages of clinical research in the development of behavioral therapies. Finally, on May 17, TRB staff met with Betty Tai, Director of the NIDA Center for Clinical Trials Network, to become better acquainted with each other’s projects and to identify areas of potential liaison and /or future collaboration.
Presentations
- April 4 - Dr. Raye Litten presented a talk entitled "Overview of NIAAA’s Treatment Focus," at the Dr. Lonnie E. Mitchell National HBCU Substance Abuse Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
- May 1 - Dr. Joanne Fertig gave an invited presentation to NCI’s Tobacco Research Opportunity Team in Bethesda, Maryland.
- May 20 - Dr. Litten gave a lecture entitled "Medications Development for Alcoholism Treatment" at the Treatment Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- May 2 - Dr. Litten was the discussant for the symposium " Naltrexone Treatment of Alcoholism: A Decade of Clinical Progress" at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Publications
Flannery, B. A., Allen, J. P., Litten, R. Z., Pettinati, H. M., Rohsenow, D. J., and Cisler, R. A. (2002). Using acquired knowledge and new technologies in alcoholism treatment trials. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 26: 423-429.
Prevention Research Branch
Program Announcements
In April, Dr. Kathy Salaita collaborated on behalf of NIAAA with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the Centers for Disease Control on the reissue of a program announcement (PA-99-143 "Occupational Safety and Health"). NIAAA is one of eight participating Institutes.
Liaison Activities
- In February, Dr. Salaita became the NIAAA representative to the Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research (OBSSR) Coordinating Committee.
- On February 13, Dr. Jan Howard represented NIAAA at a meeting of the trans-NIH Task Force on Educational Attainment and Health. The Task Force is interested in developing a research agenda concerning pathways that link educational attainment with health. To address this issue, the group is planning a two-day conference in Washington, D.C. in collaboration with the Princeton Center for Health and Well Being.
- In February and April, Dr. Howard represented NIAAA at meetings of the newly created Community-Based Participatory Research Interagency Work Group, which currently includes representatives from a variety of federal agencies as well as NIH Institutes and Offices. This working group is actively developing a consensus definition of participatory research that reflects the goals and commitments of the agencies involved. It is also reviewing and evaluating experiences involving participatory research in community settings and will make recommendations and establish guidelines based on these findings.
- In March, Dr. Robert Freeman became the NIAAA representative to the NIH Child Abuse and Neglect Working Group (CANWG).
- On April 2, Dr. Freeman represented NIAAA at a one-day conference in Washington, DC. titled "Innovative Adherence Research Priorities." The conference, which was jointly sponsored by NIMH, The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and OBSSR focused on strategies to improve patient adherence/compliance to medical and health protocols, with a particular interest in regimens relevant to HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
- Dr. Howard served on the planning committee for the NIH/OBSSR- sponsored Conference on Racial/Ethnic Bias and Health: Scientific Evidence, Methods, and Research Implications, which was held in Vienna, Virginia on April 18-19. During the second day of the conference, Dr. Howard participated in the Work Group on racial/ethnic disparities in Health Services.
- On May 1, Dr. Salaita represented NIAAA at two meetings sponsored by the Maryland Highway Safety Office. The Impaired Driving Coalition and the Young Drivers Task Force focus on reducing drinking and driving in the State of Maryland. Representatives from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the University of Maryland, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program, area law enforcement, and other traffic safety organizations attended the meetings in Hanover, Maryland.
- On May 6, Dr. Howard, Dr. Harold Perl (Health Services Research Branch, DCPR), and Geoff Laredo (OPPL) met with SAMHSA staff to discuss potential areas of collaboration between DCPR and the three components of SAMHSA (the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), and the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS).
- On May 31, Dr. Freeman represented NIAAA at the OBSSR-sponsored workshop "New Directions in Community Measurement." Participants at the workshop explored issues in research design and actual practice relevant to community-based measurement, and they considered methodologies that go beyond census-tract data.
- Dr. Gayle Boyd is serving on the planning committee for the next Alcohol Policy Conference. This conference will be the 13th in the series and will focus on illegal and high-risk alcohol consumption among 13-25 year olds. It is anticipated that the conference will be held in 2003. The host planning agency is the Higher Education Center in Newton, Massachusetts, which is supported by the Department of Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Staff Activities
- The publication and press release for the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Task Force Report on College Drinking and related publications was held April 9. Dr. Gayle Boyd served for three years as the NIAAA staff coordinator for the Panel on Prevention and Treatment and was an editor for the report from that Panel, "How to Reduce High-Risk College Drinking: Use Proven Strategies, Fill Research Gaps." Dr. Boyd also arranged for the publication of 18 commissioned papers as a supplement to the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and served as an editor on that publication.
- Dr. Boyd served on the planning committee for the Gene - Environment Interactions Workshop, which was held May 1-3.
Presentations
- May 6 - Dr. Boyd participated as an invited guest on a Federal Panel at an APA Conference: Science Advocacy Training Workshop for School-Based Research, held in Washington, D.C. Dr. Boyd and other Federal representatives provided the workshop members with background information on policies and practices relating to school-based research.
- Dr. Howard represented NIAAA at the annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research in Seattle, Washington on May 30 through June 1. Dr. Howard served as moderator for one of the panels on alcohol-problem prevention research and also met with potential grant applicants who are interested in developing alcohol-focused prevention studies. The theme of this year’s conference was: Effectiveness and Dissemination in Prevention Research.
Mentoring Activities
For several years NIAAA contract funds have been awarded to the Prevention Research Branch to travel speakers to annual meetings of the Society for Prevention Research (SPR) and the National Prevention Network. This year PRB sponsored the attendance of three early-career prevention researchers. Two of the three attendees are junior faculty members who are principal investigators on minority supplements to PRB grants (Drs. Mario Sims and Cristel Russell). The third attendee, Dr. An-Pyng Sun) is an assistant professor who is submitting a grant application to NIAAA in June. Two of the three attendees also used this opportunity to present posters at the SPR meetings.
Health Services Research Branch
Staff Activity
On April 19, the Health Services Research Branch held a working group meeting titled "Research Priorities Suggested by Providers." The meeting convened alcoholism treatment and prevention providers as a forum to collect their advice and suggestions about research priorities that the Institute should encourage. The effort is aimed at bridging the gap between the alcohol treatment and research communities. This meeting was organized and co-led by Dr. Mike Hilton.
Researcher-in-Residence Program
Dr. Mike Hilton has completed the last of four evaluation site visits to alcohol treatment clinics participating in the North Carolina Researcher in Residence project. (See page 15 for further details).These clinics are attempting to adopt research-based improvements in clinical practice based on the stimulus of a brief, technical-assistance visit by a leading researcher. Two of the participating clinics are attempting to adopt the use of naltrexone in treatment practice and two are attempting to adopt the techniques of motivational interviewing to enhance client engagement. This program is jointly sponsored by CSAT, and is one of a number of research-to-practice efforts undertaken by Federal agencies concerned with alcohol and drug abuse treatment. A report on the lessons learned from the project has been prepared and will be finalized at a meeting on June 13, in Raleigh with the Substance Abuse Services Section, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, of the State of North Carolina.
Significant Events
New Laboratories and Senior Staff
Stephen R. Ikeda, M.D., Ph.D., was appointed as a Tenured Investigator and Chief, Laboratory of Molecular Physiology, DICBR in February. The laboratory was established to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying neurotransmitter-mediated modulation of voltage-gated ion channels. Its research will focus on defining molecular mechanisms underlying modulation of N-type Ca2+ channels in sympathetic neurons, mediated by the heterotrimeric G-protein beta gamma subunit; broaden the understanding of the role and function of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and, metabotropic GABA receptors; and analyze the function of a tetrodotoxin (TTX)-resistant voltage-gated Na+ channel found in primary sensory neurons and involved in pain transmission. These research directions will be integrated into an alcohol-related program by extending this work into CNS synaptic systems. The Laboratory will train research investigators in the techniques utilized to conduct its research and will collaborate with other components of the Institute, NIH, other Federal agencies, universities, and other scientific institutions working in these areas.
Dr. Ikeda received both his Ph.D. in Pharmacology (with Distinction, 1983) and M.D. (cum laude, 1980) from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore and his BS (with Honors, 1976) double majoring in Chemistry and Zoology from George Washington University, DC. He completed five years of postdoctoral training at the NIH, first as a PRAT Medical Staff Fellow in the Section of Electrophysiology, Laboratory Physiologic and Pharmacologic Studies, NIAAA (1983-85) followed by an appointment as Senior Staff Fellow in the same laboratory (1985-88). Between 1988-93, Dr. Ikeda served as Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia and held the post of tenured Associate Professor at that institution between 1993-96. In 1996, he joined the Guthrie Research Institute as a Senior Scientist in the Laboratory of Molecular Physiology and held that post as well as that of Director, Guthrie cDNA Resource Center, prior to joining the NIAAA in February . Dr. Ikeda has authored or co-authored numerous scientific publications and has extensive teaching and mentoring experience. He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Physiological Society, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Biophysical Society and the Society for Neuroscience and serves as a scientific reviewer for numerous journals, foundations and organizations.
Memorial Symposium
On May 3, DICBR sponsored The Benedict J. Latteri Memorial Scientific Symposium . The Symposium, entitled "Ion Channels And Synaptic Transmission" was held at the Natcher Building and Conference Center, NIH in honor of the memory of Dick Latteri who served as Acting Deputy Scientific Director, NIAAA (1998-2001) and Chief, Administrative Management Branch, DICBR (1984-98). The symposium program was organized by Dr. David M. Lovinger. The Lectures presented at the Symposium were:
- "Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Glutamate Receptor Ion Channel Activation and Desensitization" - Dr. Mark L. Mayer (LCMN/NICHD/NIH)
- GABA-A Receptors: Structure and Dynamics of the GABA Binding Pocket" - Dr. Cynthia Czajkowski (University of Wisconsin)
- "Studies on the Molecular Determinants for Alcohol Sensitivity of 5-HT3 Receptor-Channels" - Dr. Forrest Weight (LMCN/DICBR/NIAAA)
- "Glutamate Receptors: The A, N and K of Alcoholism" - Dr. Boris Tabakoff (University of Colorado Health Science Center)
- "Molecular Physiology of T-type Calcium Channels" - Dr. Edward Perez-Reyes (University of Virginia)
- "Reconstructing G Protein Signaling Pathways in Sympathetic Neurons" - Dr. Stephen R. Ikeda (LMP/DICBR/NIAAA)
- "New Roles for Endocannabinoids in the Brain" - Dr. Bradley E. Alger (University of Maryland)
- "Dopamine, Drugs of Abuse and Striatal Synaptic Plasticity" - Dr. David M. Lovinger (LIN/DICBR/NIAAA)
Also established was the "Benedict J. Latteri Memorial Award For Excellence In Scientific Publication." Dick was particularly interested in and devoted to career development of postdoctoral fellows training in NIAAA laboratories and worked imaginatively and tirelessly to build a creative environment in support of scientific research. The award was presented to Sándor Bátkai, M.D. (LPS) and Shui-Lin Niu, Ph.D. (LMBB), in recognition of the most outstanding FY 2001 publication submitted by a postdoctoral fellow serving in the DICBR, at a memorial reception following the symposium.
DICBR-Sponsored Seminars
|
02/12/02 |
Marc Schuckit, M.D. (Professor of Psychiatry, University of California/San Diego) - "Recent developments in the search for genes relating to a low response to alcohol." |
|
02/28/02 |
Dr. Robert Desimone (Scientific Director, NIMH) - "How the brain pays attention." |
|
03/06/02 |
Dr. Ronald F. Mervis (NeuroStructural Research Laboratories, Columbus, OH) - "The Effect of Chronic DHA Dietary Deficiency on Dendritic Morphology in the Developing and Adult Rat Brain." |
|
03/08/02 |
Joseph F. Cubells, M.D. (Yale University School of Medicine) - "DBH: Investigating an endophenotype in the noradrenergic system." |
|
03/12/02 |
Marc Reitman, M.D., Ph.D. (NIDDK) - "Mice deficient in white adipose tissue: why fat is good and bad." |
|
03/15/02 |
Eliot Gardner, Ph.D. (NIDA/IRP) - "Reward and driving circuits in the brain and hypothesis-based medication development for addictive diseases." |
|
03/21/02 |
Dr. Stephen Traynelis (Emory University) - "Allosteric control NM.D.A receptor gating by extracellular Zn and protons." |
|
03/22/02 |
Rafael Maldonado, M.D. (University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain) - "Involvement of Mu-Opioid Receptors In Nicotine Addictive Properties" |
|
03/29/02 |
Dr. Bradberry (Associate Professor, Yale University School of Medicine) - "In-Vivo Microdialysis Comparisons of Dopaminergic Effects of Cocaine and Ethanol in Rhesus Monkeys." |
|
04/0 4/02 |
David Brenner, M.D. (North Carolina University) - "Molecular Mechanisms of Hepatic Fibrosis." |
|
04/09/02 |
Pierandrea Muglia, M.D. (University of Toronto) - "Dissecting The Genetics of ADHD." |
|
04/10/02 |
Henry Puhl III, Ph.D. (Guthrie Research Institute) - "Cloning, Expression and Promoter Identification of a Tetrodotoxin Resistant Sodium Channel (NaV1.8/Scn10a) from Mouse Dorsal Root Ganglia." |
|
04/15/02 |
Dr. Juan Guo (Tulane University School of Medicine) - "Histamine inhibits KCNQ2/KCNQ3 K+ channels via histamine H1 receptors." |
|
04/18/02 |
Arun Sanyal, M.D. (Medical College of Virginia) - "The Pathogenesis of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease." |
|
04/19/02 |
Laura Mamounas, Ph.D. (NINDS/NIH) - "BDNF regulation of monoaminergic functioning and plasticity: implications for neuropsychiatric disorders." |
|
04/22/02 |
Joseph F. Fraumeni, Jr., M.D. (NCI/NIH) - "Genes and the Environment in Cancer Causation: Epidemiologic Perspective." |
|
05/02/02 |
Dr. S Friedman (NY) - "Molecular mechanisms of hepatic fibrosis" |
|
05/09/02 |
Dr. Douglas Brenneman (NICHD, Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology) "Novel Protective Agents Derived from the CNS and their Application in a Model of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome." |
|
05/14/02 |
Dr. Steven Vogel (Medical College of Georgia, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics) - "Getting Back What You've Put In: Exocytosis - Endocytosis Coupling." |
|
05/20/02 |
Dr. Xiong Liu (NHLBI, Laboratory of Cell Biology) - "Regulation of Class I myosin and Heterologous Production of G-Protein Coupled Receptors." |
|
05/23/02 |
ra Tabas, M.D., Ph.D. (Columbia University) - "The Free Cholesterol-Loaded Macrophage: A Deadly Turning Point in Atherosclerosis." |
|
05/24/02 |
Toshiya Inada, M.D. (National Institute of Mental Health, Japan) - "Search for susceptibility loci for schizophrenia: a Japanese genome-wide association study. |
|
05/31/02 |
Michael Knable, M.D. (Stanley Research Foundation) - "Post-mortem molecular abnormalities in the major psychiatric illnesses" |
ILMBB Staff Participation at the Annual Meeting of The Biophysical Society, San Francisco CA,
23-27 February
Posters Presented
Brian W Bailey - "An Algorithm For Mapping Discontinuous Antibody Epitopes to Obtain Protein Structure Information: Test Case and Application to Rhodopsin"
Shui Lin Niu - "Lipid Dependence of Membrane Cholesterol Partitioning: A Direct Probe to Differential Cholesterol Lipid Interactions"
Nadukkudy V Eldho - "The Influence of Docosahexaenoic Acid To Docosapentaenoic Acid Replacement on Membrane Properties"
Lectures Presented
Klaus Gawrisch - "The Order Parameter Profile of Docosahex. Acid In 18:0-22:6(D31)PC."
Drake C Mitchell - "Effect of Ethanol on Receptor G-Protein Coupling."
Ivan Polozov - "Magic Angle Spinning NMR Reveals Formation of Gel Phase Domains Upon Cooling in Retinal Rod Outer Segment Disk Membranes."
Walter E Teague Jr. - "Membrane Curvature Elasticity Of 1-Steroyl-2-Docosahexaenoyl-Sn-Glycero-3-Phosphoethanolamine Monolayers."
LMBB Staff Participation at the 43rd Annual Experimental NMR Conference, Monterey CA, 14-20 April
Posters Presented
Nadukkudy V Eldho (LMBB) - "NMR Approaches to Study Conformation and Flexibility of Polyunsaturated Hydrocarbon Chains in Biomembranes."
Ivan Polozov - "Determination of Gel Phase Content of Biomembranes by Magic Angle Spinning NMR."
LMBB/LCS Staff Participation at the 5th Congress of the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL): Dietary Fats and Health, Montreal, Canada, 7-11 May
Posters Presented
Skadi M Beblo - "Essential Fatty Acid Status of Infants of African American Women: Assessment of the Umbilical Vessel Wall."
Frances Calderon - "DHA Promotes Neuronal Differentiation on Hippocampal Neuronal Cells In Vitro."
Myoungsook Lee - "Docosahexaenoic Acid Induces Apoptosis In CYP2E1-Transfected Human HEPG2 Hepatoma Cells."
Sun-Young Lim - "Effect of N-3 Fatty Acid Deficiency on Spatial Task Performance in the 1st Generation Using an Artificial Breast and Artificial Milk Formula."
Yuhong Lin "Essential Fatty Acid Metabolism Study Using Stable Isotope Technique in Adult Rats."
Drake C Mitchell - "Cholesterol Reduces Receptor Activation and Inhibits Receptor-G Protein Coupling"
Shui Lin Niu "DHA Deficiency in Rats Reduces Light-Activated Visual Signaling in Retinal Rod Outer Segment Membranes"
Zohra Olumee-Shabon presented poster "Characterization of Protein Conformation via Crosslinking in Combination with Tryptic Digest and Mass Spectrometry"
Walter E Teague Jr presented poster "Polyunsaturation and Lipid Membrane Fusion"
John C Umhau (LCS) presented poster "Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of Incorporation of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) from Plasma into Rhesus Monkey Brain"
Zhiming Wen presented poster "Differential Effects of N-6 & N-3 Fatty Acids on Phosphatidylserine Accumulation in Relation to Neuronal Apoptosis."
Presentations and other Participation
Klaus Gawrisch chair a session, "Lipid Structure and Membrane Transport" and presented a plenary lecture, "Docosahex. vs. Docosapent. Acid: The Difference that the Loss of a Single Double Bond Makes."
Joseph R Hibbeln presented the lecture, "Smoking, Gender and Dietary Influence on Erythr Essenential Fatty Acid Comp Among Patients with Schizophrenia," and "Quantitative changes in the Availability of Fats in the US Food Supply."
Hee Yong Kim chaired a session, "Lipids and Apoptosis" and presented a lecture, "Protective Effects of Polyunsaturated Lipids in Neuronal Apoptosis."
Burton J Litman presented a plenary lecture, "Membrane Lipids and G Protein- Coupled Signaling."
Toru Moriguchi presented a lecture, "Reversibility of DHA Deficiency in Rats on Spatial Tasks."
Norman Salem Jr. presented a lecture, "Alterations in Behavior & Neuroanatomy in DHA Deficient Rats" and chaired a session.
Alice Thienprasert presented a lecture, "Attention & School Performance in Thai Children: A Random Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of DHA & EPA."
Ephraim Yavin presented a lecture, "Antioxidant and Pro-oxidant Properties of Docosahexaenoic Acid."
LCS Staff Participation at the 8th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Sendai, Japan, 28 May – 1 June
Grace W Fong presented a poster, "FMRI Characterization of a Prefrontal Region
Daniel W Hommer presented an abstract, "Brain Growth and Degeneration in Alcoholism."
Jasmin B Salloum presented a poster, "An Event Related Study of Alcohol Craving..."
Joannie C Shen presented a lecture, "Neuroimaging Studies of Human Brain Activation..."
LMBB Staff Participation at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society For Mass Spectrometry, Orlando FL, 2-6 June
Hee Yong Kim presented an invited lecture "Investigation of membrane phospholipid remodeling by Reversed Phase HPLC/Mass Spectrometry."
Zohra Olumee-Shabon presented a poster, "Determination of rhodopsin conformation by cross-linking and mass spectrometry."
Other Meetings/Invited Lectures
Lectures
Norman Salem, Jr (LMBB) - "Lapses in brain function associated with the loss of neural docosahexaenoic acid" at Georgetown University, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, 25 February 2002
David Goldman (LNG) – Invited lecture, "The Pharmacogenetics of Alcohol and Alcoholism" at the Pediatric Academic Societies' meeting and expo, Baltimore MD, 6-7 May 2002
David Goldman (LNG) - "Candidate Alleles In Diseases, Isolates & Intermed Phenotypes," invited speaker at the joint meeting of French/American Biological Psychiatry Society Genomic & Psychiatry, Paris FR, 4-7 April 2002
David Lovinger (LIN) - "Glutamatergic Synaptic Transmission: Target for the Actions of Alcohol and Other Drugs of Abuse" at the Ernest Gallo Center at UCSF, San Francisco CA, 24 April 2002
David Goldman (LNG) - "Linkage of Alcoholism & Intermed. Phenotypes To Candidate Alleles" at the annual meeting of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, Atlanta GA, 25-26 April 2002
Philip J Brooks (LNG) - "A Subset of Type II I Compounds & Dinucleotides Contain Ing 8.5 Cyclo DA" at the meeting of the Environmental Mategenesis Society, Anchorage AK, 27 April – 4 May 2002
Richard Veech (LMBB) – Invited lecture, "Fruitful new methods in medical research" at DeSales University, Centervalley PA, 5 May 2002
Norman Salem, Jr (LMBB) presented the Supelco/Nicholas Pelick Research Award lecture "Docosahexaenoic Acid: Composition, Metabolism and Function in the Nervous System" at the 93rd Annual Meeting of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, Montreal, Canada, 5-7 May 2002
Burton Litman (LMBB) - "Membrane Effects and signal Transduction" at a meeting on Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: Mechanisms for Effects on Infant Development sponsored by Meade Johnson Corporation, 15 May 2002
Alan C Mclaughlin (LCS) - "Drug Effects on Oxidative Metabolism & Cerebral Blood Flow..." and 4 posters at the International Soc for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Honolulu HI, 18-24 May 2002
Klaus Gawrisch (LMBB) – Invited lecture, "Polyunsaturated Lipids in Membrane Fusion Events" at Mejbaum-Katzenellenbogen's Molecular Biology Seminar Liposomes, From Models to Applications, Piechowice, Poland, 26-29 May 2002
George Kunos (LPS) presented the invited lecture "Endocannabinoids: Novel Paracrine Mediators of Vascular Tone" at Dr. Julius Axelrod's 90th birthday celebration, Bethesda MD, 30 May 2002
Timothy K Newman (LCS/NN) - "Primate Neurogenetics: Recent Advance" at the New York Consortium In Evolutionary Primatology, Manhattan NY, 21-22 March 2002
Seminars
Richard L Veech (LMBB) "Preparation of Precursors of Ketone Bodies" at the Institute for Enzyme Research, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 22-23 February 2002
George Kunos (LPS) "Physiological Functions of Endocannabinoids" at North Carolina Central University, Durham NC, 27 February 2002
Drake C Mitchell (LMBB) presented seminar "Kinetics of G Protein-Receptor Binding: Effects of Membrane Composition & Ethanol" at the Dept. of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, West Virginia University, Morgantown WV, 3-4 February 2002
George Kunos (LPS) presented seminar "Role Of Endocannabinoids In Health & Disease Cardiovascular & Endocrine Regulation" at the Nathan Kline Inst, Orangeburg NY, 13-14 March 2002
Klaus Gawrisch (LMBB) presented seminar "Polyunsaturated Lipids in Membrane Fusion Events" at the Institute of Biophysics, and "Hydration of Biomembranes" at the Department of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Germany, 30 May - 1 June 2002
Klaus Gawrisch (LMBB) presented seminar "NMR Studies of Membrane Dynamics" at Department of Chemistry, University of Dortmund, Germany, 3-5 June 2002
Klaus Gawrisch (LMBB) presented seminar "The Influence of Docosahexaenoic Acid on Membrane Properties" at the Institut de Pharmacologie de de biologie Structurale, Centre de la Recherche Scientifique, Toulouse, France, 5-8 June 2002
Abstract
Daniel W Hommer (LCS) presented abstract "Central Nucleus of the Amygdala..." at the Amygdala In Brain Function: Basic & Clinical Approaches Conference, Galveston TX, 23–26 March 2002
Other Presentations
David Goldman (LNG) was an invited speaker in the session "Pharmacogenetic Apps. of New Molecular Technologies" at the First Annual Meeting of the Pharmacogenetics In Psychiatry, Manhattan NY, 11-14 April 2002
Joannie C Shen (LCS) presented a paper at the US Public Health Service Officer Annual Conference, Atlanta GA, 21-24 April 2002
Articles
Ahmad A, Moriguchi T, Salem N: Decrease in neuron size in docosahexaenoic acid-deficient brain. Pediatr Neurol ;26(3):210-8
Bennett AJ, Lesch KP, Heils A, Long JC, Lorenz JG, Shoaf SE, Champoux M, Suomi SJ, Linnoila MV, Higley JD: Early experience and serotonin transporter gene variation interact to influence primate CNS function. Mol Psychiatr ;7(1):118-22
Bennett AJ, Sponberg AC, Graham T, Suomi SJ, Higley JD, DePetrillo PB: Initial ethanol exposure results in decreased heart rate variability in ethanol-naive rhesus monkeys. Eur J Pharmacol 2001;433(2-3):169-72
Binder H, Gawrisch K: Effect of unsaturated lipid chains on dimensions, molecular order and hydration of membranes. J Phys Chem B 2001;105(49):12378-90
Bukoski RD, Batkai S, Jarai Z, Wang Y, Offertaler L, Jackson WF, Kunos G: CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716A inhibits Ca2+-induced relaxation in CB1 receptor-deficient mice. Hypertension ;39:251-257
Contreras MA, Chang MCJ, Rosenberger TA, Greiner RS, Myers CS, Salem N, Rapoport SI: Chronic nutritional deprivation of n-3 alpha-linolenic acid does not affect n-6 arachidonic acid recycling within brain phospholipids of awake rats. J Neurochem 2001;79(5):1090-9
Crawford FC, Vanderploeg RD, Freeman MJ, Singh S, Waisman M, Michaels L, Abdullah L, Warden D, Lipsky R, Salazar A, Mullan MJ: APOE genotype influences acquisition and recall following traumatic brain injury. NEUROLOGY ;58 (7):1115-8
Enoch MA: How can I help my patient stop drinking? Am Fam Physician ;65(7):1475-6
Enoch MA, Goldman D: Problem drinking and alcoholism: Diagnosis and treatment. Am Fam Physician ;65(3):441-8
Feller SE, Brown CA, Nizza DT, Gawrisch K: Nuclear overhauser enhancement spectroscopy cross-relaxation rates and ethanol distribution across membranes. Biophys J ;82(3):1396-404
Feller SE, Gawrisch K, MacKerell AD: Polyunsaturated fatty acids in lipid bilayers: Intrinsic and environmental contributions to their unique physical properties. J Am Chem SoC ;124(2):318-26
Gawrisch K, Koenig BW: Lipid-peptide interaction investigated by NMR. Curr Top Membr ;52:163-90
Gerald MS, Higley JD: Evolutionary underpinnings of excessive alcohol consumption. ADDICTION ;97(4):415-25
Grice DE, Halmi KA, Fichter MM, Strober M, Woodside DB, Treasure JT, Kaplan AS, Magistretti PJ, Goldman D, Bulik CM, Kaye WH, Berrettini WH: Evidence for a susceptibility gene for anorexia nervosa on chromosome 1. Am J Hum Genet ;70(3):787-92
Hong F, Nguyen VA, Gao B: Tumor necrosis factor alpha attenuates interferon-alpha signaling in the liver: involvement of SOCS3 and SHP2 and implication in resistance to interferon therapy. FASEB J 2001;15(7): U459-80
Hungund BL, Basavarajappa BS, Vadasz C, Kunos G, de Fonseca FR, Colombo G, Serra S, Parsons L, Koob GF: Ethanol, endocannabinoids, and the cannabinoidergic signaling system. Alcohol Clin Exp Res ;26(4):565-74
Igbavboa U, Hamilton J, Kim HY, Sun GY, Wood WG: A new role for apolipoprotein E: modulating transport of polyunsaturated phospholipid molecular species in synaptic plasma membranes. J Neurochem ;80(2):255-61
Lieberthal W, Fuhro R, Alam H, Rhee P, Szebeni J, Hechtman HB, Favuzza J, Veech RL, Valeri CR: Comparison of the effects of a 50% exchange-transfusion with albumin, hetastarch, and modified hemoglobin solutions. Shock ;17(1):61-9
Malhotra AK, Kestler LJ, Mazzanti C, Bates JA, Goldberg T, Goldman D: A functional polymorphism in the COMT gene and performance on a test of prefrontal cognition. Am J Psychiat ;159 (4):652-4
Murthy M, Hamilton J, Greiner RS, Moriguchi T, Salem N, Kim HY: Differential effects of n-3 fatty acid deficiency on phospholipid molecular species composition in the rat hippocampus. J Lipid Res ;43 (4):611-7
Nguyen VA, Gao B: Expression of interferon alfa signaling components in human alcoholic liver disease. Hepatology ;35(2):425-32
Panksepp J, Knutson B, Burgdorf J: The role of brain emotional systems in addictions: a neuro-evolutionary perspective and new 'self-report' animal model. Addiction ;97(4):459-69
Peoples RW, Ren H: Inhibition of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors by straight-chain diols: Implications for the mechanism of the alcohol cutoff effect. Mol Pharmacol ;61(1):169-76
Radaeva S, Jaruga B, Hong F, Kim WH, Fan SJ, Cai HB, Strom S, Liu YH, El-Assal O, Gao B: Interferon-alpha activates multiple STAT signals and downregulates c-Met in primary human hepatocytes. Gastroenterology ;122 (4):1020-34
Rotondo A, Mazzanti C, Dell'Osso L, Rucci P, Sullivan P, Bouanani S, Gonnelli C, Goldman D, Cassano GB: Catechol O-methyltransferase, serotonin transporter, and tryptophan hydroxylase gene polymorphisms in bipolar disorder patients with and without comorbid panic disorder. Am J Psychiat ;159(1):23-9
Roudebush WE, Gerald MS, Cano JA, Lussier ID, Westergaard G, Higley JD: Relationship between platelet-activating factor concentration in rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) spermatozoa and sperm motility. Am J Primatol ;56(1):1-7
Stewart RR, Hoge GJ, Zigova T, Luskin MB: Neural progenitor cells of the neonatal rat anterior subventricular zone express functional GABA(A) receptors. J Neurobiol ;50(4):305-22
Umhau JC, George DT, Reed S, Petrulis SG, Rawlings R, Porges SW: Atypical autonomic regulation in perpetrators of violent domestic abuse. Psychophysiology ;39(2):117-23
Westergaard GC, Lussier ID, Higley JD: Familial influences on hand preference: Genotypic variation between closely related primate species. Dev Neuropsychol 2001;20(3):605-17
Abstracts
Gawrisch K, Eldho NV, Mathews JS, Lindsay CC: The order parameter profile of docosahexaenoic acid in 18:0-22:6(d31) PC. Biophys J ;82(1):3A [Part 2]
Mitchell DC, Litman BJ: Effect of ethanol on receptor-G protein coupling. Biophys J ;82(1):452A [Part 2]
Polozov IV, Hines KG, Litman BJ, Gawrisch K: Magic angle spinning NMR reveals formation of gel phase domains upon cooling in retinal rod outer segment disk membranes. Biophys J ;82(1):4A [Part 2]
Teague WE, Fuller NL, Rand RP, Gawrisch K, Sternin E: Membrane curvature elasticity of 1-steroyl-2-docoahexaenoyl-SN-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine monolayers. Biophys J ;82(1);151A [Part 2]
Turner GJ, Martinez LC, Voge GV, Correia JJ, Mitra A, Mitchell DC: Roles for the carboxyl-terminal coding region of the bacterio-opsin gene. Biophys J ;82(1):526A-7A [Part 2]
Zhu DM, Lipsky RH, Marini AM: Co-activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-/Akt signaling pathway by N-methyl-D-aspartate and TrkB receptors in cerebellar granule cells. FASEB J ;16 (4):A106 [Part 1]
Office of Collaborative Research
Roger Hartman joined the Research Development and Health Disparities Branch as a Public Health Analyst on June 3. Roger comes to us from the Department of Defense where he served as Senior Health Policy Analyst, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, and as project officer for TRICARE Health Management, the WIC program overseas and the Survey of Health-Related Behaviors Among Military Personnel. In addition to his administrative expertise, Roger is very familiar with NIAAA activities since he has represented DoD as an ex officio member on the NIAAA Advisory Council since 1996. He also was DoD liaison for Alcohol Screening Day. In his new position, Roger will work on a variety of collaborative projects between OCR and other organizations including the DoD.
Office of Scientific Affairs
Dr. Sathasiva Kandasamy joined the Extramural Review Branch, Office of Scientific Affairs (OSA) as a Scientific Review Administrator. Dr. Kandasamy was formerly with the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Fort Detrick, where he had program and grants management responsibilities and oversaw peer review for Department of Defense initiatives in biomedical research and development. Dr. Kandasamy's scientific expertise is in the field of neuroscience research.
Dr. Mahadev Murthy has also joined the Extramural Project Review Branch, OSA as a Scientific Review Administrator. Dr. Murthy comes to us from the Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, NIAAA Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research. Prior to that he was Director of the Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition Research Laboratory at Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, and he has held academic appointments at the University of Manitoba and the University of Guelph. His research activities have focused on lipid biochemistry, and he has worked on an NIAAA clinical study to evaluate the effects of drinking on pregnancy for African American women.
Dr. Karen Peterson has joined OSA as a Scientific Review Administrator.
Dr. Peterson has an impressive background in alcohol research. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego, and she developed a chromatographic assay for blood acetaldehyde. She has held a number of research positions in the private sector, and her work has resulted in several patents.
Ms. Elsie Fisher has joined the OSA as Secretary to the Director, Dr. Ken Warren. Ms. Fisher has over 28 years of experience in both private and public sectors, including the IBM Corporation, the Atomic Energy Commission, the Department of Energy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Internal Revenue Service, and most recently the National Cancer Institute.
Ms. Virginia Wills was selected for the position of NIAAA Deputy Committee Management Officer. Previously, Ms. Wills worked closely with Ms. Ida Nestorio, Committee Management Officer and with the National Advisory Council members. As the Lead Grants Assistant in OSA, Ms. Wills also worked with reviewers and the Branch Chief on issues of review policy, and technical guidance. She received the NIH Director's Award in June 1995 for her outstanding work in the Review Branch. Ms. Wills currently co-chairs the NIH Committee Management Standard Operating Procedures Manual Sub-committee.
In addition to her OSA responsibilities, Ms. Wills serves as an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) counselor for NIAAA and is a member of the Institute’s EEO Advisory Committee. She served as Secretary of the NIAAA EEO Advisory Committee (1995-2001) and received the NIH Office of Equal Opportunity Superior Counselor Award for 2000-2001. Ms. Wills began her career in the Federal Government in 1989 in the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration, and has been a member of the OSA staff since 1993.
Division of Clinical and Prevention Research
Robert C. Freeman, Ph.D., has joined the Prevention Research Branch as a Health Scientist Administrator, responsible for studies on sexual risk taking, HIV/AIDS, and domestic and sexual violence. A sociologist by training, Dr. Freeman has conducted research in the fields of substance abuse, drug treatment, and HIV/AIDS among injection drug and crack cocaine users for 15 years. Before joining NIAAA, he was Senior Research Analyst at NOVA Research Co. in Bethesda, Maryland, where he held Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator roles on a number of NIDA-supported grants. In addition to other publications, he senior-authored the Handbook for Conducting Drug Abuse Research with Hispanic Populations, published in 2002 by Praeger. Prior to joining NOVA in 1994, Dr. Freeman held the position of Research Scientist in the New Jersey State Department of Health, Division of Alcoholism, Drug Abuse, and Addiction Services, where he co-directed a NIDA-supported project that provided street outreach, HIV education and testing, case management, and counseling to a heavily-Hispanic clientele of injection drug users. Dr. Freeman began his substance abuse research career in 1986 when, as a Research Associate at NDRI, in New York City, he managed data collection efforts on a study of the efficacy of methadone maintenance drug treatment for cocaine abusers.
Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research
Term Appointments
Malcolm Begg, Ph.D., was appointed as a Visiting Fellow (02/01/02-01/31/04) in the Section on Neuroendocrinology, Laboratory of Physiologic Studies (LPS). Dr. Begg received his Ph.D. (2001) in Electrophysiology from the University of Hertfordshire and his BS (Honors, 1998) in Pharmacology from the University of Aberdeen. Dr. Begg’s doctoral research examined the signal transduction and functional roles of pre- and postsynaptic cannabinoids receptors in smooth muscle preparations of the mouse and hamster vas deferens and guinea pig small intestine. During his current appointment, Dr. Begg will participate in research exploring the effects of endogenous cannabinoids on ion channels in vascular endothelium and in hippocampal neurons in an effort to elucidate the mechanism by which endocannabinoids cause vasodilation or inhibit neurotransmitter release as retrograde signaling molecules. An additional aspect of this research will be to examine the signal transduction of cannabinoid receptors in an endothelial cell line.
Huanmian Chen, M.D., Ph.D., was appointed as a Postdoctoral Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) Fellow (05/01/02-04/30/04) in the Section on Transmitter Signaling, Laboratory of Molecular Physiology (LMP). Dr. Chen received his M.D. (1991) from Zhejiang Medical University (University Medical School), PRC, and his Ph.D. (with Distinction, 2001) in Neuroscience from the Medical College of Georgia, USA. Dr. Chen completed an internship at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (1990-91) and a residency in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang Medical University (1991-93). He served as a graduate research assistant at the Medical College of Georgia (1996-2000) completing research projects on inhibition of dendritic calcium influx by activation of G-protein coupled receptors in the hippocampus; development of gene transfer methods in cultured neurons; and modulation of presynaptic inhibition by endogenous regulators of G-protein signaling at rat hippocampal synapses. Dr. Chen served as a postdoctoral associate at Iowa State University (11/00-6/01) where he began a study examining the role of astrocytes in neurotransmission and neuroexcitability in living brain slices and continued while a postdoctoral associate at the University of Pennsylvania (7/01-4/02). During his stay in the LMP, Dr. Chen will examine the mechanisms by which regulator of G-protein signaling influence the strength and timing of ion channel modulation and how ethanol influences these properties.
Margaret I. Davis, Ph.D., was appointed as a Research Fellow (02/10/02–02/9/04) in the Section on Synaptic Pharmacology, Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience (LIN). Dr. Davis received her Ph.D. (1997) in Biomedical Sciences from the State University of New York, Albany, and her BS (1988) in Experimental Psychology from Florida State University. Prior to joining the LIN, Dr. Davis served as a Visiting Assistant in the postdoctoral program of the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida College of Medicine, where she developed a variety of molecular biological and biochemical techniques and trained others in their use. During this appointment, Dr. Davis’ research will focus on the effects of ethanol on intracellular second messenger systems and the involvement of such systems in ethanol effects on ion channels. She will extend her preliminary findings on the ability of ethanol to activate ERK signaling in neurons, which may prove to be one of the mechanisms contributing to ethanol effects as diverse as acute intoxication and neuronal toxicity.
Paul Kammermeier, Ph.D., was appointed as a Research Fellow (03/10/02-03/09/04) in the Section on Transmitter Signaling, LMP. Dr. Kammermeier received his Ph.D. (1997) in Neuroscience, from Case Western Reserve University and his BS (summa cum laude, 1990) in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining the LMP, Dr. Kammermeier served as a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Physiology, University of Florida (5/97-2/98) and also at Guthrie Research Institute (3/98-3/02). During this fellowship, Dr. Kammermeier’s research will focus on the molecular signaling pathways linking metabotropic glutamate receptors to ion channel modulation and ethanol’s influence on receptor coupling. He will have the opportunity to expand his molecular biology and electrophysiological techniques and to incorporate newer optical methods into our research on signal transduction.
Ray Masuda, M.D., was appointed as a Visiting Fellow (5/01/02-4/30/04) in the Unit of Metabolic Control, Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics (LMBB). Dr. Masuda received his M.D. (1998) from Kitasato University Medical School, Japan. He completed a Neurology Residency at Kitasato University Hospital (1998-2000) and an Internal Medicine Residency at Yokahama Municipal City Hospital (2000-2001). Prior to joining the LMBB, Dr. Masuda served as a postgraduate fellow in the Department of Neurology, Kitasato University School of Medicine. While with the LMBB, he will participate in a research project investigating neurodegenerative disease utilizing primary neuronal cultures and a variety of biochemical, molecular biological and microscopic techniques.
Angela Miko, M.D., was appointed as a Visiting Fellow (05/21/02-05/20/04) in the Section on Molecular Neuroscience, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology (LMCN). Dr. Miko received her M.D. (cum laude, 1997) from the University Medical School of Debrecen, Hungary. In 1997-98, she received postdoctoral training in clinical chemistry, hematology and hemostasis at the Kenezy Hospital, Debrecen, and from 1998-2000, clinical training in anesthesiology and intensive care at Ferene Csolnoky Hospital, Veszprem. During this fellowship, Dr. Miko will receive training in several techniques used to study the cellular and molecular physiology and pharmacology of the mammalian nervous system. These will include training in molecular biological techniques used to prepare and express cDNA and cRNA from cloned receptors and ion channels and molecular biological techniques used to modify the function of these membrane proteins. She will also receive training in electrophysiological techniques used to study the function of recombinant receptors and ion channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Dr. Miko will utilize this training to investigate the cellular and molecular physiology and pharmacology of neuronal receptors and ion channels and the interaction of alcohol and other neuroactive substances with those mechanisms.
Gabor Oroszi, M.D., Ph.D., was appointed as a Visiting Fellow (06/01/02-05/31/04) in the Section on Synaptic Pharmacology, LIN. Dr. Oroszi received both his M.D. (summa cum laude, 1996) and his Ph.D. (summa cum laude, 2001) in Pharmacology, from the University Medical School of Pecs, Hungary. He served as an Internist at the Military Hospital of Pecs (1996-97) followed by his graduate student matriculation (1997-2000) where he acquired expertise in regulation cardio-vascular function in animal studies and pharmacological modulation by neuropeptides. Prior to joining the LIN, Dr. Oroszi held the post of Instructor, Department of Pharmacology, Medical and Health Science Center, University of Debrecen. During his present appointment, Dr. Oroszi will investigate the interactions between striatal dopamine and drugs of abuse, including alcohol and cannabinoids utilizing chronoamperometric techniques. He will be taught brain slice electrophysiological techniques while participating in studies examining the effects of dopamine receptor activation and alcohol on endocannabinoid release in striatal slice preparations. These studies will broaden our understanding of the physiological consequences of dopamine and cannabinoid receptor activation and the physiological effects of alcohol.
Anthony Pacifico, Ph.D., was appointed as a Postdoctoral IRTA Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) Fellow (02/11/02-02/10/04) in the Section of Fluorescence Studies, LMBB. Dr. Pacifico received his Ph.D. () in Biochemistry from the University of New York at Hunter College, his MS (1996) in Chemistry from the University of Toledo and his BA (1994) in Biochemistry from Ithaca College. Dr. Pacifico will participate in the elucidation of the effects of ethanol and membrane lipid composition on G protein-coupled signaling system with particular emphasis on the visual transduction system. He will employ his skills in microspectrophotometry in novel studies to image the retinal rod outer system to permit mapping of molecular components in this structure. Although Dr. Pacifico is a trained enzymologist, he has not previously studied membrane associated signaling system. This fellowship will greatly extend his training into problems associated with ethanol action, membrane structure and associated signaling systems.
College Drinking Awards and Recognitions
NIH Director’s Award
NIAAA’s "college team," comprised of staff representing five Offices and Divisions across the Institute, received an NIH Director’s Award in recognition of its work in creating a college drinking prevention initiative that will promote health and save lives. This effort epitomized the need to link scientific research with public health policy and practice.
Web site Awards/Recognitions
- The "Golden Web Award" from the Internet Association of Webmasters and Designers in recognition of creativity, integrity, and excellence on the Web.
- The"Excellent Medical Site Award" from the EMS Index.
- The "Neovision Bronze Award" for its creative design, layout, clear graphics, page download, user friendly interface, browser capability, overall professional appearance and originality.
- The "Excellent Site Award" from Internet Tips which an award given to great sites that load fast, use good navigation, offer good content with no broken links and have good use of graphics and scripting.
- The "Critical Mass Award" based on its excellent design, beautiful original graphics and artwork, great photos, and for providing visitors with content that is informative, entertaining, presented well and easy to access.
- The "Education Award" from Canada’s Nu-Horizons Design Studio based on its ease of navigation, obvious hard work, and entertaining content.
- The "Resource Award" Canada’s Nu-Horizons Design Studio based on its ease of navigation, obvious hard work, and entertaining content.
- The "100% Safe" recognition, in compliance with the SafeSurf Rating Standard. The SafeSurf Rating Standard is a voluntary rating system designed to protect children, as well as the first amendment rights of their parents. It was developed with input from thousands of parents and Net citizens worldwide.
- Acceptance into the Healthlinks.Net directory, the largest "free" comprehensive online directory available specifically for the use of healthcare consumers and professionals on the Internet.
- Picked as hot site of the week on April 13, 2002 by Blue Web’n. Blue Web'n is a searchable library of about 1,200 outstanding Internet learning sites categorized by subject area, audience, and type (lessons, activities, projects, resources, reference and tools). The award recognized the site for its, "Sections for parents, high school counselors, and students give the latest statistics and information about drinking and youth. For students, the materials are often interactive and show how alcohol affects different parts of the body, alcohol myths, and how much alcohol is costing you, in calories and in dollars. You can also enter information into online software that lets you look at how drinking behavior affects your BAC (Blood Alcohol Content)."
- Approval by CYBERsitter as "family friendly".
- "Special Winner" by Award World, and has just been added to their directory as a top resource for health and drug information.
- We fully anticipate winning more awards in the future, as we plan to also highlight various components of the site, especially the uniquely created student section, which was designed by a college student. If you haven't visited the site yet, please do so at www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov.
Staff Awards
Dr. Gayle Boyd, Prevention Research Branch, Division of Clinical and Prevention Research, shared an NIH Plain Language Award with Diane Miller, Chief, Scientific Communications Branch, OSA, for the Coolspot.org website. This "U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, 2001 NIH Plain Language Award, in Recognition and Appreciation of Special Achievement" was in the category Outstanding.
On May 7, Norman Salem Jr, Ph.D., Chief, Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, was presented the Supelco/Nicholas Pelick Research Award of the American Oil Chemists' Society at it’s 93rd Annual Meeting and Expo. The award was established to recognize outstanding original research, as presented in high-quality technical papers regarding fats, oils, lipid chemistry, or biochemistry. Nobel laureates Sune Bergstrom, Bengt Samuelsson and Konrad Bloch are past recipients of this prestigious annual award. Norm's work has also been recognized by the appearance, in the US market, of the first baby food product to contain docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids as supplements, a cause that he has championed.
August 2002