News & Events

Shorttakes

June 2008 (historical)

A compilation of news from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Published three times a year. Just scan these “shorttakes” for information on what’s happening at NIAMS, or access the complete articles for viewing or use in your own newsletter or other publication.

From the Director . . .

In the coming days, the NIH will announce its plans for implementing recommendations from its recent examination of the peer review process. As information becomes available, it will be posted—with other materials developed during the 2007–2008 Peer Review Self-Study—at http://enhancing-peer-review.nih.gov/. In general, the next steps will revolve around the following themes:

  • Excellence of reviewers
  • Fairness and clarity of review
  • Support for scientists at different career stages
  • Continuous quality control and improvement of peer review.

The NIH is proud of its rich history of supporting the most promising and meritorious biomedical and behavioral research. The cornerstone of its funding paradigm is the two-tiered peer review process—an approach that other countries have emulated when funding top-tier biomedical and behavioral research. The increasing breadth, complexity, and interdisciplinary nature of biomedical science, however, have created challenges for the peer-review system.

Last June, NIH Director Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni called on the scientific community to join an NIH effort to examine the peer review process and identify ways to ensure that the NIH will continue to meet the needs of researchers and the public at-large. He convened two working groups: one to identify issues from the internal NIH perspective and the other to work more closely with outside constituents. Both collected input and ideas from their stakeholders, and they consolidated their findings into a single report.

The report outlined seven challenges and proposed actions that could be taken to transform the system. After a public comment period, small groups of Institutes and Centers staff analyzed the recommendations and relayed their conclusions to Dr. Zerhouni and the Steering Committee Peer Review Implementation Group. Drs. Glen Nuckolls and Yan Wang represented the NIAMS in this endeavor, and I greatly appreciate their service.

Following a June 6 presentation to the NIH Advisory Committee to the Director, the NIH will begin a phased implementation of selected actions. Please be assured that the NIH is acutely aware that any modification to its peer-review system may have long-reaching implications. It will evaluate the effects of new NIH policies that may result from the review, ever mindful that additional improvements may be needed as it strives to support the best biomedical and behavioral research, by the best scientists, with the least administrative burden.

Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D.
Director
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
National Institutes of Health

Research Watch . . .

A research team, led by NIAMS’ Vittorio Sartorelli, M.D., describes for the first time a molecular pathway involving the protein molecule SIRT1 in a study examining the relationships between skeletal muscle cells, calorie restriction, SIRT1, and the medication metaformin. The research helps explain the effectiveness of certain diabetes interventions.

Full Story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Press_Releases/2008/05_12.asp

Scientists have made a breakthrough in understanding the immune disorder Job’s Syndrome, characterized by recurrent and often severe bacterial and fungal infections. The NIH team, including NIAMS’ Scientific Director John O’Shea, M.D., discovered that people with Job’s Syndrome lack a specific type of white blood cell, the T-17 cell.

Full Story: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2008/job_ma.htm

The microRNA molecule, miR-203, prevents skin-cell proliferation.

Full Story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2008/micro_rna.asp

A new test for joint infection could spare some patients an unnecessary procedure.

Full Story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Press_Releases/2008/03_03.asp

Work supported by the NIAMS has led to the discovery of two genes responsible for ankylosing spondylitis. With this discovery, a large proportion of the genetic risk for AS has now been identified.

Full story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2008/Ankyl_Spond_gene.asp

The antirheumatic, antimalarial treatment, hydroxychloroquine, reduced the incidence of diabetes in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Full story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2008/Diabetes_RA.asp

Injection of a correctly functioning form of the alpha-sarcoglycan gene (SGCA) into muscle tissue was successful in preventing the progression of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy in a mouse model.

Full story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2008/Gene_Mouse_MD.asp

A retrospective study of people diagnosed with lupus found that symptoms defined in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for SLE, as well as certain autoantibodies, were generally present before the diagnosis was made.

Full story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2008/Autoantibodies_Lupus.asp

NIAMS’ Winter 2007 IRPartners newsletter is available in print and on the NIAMS Web site.

See: http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/IRPartners/Winter2007/default.asp

The proceedings of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 2007 Research Symposium (“Fracture Repair: Challenges and Opportunities”) have been published.

See: http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Announcements/2008/symposium_fracture.asp

Grants and Contracts . . .

The following announcements related to the NIAMS appeared in recent issues of the NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts. These announcements are made to the research community to express our interest in funding specific areas of research. For more information on NIAMS grants and contracts, visit the NIAMS Web site at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/Funding/ and the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html.

Requests for Applications:

Rare Diseases Clinical Research Consortia (RDCRC) for the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (U54), RFA-OD-08-001. Issued: February 8, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: July 20, 2008; application receipt date: August 20, 2008.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OD-08-001.html

Skin Diseases Research Core Centers (P30), RFA-AR-08-002. Issued: April 10, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: changed to June 26, 2008, per NOT-AR-08-002; application receipt date: changed to July 25, 2008, per NOT-AR-08-002.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AR-08-002.html

Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence (U19), RFA-AI-08-010. Issued: April 11, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: June 16, 2008; application receipt date: July 15, 2008.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-08-010.html

Core Centers for Musculoskeletal Biology and Medicine (P30), RFA-AR-08-003. Issued: April 23, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: June 30, 2008; application receipt date: July 30, 2008.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AR-08-003.html

Program Announcements:

PHS 2008-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44]), PA-08-050. Issued: January 25, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: not applicable; application receipt dates: multiple dates, see announcement.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-050.html

PHS 2008-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42]), PA-08-051. Issued: January 25, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: not applicable; application receipt dates: multiple dates, see announcement.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-051.html

Functional Links between the Immune System, Brain Function and Behavior (R01), PA-08-097. Issued: March 4, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: not applicable; application receipt dates: multiple dates, see announcement.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-097.html

Functional Links between the Immune System, Brain Function and Behavior (R21), PA-08-098. Issued: March 4, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: not applicable; application receipt dates: multiple dates, see announcement.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-098.html

Genome-Wide Association Analysis of Existing Data Sets for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R01), PAR-08-123. Issued: March 28, 2008; letter of intent receipt dates: May 21, 2008, May 21, 2009, May 21, 2010; application receipt dates: June 18, 2008, June 18, 2009, June 18, 2010.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-123.html

Lab to Marketplace: Tools for Biomedical and Behavioral Research (SBIR [R43/R44]), PA-08-114. Issued: April 9, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: not applicable; application receipt dates: multiple dates, see announcement.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-114.html

Genetic Screens to Enhance Zebrafish Research (R01), PAR-08-138. Issued: April 9, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: August 25, 2008, August 25, 2009, and August 25, 2010; application receipt dates: September 24, 2008, September 24, 2009, and September 24, 2010.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-138.html

NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13/U13), PA-08-149. Issued: April 16, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: not applicable; application receipt dates: multiple dates, see announcement.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-149.html

Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24), PA-08-151. Issued: April 18, 2008; letters of intent receipt date: not applicable; application receipt dates: multiple dates, see announcement.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-151.html

Highlights From the Hill, DHHS and NIH . . .

Burden of Disease

On February 14, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, David Obey, (D-WI), Chairman, held a hearing on Opportunities Lost and Costs to Society: The Social and Economic Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Disability. The following experts testified: Kenneth E. Thorpe, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University; James N. Weinstein, D.O., M.S., Chair, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center; J. Paul Leigh, Ph.D., Professor of Health Economics, School of Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California.

Genetic Information

On May 21, the President signed into law H.R. 493, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. The Public Law number was not immediately available. Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY) introduced the bill on January 16. Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) introduced the companion bill as S. 358 on January 22. The bill prohibits health insurers in both the group and individual markets from 1) using genetic information to impose enrollment restrictions or to adjust premium or contribution amounts; 2) requesting genetic testing or results except as necessary for treatment, payment, or health care operations; or 3) requesting or requiring the use of genetic information for the purposes of underwriting. The bill defines a genetic test as an analysis of human DNA, RNA, chromosomes, proteins, or metabolites that detects genotypes, mutations, or chromosomal changes. For more information: http://olpa.od.nih.gov/tracking/110/senate_bills/session1/s-358.asp

Pediatrics

On February 13, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) introduced S. 2629, and on February 14, Representative Bud Shuster (R-PA) introduced H.R. 5468, Nino’s Act. The bill has five cosponsors in the House and one in the Senate. The legislation would require Medicaid to pay for the cost of treatments children received as participants in clinical trials conducted or funded by the NIH once the trial ends, if the families have insufficient or no health insurance coverage. The families of children do not have to satisfy the income requirements of Medicaid to qualify. Physicians participating in the clinical trial must certify that the child has been successfully treated and is likely to continue to benefit from such treatment. S. 2629 was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance, and H.R. 5468 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

On April 24, the President signed into law S. 1858, the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007, as Public Law 110-204. The bill authorizes new programs through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for education and outreach regarding the importance and availability of newborn screening. The bill also establishes an Interagency Coordinating Committee on Newborn and Child Screening with representation from NIH, HRSA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Of particular interest to the NIH is a provision that establishes the “Hunter Kelly Research Program” to provide that the HHS Secretary, in conjunction with the NIH, and taking into consideration the recommendations of the Coordinating Committee, may “continue carrying out, coordinating, and expanding research in newborn screening.” The bill was introduced on July 23, 2007, by Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT). It passed the Senate on December 13, 2007. The companion bill, H.R. 3825, was introduced by Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) and passed the House on April 8.

Muscular Dystrophy

On February 7, Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY) introduced H.R. 5265, and on February 8, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced S. 2618, the Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education (MD-CARE) Amendments of 2008. The bills would reinsert an authorization of appropriations section (previously eliminated by the NIH Reform Act of 2006) in Section 404E of the Public Health Service Act for such sums as necessary for Fiscal Years 2008 through 2012, name the muscular dystrophy centers of excellence as the Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Centers, and require the Muscular Dystrophy Coordinating Committee to give special consideration to enhance the clinical research infrastructure to test emerging therapies for the various forms of muscular dystrophy. H.R. 5265, with 79 House cosponsors, was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. S. 2618, having 20 Senate cosponsors, was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). For more information: http://olpa.od.nih.gov/legislation/110/pendinglegislation/Education_Amendments_Act.asp

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs

On April 23, the House by a vote of 368 to 43 passed H.R. 5819, the SBIR/ STTR Reauthorization Act. The bill would reauthorize the programs until 2010 with allocation levels remaining at 2.5 percent for SBIR and 0.3 percent for STTR of the NIH extramural budget. H.R. 5819 would increase the award levels for SBIR and STTR Phase I to $300,000 and Phase II to $2,200,000. The measure would require the establishment of an advisory board at each participating agency to review quarterly reports and make necessary recommendations. Additionally, the bill would expand the eligibility criteria to allow small business concerns with multiple venture capital investments and ownership to apply for awards. Further, H.R. 5819 would provide flexibility to applicants for crossover between the programs and to apply directly for Phase II awards. In total, 15 amendments were adopted, some of which would provide for a preference in awarding grants to businesses owned by veterans and to applicants who are located in areas with high unemployment, working on rare disease or nanotechnology-related research topics, or who have taken steps to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Finally, the bill would require rendering final decisions on applications within 90 days after closing of the solicitation, with some exceptions. H.R. 5819 was introduced by Representative Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Small Business, on April 17. After passage by the House, the bill was sent to the Senate, which referred it to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship on April 24.

Stem Cell Research

On May 8, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health (Representative Frank Pallone [D-NJ], Chairman) held a hearing entitled, “Stem Cell Science: The Foundation of Future Cures.” Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., Director, NIH, testified. http://olpa.od.nih.gov/hearings/110/session2/summaries/Stem_Cell_Science.asp

Budget Update

FY 2008

The NIH had only recently received an FY 2008 appropriation at the time of the last Council meeting; thus, specific funding policies were still being developed. These have now been established and can be shared. A continuing priority is to ensure the availability of an adequate pool of funds for new and competing continuation awards; thus, the inflationary adjustment for existing noncompeting awards in FY 2008 will be limited to an average of 1 percent. This means most noncompeting awards will receive a reduction of approximately 2 percent below the commitment level, which will be applied to all remaining years of the grant. As was the case last year, funding priority will be given to new investigators, and the NIAMS will continue the policy of allowing a 3 percent payline differential for these investigators. All established paylines and funding policies for the NIAMS can be found in the FY 2008 funding plan at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/About_Us/Budget/funding_plan_fy2008.asp

FY 2009

The FY 2009 President’s budget for the NIH remains essentially flat at $29.5 billion. Similar to the overall NIH budget, the FY 2009 budget for NIAMS is also essentially flat, at a proposed total of $509.1 million. At this time, we estimate the NIAMS success rate for FY 2009 will be approximately 18.5 percent, which is similar to FY 2008. Funding policies proposed under the President’s budget include no inflationary increases for research project grants; however, the FY 2009 budget request provides a modest stipend increase of 1 percent for pre- and postdoctoral research fellows to help ensure that the pipeline of future investigators is adequate. More detailed information on the President’s budget, including narrative and tabular data as well as links to the Congressional Justifications for NIH and all of the Institutes, can be found at: http://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/UI/HomePage.htm

On March 5, 2008, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education (Representative David Obey [D-WI], Chairman) held its hearing on the FY 2009 budget. NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., testified at the HHS panel titled “Health Issues and Opportunities.” He joined his agency counterparts from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the combined panel. Dr. Zerhouni’s full testimony can be found at: http://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/ui/NIH%20DirectorTestimony%20(House).pdf

NIAMS Faces . . .

Marcia Vital, M.S., joined NIAMS as the OCPL deputy director. Marcia has a Master's degree from Boston University in science journalism and medical reporting. Her undergraduate degree is in psychology from Harvard University. Marcia has over 10 years experience at NIH, first as a science writer for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke OCPL, then as the NIH Office of the Director OCPL press officer, and then at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases OCPL as the press officer and deputy director.

Carlos Yancy, M.A., joined the NIAMS Office of Communications and Public Liaison (OCPL) in February. Carlos has extensive experience in teaching, medical interpretation, Spanish translation, minority outreach, and curricula development. He has served in academia for much of his career as a school principal and college instructor in Puerto Rico, and most recently, as a Spanish teacher for the Prince William County Public School System. Carlos first worked at NIH through an internship with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) National Internship Program, where he developed and designed NIH’s first Spanish Website. He has a Master’s degree in English, specializing in linguistics and bilingual studies from the University of Puerto Rico.

Andy Jones joined NIAMS as the new deputy grants management officer. Andy was an NIH Management Intern and has over 14 years of NIH grants management experience at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and at the Fogarty International Center. Andy will help manage the day-to-day operations of the Grants Management Branch, will assist in the management of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) network, and will supervise administrative fellows and grants management analysts.

Leslie Littlejohn joined NIAMS as a grants management analyst. Leslie has been at NIH for over 20 years. She began her NIH career in the Center for Scientific Review as a grants assistant and as a special assistant to an IRG (Integrated Review Group) chief of review. She moved to the National Cancer Institute’s Clinical and Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch to become a program specialist, and most recently worked as a quality control and workload specialist with the NIH Division of Extramural Activities Support.

Katie Joffee, M. Ed., joined NIAMS as an administrative grants management fellow. Katie began her federal service nearly 6 years ago as the administrative assistant to the Technology Transfer Office at the National Human Genome Research Institute. After working as a staff assistant at the Department of Homeland Security, she has returned to the NIH. Katie has a Master’s degree in counseling and development from George Mason University and a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the State University of New York at Albany.

Ken Howe, M.A., joined NIAMS as a program coordinator for the Intramural Research Program’s rheumatology fellowship training program. He comes to the Institute from the Department of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he was largely responsible for the accreditation of nine programs. Ken has a Master’s degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in bioethics with special focus on end-of-life care, palliative medicine, and clinical consultation.

The Institute bids farewell to Betsy Lordan, M.A., who has served as NIAMS’ public liaison officer for the past three years. She has accepted a position at the Federal Trade Commission.

Kudos . . .

Alasdair Steven, Ph.D., chief of the NIAMS Intramural Research Program’s Laboratory of Structural Biology Research, was selected by the Microscopy Society of America as the 2008 Distinguished Scientist for the Biological Sciences. The international award, given annually since 1975, recognizes researchers with a longstanding record of achievement in the field of microscopy or microanalysis. A theoretical physicist early in his career, Steven switched to molecular biology when he joined the NIH in 1978.

Gahan Breithaupt, M.B.A., associate director for management and operations, NIAMS, received a 2008 Supervisor/Program Manager of the Year Award. The award, presented May 12 by the Eastern Region of the International Public Management Association for Human Resources, recognizes an individual who “successfully applies sound human resource management principles in carrying out his/her program responsibility.”

From the Health Partnership Program...

The HPP continues to progress under the program’s five focus areas: public health education, patient care, health disparities research, recruitment to research careers, and community relations. Below are highlights of current activities.

Staff Changes

Isabel Ochoa recently joined the NIAMS Cardozo Community Health Center (CHC) as a medical assistant. Her duties include obtaining patient information and serving as phlebotomist and patient liaison for patients who have specialty appointments. She also assists NIAMS fellows with Spanish translations as needed.

NIAMS Community Health Center

NIAMS has recruited more than 1,623 patients into the Natural History Study of Rheumatic Diseases in Minority Communities since July 2001, when the study began. A survey is currently in progress at the CHC to assess patients’ satisfaction with clinical services.

The third phase of the study, Health Beliefs and Health Behaviors Among Minorities with Rheumatic Diseases, involving 6-month follow-up interviews with 100 newly enrolled patients at the CHC, has concluded. This study, conducted in collaboration with the NIH Clinical Center Department of Nursing, sought to determine the beliefs and behaviors about arthritis and rheumatic diseases that influence whether patients seek medical care and their compliance with recommendations. An analysis of the data showed that as functional disability increased, pain and depression increased and self-efficacy decreased. Similarly, patients who had a higher perception of pain had increased depression scores and decreased self-efficacy. Patients were primarily grouped according to systemic (e.g., lupus), inflammatory (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis), or structural (e.g., osteoarthritis) conditions. These conditions were significantly related to usage of complementary and alternative medicine, with pain relief being the primary reason for use. This study begins to inform a framework for formulating questions regarding individuals’ healthcare choices, and may offer insight into a model of decision-making across specific subpopulations.

Community Events

NIAMS continues to disseminate information on rheumatic diseases and clinical studies at health fairs within the tristate area. Since the beginning of this year, the Institute has participated in and/or sent health materials to 32 community events. Recent exhibits include the Holy Cross Multicultural Conference, Prince George’s County’s Senior Health and Fitness Day, the Global Mission Church Health Fair, the Ecuadorian Embassy Health Fair, and the Montgomery County Asian American Health Fair.

As part of our efforts to make science more accessible and increase youth interest in research, the NIAMS recently participated in Take Your Child to Work Day at NIH. The Institute conducted two workshops: 1) tours of the intramural labs, which gave children hands-on experience handling lab equipment and first-hand knowledge about careers in research, and 2) the Health Zones workshop, which increased children’s awareness of bones, muscles, joints, and skin as they rotated between zones to learn about these important body parts.

Update on Equal Employment Opportunity . . .

The 2008 Summer Internship Program is underway. The summer internship program provides a unique opportunity for talented students from underserved backgrounds or areas to come to NIAMS for training and mentoring. This program is designed to encourage these students to work in the field of biomedical research, and in particular in the disease areas of NIAMS.

The Institute will host two interns from the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) this summer. The WRP is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private-sector employers with highly motivated postsecondary students with disabilities who are eager to gain experience in the workplace through summer employment. One student will work in a laboratory within the Intramural Research Program (IRP), and another is returning for a second summer to work in the Office of Communications and Public Liaison.

NIAMS organized and held a Job Shadow Day for Woodrow Wilson High School’s SciMaTech Academy students on February 5. One student was selected to shadow a professional in the IRP. NIAMS staff also participated as judges at the school’s annual science fair on February 8.

In a new venue of outreach to area students, NIAMS staff participated as judges in a science fair at the Oyster-Adams Bilingual School on April 15. The school has held science fairs for students from prekindergarten to the 7th grade for the past several years. This year, science themes ranged from behavioral sciences to physics, microbiology, and nutrition.

NIAMS staff members are planning for the annual NIH National Minority Youth Initiative in Biomedical Research. Native American, African American, and Hispanic students will be coming to NIH to receive health information and tour NIAMS’ laboratories.

The NIAMS’ partnership with the Montgomery County Maryland Police Activities League continued with a visit by 15 students to NIH on March 26. The purpose of the partnership is to present students ages 11 to 16 with an overview of the basic elements of research in combination with science education. The program fosters academic enrichment and interest in biomedical research and also links students with research scientists as mentors.

NIAMS is the lead institute for the Warriors Transition Program, an NIH-wide initiative. This program is designed to provide wounded service members with the opportunity to transition back into the workforce. While undergoing treatment at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, participants can train at the NIH on a part-time basis until they are ready to seek full-time permanent employment.

Upcoming Events . . .

Look for the NIAMS exhibit at the following events between now and the September 2008 issue:

  • American Physical Therapy Association, San Antonio, Tex. June 11-14
  • Association of Women’s Health Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses, Los Angeles, Calif., June 21-25
  • American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Washington, D.C., June 26-30
  • National Association of School Nurses, Albuquerque, N.M., June 28-July 1
  • National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Boston, Mass., July 15-18
  • National Community Health Representative Triennial Meeting, Las Vegas, Nev., July 27-31
  • National Medical Association, Atlanta, Ga., July 27-29
  • Organization of Chinese Americans, Washington, D.C., July 31-Aug. 3
  • National Black Nurses Association, Las Vegas, Nev., Aug. 4-8
  • American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Washington, D.C., Sept. 4-6
  • Joint Conference of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), Sacramento, Calif., Sept. 9-12
  • American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Montreal, Quebec, Sept. 12-16
  • American Academy of Family Physicians, San Diego, Calif., Sept. 17-21

Publications . . .

New Esenciales (Fast Facts):

¿Cómo se pueden prevenir las caídas y evitar posibles fracturas? (What Are Ways to Prevent Falls and Related Fractures?)
¿Qué es la osteoporosis y la artritis y cómo se diferencian? (What Are Osteoporosis and Arthritis and How Are They Different?)
¿Qué es la enfermedad ósea de Paget? (What Is Paget’s Disease?)

Revised Fact Sheets:

Medications to Prevent and Treat Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis Overview
Pain and Paget’s Disease of Bone
Facts a New Patient Needs to Know About Paget’s Disease of Bone
Information for Patients About Paget’s Disease of Bone
Medical Treatment Decisions for People With Paget’s Disease of Bone

For information on arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, including copies of the publications listed above, contact:

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Information Clearinghouse
National Institutes of Health

1 AMS Circle
Bethesda,  MD 20892-3675
Phone: 301-495-4484
Toll Free: 877-22-NIAMS (226-4267)
TTY: 301–565–2966
Fax: 301-718-6366
Email: NIAMSinfo@mail.nih.gov
Website: http://www.niams.nih.gov

For information on osteoporosis and other bone diseases, contact:
NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases ~ National Resource Center

2 AMS Circle
Bethesda,  MD 20892-3676
Phone: 202–223–0344
Toll Free: 800–624–BONE
TTY: 202-466-4315
Fax: 202-293-2356
Email: NIAMSBoneInfo@mail.nih.gov
Website: http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/bone/default.asp

For general information on NIAMS and its research programs, contact:
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
National Institutes of Health

Building 31/Room 4C02
31 Center Drive, MSC 2350,
Bethesda,  MD 20892-2350
Phone: 301-496-8190
TTY: 301-565-2966
Fax: 301-480-2814
Email: niamsinfo@mail.nih.gov
Website: http://www.niams.nih.gov/

For information on NIAMS Research Registries:

NIAMS’ research programs include 12 patient research registries. For information on these, please visit: http://www.niams.nih.gov/Funding/Funded_Research/registries.asp.

Compiled by the Office of Communications and Public Liaison, NIAMS; phone: (301) 496-8190; e-mail: NIAMSInfo@mail.nih.gov