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Commissioned Corps Holds Promotion Ceremony
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| From left are acting Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu, newly promoted Capt. Vien Vanderhoof, William Current-Garcia and NIH director Dr. Elias Zerhouni. |
Thirty-five Public Health Service Commissioned
Corps officers who work at NIH were honored at the fifth annual PHS Commissioned
Officer Promotion Ceremony held recently in Masur Auditorium. NIH director Dr. Elias Zerhouni and acting Surgeon General
Kenneth Moritsugu gave keynote remarks. They placed the promotion boards for each officer as Rear Admiral Richard Wyatt read the officers’ personal statements describing rewarding aspects of their professions; family
members and coworkers participated in the ceremony. Lcdr. Brent Bonfiglio read the “call to orders” for each rank.
Also officiating were the chief professional officers
for the nine categories, including Rear Admiral Carol Romano, chief nurse officer; Rear Admiral Helena Mishoe, chief scientist officer; and Capt. Karen Siegel, chief therapist officer, who are currently stationed at NIH.
Zerhouni recognized Wyatt and Moritsugu, who are both retiring this year, having each served as PHS officers for more than 36 years. Zerhouni also stated his continued support of “readiness and transformation” of the PHS.
Moritsugu thanked Zerhouni for his longstanding
and steadfast support of the PHS. The acting surgeon general also recognized contributions by NIH officers to the PHS mission
“to promote, protect and advance the health and safety of the nation.” In recognition
of his longstanding PHS service, Wyatt presented Moritsugu with a framed copy of the PHS March, emphasizing the lyrics that describe NIH well: “In research and in treatment,
no equal can be found.”
In closing, officers who retired during the past year were recognized and 24 new officers were welcomed into the PHS.
Officers honored included nurse officers Capt. Vien H. Vanderhoof, Cdr. Felicia A. Andrews, Cdr. Janice E. Davis, Cdr. Lisa Ann Marunycz,
Cdr. Kelly Duane Richards, Cdr. Twanda
Denene Scales, Lcdr. Tamika E. Allen, Lcdr. Sara Joan Anderson, Lcdr. Felecia Annetta Bailey, Lcdr. Jeene Darrin Bailey, Lcdr. Carol Ann Corbie, Lcdr. Christopher Joseph Howard, Lcdr. Aldrin Joe Jaranilla, Lcdr. Ruby Katherine
Lerner, Lcdr. Allison Adams-McLean, Lcdr. Nicole Dawniel Plass, Lcdr. Jennifer Paulette Pope, Lcdr. Hyejeong Root, Lcdr. Megan Janette Sosa, Lcdr. Margarita Rocio Velarde, Lcdr. Laura Christine Wall; medical officers Capt. Stephen G. Kaler, Cdr. Darrell Eugene Singer; health services officers Capt. Brian E. Richmond, Cdr. Jeasmine E. Aizvera,
Cdr. George L. Carter, Lcdr. Jeffrey
Licudine Basilio;
veterinary officers
Capt. Terri Ruth Clark, Capt. Kim D. Taylor; scientist officers
Lcdr. Chekesha Shani Clingman, Lcdr. Sally Hongyu Hu; dental officer Cdr. Paul Anthony
Wong; dietition officer Lcdr. Merel Kozlosky; pharmacy
officer Lcdr. Luke Sunghyun Park; and therapist officer
Lcdr. Ivy Fondy Chan.—JoAnn Micah
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| At the Commissioned Corps ceremony are (first row, from l) Rear Admiral Richard Wyatt, Lcdr. Chekesha Shani Clingman, Lcdr. Felecia Annetta Bailey, Lcdr. Carol Ann Corbie, Lcdr. Margarita Rocio Velarde, Cdr. Lisa Ann Marunycz, Lcdr. Nicole Dawniel Plass, Cdr. Twanda Denene Scales, Cdr. Kelly Duane Richards, Lcdr. Allison Adams-McLean, Cdr. Jeasmine E. Aizvera, Lcdr. Jeffrey Licudine Basilio; (second row) Rear Admiral Mike Milner, Rear Admiral Carol Romano, Lcdr. Luke Sunghyun Park, Lcdr. Jeene Darrin Bailey, Capt. Terri Ruth Clark, Lcdr. Jennifer Paulette Pope, acting Surgeon General Kenneth
Moritsugu, Lcdr. Sally Hongyu Hu, Capt. Vien H. Vanderhoof, Lcdr. Ruby Katherine Lerner, Lcdr. Sara Joan Anderson, Cdr. Felicia A. Andrews, Lcdr. Laura Christine Wall, Capt. David Rutstein, Capt. Karen Siegel, Capt. Brent Morse and Rear Admiral Robert Pittman. |
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Extraordinary Reviewer Speer Inspires Annual CSR Award
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There are many stars in the universe of NIH peer review. Among the 31,000 scientists from across the globe who examine the 80,000 grant applications NIH receives every year, one bright star recently moved many at NIH by her heroic commitment: Not only did Dr. Marcy Speer continue to review grants during
treatment for breast cancer, but also she extended her term as a regular member of CSR’s genetics of health and disease study section to make up for meetings she missed during chemotherapy. She even served as a temporary reviewer for NHGRI and NIEHS. Amazingly, she further agreed to be nominated
to serve a full 4-year term on NIEHS’s environmental
health sciences review committee.
When her cancer returned and treatments proved no match for the disease, Speer worried about the applications she had to return right before an NHGRI review meeting. Two weeks later, on Aug. 4, she died at Duke Hospital after a 2-year battle with the disease.
“Marcy’s unwavering passion and commitment to science and NIH peer review were astounding,”
said CSR director Dr. Toni Scarpa. “She has been an inspiration to us all…We were so moved, we established an annual award in her name to honor scientists who excel in their service
to science and humanity as a CSR reviewer.”
Members of Speer’s family have been invited to accept the first Marcy Speer Outstanding CSR Reviewer Award at the next meeting of the study section. Speer is survived by her husband of 24 years, Dr. Kevin P. Speer; daughters Kira Carlson Speer and Casey Carlson Speer; mother
Marsha Carlson; and brothers Ned, Eric and Kris Carlson.
During the last 10 years, Speer participated in more than 50 study section meetings for NIH—over 30 for CSR and more than 20 for other NIH institutes. Cheryl Corsaro, the scientific
review officer for the study section, said all those who worked with Speer will remember her for her “bubbly spirit, love of life and enthusiasm
for science.”
Speer had been director of the Center for Human Genetics and chief of the division of medical genetics at Duke University Medical Center. Her research focused on uncovering the genetic and environmental contributions to a variety of neurodevelopmental conditions such as spina bifida, anencephaly and Chiari malformations.
In addition, she conducted extensive studies of muscular dystrophy.
She received a Ph.D. in zoology from Duke in 1993, an M.S. in human genetics from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983, and a B.A. in mathematics
from Indiana University in 1981.
“It was a life so well lived for others,” said Scarpa.
“She epitomized all that is good about those who serve on NIH review groups.”
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Espinosa Appointed Hispanic Employment
Program Manager
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Richard Edward Espinosa is the new NIH Hispanic Employment Program manager. He joined the NIH Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management
on June 25. He brings a broad knowledge base to NIH, with a degree in economics from the University of Texas and experience with local and federal governments as well as the private sector. Espinosa served as the accessibility program manager for the disability resources division, Montgomery County government. He also served as special assistant to the chair of the President’s committee
on employment of people with disabilities. He has designed public relations, outreach and marketing strategies for the Americans with Disabilities Division of CESSI, which targeted small business and segments of the disability community. In his OEODM role, Espinosa will address NIH efforts to expand outreach to Hispanic communities and organizations and to promote best practices to support diversity throughout the agency.
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Dr. Constantine Londos, chief of the membrane regulation section in the NIDDK Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, was recently honored at the premiere Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology summer research conference on “Lipid Droplets: Metabolic Consequences of the Storage of Neutral Lipids.” Londos was presented with a plaque recognizing his outstanding contributions to research on lipid droplet biology and for the discovery of perilipins in 1990. Perilipins were the first identified lipid droplet-associated proteins and they function to regulate lipolysis of fats stored in adipocytes. By working to understand perilipin function using perilipin knockout mice and cell-culture models, Londos has been instrumental in defining lipid droplets as organelles containing proteins that regulate energy homeostasis of animals. |
NIDA Council Welcomes Six Members
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| NIDA deputy director Dr. Timothy Condon (l) and director Dr. Nora Volkow (c) welcome new members of their council, including (from l) Dr. Louis E. Baxter, Dr. Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, Dr. Igor Grant, Dr. Daniele Piomelli and Dr. Xiaoyan Zhang. Not shown is Dr. Debra DePrato. |
Six new members recently joined the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse. They are:
Dr. Louis E. Baxter, president and executive medical director, Professional Assistance Program of New Jersey, Inc., Princeton, and medical director, division of addiction services, New Jersey department of health and senior services. He is also instructor in medicine, Thomas Jefferson School of Medicine, Philadelphia.
Dr. Debra K. DePrato is associate professor of clinical public health and preventive medicine, School of Public Health, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. She serves as project director for Louisiana Models for Change, a juvenile justice reform initiative grant funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
Dr. Igor Grant is professor of psychiatry and executive vice chairman, department of psychiatry, School of Medicine,
University of California, San Diego, and director of the HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center, the California NeuroAIDS Tissue Network and the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research. His research includes studies to examine neurological change in people with HIV infection
and the combined effects of methamphetamine and HIV on the brain.
Dr. Daniele Piomelli is Louise Turner Arnold chair in the neurosciences, University of California at Irvine School of Medicine. His research interests include neuropharmacology,
including establishing the role of arachidonic acid as an intracellular second messenger and revealing the molecular mechanisms by which this compound regulates
neural activity, elucidating the pathways involved in the formation and inactivation of brain cannabis-like substances and uncovering physiological functions and potential pharmacological uses of these compounds.
Dr. Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus is Bat-Yaacov professor in child psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, department
of psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles. She directs the UCLA Global Center for Children and Families and is interested in developing, evaluating and disseminating evidence-based interventions for children and families.
Dr. Xiaoyan Zhang is president and CEO, KIT Solutions, Pittsburgh. He is a recognized expert in designing and implementing data systems that measure performance, outcomes and results-based accountability. |
NCI’s Harford Recognized for Work in Middle East
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| Dr. Joe Harford (l) receives the AMAAC award from former Prime Minister Al Fayez of Jordan. |
Dr. Joe Harford, director of NCI’s Office of International Affairs, was recognized recently
for his work in the Middle East by the Arab Medical Association Against Cancer (AMAAC).
The award was presented at the Middle East and North Africa Cancer Research Conference held in Amman, Jordan, sponsored by the King Hussein Cancer and Biotechnology Institute, Duke University and NCI. Harford has worked for a decade in the Middle East serving as NCI liaison to the Middle East Cancer Consortium (MECC), which has Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan,
Turkey and the Palestinian Authority as its members. He has focused on establishment and strengthening of cancer registries as well as individual and group training activities for health care workers and cancer researchers from the region. Harford has also worked on building capacity for research and improving patient care.
The citation on the award presented by former
Prime Minister Faisal Al Fayez of Jordan reads, “In recognition for his significant contribution
to enhance the status of cancer care and cancer research in the region and for his unwavering efforts to support needed infrastructure
and create opportunities in cancer
education, training and capacity-building
to help cancer patients and their families throughout the Arab World.”
Harford thanked the AMAAC and acknowledged
the support of former and current NCI directors as well as the support of the State Department in his MECC-related endeavors. He also thanked Dr. Samir Khleif of NCI, who served as director general of King Hussein Cancer
Center in Amman for 3 years. |
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