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Dr. Louis H. Miller

NIAID's Dr. Louis H. Miller, chief of the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, has been elected fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. Since the academy's inception, more than 1,300 fellows from over 27 countries have been elected to the AAM for demonstrating scientific excellence, originality and leadership in the microbiological sciences. Miller's accomplishments in malaria research have been widely recognized. He has found molecular targets that could aid both in the development of new drugs and of vaccines to prevent severe disease. Malaria has been all but eliminated in industrialized areas of the world such as the United States and Europe, but still claims the lives of between 1 million and 3 million people worldwide each year.

NHLBI Division Wins 'Pyramid'

NHLBI's Division of Lung Diseases (DLD) has won a Pyramid Award for 1997 from the Montgomery County commission on people with disabilities.

The commission, part of the county Office of Human Resources, has for 11 years given Pyramid Awards, which recognize outstanding leadership in employing persons with disabilities and in advancing the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The commission gives awards in six categories to employers and supervisors. Categories depend on number of employees and type of supervision. DLD was nominated for the award by the Kennedy Institute of Washington, D.C, a nonprofit group that sponsors programs to encourage employment of those with disabilities.

The Kennedy Institute applauded DLD for collectively providing a positive work environment that promotes growth and gives encouragement. In particular, the division supports and encourages the advancement of an employee who was part of the Maryland Supported Employment Program. DLD makes it possible for the employee to improve her clerical skills and expand her duties -- she went on to earn Merit and Achievement Awards. The division also has been providing crucial support to help her live independently for the first time.

The nomination also singled out the following DLD staff members for special recognition: Dr. Suzanne Hurd, director; Dr. Carol Vreim, deputy director; Dr. Dorothy Gail, program director; Dr. James Kiley, director, Center on Sleep Disorders Research; Loretta Barnes, administrative officer; and Amy Pryor, administrative technician.

Doctors Elected to IOM

NINDS director Dr. Zach W. Hall (l), Dr. Louis Sokoloff (c), chief of NIMH's Laboratory of Cerebral Metabolism, and Dr. Robert Wurtz, chief of NEI's Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, were recently elected to the Institute of Medicine, a component of the National Academy of Sciences. IOM enlists distinguished members of various professions to examine policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. Its mission is to advance scientific knowledge and improve the public's health and well-being by providing objective, timely, and authoritative information on a wide range of public health issues. New members are chosen for major contributions to health, medicine or related fields such as social and behavioral sciences, law, administration, and economics.

Winners of Chili Cookoff

Part of the recent Combined Federal Campaign kickoff extravaganza was a pitched battle among employees participating in the 1997 Chili Cookoff, sponsored by R&W. It was a rugged competition that yielded winners in three categories. There was a seven-way tie for Best Chili. Winners were Janie Robak, the team of Ben Shurtleff and Arun Unni, Larry Salas, Karen Frei, Rick Zirzow, Gary Thorpe and Louis Kerns. All seven won an office pizza party, courtesy of PizzaBoli's. Most Original chili honors went to Kerns and Frei, while Salas picked up the Hottest Chili kudo. These honorees each won four tickets to a Washington Warthogs indoor soccer game. Hats off to the chefs!

Rockville 10K Winner

NIDR researcher Dr. Mark Hoon continues his winning ways in local footraces, having recently won the Rockville 10K in a time of 33:37. He also won the River Rumble Half-Marathon in Montgomery County in August, the Crystal City Red Cross 10K in June, the Bethesda Chase 20K last March and was the first D.C.-area finisher in last April's Boston Marathon, placing 41st overall. He was a spectator at the recent Marine Corps Marathon, but is training now for next spring's Boston Marathon. He was last profiled in the Dec. 5, 1995, NIH Record.