Sisters of Women with Breast Cancer Being Recruited for Pilot Study
When: Ongoing
Where: Tampa, FL; Phoenix, AZ; St. Louis, MO; Providence, RI
Institute: National Institute of Environmental Sciences (NIEHS)

The NIEHS recently began recruiting sisters of women with breast cancer in and around Tampa, FL; Phoenix, AZ; St. Louis, MO; and Providence, RI, for a pilot study that will examine the factors that cause sisters to have up to twice the risk of breast cancer as other women. With what is learned during the initial recruitment in the four cities, the Sister Study will go national next spring, hoping to find 50,000 sisters for questioning and simple tests that can be continued for ten years. Prospective volunteers and others may find out more by visiting the Sister Study Web site at www.SisterStudy.org or by calling (877) 4SISTER.

NIEHS is also developing a proposal for a multi-center research effort aimed at studying breast cancer and the environment both in test animals and human volunteers, which would allow the two types of studies to reinforce and provide feed-back to each other.

"Project: Out of the Box" Brings Health, Science Awareness to Fourth Graders
Where: South Dakota, Hawaii, Maryland, Washington, DC
Office: NIH Office of the Director (OD) Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEO)

Fourth graders in three states and the District of Columbia will receive a healthy surprise from the NIH. "Project: Out of the Box," a trans-NIH health and science initiative, provides students from special populations in South Dakota, Hawaii, Maryland, and Washington, DC, with surprise boxes filled with health information and materials every two months. Piloted by the OD EEO, the initiative is designed to promote health awareness and to get children interested in science, health professions, and the work of the NIH. The project began after the November 2001 NIH-Hawaii Research Partnership Site Visit, when Acting NIH Deputy Director Yvonne Maddox, Ph.D., began sending surprise packages that highlighted various national health observances to a Honolulu elementary school she had visited. The packages were so popular that "Project: Out of the Box" is being expanded to include three additional elementary schools. For more information, contact Hilda Dixon at (301) 402-4157.

NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Programs
When: January 31, 2003, deadline

Applications are now being accepted for the NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs). The LRPs may repay up to a maximum of $35,000 a year towards each participant's outstanding eligible educational loan debt, depending on total eligible repayable debt. Actual loan repayments are based on the proportion of a participant's qualifying educational loan debt relative to his/her salary or compensation, at the time the Loan Repayment Program contract begins. In return, participants must sign a contract agreeing to conduct qualified research activities for at least fifty percent of their work effort for a minimum of two years. Participants may competitively apply for additional one-year renewal contracts and may continue to receive loan repayment benefits, subject to the approval of the NIH Loan Repayment benefits represent taxable income for participants and are paid in addition to any salaries and benefits earned through the employer or host research institution.

If you are interested in being considered for the Clinical Research LRP, the Pediatric Research LRP, the Health Disparities Research LRP, or the Loan Repayment Program for Clinical Researchers from Disadvantaged Backgrounds during fiscal year 2003 your entire application and required supporting documentation (including recommendations, educational loan information with current account statements, and promissory notes or disclosure statements) must be received by January 31, 2003. Additional information can be obtained at the following Web site: www.lrp.nih.gov, by calling the LRP Helpline at (866) 849-4047, or by sending an e-mail to LRP@NIH.GOV.

"Drugs and Your Body" Initiative Reaches Out to Students, Teachers, Parents
Institute: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

NIDA recently launched "Heads Up: Real News About Drugs and Your Body," a two-year school-based science education partnership with children's publishing company Scholastic, Inc. The initiative, which began in October, is designed to reach more than 7.5 million students ages 12 to 15, their parents, and their teachers by providing accurate, science-based information about commonly abused drugs and their health effects on the brain and other parts of the body. All materials have been designed for students aged 12 to 15, including posters and a magazine. Teachers' editions of each magazine will offer lesson plans, extension activities, and additional resources. Visit www.drugabuse.gov and www.scholastic.com/headsup or contact Sheryl Massaro (301) 594-6146 for additional information.

Lecture on "Genetics of Communication" Available Online
Institute: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Millions of Americans suffer from speech and language disorders. NIDCD scientist Dr. Dennis Drayna recently explained how genes affect the ability to communicate and discussed his research on stuttering and tone deafness as part of the NIH 2002 Medicine for the Public lecture series. Dr. Drayna's lecture, "The Genetics of Speech and Communication Disorders," is available on the NIH Web site at http://videocast.nih.gov/ram/medpublic092402.ram. The lecture will also be available on demand through the ResearchChannel, a video programming service. For information about this broadcast, go to the ResearchChannel's NIH page at http://www.researchchannel.org/program/displayinst.asp?collid=178 and click first on 2002 Medicine for the Public Lecture Series and then on the lecture title.

NIH Offers Scholarships to Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds
When: February 28, 2003 deadline
Program: NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP)

The NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) announces that it is now accepting applications for the 2003–2004 academic year. The application deadline is February 28, 2003. For more information regarding the program and application, please log on to http://ugsp.info.nih.gov or call (800) 528-7689. You may submit an application on-line or request to have one mailed.

The UGSP offers competitive scholarships of up to $20,000 per year to students from disadvantaged backgrounds that are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science-health related research. The program is designed to improve access to education leading to research careers for those who have had fewer opportunities than others. The program seeks to provide an incentive for exceptional scholars to pursue research careers at the NIH.

NIH Brings Latest Biomedical Discoveries to Classrooms
When: February 2003
Where: Los Angeles, CA
Office: NIH Office of Science Education (OSE)

K–12 science teachers can bring the latest biomedical discoveries into their classrooms, thanks to workshops that are being conducted nationwide by the OSE. These workshops feature the NIH Curriculum Supplements, which are teacher's guides to hands-on activities on health-related science topics. Sessions range from one-hour introductions to day-long workshops that are conducted in partnership with local education organizations.

In February 2003, tentative workshops are scheduled with the Los Angeles Unified School District and the University of Southern California School of Dentistry. A new supplement for grades 1 and 2 on oral health, called "Open Wide and Trek Inside," will be the topic. Workshops in November and December 2002 were held at science teacher meetings in El Paso, TX; Cincinnati, OH; Portland, OR; Honolulu, HI; and Albuquerque, NM.

In addition to the workshops, NIH science education resources are displayed at the teachers' conferences via the NIH Science Education Exhibit Booth. Sponsored by OSE, the exhibit provides a forum for the 27 Institutes and Centers that comprise the NIH to showcase and disseminate their free science education materials to teachers and school administrators throughout the country.

Look for information about the NIH Science Education Exhibit Booth at http://science.education.nih.gov/exhibits. Information about the NIH Curriculum Supplements is available at http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements.

NIH Resources Promoted to Increase Minority Input in Science, Research
When: December 2002
Where: San Juan, PR; Saint Thomas, VI
Office: NIH Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management (OEODM)

The OEODM is working to bring NIH information and resources to organizations and institutions nationwide to increase minority participation in all aspects of science and research. The OEODM coordinates outreach activities with Institutes and Centers across NIH to promote NIH educational resources, training opportunities, scholarships, research to eliminate health disparities, and more. Activities include coordinating briefings for minority-oriented organizations and institutions; organizing panel presentations and speaking engagements at educational, science, research, technology, and engineering conferences; and coordinating outreach meetings on the NIH campus.

Organizations and institutions interested in OEODM-organized outreach activities can fax requests to Lawrence Self, Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, at (301) 402-0994 or contact Pedro J. Morales, Assistant Director for Outreach and Recruitment Programs, at (301) 594-9756 or via e-mail at moralesp@od.nih.gov.

Recent outreach activities include:

• December 6, San Juan, PR: Briefings on NIH training and educational opportunities for the Metropolitan University and the Puerto Rico Chapter of the Society of Neuroscience. Participating NIH Institutes and Offices include the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Mental Health, and OEODM.
• December 3–6, Saint Thomas, VI: OEODM staff talked about ensuring diversity in research at the Sixteenth Annual Counseling and Treating People of Colour Conference.
• December 7–11, San Juan, PR: NIH staff made panel presentations on educational resources, scholarships, training, and internship opportunities at the Technology Tools for Teaching and Learning Conference. Representatives from OEODM, National Cancer Institute, Office of Science Education, and the NIH Loan Repayment and Scholarship programs attended.

Conference to Focus on Diabetes Prevention in American Indian Communities
When: December 10–13, 2002
Where: Denver, CO
Institute: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Diabetes Prevention in American Indian Communities: Turning Hope Into Reality is the focus of a conference sponsored by the NIDDK and hosted by the Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee on December 10–13, 2002, in the Adams Mark Hotel, Denver, CO. About 1,000 people are expected to attend the conference, with presentations by community members and researchers on topics related to diabetes prevention, what has been accomplished so far with diabetes grant programs, and what is needed for the future prevention and treatment of diabetes. Workshops include prevention strategies, clinical interventions, program evaluations, and information sharing. Exhibits and poster sessions will provide networking opportunities for the diabetes community, Tribal Leaders and Indian Health Program Workers.

Yvette Roubideaux, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, College of Public Health, University of Arizona, and former President of the American Association of Indian Physicians, is the Chair of the Planning Committee. Other sponsors are the Indian Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Diabetes Association. Additional information is available on the Web site at http://diabetes2002.niddk.nih.gov.

Symposium on Stroke to Address Early Treatment
When: December 12–13, 2002
Where: Arlington, VA
Institute: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

In an effort to fundamentally change how stroke is recognized and treated in the United States, the NINDS has partnered with a number of nationwide organizations on several initiatives. One of the most significant of these efforts is the Institute's national public education campaign: "Know Stroke: Know the Signs, Act in Time." The NINDS recently won two prestigious awards for an educational film on stroke developed as a part of the campaign.

On December 12–13, 2002, the NINDS will be sponsoring a follow-up scientific symposium to its highly successful 1996 symposium, Rapid Identification and Treatment of Acute Stroke. The upcoming symposium is entitled Improving the Chain of Recovery for Acute Stroke in Your Community and will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Arlington, Virginia (Crystal City). The goal of the symposium is to unify the medical community in the recognition that early treatment works and should be more widely available for all stroke patients. The symposium will address the various barriers to acute stroke treatment and offer ideas for increasing the number of stroke patients treated in this country. For more information, see the symposium Web site at www.StrokeSymposium.org or call the NINDS at (800) 352-9424.

National Children's Study (NCS) Working Group Liaison Network to Launch
When: December 17, 2002
Where: Baltimore, MD
Institute: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

A major study of the effects of children's environments on their health and development is being planned by the NICHD, along with other federal partners. More than 20 working groups, each with specialized tasks in their areas of expertise, are working on different aspects of the study. These groups include non-Federal members of the research community, but in order to increase the amount of organized public involvement, one member of each working group is being appointed to answer questions and facilitate input from research advocates and other members of the public. NICHD is sponsoring a kick-off reception for this network on December 17, 2002, as part of the NCS Assembly meeting, where members of the research advocacy community and others can meet their liaisons and establish ongoing contact. For further information about the study and the Assembly meeting, go to: www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov or contact Lisa Kaeser at (301) 496-0536.

Conference to Present Data on Dietary Supplement Use in the Elderly
When: January 14–15, 2003
Where: Bethesda, MD
Sponsors: Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), National Institute on Aging (NIA)

A two-day conference and workshop sponsored by the ODS and NIA will present current data about dietary supplement use, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals and other dietary supplements in the elderly. In addition, conference participants, speakers, and panels of experts will guide the development of a research agenda in this area. Thematic topics include monitoring and data needs; factors influencing the decision to use dietary supplements; aging physiology; and evidence-based studies on select dietary supplements that have significant public health implications in the elderly population.

Researchers, health care practitioners, educators, policymakers, and students are encouraged to attend this conference. For more information, including registration, please visit www.scgcorp.com/dsuse/index.asp or contact Susie Warner, The Scientific Consulting Group, Inc., by phone (301) 670-4990) or e-mail swarner@scgcorp.com. The registration deadline is December 27, 2002.

New Kidney Disease Prevention Program Focuses on African Americans at Risk
Where: Baltimore, MD; Cleveland, OH; Jackson, MS; Atlanta, GA
Institute: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

The NIDDK has initiated the National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP) to promote the prevention of kidney disease through improved diagnosis and treatment of people at high risk. Coalition-building efforts in four cities began during October in Baltimore, MD; Cleveland, OH; Jackson, MS; and Atlanta, GA. The pilot prevention program is being designed to reach African Americans at high risk for kidney disease and the primary care providers who treat them. Techniques of social marketing and physician education are being combined in different ways depending on the needs of the coalition for each city. Evaluation of each program will elicit successful techniques for improving diagnosis and treatment to prevent progression to kidney failure, prior to the launch of a national program in 2004.

Kidney disease rates have doubled since 1990 and are expected to double again by 2010. In 1999, 424,000 people required dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. Diabetes and hypertension are the most common causes of kidney failure. The direct economic cost of health care for kidney failure is about $18 billion per year in the U.S. More information is available on NIDDK's Web site, www.nkdep.nih.gov.

NIH Launches Native American Powwow Outreach Initiative
Where: Virginia, Maryland, Washington, DC
Office: NIH Office of the Director (OD) Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEO)

The NIH is reaching out to American Indian communities through the Native American Powwow Outreach Initiative, a successful pilot program launched in spring 2001 by the NIH Office of the Director (OD) Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEO). All NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) participate in this initiative by providing staff support and/or information and materials.

As part of the initiative, NIH staff attends powwows within a 250-mile radius of the NIH and distributes NIH publications that deal with health concerns of interest to American Indian communities. Information on specific medical conditions can also be requested and is obtained from the appropriate IC or Office and forwarded to the requestor. Requests have come from a variety of sources, from individuals, to a mobile unit that works in Appalachia with American Indians, to an American Indian community minister. In addition to health information, copies of current NIH job listings are distributed and a list of potential applicants is compiled. Resumes that are submitted are circulated to NIH Institutes and Centers for employment.

During 2001-2002, NIH staff participated in 15 powwows in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC. For more information, contact Hilda Dixon at (301) 402-4157.

Interagency Autism Meeting Open to the Public
When: November 22, 2002
Where: NIH Campus

The NIH sponsored an Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) meeting on November 22, organized by the National Institute of Mental Health. Committee members include representatives from several institutes of the NIH, other Federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and families of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The mission of the IACC is to facilitate the efficient and effective exchange of information about autism activities among the member agencies and between them and public members; to serve as a forum for enhancing public awareness of the member agencies' activities, programs, policies and research; and to serve as a forum for bringing important matters of interest forward for discussion.

The November meeting was held on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD. The session was open to the public, with attendance limited to space available. Further information about the IACC, including membership roster, reports from previous meetings, and contact information, can be found at www.nimh.nih.gov/iacc/index.cfm.

Presentation Addresses Nursing Research, Practice in Hispanic Community
When: November 22, 2002
Where: Guayama, PR
Institutes/Offices: NIH Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management (OEODM); Warren Magnusson Clinical Center, Nursing Department; National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)

Representatives from the NIAMS Community Health Center discussed the application of nursing research and practice in a Hispanic community during a bilingual presentation to the Health Science Education Congress in Puerto Rico. The clinic is the NIH's first community-based clinic and is devoted specifically to health disparities research in rheumatic diseases. The OEODM coordinated the presentation in response to a request from the School of Nursing, Inter-American University, Guayama Campus. Organizations and institutions interested in similar OEODM-organized outreach activities can fax requests to Lawrence Self, Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, at (301) 402-0994 or contact Pedro J. Morales, Assistant Director for Outreach and Recruitment Programs, at (301) 594-9756 or via e-mail at moralesp@od.nih.gov.

Annual Epilepsy Research Lecture Established
When: November 12, 2002
Where: Washington, DC
Institute: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

The NINDS has established an annual research lectures series about epilepsy in honor of the wife of Congressman Steny Hoyer, Judith, who had the disorder. A number of nonprofit organizations concerned with epilepsy co-sponsored the Inaugural Judith Hoyer Epilepsy Research Lecture, which took place on November 12, 2002, in the Mumford Room of the Library of Congress' Madison Building. Noted epilepsy investigator Jerome Engel, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., of the University of California at Los Angeles, spoke on the topic, "New Attitudes and New Approaches to Treating Epilepsy." For more information, contact the NINDS Office of Communications and Public Liaison at (301) 496-5751.

New Network of Minority Research Investigators Established
When: November 7–8, 2002
Where: NIH Campus
Institute: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases' (NIDDK)

The NIDDK's new Office of Minority Research Coordination has established the Network of Minority Research Investigators (NMRI). Preliminary planning meetings have focused on various methods of communication and strategies to improve the competitiveness of minority researchers. The major objective of the network is to encourage and facilitate the participation of members of underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups in the conduct of biomedical research in the fields of diabetes, endocrinology, metabolic diseases, digestive diseases, nutrition, and kidney, urologic, and hematologic diseases. More information about the NMRI is available at www.nmri.niddk.nih.gov.

NIH Mental Health Experts Share Expertise at State Meetings
When: October–November 2002
Where: Mississippi, Idaho, Utah
Institute: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

The NIMH has been bringing research updates to several state-level meetings in recent months, each hosted by an Outreach Partner from the NIMH Constituency Outreach and Education Program (www.outreach.nimh.nih.gov). Dr. Grayson Norquist, Director of the Division of Services and Intervention Research (DSIR), was the keynote speaker at the November 4 meeting of the Mental Health Association of Mississippi, "Summit on Best Practices for Mental Health Prevention and Recovery". Via videoconference, on October 31 Dr. Ben Vitiello presented a talk on "Depression in Children and Adolescents" to 13 satellite sites throughout Idaho, hosted by the Idaho State University Institute of Rural Health. Dr. Vitiello is Chief of the Child & Adolescent Treatment & Preventive Intervention Research (DSIR/CATPIRB). On October 18, Acting NIMH Director Dr. Richard Nakamura presented the keynote address at the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Utah's annual "Bridges to Hope" conference.

NIMH Experts Participate in Workshop on Mental Illness Awareness in Classroom
When: November 2, 2002
Where: Orlando, FL
Institute: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Neuroscientists, K-12 teachers, and representatives from NIMH participated in a workshop on "Mental Illness Awareness in the Classroom" at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (SFN) in Orlando, Florida. Organized by the SFN Committee on Neuroscience Literacy, the workshop was held on November 2.

Dr. Richard Nakamura, Acting Director of NIMH, delivered the keynote presentation. Other NIMH speakers described the Institute's outreach and public dialogue efforts, especially its Constituency Outreach and Education Program (www.outreach.nimh.nih.gov), and demonstrated the CD-ROM "The Brain's Inner Workings" (www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/braincd.cfm). NIMH also distributed publications and materials about child and adolescent mental health to all the participants (examples at www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/childmenu.cfm).

The SFN web page on neuroscience literacy is http://apu.sfn.org/content/Programs/NeuroscienceLiteracy/index.html.

NIH Represented at Community Meeting on Accessing Federal Health Resources
When: October 31, 2002
Where: Brooklyn, NY
Institutes: National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and National Institute of Child and Human Development (NICHD)

Representatives from three NIH Institutes participated in a community meeting held in Brooklyn, NY, to help community- and faith-based organizations better understand how to access services and resources through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Scientists from the NIA, NICHD, and NIMH addressed the health topics of exercise and older people, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and victims and perpetrators of violence. The meeting, entitled Direct from DC: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—Accessing Resources for YOUR Community, included more than 1,000 citywide service providers, leaders from community- and faith-based organizations, and local and state government officials who were invited to hear HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson and representatives from a number of HHS agencies speak.

What is the Patient Understanding: Health Literacy Lecture Addresses this Major Public Health Issue
When: October 21, 2002
Where: NIH Campus
Institute: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Dean Schillinger, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of California at San Francisco-San Francisco General Hospital, lectured on "Babel Babble: What is the Doctor Saying? What is the Patient Understanding?" on October 21, 2002. Health literacy is a specific area of health communication that focuses upon the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Individuals who have challenges of literacy, language, or access to health information are at greater risk for disease and have increased likelihood of misusing medication. Health literacy is a major public health need. For more information, send an e-mail to marin_allen@nih.gov.

New Jersey Health Forum Promotes Heart, Circulatory Health for Senior Citizens
When: October 21, 2002
Where: New Jersey
Institute: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

An estimated 200 New Jersey residents attended a health forum dedicated to the promotion of heart and circulatory health for senior citizens. Dr. Teri Manolio, Director, Epidemiology and Biometry Program, Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications, NHLBI, presented an overview of the NIH and stressed the importance of its activities relative to public health. She provided examples of recent cardiovascular disease research advances and discussed how lifestyle choices can improve health and well being. Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), in conjunction with St. Barnabas Medical Center, hosted the health forum. In recent months, at the request of other members of Congress, the NHLBI has also participated in public health forums in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Rhode Island. For more information about NHLBI participation in local health forums, send an e-mail to NHLBI.listens@nih.gov.

Mental Health Topics in NIH 2002 Medicine for the Public Series Lectures
When: October 2002
Where: NIH Campus
Institute: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Two recent NIH Medicine for the Public lectures at the NIH were presented by NIMH scientists. On October 1, Dr. Dennis Charney spoke on "Coping with Anxiety and Depression in Uncertain Times." Dr. Charney is Chief of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at NIMH, and Chief of its Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch. Dr. Jay Giedd, Chief of Brain Imaging for the NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch, spoke about "The Teen Brain" on October 15.

Sponsored by the NIH Clinical Center, the Medicine for the Public lecture series features physician-researchers and is intended to help the public understand the latest developments in medicine. Lectures are free, open to the public, and can be viewed worldwide at any time after presentation through the NIH videocast service at www.videocast.nih.gov. Details about the lecture series are at www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/mfp/series.html, including biographical information about Dr. Charney and Dr. Giedd. In addition, information about the NIMH Mood and Anxiety Disorders program is at http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/mood, and an NIMH description of the teenage brain can be found at www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/teenbrain.cfm, as part of the Science on Our Minds series (www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/soms.cfm).

Town Meeting on Breast Cancer and Environment Held in California
When: October 7–8, 2002
Where: Marin County, CA
Institute: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

The NIEHS held a Town Meeting in Marin County, California to obtain input into proposed NIEHS breast cancer research related to environmental factors. The Institute is particularly interested in ideas on breast cancer and the environment because it recently began recruiting sisters of women with breast cancer in Tampa, FL; Phoneix, AZ; St. Louis, MO; and Providence, RI, for a major study on why sisters have increased risk of breast cancer (see next item for more details).

The Town Meeting in California was part of a longstanding series of town meetings the NIEHS holds around the country each year to focus attention on unique environmental health issues. Kenneth Olden, Ph.D., Director of the NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program, led the town meeting at the invitation of the Marin Breast Cancer Watch, a grassroots organization dedicated to finding the causes of breast cancer and preventing its spread. Janice Barlow, executive director of the Marin Breast Cancer Watch, also spoke. The meeting featured open microphone sessions, where community members and groups shared their concerns, and a series of panel discussions that brought together community members and researchers.

Upcoming Town Meetings are planned on January 7–8, 2003, in San Antonio, Texas, and on February 27–28, 2003 in Miami, Florida. For more information about meeting times and locations, contact Geraldine Wolfe by e-mail at wolfle@niehs.nih.gov or by phone at (919) 541-3373, or visit www.niehs.nih.gov/od/tndates.htm. Additional information about the upcoming meetings is also available in the Upcoming Public Events section of this Bulletin.

Address Focuses on Efforts to Educate Public on HIV Vaccine Research
When: September 12, 2002
Where: Washington, DC
Institute: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Public education about HIV vaccine research to encourage participation in clinical trials and the role of NIAID and its Vaccine Research Center in the global war against HIV/AIDS were the focus of a recent NIAID address to the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust. The Braintrust is an annual event that draws state and local leaders and the public from around the nation to Washington, D.C. each fall. Chad Womack, Ph.D., a Vaccine Research Center fellow addressed these issues during a panel entitled "Global HIV/AIDS Update 2002: Together We Can, Together We Will." For more information, contact James Hadley, (301) 496-5717.

NIH Reaches Out to Minority Scientists from Oklahoma's Langston University
When: September 4, 2002
Where: NIH Campus

Representatives from Oklahoma City's Langston University discussed the potential for collaborative support from the NIH for their research program and faculty during a recent visit to the NIH campus. The OEODM organized the outreach meeting, which included representatives from throughout NIH as well as university's president and members of its senior faculty. Organizations and institutions interested in similar OEODM-organized outreach activities can fax requests to Lawrence Self, Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, at (301) 402-0994 or contact Pedro J. Morales, Assistant Director for Outreach and Recruitment Programs, at (301) 594-9756 or via e-mail at moralesp@od.nih.gov.

Instructional Materials Provided to Elementary School Classes
When: August 2002
Where: Suddlersville, MD
Institute: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

As part of its outreach efforts, NIAID's Office of Special Populations and Research Training in the Division of Extramural Affairs participated in the Suddlersville Elementary School Health Fair held in Suddlersville, MD. The fair culminated a six-week Queen Anne's County Migrant School Program, which focused on nutrition, reading, mathematics, and language skills. The program was targeted to 268 children, ranging from infants to 9th grades. The program was conducted by 25 teachers and 56 support staff and volunteers. The program is supported with Federal grants received under the Title I and Head Start for the purpose of providing daycare and education to the children of migrant workers. While the majority of the students are from South America, approximately 85 percent of the students in K–9 have English as a second language. The Office also adopted a fifth grade class providing instructional materials on disease areas handled by NIAID and other NIH Institutes. For more information, contact James Hadley at (301) 496-5717.

Public Representatives Attend Working Group on Future Sarcoidosis Research
When: August 22–23, 2002
Where: Rockville, MD
Institute: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

The NHLBI convened a working group on future directions in sarcoidosis research. Investigators with expertise in pulmonary diseases (especially sarcoidosis), genetics, and other associated areas reviewed the current status of what is known about the disease, identified gaps in research, pinpointed obstacles to progress, and explored other areas of research that may be applicable to sarcoidosis. Representatives from patient support groups and other organizations concerned about sarcoidosis stressed the critical need for improved diagnosis and treatment. They also shared experiences from their efforts to increase community awareness of sarcoidosis. The disease is due to inflammation, which can appear in almost any organ but most often starts in the lungs or lymph nodes. Its cause is unknown. For more information about the working group, send an e-mail to NHLBI.listens@nih.gov.

Community Liaison Group Established at NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratories
Where: Hamilton, MT
Institute: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

NIAID's Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) has announced the formation of a Community Liaison Group, made up of more than 20 civic and community leaders from the Hamilton, MT, area where the facility is located. The group meets regularly with RML administrators to ensure an open dialogue with the community as the laboratories plan for the growth of its research programs. The planned growth includes the building of an integrated research facility that includes offices, conference rooms, and a high-containment laboratory for conducting research that will lead to a better understanding of agents of bioterrorism and the development of diagnostics, therapies, and vaccines to protect citizens from those agents. The group also assists in planning a series of community open houses. For more information about the community liaison, contact James Hadley at (301) 496-5717.

Report Focuses on Women's Health
Institute: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Women's Health in the U.S.: Research on Health Issues Affecting Women focuses on infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases that fall under the research mandate of NIAID. The report covers the impact of and research agenda for HIV/AIDS, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome, and sexually transmitted diseases. You can view this report at www.niaid.nih.gov/publications/womenshealth/womenshealth.pdf or place an order for a
copy at www.niaid.nih.gov/publications/orderforms/order.htm.

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