Employee Needs Organ Donation

Wanda White, an employee with type A blood, is in need of a kidney transplant. If there is anyone interested in being tested as a possible donor match who has either type A or O blood, call Nancy at 435-2110. Federal government donors can use up to 30 days of donor leave, which is not associated with sick or vacation leave.

Use or Lose Reminder

Don't forget to officially schedule your "Use or Lose" annual leave no later than Saturday, Nov. 29. Questions concerning "Use or Lose" leave should be directed to one's human resource office or other program official designated by your institute or center.

SEER Program Marks 30th Year

The National Cancer Institute recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, an authoritative source of information on cancer incidence and survival in the United States. The SEER Program collects and publishes cancer incidence and survival data from population-based cancer registries and supplemental registries that cover approximately 26 percent of the U.S. population. The SEER Program is the only comprehensive source of population-based information in the U.S. that includes stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis and survival rates within each stage. The anniversary program included presentations by leading scientists who discussed the latest evidence concerning cancer trends and the critical role of the SEER Program in health care research, policy and practice. The first day's speakers included (front, from l) Dr. Brenda K. Edwards, NCI; Dr. Phyllis Wingo, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Michael Thun, American Cancer Society; Dr. Robert Croyle, NCI; Craig Lustig, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship; Dr. Martin Brown, NCI. At rear are (from l) Dr. John Ayanian, Harvard Medical School; Dr. Robert Smith, American Cancer Society; Dr. Dee West, Northern California Cancer Center; Dr. Colin Begg, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Holiday Auction Set, Dec. 5

The Clinical Center's department of laboratory medicine will hold its 31st Holiday Auction fundraiser on Friday, Dec. 5 in Bldg. 10, Rm. 2C310, which is the department's conference room and library. All proceeds benefit the Patient Emergency Fund and Friends of the Clinical Center.

Organizers welcome volunteers and donations of items, and remind donors that their contributions are tax-deductible. There will be a white elephant sale table, bake sale, pizza lunch and silent auction. The bake sale, with coffee and tea, begins at 9 a.m., followed by the silent auction and white elephant sale at 10. Pizza will be served at 11:30 a.m., and the silent auction ends at 2 p.m.

To make donations or volunteer call Sheila Barrett, 496-5668, or Norma Ruschell, 496-4475.

STEP Forum on Workplace Networking, Nov. 25

The staff training in extramural programs (STEP) committee is sponsoring a Workplace Strategies session titled, "Who Ya Gonna Call? Workplace Networking Strategies and Skills," on Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Lister Hill Auditorium, Bldg. 38A.

Well-developed personal connections are essential for efficient daily productivity and successful career development. Are you spending too much time on the web or digging through years of files to find the information you need? If you have an effective network across NIH, the answer is easy — pick up the phone and call a colleague. What could have taken you hours, now takes minutes. Not only is a robust network of resources important for your current position, it also is useful if you are in a new position or considering a career change. This session will explore approaches for maximizing professional contacts and offer insight on establishing and maintaining beneficial networks of people and expertise resources. The forum is intended for extramural staff at all levels.

Big Changes for Campus's Northeast Corner

What once was a placid parking lot on the northeast corner of campus, near Bldg. 31, has been transformed this fall into a major construction zone. Dump trucks, bulldozers and power shovels now excavate the foundation for a parking garage, which is part of the Bldg. 33 complex. Combined with a stormwater management facility and preparations for a Central Vehicle Inspection area, the multiple projects have totally transformed the character of this campus tract.

Seven Complete Pharmacology Fellowships

Seven postdoctoral fellows recently completed the NIGMS Pharmacology Research Associate (PRAT) Program. This 2-year program, which was established in 1965, provides advanced experience in pharmacological research for individuals with backgrounds in the basic or clinical sciences and/or experience in new fields for those who are already pharmacologists. PRAT fellows work with preceptors in NIH or FDA intramural labs to conduct research in areas such as molecular and behavioral pharmacology, biochemistry and drug metabolism.

Attending the PRAT ceremony were (from l) Dr. Michael Rogers, director of the NIGMS Division of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biological Chemistry; former PRAT fellows Dr. Richard Weinshilboum of the Mayo Medical School, and Dr. Juanita Sharpe of Chicago State University; and Dr. Ruth Kirschstein, senior advisor to the NIH director.

This year's graduating PRAT fellows and the institutes in which they work are: Dr. James Bjork, NIAAA; Dr. Mark G. Carter, NIA; Dr. Frank Comer, NCI; Dr. Kristi Egland, NCI; Dr. Kate Prybylowski, NIDCD; Dr. Byrn Quimby, NICHD; and Dr. David C. Williams, Jr., NIDDK.

An awards ceremony was held recently to honor the graduating class. The event featured research presentations by the PRAT fellows and a keynote address by Dr. Richard Weinshilboum, a former PRAT fellow and now an NIGMS grantee. He is currently a professor of medicine and pharmacology at the Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minn.

FAES Holds Insurance Open Season

Open season is for those who did not enroll when first eligible and for current subscribers to make changes. Appointments are required to make changes to medical coverage but not for dental enrollment. FAES offers CareFirst BlueCross/Blue Shield PPO and a voluntary health maintenance organization (HMO) dental plan through Cigna.

More information may be obtained from the FAES web site at www.faes.org or from the FAES business office, Bldg.10, Rm. B1C18. To schedule an appointment, call 496-8063. FAES is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.