Annual King Program Slated for Jan. 15

All are invited to attend the NIH 2004 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration observance in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10, on Thursday, Jan. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The theme is "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — Living in the Shadow of Wisdom." The speakers are pioneers in the civil rights movement, including Dr. Dorothy Height, president emeritus of the National Council of Negro Women and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and U.S. Congress Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), author and recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Non-Violent Peace Prize. For more information about the program, call Tyrone Banks, (301) 496-1763. Sign language interpreters will be provided. Individuals who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should call Michael Chew, (301) 402-3681 (voice), (301) 480-3122 (TTY) or 1-800-877-8339 (Federal Relay Service).

Bone Health Is STEP Topic, Jan. 13

Bone is a complex and dynamic tissue, and yet bones are taken for granted until they ache or break. Do you know the risk factors and life choices that can affect your bone health? For example, steroid hormones, nutrition and exercise all have a long-lasting impact on bones in later life for both men and women. How do you minimize age-related bone loss to stay active and mobile? Join us as we discuss the biology of bone and explore the clinical aspects of bone health.

Rabson Honored by Fellow Deputies

Dr. Al Rabson (l), NCI deputy director, enjoys himself at a luncheon that the NIH deputy directors held recently to honor him for his commitment and compassion in caring for the NIH community. The deputy directors meet monthly to discuss issues facing their institutes and the agency.

'Demystifying Medicine' Class Returns

NIH's popular Demystifying Medicine course will be returning January-May, 2004. The class, modeled after a successful program at Tufts University, attempts to bridge the gap between Ph.D.s trained in basic science and the medical problems to which their skills and insights might be applied.

Beginning Jan. 6, all sessions of the class will be held on Tuesdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the ground floor conference room of Bldg. 50. Students, fellows and staff are welcome to attend. Those seeking academic credit for the course can register with FAES (http://www.faes.org). If you want to take the course but will not be seeking academic credit, you should register by signing up for the course listserv (http://list.nih.gov/archives/demystifyingmed.html). The course web site and schedule are now available at http://www1.od.nih.gov/oir/DemystifyingMed/index.html.

Autoimmune Diseases in Women

The women's health special interest group will host a talk by Dr. Denise Faustman on the topic, "Autoimmune Diseases in Women," on Friday, Jan. 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Lipsett Amphitheater, Bldg. 10. Faustman is associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, and is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. Sign language interpretation will be available.

Duke, Pitt Training in Clinical Research

The Clinical Center's Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education offers two opportunities for training in collaboration with Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh.

The NIH-Duke Training Program in Clinical Research, implemented in 1998, is designed primarily for physicians and dentists who desire formal training in the quantitative and methodological principles of clinical research. The program, offered via videoconference at the CC, offers formal courses in research design, research management and statistical analysis.

Academic credit earned by participating in this program may be applied toward satisfying the degree requirement for a master of health sciences in clinical research from Duke School of Medicine. For more information, visit http://tpcr.mc.duke.edu/ or email tpcr@mc.duke.edu. The deadline for applying is Mar. 1, 2004.

The University of Pittsburgh Training in Clinical Research Program is designed for Ph.D.'s and allied health professionals and consists of a curriculum taught over three semesters starting with an intensive 8-week summer session. NIH trainees are only required to spend the first 5 days of the summer session in residence at the University of Pittsburgh. Physicians and dentists are also eligible to matriculate in this program.

For more information, including tuition costs, visit http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/cc_pitt/index.html or email tcrp@pitt.edu. The deadline for applying is Mar. 1, 2004. Prospective participants should consult with their NIH institute or center regarding the official training nomination procedure.

Hints for Smooth Interpreting Service

The Interpreting Services Project Office and Sign Language Associates (SLA) are dedicated to ensuring that all interpreting service requests are confirmed with assigned interpreters. However, there are times when a request may not be filled, for several different reasons. Here are some items to consider to avoid problems.

Enter your interpreting service requests 5 or more business days in advance of the event. The extra time is needed by SLA to ensure the most appropriate interpreter is assigned to your request. When you know that your previously scheduled event has been postponed/cancelled, try to let the project office know 2 business days in advance. When planning annual leave, keep the project office in mind as well — you may have an on-going or one-time request on the master calendar that needs to be cancelled or changed. This is especially true during the holidays.

If you need to make a change or cancel your request, go to http://www.nih.gov/od/ors/dss/special/interp.htm and enter the information online.

For more information, contact Carole Harman (harmanc@mail.nih.gov) or Tim Tosten (tostent@mail.nih.gov) at (301) 402-8180 or (301) 435-1908 (TTY).

Tae Kwon Do Beginner's Class

The NIH Tae Kwon Do School is offering a beginner's class for adults and mature teens starting Jan. 12. The curriculum combines traditional striking arts, forms and sparring with emphasis on self-defense. No experience is necessary. Class will meet in the Malone Center (Bldg. 31C, B4 level, next to the NIH Fitness Center) from 6 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, and will continue for about 2 months until participants can be integrated into the regular school training. Dues are $40 per quarter and a uniform costs $30. Interested persons are welcome to watch regular training sessions. For information call Andrew Schwartz, (301) 402-5197 or visit http://www.recgov.org/r&w/nihtaekwondo.html.

FEW Hosts Brown Bag, Jan. 13

Federally Employed Women, Bethesda chapter, will host a brown bag lunch meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 13 from noon to 1 p.m., in Bldg. 31, Conf. Rm. 6. Author Lynne Waymon will present "Networking Know-How for Career and Business Success." Sign language interpreters will be provided. Individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact Allyson Browne, (301) 451-0002 or the Federal Relay (1-800-877-8339).

NIH Library Offers New CAM Class

Interested in exploring complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to augment your research? This course will teach you about available databases, creating search strategies and pathways for research on this hot topic. A variety of free, hands-on classes are held in the Library Training Rm., Bldg. 10. For more information, call (301) 496-1080 or visit http://nihlibrary.nih.gov/training.htm.

CFC — NIH Style

Here's what some NIH'ers did during the CFC campaign to encourage contributions and reward contributors: NICHD held drawings for CFC contributors, with a variety of prizes donated by senior managers; NIAMS held a series of parties featuring guest speakers from CFC charities and held weekly drawings for contributors; and NIDA's contributors were invited to play a weekly bingo game with prizes for the winners.

Training Center Adds Two Courses

Wednesday Afternoon Lectures

The Wednesday Afternoon Lecture series — held on its namesake day at 3 p.m. in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10 — features 2002 Nobel laureate in chemistry Dr. John B. Fenn on Jan. 7, speaking on "Electrospray Wings for Molecular Elephants." He is research professor, Virginia Commonwealth University.

On Jan. 14, Dr. Neal G. Copeland and Dr. Nancy A. Jenkins will deliver the G. Burroughs Mider Lecture. See story03.

NIH scientist emeritus Dr. John W. Daly gives the NIH Director's Lecture on Jan. 21. See story04.

For more information or for reasonable accommodation, call Hilda Madine, (301) 594-5595.