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This file is provided for reference purposes only. It was current when it was produced, but it is no longer maintained and may now be out of date. Persons with disabilities having difficulty accessing information may contact us for assistance. For reliable, current information on this and other health topics, we recommend consulting the NIH Clinical Center at http://www.cc.nih.gov/.
NIH Clinical CenterNational Institutes of Health
On the Frontline of Medical Discovery

Clinical Center News

Published monthly for CC employees by Clinical Center Communications

past issues

November 2002


Astute Clinician Lecture to be held Nov. 6

Foil the Flu program

Gallin receives highest scientific award from international Society of Leukocyte Biology

Leadership training focuses on quality of education, not quantity

Farewell SunTrust, welcome NIHFCU

Holland awarded Distinguished Clinical Teacher Award

Atkinson awarded 2002 PhRMA Award in Excellence

Simplified life-saving devices become permanent fixture

Disability Awareness Expo

November calendar

News briefs


Astute Clinician Lecture to be held Nov. 6

Photo of Dr. Masur
Dr. Henry Masur

"AIDS: A Window on Infectious Diseases," is the topic of the fifth Astute Clinician Lecture on Nov. 6 at 3 p.m. in Masur Auditorium. It will be presented by Dr. Henry Masur, chief of the Clinical Center Critical Care Medicine Department.

Dr. Masur's early career focused on intracellular protozoa and how they evade host immune response. When the first cases of pneumocystis pneumonia in patients with no known immunosuppressive condition appeared at New York Hospital, where he interned, he recognized that there was little precedent for their occurrence. He evaluated these patients, and found more cases occurring at New York Hospital and in surrounding hospitals. His report of this outbreak was one of three that formed the first published report of AIDS.

After completing his early research in New York, Dr. Masur moved to NIH in 1982 to expand his investigations. Dr. Masur studied why HIV patients had a poor survival rate. He found that organisms that were previously rarely recognized—toxoplasma, cytomagalovirus and mycobacterium avium—were frequent causes of illness and death in HIV patients. He worked on improving methods of diagnosing and treating these complications. Dr. Masur and his NIH collaborators developed new diagnostic tests for PCP, new therapeutic agents and new management strategies. They developed and patented the most widely used laboratory test to recognize PCP, developed improved techniques for obtaining patient samples for the testing and developed and patented a new agent to treat PCP.

Dr. Masur and his colleagues established the Public Health Service Guidelines for Prevention of HIV-related pneumocystis pneumonia in 1989, which were the first HIV-related guidelines. These efforts were expanded into the United States Public Health Service and Infectious Diseases Society of America Guidelines for Prevention of HIV Related Opportunistic Infections, which are updated regularly.

Dr. Masur is co-chair of the Guidelines on Prevention of Intravascular Catheter-Related Infections, jointly sponsored by the Society of Critical Care, Centers for Disease Control, and the Infectious Disease Society of America. He is also co-chair of the Guidelines for Evaluation of Fever in the Intensive Care Unit. A native of Washington D.C., Dr. Masur graduated from Cornell Medical School, trained in internal medicine at New York Hospital and Johns Hopkins Hospital and trained in infectious disease at Cornell, where he was on the faculty from 1978–1982. He came to the National Institutes of Health to become assistant chief of Critical Care Medicine in 1982, and has held his current position as chief since 1989.

The Astute Clinician Lecture was established through a gift from Haruko and Robert W. Miller, M.D. It honors a U.S. scientist who has observed an unusual clinical occurrence, and by investigating it, has opened an important new avenue of research.

The lecture is an NIH Director's Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series event. It is hosted by the Clinical Center. For information and accommodations for the lecture, contact Hilda Madine, 301-594-5595.

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Foil The Flu Program

Cartoon of flu virus getting zapped

In the United States, flu season peaks between late December and early March. Vaccination is the best way to minimize serious adverse outcomes of influenza infection. Influenza vaccine delivery is on schedule for this year.

As in previous years, Clinical Center patients and staff who provide direct patient care will be the first to receive immunization.

Vaccinations will be given in the Occupational Medical Service offices, 10/6C306, and will be given based on the first letter of the employee's last name.

The program is for NIH employees only. An NIH photo identification card must be presented. Contractors are not permitted to receive the flu vaccination through this program. The detailed schedule can be accessed at http://www.nih.gov/od/ors/ds/flu.

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Photo of Dr. Gallin
Dr. John L. Gallin

Gallin receives highest scientific award from international Society of Leukocyte Biology

Clinical Center Director John I. Gallin was awarded the Marie T. Bonazinga Award by the Society of Leukocyte Biology for excellence in leukocyte biology.

The annual award is presented to a select member of the society who has shown consistent excellence in research. This is the highest scientific award given by this international society. Gallin received the award at the society's annual meeting in Torino, Italy.

As director of the Clinical Center, Dr. Gallin has led the revitalization of clinical research at NIH. This included the implementation of changes in the clinical research infrastructure with an emphasis on training and utilization of telemedicine in clinical research.

Among Dr. Gallin's awards are the USPHS Distinguished Service Award, the Young Investigator Award of the American Federation for Clinical Research, and the Squibb Award of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In 1988, he received an honorary Doctor of Science from Amherst College. In 1991, he received the USPHS award for orphan-product development for his studies leading to the licensing of interferon-gamma to reduce infections in chronic granulomatous disease. In 2001, he was recognized as the Physician Executive of the Year Award by the USPHS. Dr. Gallin is a member of the Society for Leukocyte Biology, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, USA.

Dr. Gallin has authored more than 290 research articles and edited the text books Inflammation [Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (1999)] and Principles and Practice of Clinical Research [Academic Press (2002)].

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Leadership training focuses on quality of education, not quantity

When the Clinical Center's Education and Training Section introduced its 2002 Leadership Certificate Series of courses for employees and managers, many of the participants were expecting the same sort of training they had received in the past. But they were in for a surprise.

"Previously, all federal supervisors were required to have a designated number of hours of supervisory training within a certain time period," said senior educational specialist Karen Pascal, "but the emphasis was on hours, not the type of training. Now it's on an assessment and analysis of the gap between current levels and expected levels of performance." Consequently, she added, the Leadership Series was designed to address the training needs or "skill gaps" identified by Clinical Center executive leadership and more than 200 Clinical Center supervisors through an online survey. By realigning the focus from simply improvement to improvement in specific directions, management was able to chart the results in advance based on the needs of those being trained.

The 2002 Leadership Certificate Series was developed by a partnership between the Education and Training Section and the University of Maryland. Comprised of three classes, which concluded in September, it was designed for Clinical Center managers, supervisors, team leaders, and employees in leadership positions. "The series offered an open interactive environment for leadership skill development," said participant Carol A. Romano, deputy chief of the Department of Clinical Research Informatics. "The faculty was excellent, and the focus on action learning and pragmatic application to the real work environment made the sessions unique." Claudia Briguglio, a nurse consultant, called the classes "outstanding," adding, "I have never attended a class with a follow-up emphasis on a return on learning." Another participant, called the classes "excellent, stimulating, fun, integrated, realistic, and totally engaging."

According to Pascal, "return on learning" is one of the defining elements behind the series philosophy. Return on learning refers to positive change through practical and effective application of what one has learned in the classroom.


"I have never attended a class with a follow-up emphasis on a return on learning."
                  —Claudia Briguglio

These were customized courses, each built from a previous course or courses. Each course could be beneficial when taken with the others or as a stand-alone.

The courses were: Development Skills for the Well-Rounded Leader; Working Effectively Within and Across Organizational Boundaries; and Motivating Yourself and Others to Meet Individual, Team, and Organizational Goals. "The overall theme," said Pascal, "was the influence and power that each supervisor or manager can have within his or her team, department, other departments or in the organization." It also demonstrates human resources' commitment and the commitment of the Clinical Center, in training as an investment in human capital, she said.

-by John Iler

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Farewell SunTrust, welcome NIHFCU

After more than 50 years of service to the Clinical Center, SunTrust bank is closing its doors and moving out. The good news is that employees won't be left without a banking facility.

By January the NIH Federal Credit Union will take over the space currently occupied by SunTrust, and offer a full range of services not only to members, but also to patients.

"Because credit unions are member-owned, we provide services to members only," said NIH Federal Credit Union President and CEO Lindsey Alexander. "However, because of the unique nature of the needs in Building 10, we will provide services that are not offered at other NIH credit union branches."

Such services will include check cashing for patients who are not members of the credit union, ability to exchange foreign currency, and national and international wiring of funds. Eventually, the credit union hopes to allow patients to open accounts and become members, said Alexander.

"We are excited about the opportunity to offer a branch in the Clinical Center," said Alexander. "We will be picking up where SunTrust left off, by offering the same convenience, sales, and superior customer service."

According to Stephanie Parker, branch assistant at the NIH SunTrust, the branch is closing because of a lack of business. "Corporate headquarters decided to close it because we were not generating enough business," she said.

SunTrust has been a part of NIH for over half a century. It began as the Bank of Bethesda in 1950, and was located in Building 1. It is estimated that the bank moved to the Clinical Center in 1953 when the Clinical Center first opened. Later, the Bank of Bethesda became Crestar Bank. A few years later, Crestar became SunTrust.

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Photo of Dr. Holland receiving his award Clinical Center Director John Gallin (r) along with Dr. John Paul SanGiovanni (l) present Dr. Holland with a plaque for being selected as the 2002 NIH Distinguished Clinical Teacher.

Holland awarded Distinguished Clinical Teacher Award

Dr. Stephen Holland, senior clinical investigator and head of the Immunopathogenesis Unit at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was awarded the 2002 NIH Distinguished Clinical Teacher Award. The award is the highest honor bestowed on an NIH senior clinical investigator by NIH clinical fellows.

Some descriptions about Dr. Holland provided by fellows endorsing his nomination include: "A gifted teacher; He has inspired countless fellows; Listening to our ideas and giving us advice about directions and paths to explore; An example of the consummate clinician; Total dedication to patient care; An extraordinary command of knowledge of medicine and biology; Never condescending; Stimulates your own thinking process; A great mentor and guide."

Dr. Holland received his bachelor's degree from St. John's College in Annapolis and his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he also was an intern and resident in internal medicine and a fellow in the Division of Infectious Diseases. He first came to NIAID in 1989 as a National Research Council fellow and Guest Researcher. In 2000, Dr. Holland began his current appointment as a tenured Senior Clinical Investigator and Head of the Immunopathogenesis Unit.

Among Dr. Holland's awards is a 1999 Special Act or Service Award from the U.S. Public Health Service. He has presented more than three dozen invited talks internationally over the past five years and has written more than 40 invited publications and nearly 90 peer-reviewed papers. He is also active as an editor and reviewer and in several professional societies.

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Atkinson awarded 2002 PhRMA Award in Excellence

Photo of Dr. Atkinson
Dr. Arthur J. Atkinson

Dr. Arthur J. Atkinson has been awarded the 2002 Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Foundation Award in Excellence. The award is given to scientists who received a Foundation grant at the outset of their careers in a discipline important to the research-based pharmaceutical industry—and went on to distinguish themselves through their scientific and/or academic achievements.

Dr. Atkinson is the senior advisor in Clinical Pharmacology to the director of the NIH Clinical Center. He has published more than 100 scientific articles, has been lead editor and contributor to two books, and has served on the editorial boards of a number of scientific journals.

He received his A.B. degree in Chemistry from Harvard College in 1959, his M.D. from Cornell University Medical College in 1963, and his postdoctoral training in clinical pharmacology at the University of Cincinnati. Following an internship and residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Atkinson joined the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

In 1970, Dr. Atkinson moved to Northwestern University Medical School, where he started a program in clinical pharmacology. To help initiate the program, the PhRMA Foundation awarded him a Faculty Development Award. At Northwestern, Dr. Atkinson set up the first U.S. laboratory devoted to general therapeutic drug monitoring and conducted important basic and clinical research.

In 1994, Dr. Atkinson became Corporate Vice President for Clinical Development and Medical Affairs at the Upjohn Company. He later joined the Center for Drug Development Science at Georgetown University as an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology. In 1997, he returned to NIH as a special expert consultant in Clinical Pharmacology. The following year, he was appointed senior advisor in Clinical Pharmacology to the Director of the NIH Clinical Center.

Dr. Atkinson, a Master of the American College of Physicians, has been President of both the American Board of Clinical Pharmacology and the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

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Simplified live-saving devices become permanent fixture

Photo of Fredrick Manuel and Jerry Taylor demonstrating the defibrillator Fredrick Manuel and Jerry Taylor demonstrate the easy-to-understand instructions of one of the new automatic external difibrillators stationed outside of the second floor cafeteria. Thirty-five of the plexiglass AED stations have been placed throughout the Clinical Center. NIH CPR training is required to use the device.

Simplified defibrillators, championed by many heart specialists for installation in public facilities, are now a part of the Clinical Center.

Thirty-five plexiglass cabinets have been placed on walls in public areas around the Clinical Center and hold automatic external defibrillators, known as AEDs. Each cabinet, holds a small, four-pound LifePak 500 defibrillator that automatically detects the heart rhythm of a sudden cardiac arrest victim and determines whether the victim needs a shock to help restore normal heart rhythm.

"The AED helps the Clinical Center comply with the American Heart Association guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation in hospitals to provide defibrillation to sudden cardiac arrest victims within three minutes," said Jerry Taylor, nurse consultant, Materials Management Department. "This is a good system that supports premier patient care."

Once the cabinet is opened, a loud continuous alarm is activated and the AED unit can be removed. Instructions on how to use the AED are posted beside each cabinet, and the unit itself gives easy-to-understand screen messages and voice prompts on what steps to take. Employees should also follow regular Code Blue procedures by dialing 911 for any medical emergency.

"The AED station emits a very loud continuous alarm whenever the door is opened and only a special key can turn the alarm off," said Taylor. "So the stations should be opened only when there is a Code Blue situation in which the victim is unconscious, is not breathing and doesn't have a pulse."

Sudden cardiac arrest from heart attacks, heart disease, accidents or other causes, strikes nearly 250,000 American adults each year. About 95 percent die before reaching the hospital. Survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest drop about 10 percent with each passing minute before defibrillation. People have a better chance of surviving if they undergo defibrillation within the first few minutes of cardiac arrest.

AED training is included in all NIH CPR classes. Special skills beyond CPR training are not needed to operate the AED.

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Disability Awareness Expo

photo of John Deitrich of 'Fidos for Freedom' with his service dog

Nearly 200 people attended the expo where more than 30 vendors showcased information and conducted demonstrations on disability resources, accommodations and assistive technology. John Deitrich of Fidos for Freedom (above), showcased his service dog, a dog that is trained to assist disabled individuals with everyday needs. Robert Ennis (upper right), Biomedical Engineering and Personal Property Management Section, won one of two framed photos of NIH in a drawing. An employee (right) from Computer Electronic Accommodations Program discusses its mission to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to the information environment and opportunities in the federal government.

Photo of Robert Ennis being presented with a framed photo of NIH

Photo of Disability Expo attendants conversing with employee from Electronic Accommodations Program

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  November calendar

6
Grand Rounds
noon-1 p.m. Masur Auditorium

Experimenting on Laboratory Colleagues: Is It a Good Idea?
Robert J. Levine, M.D., Yale University

Wednesday Afternoon Lecture
3 p.m. Masur Auditorium

AIDS: A Window On Infectious Diseases
Henry Masur, M.D., CC

13
Grand Rounds Great Teachers Series
noon-1 p.m. Masur Auditorium

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Past, Present, and Future
Nathan Zvaifler, M.D., University of California, San Diego

Wednesday Afternoon Lecture
3 p.m. Masur Auditorium

Chromatin and its Impact on Gene Expression and Cellular Memory
Danny F. Reinberg, Ph.D., University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway
15
NIH Clinical Center Director's Awards
1-3 p.m. Masur Auditorium
20
Grand Rounds
noon-1 p.m. Masur Auditorium

West Nile Virus: Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Options
Juan Gea-Banacloche, M.D., NCI

Wednesday Afternoon Lecture
3 p.m. Masur Auditorium

A Second Post-War Revolution in Biomedicine
Donald Kennedy, Ph.D., Stanford University
27
Thanksgiving Holiday

No Grand Rounds
No Wednesday Afternoon Lecture
 
 

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briefs

Clinical Center Director's Award

The 2002 Clinical Center Director's Annual Address and Awards Ceremony will be held Friday, November 15, from 1 to 3 p.m. in Masur Auditorium. Following the ceremony, a reception will be held in the Visitor Information Center. For the first time, the Clinical Center QWI/Diversity Council is sponsoring a new award category in the Director's Award program that will recognize employees who have made significant contributions to advancing quality of worklife and diversity.

DTM sends help to sniper victim

The Department of Transfusion Medicine was called upon to deliver red cells and platelets for intraoperative transfusion support for Conrad Johnson, the 13th victim of the sniper attacks that plagued the Washington D.C. area during the month of October, 2002. According to Dr. Susan F. Leitman, chief, Blood Services Section, Johnson had massive transfusion needs, and the police dragnet that closed roads around the area that Tuesday, October 22, prohibited Red Cross from delivering products on time. DTM transferred 20 units of group A red cells and 3 plateletpherisis components to Suburban Hospital.

Donors needed

The Blood Bank is in urgent need of donors. Hours of operation are Tuesday–Friday, from 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. For information visit http://www.cc.nih.gov/blooddonor/index.html.

Customer service on the web

Many employees have made and continue to make the Customer Service Initiative a success. To learn more about their involvement and customer service at the NIH Clinical Center visit online at: http://intranet.cc.nih.gov/od/customerservicevisit . Customer service relates to the encounters patients have with staff while at the Clinical Center—how these encounters are experienced is the strongest source of customer satisfaction for patients. A high regard for excellent customer service is how the good healthcare organizations are distinguished from the extraordinary ones. For further information on the Customer Service Initiative contact Deb Gardner at 301-496-6834 or Denise Ford at 301-451-9868.

QWI needs you

The Quality of Worklife Initiative and Diversity Council is looking for people who want to make a difference in their workplace. QWI believes that the understanding of, and value for, the diverse and unique qualities we all possess, can strengthen us as an organization and help us better serve our diverse customers. The council is an advocate for and strongly encourages an inclusive and diverse Clinical Center work environment. The council meets on the second and fourth Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon (locations are announced prior to meetings). Anyone who would like to join the council, propose ideas for activities or enhancements, or simply come to meetings can contact the council co-facilitators, Deborah Dozier-Hall 301-496-1252 or Jacques Bolle 301-594-9769.

Free concert

The Manchester String Quartet will perform at NIH on Monday, November 25 in Masur Auditorium. This is the quartet's fourteenth season performing at NIH. For reasonable accommodation needs, contact Sharon Greenwell at 301-496-4713 or email sg115@nih.gov.

Holiday bazaar

The annual holiday bazaar will be held on Thursday, November 21 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the first floor of the Clinical Center. All proceeds benefit Friends of the Clinical Center. For more information call 301-402-0193.

Ready, set, go!

The Clinical Center made a good showing at the 19th NIH Institute Relay race. After a seven-year hiatus, the race was brought back to life, sending hundreds of employees running a half-mile around Building 1. The race was sponsored by the R&W Association. Out of 83 teams, nine were from the Clinical Center.
Here are the results:

  • "Nuked Up": 29th, 17:22
  • "Dah Rad Devils": 35th , 17:58
  • "13 West Flyers": 40th, 18:13
  • "13 East-Lucky for Some": 44th, 18:28
  • "CC Cheetahs": 51st, 18:41
  • "Home Team": 68th, 20:19
  • "CC Riders": 69th, 20:23
  • "Ultra Centrifuge": 74th, 20:54
  • "Velvet Touch": 83rd, 23:40.

TSP open season

The Thrift Savings Plan open season will run from October 15 through December 31. Eligible FERS employees may elect to contribute up to 13 percent of their salary among the five TSP funds. CSRS employees may contribute up to 8 percent of their salary during this open season. Information about the Thrift Savings Plan is available in your personnel office.

FEHB open season

The Federal Employees Health Benefits open season will begin Nov. 11, through December 9. The average premium in the FEHB program will increase by 11 percent in 2003. For more information about switching your health plan or the changes occurring within your current health plan, ask your personnel officer.

DLM 30th annual holiday fundraiser

The Laboratory of Medicine will hold its 30th annual holiday fundraiser on Friday, December 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Building 10, Room 2C310. Volunteers are needed to donate items or services. All items are tax deductible. There will be a white elephant sale table, a bake sale, pizza, and a silent auction. To make donations call Sheila Barrett at 301-436-5668 or Norma Ruschell at 301-496-4475. Schedule of events is as follows:

9 a.m.- Coffee, Tea and Bake Sale

10 a.m.- Silent Auction and White Elephant Sale begins

11 a.m.- Pizza for Lunch

2 p.m.- Silent Auction ends

Training Programs in Clinical Research

Applications for the 2003-2004 NIH-Duke Training Program in Clinical Research and the University of Pittsburgh Training in Clinical Research Program are available in Building 10, Room B1L403.

Duke Training Program in Clinical Research

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 Clinical Center, allows the integration of a student's academic coursework with his or her clinical training. 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 University School of Medicine. E-mail queries regarding the program may be addressed to tpcr@mc.duke.edu. The deadline for applying is March 1, 2003. Applicants who have been accepted into the program will be notified by July 1, 2003.

Pitt Training Program

The University of Pittsburgh Training in Clinical Research Program, designed for Ph.D. and allied health professionals (i.e., pharmacists and nurses), allows trainees to gain the knowledge and skills required for the conduct of clinical investigation, as well as more extensive knowledge relative to a specific area of concentration. Participants of this program have the option of receiving a Certificate in Clinical Research (15 credits) or a Master of Science in Clinical Research (30 credits) from the University of Pittsburgh. For more information send an e-mail to tcrp@imap.pitt.edu. The deadline for applying is March 1, 2003. Successful applicants will be notified by May 29, 2003. Physicians and dentists are also eligible to matriculate in this program.

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Editor: Tanya C. Brown
Contributing writers: Colleen Henrichsen and John Iler
 

Clinical Center News, 6100 Executive Blvd., Suite 3C01, MSC 7511, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-7511. Tel: 301-496-2563. Fax: 301-402-2984. Published monthly for CC employees by the Office of Clinical Center Communications, Colleen Henrichsen, chief. News, article ideas, calendar events, letters, and photographs are welcome. Deadline for submissions is the second Monday of each month .

 

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