Published monthly for CC employees by Clinical Center Communications February 1999 New CC south entrance Human resources Volunteer's needed Organ transplant program CC Roundtable Special assistant dies CC volunteer dies Internet and email usage Nutrition Department leads efforts Sen. John Glenn Quality of worklife 13 West re-opens News briefs

Cutting the commemorative ribbon are (from left to right) Dr. David Henderson, CC deputy director for clinical care; Dr. Ruth Kirschstein, NIH deputy director; Dr. Michael Gottesman, deputy director for intramural research; NIH Director Dr. Harold Varmus; and Stephen Ficca, director, Office of Research Services. Ceremony marks opening of new south entrance On Monday, January 11 a ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the opening of the new entrance for the Clinical Center. This south entrance will be in effect until the completion of construction on the Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center (CRC) on the north side of the building projected for 2002. The ceremony gathered together an array of individuals, including employees, department heads, Board members, architects and construction workers. They all came to commemorate in the words of NIH Director Dr. Harold Varmus, "the pathway." "I would like to congratulate the people responsible for the architecture and construction," said Dr. Varmus. "After many months of confusion on this side of the building we can now get to work seriously on the CRC of the other side of the building." Many attendees of the ceremony marveled at the likeness that the new entrance has to the one of several decades ago and were in awe at the grandness of the bright, open space. Volunteers wearing red "Way to Go" buttons have and will continue to help staff and visitors find their way around the new entrance. Message boards containing up-to-date information on how construction will affect building occupants will continue to be provided throughout the work phases. Factsheets can also be accessed online at http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/waytogo/update1.html. -by LaTonya Kittles   index

Volunteers Needed Pelvic pain Participants are needed for a study to evaluate whether surgery followed by a new medical treatment reduces pain for a longer time than surgery alone. To qualify you must: -have normal menstrual cycles -have a three month history of pelvic pain -have had no recent treatment for endometriosis -not take any chronic medications, including birth control pills -not be pregnant or nursing. If interested, call 2-0851. Blood study Male volunteers over 40 years of age and females over 50 years of age are needed for a study to assess the effects of donating blood on prevention of heart disease. Participants should have donated blood no more than once in each of the last five years, and given fewer than 15 units in their lifetime. Blood studies and carotid ultrasound will be done. Two outpatient visits are required. For more information, call Xin Fu at 2-4482.   index

CC to become site for new solid organ transplant program The Clinical Center will become the site for an innovative new kidney, pancreas, and islet transplant program designed in conjunction with several major research centers. "The Clinical Center is fortunate to be a collaborator in this exciting scientific opportunity," said CC Director Dr. John Gallin. "We are working closely with several organizations to provide the necessary resources-including staff, equipment, and space-to fully support this important initiative." The effort is a collaboration between the CC, the NIDDK, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Naval Medical Research Center, and the Diabetes Research Institute of the University of Miami. Program planners hope this initiative will allow tests of novel therapies that can eliminate the need for immunosuppressive drugs, which are taken by patients to keep their bodies from rejecting new transplanted organs, such as kidneys. Patients with Type 1 diabetes could also potentially benefit from the new program. In these patients, insulin-producing cell clusters called islets have been destroyed. In the past, islet transplants often didn't work because anti-rejection therapies failed. This new program could offer new treatment options to benefit these patients. A new Navy-NIDDK Transplantation and Autoimmunity Research Branch will develop the actual clinical protocols involved with the program. It is anticipated that research advances from this branch will translate into pilot clinical trials. The CC will be the site for these phase one and phase two trials, which test the safety and effectiveness of a treatment in small numbers of people. If successful, the findings uncovered here could provide the basis for larger studies that could be conducted around the country. The program is expected to begin this summer.   index

CC Roundtable continues The premiere of CC Roundtable, "What's New in the Imaging Sciences," was broadcast live from the CC on Jan. 15. In the spotlight (from left) were Dr. Brad Wood, CC Diagnostic Radiology; Dr. Andrew Arai, NHLBI; CC Director Dr. John Gallin; Dr. R. Nick Bryan, CC Diagnostic Radiology; and Dr. Ronald Summers, CC Diagnostic Radiology. On February 19, Dr. Henry Masur, chief of the CC Critical Care Medicine Department, will lead "Cutting-Edge Issues in Antiretroviral Therapy." The programs are broadcast live over the GE TiP-TV Healthcare Network and CenterNet-The Academic Health Center Network. NIH staff can view the programs through simulcast in Lipsett Amphitheater at noon. CME credit is available and everyone is welcome to attend. For more information call 6-2563.   index

CC special assistant for biostatistics dies Dr. David W. Alling, 80, a special assistant for biostatistics at the Clinical Center, died on January 20 of respiratory failure. Dr. Alling was a pioneer in the application of statistical methods to biomedical research. Dr. Alling was born in Rochester, N.Y., and earned his medical degree from the University of Rochester. He did an internship in internal medicine at Arnot-Ogden Hospital in Elmira, N.Y., and was a resident in pulmonary diseases at Biggs Memorial Hospital in Ithaca, N.Y. After earning his doctorate in statistics at Cornell University in 1959, Dr. Alling joined the NCI as a medical officer. In 1960, he accepted the same position with the NIAID, and in 1964 was appointed the Institute's research mathematical statistician. In 1971 he became special assistant for biometry. In his work at NIH, Dr. Alling assisted researchers in specifically defining the population sample needed to show efficacy of a particular therapeutic agent, in developing clinical protocols, in randomizing the drug treatment, and in expert statistical analysis of the data. He made numerous contributions to scientific journals on mathematical and statistical theory, and trained upcoming physicians in statistics and methodology. Dr. Alling received the Public Health Service Superior Service Award in 1981 and the Public Health Service Special Recognition Award in 1989. Since 1996, the Clinical Center was fortunate to have Dr. Alling as a special assistant for biostatistics. He was a valued collaborator and dear friend to many. -by Sue Kendall index

CC volunteer dies after years of service to the NIH community Mary Maze, 69, former CC employee and Red Cross volunteer, died Dec. 23. She had asthma. Maze came to the CC in 1985 as an employee development specialist and retired in 1992. After leaving NIH she volunteered at the CC with both the Blood Bank and the Red Cross desk. "Most people knew her as a really fine humanitarian who always had a mission," said Andrea Rander, director of volunteer services. "She was a valuable part of my life and to others in the hospital and her death is an enormous loss to us all." Maze was a Massachusetts native who graduated in 1950 from Newton College of the Sacred Heart in Newton, Mass. She received a master's degree in education from the State Teachers College in Boston and in 1983 completed a two-year education for parish service program at Trinity College in Washington. She is survived by her husband, Chester, of Bethesda; a son, Charles, of San Diego; two daughters, Marianne Maze Bullen of Gaithersburg, and Elizabeth Maze, of Alexandria; and three grandchildren.   index

Internet and e-mail use in the CC CC employees are reminded that internet access and e-mail are provided in the CC for government use in support of the NIH mission. You can review the official NIH internet policy at http://irm.cit.nih.gov/policy/email.html. In addition, the e-mail services provided by the Information Systems Department are not secure and should not be used to transmit confidential or sensitive information (i.e., identified patient data). If you have any questions about appropriate use, call your ISD user support representative.  index

Nutrition Department leads e-mail access efforts     During the grand opening celebration for the Nutrition Department Computer Learning Center, students and mentors alike gathered to celebrate. They included (front row from left) Stacy Mason, Mary Buzzanell, Stacy Bates, India Payne, Jacinta Mason, and Department Chief Alberta Bourn. Andre Williams is pictured in the back. Not shown is mentor Patty Coffman. Everyday as many people enter the "information superhighway," there are probably just as many who opt to take a back road. Not in the CC Nutrition Department, where employees are learning about computers through a pilot initiative aimed at providing e-mail access to all interested employees. "One of our organizational goals is to meet quality-of-worklife standards regarding e-mail access set forth by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Donna Shalala," said Walter Jones, deputy director for management and operations. "This pilot program in nutrition will become an example that other departments throughout the hospital can follow to help provide complete e-mail access to their employees." The Nutrition Department pilot is entirely voluntary for employees. Mentors in the department provide several training sessions to employees on components of the computer, accessing e-mail, word processing, and other pertinent areas. "The training affects approximately 50 employees in the department who do not use computers in their day-to-day duties," said Alberta Bourn, department chief. "We have found that many people are excited to have the opportunity to learn about computers and we in turn are excited that we are able to provide this resource." The department's dream became reality when they turned their small conference room into the "Computer Learning Center," and were donated computers to provide this service to staff who truly appreciate the opportunity to keep up with technology. "I am fortunate to be able to use these computers because I can find out information more quickly," said Preston Parker, cook. "These skills will also help me in my future." Mentors such as Jacinta Mason donate their time to teach co-workers who don't work on computers everyday. "It's a really good program because it helps with the morale and self-esteem of the workers," said Mason. "It also takes a lot of pressure off the department because if people are able to access e-mail on their own it will save time, paper, and resources." For more information on the CC Nutrition e-mail pilot, contact Alberta Bourn at 6-4981. Mentors in the program provide training to staff on e-mail and other computer programs. Shown is mentor India Payne and trainee Eddie Shadding.     -by LaTonya Kittles     index

Sen. John Glenn and space shuttle astronauts visit the CC     Senator Glenn made history in 1962 as the first American to orbit the earth, and again last year when at 77 he became the oldest person ever to participate in space flight. Joining him in greeting attendees is Dr. Donna Shalala, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Senator John Glenn and the Space Shuttle Discovery astronauts visited the CC last month to discuss their most recent mission. The NIH and NASA are collaborating on a wide range of research areas, including investigations devoted to understanding issues including sleep behavior and maintenance of muscle mass and strength.       index

Improve your quality of worklife  The CC Quality of Worklife Council encourages employees to take advantage of career management counseling sessions at the NIH Work and Family Life Center. These sessions will help assist employees to more effectively direct their careers. To schedule a confidential, one-hour appointment, call 5-1619. If you have any suggestions for the CC Quality of Worklife Council, just drop them in the Employee Suggestion Box located in the hallway of the B1 level cafeteria. Watch the CC News for more information on the Council's activities.       index

13 West re-opens for patients A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last month to re-open the 13 West patient care unit, which had been closed for a year for renovations. New to the unit are three isolation rooms, larger playrooms for the children, and better accommodations for parents to relax and sleep in the rooms. "We are very happy to be on this bright and cheerful unit," said Barbara Corey, nurse manager. Among participants in the ceremony were CC Director Dr. John Gallin, and a host of clinical staff and patients.   index

News briefs CC Roundtable "Cutting-Edge Issues in Antiretroviral Therapy" is the subject of the Feb. 19 CC Roundtable planned for noon in Lipsett Amphitheater. CC Director Dr. John Gallin, and panel leader Henry Masur, chief of the Critical Care Medicine Department, will lead the live broadcast. Speakers include NIAID's Dr. Judith Falloon and Dr. David Henderson, CC deputy director for clinical care.   Another open season The Federal Employees Group Life Insurance open season will run from April 24 through June 30, 1999. For more information, including plan brochures, contact human resources at 6-6924.   Seminar announced If you are caring for an aging relative and would like to share with other caregivers, the Work and Family Life Center will be hosting a brown bag luncheon just for you. The Eldercare Discussion Groups will be held on Feb. 3 and 17 from noon to 1 p.m. in Building 31, room B2B57. For more information, call 6-3164.   Statements coming Due to the overwhelming responses received from CC employees, the Office of Human Resources Management will again this year provide the Personalized Statement of Benefits. Enclosed with the benefits statement will be a customer satisfaction survey designed to obtain feedback, ideas, and comments on the services provided by the office. Watch for your annual Personal Statement of Benefits and the customer satisfaction survey this month. If you have questions or comments, call Sharon Reed at 6-6924. index

Editor: LaTonya Kittles Clinical Center News, 6100 Executive Blvd., Suite 3C01, MSC 7511, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7511. (301) 496-2563. Fax: 402-2984. Published monthly for CC employees by the Office of Clinical Center Communications, Colleen Henrichsen, chief. News, articles ideas, calendar events, letters, and photographs are welcome. Deadline for submission is the second Monday of each month. top | cc home page | nih home page |