e-Update
December 7,
2004
Weekly News Briefs
e-Update is distributed
weekly to keep faculty and staff at the University of Miami School of Medicine
up-to-date on news at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center.
To submit news for publication, e-mail items to update@med.miami.edu.
THIS WEEK’S NEWS
--Conversations about Cancer Seminar
--Beware of Theft During This Holiday Season
--Small-Cell Lung Cancer Workshop
--UM/Sylvester Distinguished Lecture Series
--Holiday Stress Busters
--Transportation Option from Broward County
--Cellular Phone Discounts
--‘Canes Basketball News
--Upcoming Calendar Events
--Human Subjects Research Opportunities
UM SCHOOL OF MEDICINE RECEIVES HISTORIC GIFT, NAME CHANGE
On Monday, the School of Medicine celebrated the announcement of a historic
$100 million gift from the family of the late Leonard Miller, a longtime
South Florida businessman and philanthropist. In recognition of the biggest
gift ever to the University of Miami, the School of Medicine will be renamed
the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. During his lifetime, Leonard Miller
and his wife Susan were longtime supporters of the University of Miami, and
in particular the School of Medicine. The gift will be used to establish
four Miller professorships initially, to recruit the next generation of biomedical
scientists, to enhance the medical school’s academic mission, and to
meet other pressing needs of the school. The Miller gift is the second largest
donation to an institution of higher learning in Florida. Gov. Jeb Bush,
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, and Miami Mayor Manny Diaz joined President
Shalala, Dean Clarkson, and UM Board of Trustees Chairman Dean Colson in
making the announcement and thanking the Miller family. Thanks to all the
faculty, staff and students who shared in the celebration.
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CANCER SERIES
An educational program, “The Value of DNA Analysis for Predicting Outcomes
in Cervical Cancer,” will be presented at UM/Sylvester at Deerfield Beach,
1192 East Newport Center Drive, Suite 100, on Wednesday, December 15, from
noon – 1 p.m. The presenter is Aaron Wolfson, M.D., co-leader, Gynecologic
Cancer Site Disease Group, UM/Sylvester, and professor, Department of Radiation
Oncology, UM School of Medicine. Dr. Wolfson sees gynecologic cancer patients
at UM/Sylvester in Miami and in Deerfield Beach. Please call 1-800-545-2292
to register. Seating is limited.
BEWARE OF THEFT DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON
The Department of Security is reminding all employees that securing personal
items such as purses, wallets, and gifts is important all year long, but
particularly vital during this time of the year. The holiday season brings
an increase in thefts from offices and workstations. Thieves target items
left under desks, and in unlocked cabinets and unsecured desk drawers. It
only takes a minute to steal from an unsecured area. Please help us put an
end to this by locking your offices, desks, cabinets, and storage areas when
unattended. You may contact Walter Lee, manager, investigations and crime
prevention, with any questions or suggestions at 305-243-6280, ext. 5, or
e-mail wlee2@med.miami.edu. You
may visit the security web site at http://ummcsd.med.miami.edu/SECURITY/security.htm for
other alerts and crime prevention information. Best wishes to all for a wonderful
holiday season from your security team.
SMALL-CELL LUNG CANCER WORKSHOP
The Thoracic Oncology Group presents Alan B. Sandler, M.D., associate
professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology Oncology at Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, and medical director, Thoracic Oncology Program,
Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center Affiliate Network Program, who will be hosting
a workshop on small-cell lung cancer. Dr. Sandler’s workshop, “Current
Strategies for the Treatment of Small-Cell Lung Cancer,” will be Thursday,
December 16, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in UM/Sylvester room 1301. For more information,
please contact Yohanna Zaldumbide, RN, nurse coordinator, at 305-243-5991.
REASSESS, RELAX AND REJUVENATE: A PRE-HOLIDAY STRESS BUSTER
This interactive EAP seminar will help participants explore options for dealing
with the sources of stress and review tips for managing holiday stress. Participants
will also have the opportunity to practice stress management exercises, including
meditation, visualization and progressive relaxation. The seminar will be
held from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. today (Tuesday) at the Dominion Parking
Garage, room 155. To enroll, go to http://netlearning.miami.edu. If
you have any questions on using the online registration system, please call
305-243-3090. For questions about content, call the EAP at 205-284-6604.
Supervisors are encouraged to post this notice for employees who do not have
electronic access.
The Mort Silverblatt Head and Neck Cancer Support Group
The Mort Silverblatt Head and Neck Cancer Support Group will meet at UM/Sylvester
at Deerfield Beach, 1192 East Newport Center Drive, Suite 100, on Tuesday,
December 14 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The topic will be advocacy. Participants
are asked to bring and share their favorite holiday recipes. The support
group is free of charge and open to all head and neck cancer survivors. Participants
do not need to be patients of UM/Sylvester. The group meets the second Tuesday
of every month. For additional information, including directions to UM/Sylvester
at Deerfield Beach, please call 1-800-545-2292 or 305-243-1000.
UM/SYLVESTER DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES
Karl T. Riabowol, Ph.D., Canadian Institutes of Health Research & Alberta
Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Scientist Professor in the Cancer
Biology Research Group at the University of Calgary Health Sciences Centre,
will present “Biological Activities of the ING Family of Class II Tumor
Suppressors” as part of the UM/Sylvester Distinguished Lecture Series
in the UM/Sylvester conference room 1301 on Friday, December 17, from noon
to 1 p.m. After attending this session, attendees should be able to explain
how replication age is important for biological age and cancer incidence, introduce
the newly described ING family of Class II tumor suppressors, and describe
how the ING proteins relate to histone deacetylases (HDACs) and HDAC inhibitors.
Lunch will be served. For more information, please call Diane Dames at 305-243-2287,
or e-mail DDames@med.miami.edu.
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS FROM BROWARD COUNTY
Is your drive home from work a hassle? Here’s the solution: Vanpool.
If you live in the area of Pembroke Pines, Miramar or Cooper City, and work
between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Vanpool has a ride for you. Call Marie at
305-585-6480 (ext. 62527) during the day or her cell at 954-662-3311.
SAFEGUARD YOUR COMPUTER FROM MALWARE
“Malware,” or malicious software, is one of the greatest threats
to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of electronic protected health
information (EPHI). Malware, which includes computer viruses, worms and “Trojan
horses,” is software designed to disrupt, damage and/or hijack computer
systems. Unless intercepted, malware can spread rapidly across computer networks
causing widespread system failures and loss of data. Having reputable anti-virus
software installed can safeguard your computer from being infected by or spreading
most forms of malware. If you access EPHI on University resources as a part of
your work, please make sure that your computer has University-licensed anti-virus
software installed. Verify that your anti-virus software is being updated on
a regular basis with the latest virus definitions. If you are uncertain about
your computer’s virus protection, please contact your system administrator
immediately. For additional information on malware, please visit the following
website at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/topics/virus/malware.mspx.
The Office of HIPAA Privacy and Security is sending out periodic Security Awareness
updates and reminders through e-Update. Should you have any questions or concerns,
call 305-243-5000.
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI AND AT&T WIRELESS/CINGULAR
University employees and families are now eligible to receive monthly discounts,
special promotions and equipment pricing courtesy of AT&T Wireless/Cingular.
Discounts include 25 percent off accessories and new phones, 15 percent off
monthly bills, a free Nokia 6010 phone, and more. If you already have an
AT&T phone, contact AT&T Wireless National Business Services at 1-800-388-3235
to be enrolled in the company cellular program. Provide your name, address,
and cellular number, and you will be attached to the employee sponsorship
program for the University of Miami. If you don’t currently have a
phone and want to get one, or if you already have a Cingular phone, call
Elio Acosta at 305-790-4694 and give him your foundation account numbers
(TDMA 15083 and GSM 24884). For assistance with other questions, call customer
service at 1-800-888-7600.
HURRICANE BASKETBALL NEWS
Hurricane basketball tickets for the inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast
Conference are on sale now, and University employees receive 50 percent off.
Don't miss the chance to see some of the best teams in the nation, including
home games against Duke, Maryland, Wake Forest, and Georgia Tech. Employee
men’s season tickets start as low as $88 and women’s season tickets
start at $38. To order, visit the Web site at http://www.fansonly.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/mifl/genrel/auto_pdf/04-05-employee-ticket-form,
fill out the order form and fax to 305-284-3362. Call 305-284-CANES for more
information.
NEXTEL REPRESENTATIVES COMING
Representatives from Nextel will be in the Baxter conference room of the Batchelor
building every Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Employees can stop by with questions
about billing and service for Nextel phones and Blackberry personal data
assistants, learn about special offers, and see new products. For more information,
please call Medical IT at 305-243-5999.
QUESTIONS ABOUT COMPLIANCE?
TWO UM HELPLINES CAN ASSIST YOU
Research integrity concerns? Report concerns regarding research integrity and
adherence to federal or University regulations directly to the Office of the
Vice Provost for Research at 305-243-6415, or you can call the University's
toll-free, anonymous compliance hotline at 866-YOURCALL. Billing concerns?
Address questions to the Office of Billing Compliance at 305-243-HELP or 877-415-HELP.
For information regarding training programs offered by the Office of Billing
Compliance, contact Gemma Romillo or Nancy Rivero at 305-243-5842.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
LINCOLN LIFE VISITS MEDICAL CAMPUS
A representative from Lincoln Financial Group will be on the medical campus
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. December 14 in the Human Resources Benefits Office,
901 NW 17th St., suite D, to conduct individual financial counseling sessions.
To schedule an appointment, contact Aimee Hugdahl toll-free at 866-524-2443
or via e-mail at ahugdahl@LNC.com.
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS TO ANSWER YOUR FINANCIAL QUESTIONS
A representative from Fidelity Investments will be at the medical campus on
January 7 in the Human Resources Benefits Office, 901 NW 17th St., suite
D, to conduct individual counseling sessions. To schedule an appointment,
please call 1-800-642-7131.
INFERTILITY SEMINAR
The University of Miami Infertility Center (UMIC) at Cedars Medical Center
will be presenting a free infertility seminar focusing on “Infertility
and Your Various Options” on Saturday, January 15, from 11:30 a.m.
to 2 p.m. at Cedars Medical Center physician lounge, 1400 NW 12th Ave. The
seminar will be followed by a free consultation for all participants. Parking
is free, and lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP by calling
305-243-UMIC, or visit UMIC on the Web at www.umic.miami.edu.
UM/SYLVESTER BRAMAN FAMILY BREAST CANCER INSTITUTE DEVELOPMENTAL GRANT
PROGRAM
The Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer
Center has funds available to support one-year pilot projects in the amount
of $50,000 to encourage the development of new research directed toward basic,
translational and clinical research in breast and ovarian cancers. Support
from the Women’s Cancer League allows the institute to fund projects
of relevance to ovarian cancer in this round of grant funding. Graduate
students and post-doctoral fellows early in their career are not eligible.
Deadline for receipt of applications is January 3. For additional information,
please call Dorothy Mills at 305-243-6292, or via e-mail at: Dmills@med.miami.edu.
GAIL BEACH MEMORIAL 2004-2005 VISITING LECTURESHIP SERIES
Luis F. Parada, Ph.D., will present “Unwilling Neurons and Unfriendly
Myelin: The Ying & Yang of Regeneration Biology,” on Wednesday, January
12, at noon in the Lois Pope LIFE Center seventh-floor auditorium. For
more information, click here: http://www.themiamiproject.org/images/Gail%20F%20Beach%20lecture%20series.pdf,
or call 305-243-7108.
THE THIRD ANNUAL KIRK A. AND DOROTHY P. LANDON -AACR PRIZES
The Third Annual Landon-AACR awards will be held on Wednesday, January 19 from
noon to 1:35 p.m. at the UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, room 1301.
The 2004 recipient of the Kirk A. Landon-AACR Prize for Basic Cancer Research,
Tony Hunter, Ph.D., professor, Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory at the
Salk Institute for Biological Studies, will discuss "Tyrosine Phosphyorylation:
From Bench to Bedside." The recipient of the Third Annual Dorothy P.
Landon-AACR Prize for Translational Cancer Research, Raymond N. DuBois, M.D.,
Ph.D., Hortense B. Ingram Professor of Molecular Oncology and director of
Cancer Prevention at The Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, will talk about "Molecular
Targets for Cancer Prevention." No RSVP is required. For more information
and a detailed schedule, contact Kathy Salce at KSalce@med.miami.edu,
or call 305-243-1046.
Neurological Update 2005
Please join us for the Neurological Update 2005 meeting to be held on January
26-29 at The Alexander Hotel in Miami Beach. This course is aimed at
adult and pediatric neurologists, neurosurgeons, and psychiatrists, although
internists and general practitioners may also find the topics timely and
useful. The course is designed to provide clinicians with the most
recent developments in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders. For
more information, please contact the Division of CME at 305-243-6716 or at umcme@med.miami.edu.
TEACHING CONFERENCE ON HEART & STROKE – EMPHASIZING
WOMEN’S HEALTH
Registration is open for the 37th Annual Teaching Conference in Clinical Cardiology
and Neurology, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, January 28-29 at the Hyatt
Regency in Miami. The conference is a primary care update presented by the
Center for Research in Medical Education. This year’s focus is heart
disease and stroke in women. UM physician assistants, nurse practitioners and
nurses can register for a reduced fee of $100 ($150 for UM physicians). CME
credit and nurse contact hours can be earned up to a maximum of 15.5 hours.
Tuition remission is available, awarded on a first-come first-served basis.
The conference features a variety of School of Medicine faculty, led by Michael
S. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., David Lee Gordon, M.D., S. Barry Issenberg, M.D., and
Joan Baker, R.N., M.S.N., C.C.R.N., C.N.R.N. Also presenting are visiting professors
Gordon A. Ewy, M.D., from the University of Arizona and Patrick S. Reynolds,
M.D., from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. To register or for
more information call 305-243-6491 or visit http://www.crme.med.miami.edu/meded_conf2005.html.
3RD MIAMI INTERNATIONAL REVASCULARIZATION SUMMIT
The 3rd Miami International Revascularization Summit will be held on Friday,
February 25, through Sunday, February 27, at Wyndham Miami Beach Resort,
4833 Collins Ave. For more information, please contact the Division of Continuing
Medical Education at 305-243-6716, or e-mail umcme@med.miami.edu.
HUMAN SUBJECT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Sara Czaja, Ph.D., is leading a study of spinal cord injury in an aging
population focusing on helping improve the quality of life of the patients
and their caregivers. As Americans live longer, more people are aging with
spinal cord injuries than ever before, presenting new challenges. This
NIH-funded study will examine the value of a home-based program that combines
psychological and social intervention, using technology to help patients
who have difficulty with mobility. For more information about the study,
please call 305-355-9200.
The UM AIDS Clinical Research Unit, under the direction of Margaret Fischl,
M.D., is seeking volunteers to participate in an HIV vaccine study for
people with HIV who are taking antiretroviral therapy. To qualify, you
must meet the following criteria: 18 - 50 years old, taking antiretroviral
therapy for 24 months, HIV viral load < 500 copies/ml, CD4 cell count
= 500 cells/mm3, willing to receive vaccine or placebo (2/3 chance of receiving
vaccine) and willing to interrupt antiretroviral drugs following vaccinations.
Blood tests, CD4 counts, HIV viral loads & physical exams will be done.
For more information, please call 305-243-3838 and speak with Juan Casuso
or Leslie Thompson (ltomps@gate.net).
The SPARE Study (Soy Phytoestrogens As Replacement Estrogen) is currently
recruiting women between 45-58 years of age to study the role of soy phytoestrogens
given in tablet form to prevent bone loss. Participants will be given a
physical exam at study entry, an annual mammogram and bone density test,
and will be asked to come for 10 study visits over a period of two years
for blood tests and to complete questionnaires about diet, exercise, and
well-being. Interested women should contact the SPARE Study Office at 305-243-4330
or via e-mail at aherrin@med.miami.edu.
Researchers at the MRI Center need healthy subjects for a magnetic resonance
imaging study. For more information please visit http://midas.med.miami.edu/Research/MRStudies.htm.
The UM Skin Research Group directed by Brian Berman, M.D., Ph.D., professor
of dermatology and internal medicine, is conducting several research studies
on keloids and chronic idiopathic urticaria. If you are interested in participating
please contact us at 305-243-5519 or visit our website at www.skininvestigation.com.
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