e-Update
August 16, 2005
Weekly News Briefs
e-Update is distributed
weekly to keep faculty and staff at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller 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
-- Human Subjects Research Seminar
-- Check Out the New and Improved Walking Canes Program
-- Discussion Group for UM Parents
-- Navigating InfoEd SPIN Plus
-- Conversations About Cancer Series
-- Upcoming Calendar Events
-- Human Subjects Research Opportunities
HUMAN SUBJECTS RESEARCH SEMINAR
The Human Subjects Research Seminar for August will feature Kenneth Goodman, Ph.D., speaking on: “Research or Surveillance? The Case of Bioterror Preparedness.” The seminar will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, August 30, at the Mailman Center, room 3023. Advance registration is required as room capacity is limited.
To Register:
1) Logon to NetLearning using your UM ID # (C-Number) https://netlearning.miami.edu.
2) Search for class by changing the dates at the top to reflect classes offered in August.
3) Scroll to locate the August 30 class and click on Enroll located on the left.
For more information about this seminar, e-mail Maira Abraham at Mabraham@med.miami.edu.
“MIAMI LITE”- WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES
The Diabetes Research Institute is starting a new session of “Miami Lite,” a weight loss program. The program is open to the public and will help participants with weight loss, nutrition, portion size control, weight management techniques and guidelines for exercise. The program will begin Thursday at 8:30 a.m. on the first floor of the DRI, 1450 N.W. 10th Ave. The cost is $20 per class or participants can pay for all ten sessions for $150. Participants will meet Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. If you would like more information, please contact Anna P. Fraker at aperez4@med.miami.edu or call 305-243-3455.
SPONSORED PROGRAMS ROUNDTABLE SERIES
The goal of these monthly one-hour roundtable discussion groups is to provide a forum for administrators/staff to discuss topics related to sponsored programs with their colleagues. On Thursday, September 1, Gay Lapinski, research compliance officer, will present “Research Compliance Assessment Audits.” This presentation will be a description of the research compliance audit process--what we do, how we do it, and what to expect as an investigator regarding the conduct of an audit. These presentations will take place at noon in the Batchelor Building, first-floor conference room.
On Thursday, September 15, Sandy G. Blanco, director, Coral Gables Office of Research Administration, will present “Completing the Proposal Transmittal: It’s Not As Easy As You Think.” The presentation will explore why the proposal transmittal form is an important part of the grant/contract submission process as well as address what the many fields mean and why they need to be completed. This discussion group will take place at noon in the Flipse Building, fifth-floor conference room (Room 502), on the Coral Gables campus.
Registration is required for all of the sessions:
1) Logon to NetLearning using your UM ID # (C-Number) at https://netlearning.miami.edu.
2) Search for class by changing the dates at the top to reflect classes offered.
3) Scroll to locate the September 1 or September 15 class, and click on Enroll located on the left.
For more information, please e-mail Maria Valero-Martinez at mvalero@med.miami.edu.
WALKING CANES 10K-A-DAY IS BACK AND IMPROVED
The Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health recommends that Americans should accumulate 30 minutes of moderate activity each day. During the last Walking Canes 10k-A-Day program, those individuals who checked in at least 10 times increased their steps by an average 3,747 steps per day. This is equivalent to about 32 minutes of moderate activity each day.
Those who successfully completed the program lost an average of three pounds. The average weight loss for the top ten point winners was 16.5 pounds, with a mean increase of 6,350 steps per day.
We have listened to your feedback and made some improvements:
- More conservative and reasonable weekly goals
- Online tracking of your weekly step goals
- Weekly e-mail updates
- Daily step counts instead of weekly step counts
Upcoming dates to remember:
August 29 – September 1- On-line registration
*September 6 – 9- Pedometer pick-up
Week of September 12– Base-line week
Week of September 19– Program starts
*On-site registration will not be accepted during pedometer pick-up week.
For more information, please e-mail medwellness@med.miami.edu.
DISCUSSION GROUP FOR UM PARENTS
S.T.E.P. (Systematic Training for Effective Parenting) is a discussion group that offers parents of young children a realistic and practical approach to meeting the challenges of raising kids today. As a participant, you will learn effective and enjoyable ways to communicate with your children. This S.T.E.P. course will focus primarily on parenting children ages 6-12, but it is open to parents of kids of all ages. The meetings will take place once a week for eight weeks at lunchtime (noon to 1 p.m.) in the Jackson Medical Towers- East Wing, room 729. The group will meet on the medical campus on the following dates: 9/12, 9/19, 9/26, 10/3, 10/12, 10/24, 10/31, and 11/7. You may register on-line at http://netlearning.miami.edu. Please be sure to register for all eight sessions. For questions about registration, please contact 305-243-3090. For questions about content, call the EAP at 305-284-6604.
NAVIGATING INFOED SPIN PLUS
Looking for funding opportunities? Searching for a collaborator? Learn to navigate InfoEd SPIN Plus to locate funding opportunities or to find potential collaborators during a session on Thursday, September 8, at the Lois Pope LIFE Center seventh-floor auditorium, from 3 to 4 p.m. Learn about SPIN (Sponsored Program Information Network), a funding database designed to provide up-to-date information on federal, non-federal and international funding opportunities; Global Expertise Network for Industry, University and Scholars (GENIUS), an extensive database listing potential collaborators from over 600 institutions; and SMARTS (SPIN Matching and Research Transmittal Service), an electronic matching and funding opportunity notification system.
To Register:
1) Logon to NetLearning using your UM ID # (C-Number) https://netlearning.miami.edu.
2) Search for class by changing the dates at the top to reflect classes offered in September
3) Scroll to locate the September 8 class and click on Enroll located on the left.
For more information about this workshop, please e-mail Maria Valero-Martinez at mvalero@med.miami.edu.
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CANCER SERIES
Afonso Ribeiro, M.D., assistant professor of clinical medicine, will discuss “See The Light…Using Photodynamic Therapy in the Treatment of Cancer,” on Friday, August 26, from noon to 1 p.m., at UM/Sylvester at Deerfield Beach, 1192 East Newport Center Drive, Suite 100. A light lunch will be served. This presentation is free and open to the public. Please call 1-800-545-2292 to register. Seating is limited.
Karon Rzad, R.D., C.D.E., will discuss “Complementary vs. Alternative Medicine,” on Monday, August 29, from noon to 1 p.m., in UM/Sylvester conference room 1301. This presentation is free and open to the public. A light lunch will be served. Please call 305-243-1000 or 800-545-2292 to reserve your space.
MIAMI PROJECT WRISTBAND CAMPAIGN
Power. Knowledge. Awareness. Education. Research. Philanthropy. These are the keys to unlocking the mystery of the human body and finding a cure for paralysis. In order to increase the public’s understanding of spinal cord injury and to raise much-needed funds, The Miami Project is launching its “cure paralysis” wristband campaign. Please visit: http://www.themiamiproject.org/x866.xml to purchase your wristbands.
CONNECTING TO THE MEDICAL CENTER NETWORK FROM OFF-CAMPUS
For users who already have an internet connection, such as broadband or a private internet service provider’s dial-up, VPN (Virtual Private Networking) is available to allow connections from the Internet to internal resources. This can be achieved via an application installed on your computer or by going to the secure gateway website at http://sg.med.miami.edu and logging in with your medical domain credentials. To gain access to the medical remote access VPN or the secure gateway, you will need a medical domain login. To have any of these connections set up on your computer or for any further questions, please contact the help desk by e-mailing help@med.miami.edu, or by calling 305-243-5999.
CHILD CAR SEAT INSTALLATION CHECK
To ensure that your child car seat is installed correctly, a certified child passenger safety technician will be available on Wednesdays in front of the Mailman Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The service is available to everyone who transports children under the age of 12 in their vehicle. For more information, e-mail gstepanian@um-jmh.org, or call 305-243-3928 to set up an appointment. Priority will be given to those with appointments. The Injury Free Coalition for Kids is a division of Holtz Children's Hospital/ Miller School of Medicine.
AIG VALIC, LINCOLN FINANCIAL GROUP, FIDELITY INVESTMENTS AND TIAA-CREF VISIT THE MEDICAL CAMPUS
A representative from Lincoln Financial Group will be on the medical campus to conduct individual financial counseling sessions on August 23 and September 20. To schedule an appointment, contact Aimee Hugdahl toll-free at 866-524-2443, e-mail ahugdahl@lnc.com, or Theresa Yong at 866-772-4163, e-mail tmyong@lnc.com.
A representative from AIG VALIC will be on the medical campus to conduct individual financial counseling sessions on September 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To schedule an appointment, call Paul Walkington at 786-423-6860.
A representative from Fidelity Investments will be on the medical campus to conduct individual counseling sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on August 24 and 25 and September 21 and 22. To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-642-7131.
A representative from TIAA-CREF will be at the medical campus on September 12 and 13, October 12 and 13, November 9 and 10, and December 14 and 15 to conduct individual counseling sessions. To schedule an appointment, click here http://www.tiaa-cref/moc, or call 1-800-842-2003 ext. 3522.
All counseling sessions from these organizations will take place in the Human Resources Benefits Office, 901 NW 17th St., suite D.
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 Argelia Miro at 305-243-5842.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
CERVICAL CANCER TOWN HALL MEETING
The Jackson Memorial Hospital and UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center cancer committee is hosting a seminar, “Cervical Cancer: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment,” on Wednesday, September 14, in Jackson’s Diagnostic Treatment Center room 259, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Presenters will include gynecologists, gynecological and radiation oncologists, and psychosocial support service representatives from Jackson and UM/Sylvester. A full day of education on risk factors, prevention, diagnostic techniques, treatment, survival, and new discoveries will be discussed. A light breakfast and lunch will be served. Reservations are encouraged by contacting Alice Moody at 305-585-6038 or e-mail AMoody@UM-JMH.org. This meeting is free and open to the public, cancer services organizations, and medical center staff.
MEDICAL EDUCATION GRAND ROUNDS
Richard Tiberius, Ph.D., director of the Educational Development Office for the Miller School of Medicine, will be the guest speaker at Medical Education Grand Rounds on Friday, September 30, at noon in the fifth floor of the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building. Lunch will be provided. The title of his presentation is “Scooped! An Educational Researcher’s Fantasy.” For more information, contact the Office of Educational Development at 305-243-7482
2005 AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH GRANT
The American Cancer Society Institutional Grant is providing funds for meritorious cancer research that cannot be readily supported through other funding mechanisms. The primary purpose of the ACS grant is to provide seed funds for the initiation of promising new projects or novel ideas by junior faculty members. Applicants must not have had any peer reviewed funding. An award of $20,000 is available for a one-year period. For guidelines and application forms for the ACS Institutional Research Grant, contact Dorothy Mills at 305-243-6292 or via e-mail at dmills@med.miami.edu. The deadline for applications is October 3.
THIRD ANNUAL JAY BON SALLE MEMORIAL GOLF & TENNIS OUTING
The Third Annual Jay Bon Salle Memorial Golf and Tennis Outing will be held on November 10 this year. All proceeds from this year’s outing will benefit the University of Miami Cardiovascular Center. For more information, please contact Milen Gonzalez at 305-243-2721 or via e-mail at mileng@miami.edu, or visit the Jay Bon Salle Foundation Web site at http://www.thejbsfoundation.org.
HUMAN SUBJECT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
If you are interested in in-vitro fertilization, you may be eligible to participate in a clinical research study being conducted at the University of Miami Infertility Center. The study is evaluating the use of progesterone suppositories in women seeking infertility treatment using IVF. Qualified participants will receive IVF treatment medications, study exams, and compensation for their time. If you would like more information, please contact Marisol Sloane, RN, at 305-243-8642, or send an e-mail to msloane@med.miami.edu.
The Center for Treatment Research on Adolescent Drug Abuse (CTRADA) is recruiting adolescents ages 12-17 for participation in a substance abuse treatment-research study. To be eligible, the adolescent’s parents must be willing to participate in treatment and assessments, adolescents must have moderate to severe substance use, and no more than three lifetime arrests. For more information, please call 305-243-5020 or write to jcooley@med.miami.edu. More information is also available on our website at www.miami.edu/CTRADA.
The University of Miami School of Medicine-Miami Heart Research Institute Cardiovascular DNA Diagnostic Laboratory is recruiting both pediatric and adult individuals and/or families with any of the following: QT interval greater than 0.5 at any time; lethal ventricular arrhythmias, especially in the setting of a first myocardial infarction; sudden cardiac death; drug-induced ventricular arrhythmias or long QT syndrome, or congenital long QT syndrome. These samples will be used for research studies of genes that may be associated with these conditions. To make a referral of a patient or family, or to obtain more information about our work, contact Nanette H. Bishopric, M.D., at n.bishopric@miami.edu, Todd Miller, Ph.D., at t.miller@miami.edu, Lisa Baumbach, Ph.D., at lbaumbac@med.miami.edu, or Shauntelle Elliott, RN, at selliott2@um-jmh.org.
The NIH-sponsored SARA Study (Study of Acid Reflux and Asthma) is recruiting asthmatic subjects between 18-60 years of age to determine if adding a drug that treats gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD) to usual asthma treatment reduces the number of asthma flare-ups. The study will be conducted on the medical school campus. Participants will be given a physical exam, a test to diagnose GERD and a pulmonary function test at study entry. They will then be asked to come to the laboratory for eight study visits over a six-month period to complete questionnaires about asthma symptoms and to perform a pulmonary function test. For more information about the study and compensation for participation, please call Eliana Mendes, M.D., at 305-243-2568.
Have you or one of your relatives been diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder? Are you in regular contact with this person? If so, you and your family member(s) may be eligible to participate in a free schizophrenia intervention study. In this study, you and your relatives will participate in four assessment sessions of approximately one and one-half to two hours each as well as a weekly family treatment of several 75-minute sessions. To enroll or learn more about the study, please contact Amy G. Weisman, Ph.D., at 305-284-5455.
Anique Bryan, M.D., and the clinical faculty of the Department of Family Medicine are recruiting type 2 diabetes patients for a one-year pharmacological study involving inhaled insulin. This study will focus on patients with uncontrolled diabetes despite being treated with two oral medications for at least two months prior to randomization. Study subjects must be over 18. Please contact Fulton Velez, senior research associate, at 305-243-2766 for details.
More than 5.5 million women in North America are affected by endometriosis and its symptoms, including pelvic pain. If you have endometriosis, you may be eligible to participate in a clinical research study evaluating a new investigational medication for pelvic pain due to endometriosis. To qualify, you must be a woman between 18 and 45 with regular menstrual periods, have endometriosis diagnosed by a surgical procedure (laparoscopy or laparotomy) within the past three years, have moderate to severe pelvic pain due to endometriosis for at least three months, not be using oral contraceptives for the past 30 days, be sexually active, and have not had a surgical treatment for endometriosis in the past six months. For more information, please call 305-243-1613.
The Department of Psychology, Behavioral Medicine Research Center, is recruiting participants for several studies investigating the impact of psychological factors such as stress on quality of life and disease progression in several older adult (> 50 yrs. old) populations. The studies are actively recruiting men and women recently diagnosed with head and neck cancer, HIV-positive men, and men treated for advanced prostate cancer. For more information about these studies, please call Frank Penedo, Ph.D., at 305-575-7122.
The Center for Family Studies, Healthy Families Program, is recruiting HIV-positive women over the age of 18 with a recent history of substance abuse treatment. Women who participate in the study should also be willing to have at least one family member participate in their treatment. The Healthy Families Program is a family therapy-based intervention for HIV-positive women addressing issues such as HIV risk behavior, drug abuse relapse and HIV medication adherence. Participants will be assigned to either the family therapy-based intervention or a women's HIV education group, which will take place over four months. Participants will be interviewed at baseline and then at two- month intervals over the course of the 12-month study. Interested women should contact the Healthy Families Program office at 305-243-8149, or via e-mail at scross@med.miami.edu.
The SPARE Study (Soy Phytoestrogens As Replacement Estrogen) is currently recruiting women between 45-60 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.
The HPV vaccine has been developed with the goal of decreasing HPV infection and the persistence of HPV risk types responsible for cervical cancer. We are looking for healthy women between the ages of 15 to 25 who have not had prior abnormal pap smears, are not pregnant, are willing to receive the study vaccine, and are able to commit to a four-year follow up period. For more information, call Iliana Rivas at 305-243-5832.
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, hypertrophic scars, and atopic dermatitis (eczema). If you are interested in participating please contact us at 305-243-5519 or visit our website at http://www.skininvestigation.com.
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.
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