--Renowned Harvard Geneticist to Discuss Landmark Studies on Muscular Dystrophy
--UMMG Discusses Standards for Inpatient Services in Continuing e-Update Series
--HIV/AIDS Researchers Encouraged to Apply for Funding from UMSM AIDS Program
--School of Medicine's Magazine and Other UM Initiatives Pick up High Honors
--Benefits Administration Calls in Financial Experts at Today's Save for Your Future Fair
--Help Put an End to Youth Violence by Teaming Up with School of Medicine Coalition
--Web Site from Benefits Answers Your Questions about Health Plan Co-payments
--Bascom Palmer and Plastic Surgery Offer Alternatives to Red Roses for Your Valentine
--Upcoming Calendar Events

LOIS POPE LIFE RESEARCH AWARD WINNER TO DISCUSS
CELL THERAPY RESEARCH FOR MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY
The Lois Pope LIFE International Research Award will be presented to Louis M. Kunkel, Ph.D., a geneticist who has conducted ground-breaking research on the causes and treatment of neuromuscular diseases. Dr. Kunkel, professor of pediatrics and genetics at Harvard Medical School, investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and chief of the Division of Genetics at The Children's Hospital in Boston, will present "Stem cell therapy for muscular dystrophy and the genetics of extreme old age" on February 7, 4 p.m., in the Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh floor auditorium. Dr. Kunkel is renowned for his research, with which he discovered that the absence or abnormality of the protein dystrophin causes the damage of muscular dystrophy, setting the stage for genetic investigation of the muscular dystrophies.

UMMG SERIES CONTINUES WITH OUTLINE OF
ADDITIONAL INPATIENT SERVICE STANDARDS
The University of Miami Medical Group continues its series of Professional Practice and Patient Access Standards this week with additional guidelines for Inpatient Services. Inpatient UM/Jackson consults: UMMG physicians should complete consults within UM/Jackson facilities within 24 hours from the time of the initial request. After performing the consult, the consulting physician should discuss the case with the requesting physician as soon as is warranted. All requests must be accommodated by UMMG attending physicians. Inpatient consults outside of UM/Jackson: If provided, inpatient consults for second opinions and other needs outside of UM/Jackson facilities should be completed within 24 hours of the consult being requested. For questions on physician compliance with these standards, contact Dr. Alan Livingstone at 305-585-1284. For staff compliance issues, contact Minor Anderson at 305-243-7100. If you have any questions for the UMMG committee, contact the chairman, Dr. Leo Twiggs, at 305-243-2576. Regular operations meetings throughout February will include training for clinical staff on the Professional Practice and Patient Access Standards. Central administrative departments also will be scheduled for training. This series will continue next week with a review of Ambulatory Practice Standards.

FINANCIAL ADVICE AND EXPLANATION OFFERED
AT BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION'S SAVINGS FAIR
Benefits Administration presents the "Save for Your Future Fair" today, February 4, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Jackson's Diagnostic Treatment Center, which you can reach through Jackson's Central Entrance, following the main hallway back to the escalator. Representatives from TIAA-CREF, VALIC, Fidelity Investments, Lincoln, T-Rowe Price, University Credit Union, Employer Support Solutions, UNUM Long Term Care Insurance, Department of Treasury (I bonds), and Benefits Administration will be on-hand to answer your questions and offer advice on saving money for your future. Informational sessions will be presented on various topics, including survivorship planning, investment strategies, retirement planning, future college savings plans, and more. For a complete schedule of sessions, visit http://www.miami.edu/benefits/pdf/fairdates.html.

"CASE" CLOSED: SCHOOL OF
MEDICINE MAGAZINE IS TOPS
University of Miami Medicine, the medical school's bi-annual magazine, recently received an Award of Excellence from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in the annual CASE District III Advancement Awards Program. The University also received recognition with additional Awards of Excellence for President Shalala's inauguration and 75th Anniversary events.

COMMUNITY AGENCIES CALLED TO JOIN
THE FIGHT AGAINST YOUTH VIOLENCE
The local coalition Not One More, facilitated by the UM/Jackson Partnership for the Study and Prevention of Violence, works to prevent child injury and death resulting from violence. Not One More is seeking a commitment from local community agencies and programs to participate in evaluation activities, sharing experiences and data through participation in regular meetings. These efforts are meant to benefit youth violence prevention service providers and the community at large by identifying service gaps and strengthening local collaboration. Membership offers networking and collaborative opportunities for community and policy change, service improvement, and grant writing, as well as training in program evaluation and cultural competency. If you or an organization you work with would like to join the initiative, attendance at the next meeting is necessary. The meeting will be held January 30 at Jackson's Diagnostic Treatment Center, Room 259, 3 to 5:30 p.m. Contact Dr. Judy Schaechter or Pauline Anderson at 305-243-3928 or email partnership@med.miami.edu to confirm your attendance, and bring information about your organization and its violence prevention programs (i.e., mission statement, brochures, etc.) to the meeting.

REVIEW YOUR 2002 HMO AND PPO
HEALTH CARE BENEFITS AT A GLANCE
Visit Benefits at a Glance on the web at http://www.miami.edu/benefits/pdf/ataglance.html to access information on 2002 health care co-payment schedules. This service is designed to help faculty and staff understand the choice of care options and co-payment costs associated with each. Benefits at a Glance is only intended as a guide and not as a definitive plan document for the determination of benefits. For further details on co-payment information, contact Benefits Administration at 305-284-6832 or 305-284-6835.

PAMPER YOUR VALENTINE WITH SPECIALTY
SERVICES FROM DIVISION OF PLASTIC SURGERY
Go beyond the bouquet of roses this year and treat your Valentine to specialty services offered by the Division of Plastic Surgery. Gift certificates are available for facials, peels, microdermabrasion, laser hair reduction, and collagen and botox treatments. For further details or to purchase a gift certificate, call 305-585-5798 or visit the division at ACC East, Room 263.

VALENTINE'S DAY MEANS GREAT SAVINGS ON
DESIGNER EYEGLASSES AT BASCOM PALMER
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute announces a "Sweetheart of a Deal" for you or your Valentine. Optical Services is offering a 50 percent discount on all designer brand name frames and prescription lenses, which also include UV protection and tint of choice for no additional charge. These deals will run through the end of February and are available to all UM/Jackson employees, students, and their families. Optical Services is located on the first floor of Bascom Palmer. Call 305-326-6092 with any questions.

QUESTIONS ABOUT COMPLIANCE?
TWO UM HELPLINES CAN ASSIST YOU
Medicare and billing concerns? Address questions to Third Party Reimbursement/Office of Compliance at 305-243-HELP or 877-415-HELP. For information about this helpline or training programs offered by the compliance office, contact Gemma Romillo at 305-243-5842. 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 compliance hotline at 866-YOURCALL.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

ENJOY HURRICANES HOOPS FOR FREE ON
EMPLOYEE DAY; ADDITIONAL TICKETS ONLY $1
Come see your Big East Conference leaders, the Miami Hurricanes men's basketball team, as they try to extend their run for a spot in this years' conference and national tournaments. The Canes will take on Notre Dame at the Miami Arena on February 23, tip-off at 7:30 p.m. This is the Employee Day game of the season, and University faculty and staff can obtain a free ticket and can purchase up to five additional tickets at $1 each. Representatives will be on the medical campus February 6 and 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in front of Au Bon Pain, to distribute tickets. You will need to bring your employee ID in order to obtain tickets. An order form is available on-line at http://hurricanesports.fansonly.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/012202aac.html.

HUMAN RESEARCH SUBJECTS
ARE TOPIC OF WEEKLY SEMINARS
A program of weekly small-group seminars on topics that pertain to the protection of human subjects in research continues February 5, with "Confidentiality," presented by Michael Novo, J.D., assistant general counsel, noon to 1 p.m., at the Mailman Center, Room 3023. Future seminars continue through May, featuring such topics as the history of human subjects protection and a series aimed at helping study coordinators and investigators navigate the complexities of IRB protocols. The full calendar of seminars may be viewed at http://www.miami.edu/research/lectureseries. For more information or to register for any of these weekly seminars, call Katherine Morales at 305-243-2311 or e-mail kmorales@med.miami.edu. RSVP is required.

MIAMI PROJECT WELCOMES VISITING LECTURER
TO PRESENT NEW BASIC RESEARCH STRATEGIES
The Gail F. Beach Memorial 2001-2002 Visiting Lecture Series sponsored by the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and the School of Medicine brings you Dr. Alain M. Privat, a prominent researcher in the field of spinal cord regeneration, on February 6, noon, in the Apex Conference Room, located on the seventh floor of the Lois Pope LIFE Center. Dr. Privat will present "Towards a New Strategy for Spinal Cord Traumatic Injury: The Lesson from Basic Research."

TOWN MEETING ON CANCER TO OFFER FORUM
FOR CASE DISCUSSION AND COLLABORATION
The Departments of Health Information, Quality Assurance, and Public Relations at Jackson Memorial Hospital are sponsoring a "Town Meeting on Cancer," February 8, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Diagnostic Treatment Center, Room 252. The event is part of the JMH Public Cancer Education Plan, and the focus will be on breast cancer, commemorating the tenth anniversary of the JMH Breast Health Center. Case discussion and interdisciplinary collaboration will be featured. Seating is limited, so you must RSVP if you would like to attend. Call Lizette Acosta at 305-585-6533, extension 2, or e-mail lacosta2@med.miami.edu to reserve your space.

LEARN ABOUT CHANGES IN SCHOLARLY
COMMUNICATIONS AND THEIR IMPACT
The "Symposium on the Impact of Changes in Scholarly Communications on the Academy," presented by the University of Miami Libraries, will discuss current changes in the nature of scholarly communications, including escalating prices of scholarly publications and the potential of intellectual property of researchers becoming captive to the demands of for-profit, international conglomerates. Crusaders in the movement to fight this danger will address its issues during the conference, which will be held February 8, 1:15 to 5 p.m., at the Faculty Club on the Coral Gables campus. For more information, contact Caryn Berryman at 305-284-3551 or visit http://digital.library.miami.edu/scholar.

HELP MAKE BATTLING
CANCER A WALK IN THE PARK
Come walk for your health and a good cause at the second annual Sailabration of Life Walk-a-Thon, February 9 at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek. Registration for the event, which is sponsored by SeaEscape Entertainment, Inc., in support of the Papanicolaou Corps for Cancer Research, Inc., is $15. Proceeds will help support the more than 270 research projects currently underway at the UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Physicians and staff from UM/Sylvester also will host a health fair featuring free skin cancer screenings, cholesterol testing, blood pressure screenings, and presentations on nutrition, breast self-exam, and other related health topics. Commemorative markers are available and will be displayed throughout the course to honor and remember friends, family members, and colleagues who have been touched by cancer. The park opens and registration begins at 8 a.m., with walks scheduled at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. To join the Sylvester/UMHC team, call Sue Radcliffe at 305-243-3663.

HEALTH FAIR OFFERS FREE SCREENINGS AND MEDICAL
EXPERTS TO ANSWER YOUR HEALTH QUESTIONS
In honor of Heart Month, the University of Miami Medical Group will conduct a health fair at the Dadeland Mall, February 9, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stations will be set up at the main mall entrance between the Cheesecake Factory and Ruby Tuesday restaurants. Free screenings of cholesterol, blood pressure, and body mass index will be offered, and School of Medicine health professionals will be available to answer questions.

LEARN TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM VIOLENT
CRIME AT WELLNESS SELF-DEFENSE COURSE
Sign up now for the S.A.F.E. National Self-Defense Institute Program and learn the skills to protect yourself from violent crime. The course will be held February 18, noon to 1:30 p.m., and will teach you how to reduce your risk, avoid dangerous situations, and use simple strategies that can help you avoid being attacked. You also will learn life-saving techniques on how to save yourself if you do become a victim. The registration fee is $5 and the deadline for registration is February 15. Call Jennifer Pinto or Zelda Calvert at 305-243-3209 to enroll.

STRETCH YOUR MUSCLES FOR A GOOD CAUSE
AT THE WALK FOR HOPE AGAINST BREAST CANCER
Join the fun for a good cause at the City of Hope's Walk for Hope Against Breast Cancer 5K walk/run. The event also features a "Fun Run" for kids and a Kid Zone with face-painting, clowns, and more. Awards, refreshments, a health expo and massages also will be available. The run will take place February 10, 8 a.m., at the Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise. Registration will begin at 6:30 a.m. To pre-register, contact Darcy Weinman at 305-243-3473.

MAGEC OFFERS SEMINAR ON DELIVERING
MEDICAL CARE TO THE HOMEBOUND PATIENT
Home care clinicians can familiarize themselves with medical care issues that surround homebound patients at the Miami Area Geriatric Education Center's (MAGEC) seminar "Medical Care in the Home: State of the Art," February 20 - 22 at the Fort Lauderdale Marina Marriott. Other goals of the conference will be to help participants learn standards of home assessment and design for homebound patients and to recognize the principles of palliative care and hospice for dying patients in the home, among others. Continuing education units will be available. For more information or to register, call the MAGEC office at 305-243-6270 or visit http://www.miami.edu/magec.

BASCOM PALMER SCIENTIFIC MEETING TO ADDRESS
MULTIPLE TOPICS WITHIN OPHTHALMOLOGY
Register now for the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute 40th Anniversary Scientific Meeting, February 21 - 23, at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. Topics addressed will include general ophthalmology, cornea and external diseases, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, oculoplastics, pediatric ophthalmology, and retina. UM President Donna E. Shalala will deliver the keynote address at the opening ceremony. Twenty hours of AMA CME credits are available. For more information or to register, call 305-326-6110.

TOPICS SUCH AS WOMEN'S MENTAL HEALTH AND
CLINICAL ETHICS ARE FOCUS AT MASTERS OF PSYCHIATRY
Join the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Florida Psychiatric Society for the fourth annual Masters of Psychiatry. This three-day conference will feature presentations on various topics, including psychiatric illness across the woman's life cycle, mood and anxiety disorders stemming from early abuse and neglect, and the future of psychotherapy, among others. The event will be held February 22 - 24 at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort, Miami Beach. You can take advantage of special rates on hotel rooms during the event, and the Fontainebleau also offers children's facilities for your convenience. Registration for the conference is $275, and psychiatry residents are eligible for reduced rates. For more information or to register, contact the Florida Psychiatric Society at 800-521-7465 or visit http://www.mastersofpsychiatry.com.