e-Update
June 28, 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
-- Conversations About Cancer
-- Survival Skills For Scientists
-- 2005 Intensive Geriatric Training
-- Marlins vs. Braves Tickets
-- Upcoming Calendar Events
-- Human Subjects Research Opportunities
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CANCER SERIES
Joseph A. Lucci, III, M.D., co-leader of the Gynecologic Cancer Site Disease Group, director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, and director of the Center for Cancer Prevention and Genetics, will be discussing “Cancer Trials 101” as part of the Conversations about Cancer series today (Tuesday) at UM/Sylvester at Deerfield Beach, 1192 East Newport Center Drive, Suite 100, from noon to 1 p.m. A light lunch will be served and all Conversations About Cancer classes are open to the public. Please call 1-800-545-2292 to register. Seating is limited.
SURVIVAL SKILLS FOR SCIENTISTS
The Office of Graduate Studies and the Postdoctoral Programs Office will host Professional Skills and Ethics II, otherwise known as “Survival Skills for Scientists,” on July 7 and 8 at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. The one-credit, two-day workshop for senior graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will explore how to take charge of your career, 10 Habits of Highly Effective Scholars, selecting and landing a position, writing a scientific paper, writing grants, ethical case studies, and more. It will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the Science and Administration Building on the Rosenstiel campus. Lunch will be provided. Seating is limited. Interested students and postdocs should contact the Office of Graduate Studies at 305-243-8105 or dierdre@miami.edu before June 30 with their name, program or mentor, and e-mail address.
2005 INTENSIVE GERIATRIC TRAINING
The UM Miami Area Geriatric Education Center, the Miami VA Medical Center's Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, and the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center, will be hosting the 2005 Intensive Geriatric Training on July 20-22 at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott Hotel. The objective of this three-day program is to provide training in the delivery of efficient interdisciplinary team care to meet the healthcare needs of Florida's older adults. Central to this goal is the development of geriatric training skills for transferring knowledge to practitioners, civic and community agencies and caregivers in the expanding geriatric field. CME/CEU credit will be available for selected medical disciplines (medicine, occupational therapy, nursing, nursing home administration, nutrition, pharmacy, physical therapy, podiatry, psychology and social work).
Please visit the MAGEC Web site at www.miami.edu/magec to preview the conference agenda, or call 305-243-6270 for additional information. This event has been approved for tuition remission for a limited number of UM employees. Please call MAGEC at 305-243-6270, or register on line to reserve your space.
2005 AMERICAN KINESIOTHERAPY ASSOCIATION NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Get ready to expand your mind and learn from distinguished speakers at “Functional Recovery in Spinal Cord Injury,” the 2005 AKTA National Conference at the Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel in Miami Beach July 13 through 16. The conference is co-hosted by the Miller School of Medicine. For more information and a complete conference schedule, visit http://www.akta.org, or call 305-585-1335.
EAP SPONSORING INVESTMENT FUNDAMENTALS SEMINAR
Achieving financial success is difficult without a fundamental understanding of investment basics. This EAP seminar is designed to help employees learn how to financially prepare for the future. Participants will learn about the benefits of investing, long-term investment strategies, and sources of risk and how to protect against them. The seminar will be conducted by a financial specialist from the University’s Employer Support Solution – Survivorship Planning service and will be held tomorrow (Wednesday), from noon to 1 p.m. in room 155 of the Dominion parking garage. To register, go to http://netlearning.miami.edu. For questions about registration, call 305-243-3090. For questions about content, call the EAP at 305-284-6604.
ANTIVIRUS PROTECTION DISKS AVAILABLE
Medical Information Technology now has Symantec Antivirus Protection disks available for Macintosh and Windows users at the medical campus free of charge. Please pick up your copy of the installation CD by presenting your ID and requesting a copy at Medical Information Technology front desk located in the Dominion Parking Garage Building, suite 165, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
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.
SAME GREAT MEDICAL CARE – DIFFERENT LOCATION
Did you know that the University of Miami Medical Group has a multi-specialty practice in the Kendall area? The Kendall Medical Center provides the same excellent medical care found on the medical campus — just farther south. Specialties are constantly being added, but currently the Kendall center has internal medicine, family medicine, neurology, ENT, obstetrics, gynecology, gynecological oncology and ultrasound services, pediatrics and pediatric specialties, and pulmonology. The center is located at 8932 SW 97 Ave., next to the CVS Pharmacy. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and evening and weekend hours are coming soon. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 305-270-3400.
CHILD CAR SEAT INSTALLATION CHECK
Did you know that most child car seats are not installed correctly? 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 AND FIDELITY INVESTMENTS VISIT THE MEDICAL CAMPUS
A representative from Lincoln Financial Group will be on the medical campus to conduct individual financial counseling sessions from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m on July 26, 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 July 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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 July 20 and 21, August 24 and 25, and September 21 and 22. To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-642-7131.
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.
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, July 7, Ratna Bailey, research compliance officer, will discuss “The UM Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and Implications for Research.” The UM IBC has oversight of the use of recombinant DNA (rDNA) and rDNA technology in research (basic, animal and human subject) procedures that are conducted at or sponsored by the University. Learn about rDNA research, the UM IBC and what the Office of Research has put in place for compliance with the NIH guidelines for research involving rDNA molecules. On Thursday, July 21, Paige Dunion, manager of clinical research services at UM/Sylvester, will present “Managing Clinical Trials.” Learn about what to consider when preparing a clinical trial budget and negotiating the contract, discuss the financial aspects of managing a clinical trial, and hear about research patient billing and financial reporting.
Each presentation will take place at noon in the Batchelor Building, first floor conference room. Registration is required:
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 July 7 or July 21 class, and click on Enroll located on the left.
For more information, please e-mail Maria Valero-Martinez at mvalero@med.miami.edu.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
COME SEE THE MARLINS VS. BRAVES
The Biomedical Graduate Student Association invites you to cheer on the Marlins against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, October 1. The Miller School of Medicine community has been given a special cheering section behind third base in the lower level. For friends and family, a special discount of $19 per ticket (including handling fee) is being offered. Don’t delay--seats are limited and the deadline to purchase tickets is approaching rapidly. All forms must be returned to the Marlins by July 29. It’s easy to reserve seats - just visit http://www.biomed.miami.edu/docs/marlins.pdf and fill out the PDF form and fax it back to Marlins reservations.
PROBLEM/COMPULSIVE GAMBLING TRAINING
The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, in partnership with the Miami Area Geriatric Education Center (MAGEC) will be offering a series of one-day training sessions about compulsive gamblers and their family members. The training provides basic education on the treatment of compulsive gambling to area clinicians. Each session is 7.5 hours and there are eight cumulative sessions. Topics include typology of gamblers, prevalence, co-morbid and co-occurring disorders, definitions and criteria, screening and assessment, financial problems and issues, the meaning of money, legal problems and issues, case management issues, treatment skills and treatment design, and family counseling and crisis intervention. Participants may attend any of the first four sessions but they must complete all of the first four sessions to be eligible to attend the last four sessions. This training meets certification for National Compulsive Gambling Certification and offers CEU credit for mental health, addiction and prevention professionals. There is no cost to attend. Training sessions will be held at the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1201 NW 16th Street, fourth floor conference room #A404. Phase 1: July 25 and 26; Phase 2: August 8, 9, 15 and 16. All sessions begin at 8 a.m. For further information or to register, call 407-865-6200, or fax 407-865-6200.
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 mileng@miami.edu, or visit the Jay Bon Salle Foundation Web site at http://www.thejbsfoundation.org.
SCRIPPS FLORIDA TO SPONSOR THE 2006 MIAMI NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY WINTER SYMPOSIUM
Scripps Florida, the new branch of the Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, has become a sponsor of the 39th Miami Nature Biotechnology Winter Symposia, beginning with the 2006 event entitled "Angiogenesis in Cancer and Vascular Disease" taking place in the Wyndham Hotel, Miami Beach, February 4-8, 2006. Scripps joins existing sponsors UM and Nature Publishing Group. The Symposia are organized by the University Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Foundation Inc., UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Cell Biology and Nature Medicine. To register for the Symposium, visit our Web site at http://www.med.miami.edu/mnbws and click on the registration form. UM faculty and staff who are eligible for tuition remission can register online by typing their UM ID # in the place where we ask for the form of payment. Graduate students may register online and will receive a registration waiver, compliments of the Office of Graduate Studies and Dr. Richard Bookman. For more information, contact Sandy Black at sblack@miami.edu.
HUMAN SUBJECT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
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.
Researchers at the Rehabilitation Department are recruiting female multiple
sclerosis and spinal cord injury patients for a sexual dysfunction study.
Interested women should contact the study office at 305-585-1339, or e-mail cramos3@med.miami.edu.
The AIDS Clinical Research Unit, under the direction of Margaret Fischl, M.D., is recruiting participants for a therapeutic HIV-1 vaccine study. Participants must be 18 to 50 years of age, receiving antiretroviral therapy, have an HIV-1 RNA level of less than 500 copies/ml for at least two years, and have a CD4 cell count 500 ccm or higher. For more information, contact Juan Casuso at 305-243-3838 or Leslie Thompson at l.thompson@miami.edu.
The AIDS Clinical Research Unit is also recruiting participants for a phase I IL-7 study (IL-7 is a cytokine that aids T-cell development and improves T-cell survival). Participants must be 18 to 50 years of age, receiving antiretroviral therapy for at least 12 months, have an HIV-1 RNA level less than or equal to 50,000 copies/ml, and have a CD4 cell count of 100 cells/ccm or higher. Participants must be willing to do 12-hour IL-7 blood level monitoring. Up to $200 in food certificates provided. For more information, contact Juan Caruso at 305-243-3838 or Leslie Thompson at l.Thompson@miami.edu.
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 ralvarez4@med.miami.edu.
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, and using technology to help patients who have difficulty with mobility. For more information about the study, please call 305-355-9200.
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, chronic idiopathic urticaria (hives) 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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