e-Update
May 24, 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
-- Sponsored Programs Roundtable Series
-- Conversations About Cancer
-- A Tribute to Jay Weiss
-- NIDA Conference on Drug Abuse Treatment
-- Upcoming Calendar Events
-- Human Subjects Research Opportunities
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 of interest related to sponsored programs with their colleagues. On Thursday, June 2, Robin Lee Harbach, administrative director of the General Clinical Research Center, will discuss “All you need to know about the General Clinical Research Center.” Harbach will provide information to those in the medical campus clinical research community seeking additional research infrastructure and clinical research subject care services for their federally or foundation funded research. On Thursday, June 16, Antonieta Sauerteig, director of research administration at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, will discuss “Preparing a realistic grant budget.” Sauerteig will talk about how to develop a budget for a funding agency that truly reflects the proposed work. What should be included? How much detail is needed? What does a reviewer look for when examining the proposed budget? 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 June 2 or June 16 class and click on Enroll located on the left.
For more information, please e-mail Maria Valero-Martinez at mvalero@med.miami.edu.
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CANCER SERIES
Eli Avisar, M.D., assistant professor, Division of Surgical Oncology, will discuss “Surgical Options for Melanoma,” tomorrow (Wednesday) 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. Please call 1-800-545-2292 to register. Seating is limited.
A TRIBUTE CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF JAY W. WEISS
All members of the medical campus community are invited to an event honoring the late Jay W. Weiss, friend and benefactor of the Miller School of Medicine and Jackson Health System, on Tuesday, June 7, at 11 a.m. at the Alamo Park. The occasion will mark the dedication of the Jay W. Weiss Sculpture and the Jay W. Weiss Ambulatory Care Center. For more information, please contact 305-243-3453.
NIDA CONFERENCE ON DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT: SMART-PRACTICE, PRACTICAL SCIENCE: BLENDING TREATMENT AND RESEARCH
As in other fields of medicine, a gap exists in the drug abuse treatment field between clinical practice and the findings of scientific research. To bridge that gap and advance the knowledge and skills needed to treat drug abuse with empirically supported treatments, UM, in collaboration with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, will co-host “Smart Practice, Practical Science: Blending Treatment and Research.” This two-day conference, to be held on June 6-7 at the Sheraton Bal Harbour on Miami Beach, brings together clinicians and researchers to examine cutting-edge scientific findings on drug abuse and addiction, and to participate in skills-building workshops on the most empirically supported treatments available. Internationally renowned scientists and providers will present on HIV, gender-specific treatments, treatment planning, pharmacological interventions, including a Buprenorphine certification session, and on the treatment of co-occurring psychological/psychiatric disorders in drug abusers. For a list of the speakers and topics, go to http://www.synergyentinc.com/blendingmiami/topics.htm. To register, go to http://www.synergyentinc.com/blendingmiami/registration.htm. For more information, please contact Maria Slawson at 305-243-3659.
“MIAMI LITE”- WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM
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 on Thursday, June 9, 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.
HUMAN SUBJECTS RESEARCH SEMINAR
The Human Subjects Research Seminar for May will feature Jeff Brosco, M.D., Ph.D., speaking on: “Before Tuskegee: The Early History of Research Ethics.” The seminar will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31, 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 May.
3) Scroll to locate the May 31 class and click on Enroll located on the left.
For more information about this seminar, e-mail Maira Abraham at Mabraham@med.miami.edu.
UM IMAGING CORE FACILITY HOSTING COMPUCYTE SEMINAR
The University of Miami Imaging Core Facility will be hosting a seminar presented by the CompuCyte Corporation, developers of Laser Scanning Cytometry products for cell-based and tissue analysis. The presentation will feature the latest in technology available through CompuCyte’s instrumentation—the iCyte™ Automated Imaging Cytometer, the iCys™ Research Imaging Cytometer and iColor™ Fluoro-Chromatic Imaging Cytometer — and applications to cell- and tissue-based research. The seminar will be held on Thursday from 2 to 3:30 p.m., in the Diabetes Research Institute first floor conference center, room 1000. For more information, please visit www.compucyte.com. RSVP by Wednesday by sending e-mail to bshaw@med.miami.edu.
DON’T GET SPAMMED
Spammers are constantly coming up with new ways to bypass content filtering tools. The Miller School of Medicine receives about 3.4 million e-mail messages per month, of which approximately 2.4 million are spam messages and 130,000 have virus attachments. If you receive unsolicited e-mails, please forward them to spam@med.miami.edu. We are in the Outlook Global Address list-- just look for “Medical IT Spam.” Our team reviews these messages daily and tweaks the spam filtering engines. You can also reach us at 305-243-5999, or e-mail us at Help@med.miami.edu.
TRAINING OFFICE LAUNCHES NETMANAGER
The Professional Development and Training Office has implemented NetManager, a Web-based system that allows managers to enroll staff in mandatory training or professional development programs, monitor attendance, and create reports for regulatory compliance, incompletes, total training hours, etc. Because NetManager is Web-based, managers can do all this and more from their own offices. For more information or to get started, log on to NetLearning, click “Enroll in CBL,” and then enroll in “NetManager Training,” a brief tutorial.
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 97th Ave., next to the CVS Pharmacy. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Coming soon are evening and weekend hours. 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.
TIAA-CREF, LINCOLN FINANCIAL GROUP, AND FIDELITY INVESTMENTS VISIT THE MEDICAL CAMPUS
A representative from TIAA-CREF will be on the medical campus on June 8 to conduct individual counseling sessions. To schedule an appointment, go to http://www.tiaa-cref.org/moc, or call toll-free 1-800-842-2003 ext. 3522.
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., today (Tuesday) and June 21. 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 Fidelity Investments will be on the medical campus to conduct individual counseling sessions on June 29. 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 Nancy Rivero at 305-243-5842.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
HUBERT L. ROSOMOFF RESEARCH DAY
The Department of Neurological Surgery presents the Fifth Hubert L. Rosomoff Research Day on Saturday, June 4, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the Lois Pope LIFE Center seventh-floor auditorium. This event showcases research by the residents, fellows, and faculty of the Department of Neurological Surgery. This year’s visiting professor will be David G. Kline, M.D., chairman of neurosurgery at Louisiana State University School of Medicine. Dr. Kline is a renowned authority on surgery of peripheral nerves. All interested members of the University community are invited to attend. For more information, please call 305-243-6946.
THE ANNUAL ROBERT ZEPPA MEMORIAL LECTURE & BRUNCH
The DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery presents Larry M. Gentilello, M.D., FACS, chairman, Division of Burns, Trauma and Critical Care and professor of surgery at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, as guest lecturer at the Annual Robert Zeppa Memorial Lecture and Brunch. The event will take place on Saturday, June 11, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Lois Pope LIFE Center seventh floor auditorium. Please RSVP by June 4 to gprieto@med.miami.edu, or call 305-243-4036.
HUMAN SUBJECT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
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 Caruso 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-cells 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 or equal to 50,000 copies/ml, and have a CD4 cell count greater or equal to 100 cells/ccm. 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.
Dr. Jorge Armenteros, in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, is taking part in an international clinical research program to investigate the efficacy and safety of risperidone in adolescents with schizophrenia. Risperidone has already proven effective and relatively well tolerated for treating adults with schizophrenia, but there are very few studies of risperidone or other atypical antipsychotics in adolescents. Patients must be between 13 and 17 years of age, otherwise physically healthy, and diagnosed with schizophrenia. For further information about the trial, please contact Dr. Jorge Armenteros at 305-355-7106, or Marisabel Davalos, M.S.Ed., at 305-355-7273.
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 Dr. Frank Penedo
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 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 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 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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