Structured activities keep kids busy and provide fun, meaningful experiences that make summer more enjoyable for both children and parents. To help faculty and staff balance home and work life during the often challenging summer months, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides assistance with identifying summer camps and activities. For a customized list of activities designed to meet your particular needs, contact Life Stages at the university’s EAP office at 305-284-6604, or visit http://www.miami.edu/eap/SummerActivities2006.doc to view the full list. 

The cutoff date for information technology hardware and/or product purchases through the Department of Medical Information Technology is May 5. This will ensure that all requests are processed, invoiced and billed in a timely manner prior to the end of fiscal year 2006. Every effort will be made to acquire all requested products and process the associated interdepartmental requisition forms before May 31. For more information, please contact Medical IT Procurement at 305-243-6024.

The Miami Lite program helps participants with weight loss, nutrition, controlling portion sizes, weight management techniques and guidelines for exercise. It is open to the public and is offered every Thursday from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Diabetes Research Institute, first-floor Education Center. The cost is $20 per class or $150 for ten sessions. If you would like more information, please contact Anna M. Fraker at afraker@med.miami.edu or call 305-243-3455.

The University of Miami’s Families First Network is offering free parenting groups for parents of newborns and children through age 5. Parents will discuss ways to manage behavior, build stronger families and help their children develop and grow. Parents will receive free items related to the topics discussed and lunch will be served. Classes will be held at the Perinatal C.A.R.E. Program in Dominion Towers starting April 27. For more information or to register, call 305-243-8425 or e-mail mastacio@med.miami.edu.

The University of Miami's Intensive Language Institute is offering six-week Spanish courses beginning on Saturday, April 15. The courses are offered at four levels of proficiency. Prospective students can take a free online Spanish placement test at www.educationmiami.com/alc. Saturday classes meet from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from April 15 through May 27 (no classes on May 13). Qualified UM employees may receive tuition remission on a space available basis. Dependents of UM employees may qualify for a 15% tuition discount.

Biomedical Communications is offering free tutorials designed to assist UM faculty and staff in creating posters for presentations and conferences using Microsoft PowerPoint. The workshop covers a variety of PowerPoint tools including understanding menus, basics of page setup, choosing font types and sizes, importing objects as well as other steps needed to create impressive poster exhibits. These free sessions are for individual assistance and will be held on a one-to-one basis. For more information or to make an appointment, please contact Kim Loper at 305-243-6783.
 
Biomedical Communications can help you create high impact poster sessions, business presentations, indoor and outdoor signage, or art reproductions easily and affordably. The staff can also assist with photography and graphic design, scanning, enlargement and restoration, printing, mounting and lamination. Biomedical Communications is conveniently located on the lower level of the Louis Calder Memorial Library and open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, please visit http://calder.med.miami.edu/biomed.

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.

A representative from Lincoln Financial Group will be at the medical campus to conduct individual counseling sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 16 and June 20. To schedule an appointment, contact Theresa Yong at 1-866-772-4163 or tmyong@lnc.com.

• University Compliance (anonymous hotline): 866-YOURCALL
• Billing (anonymous hotline): 305-243-HELP or 877-415-HELP
• Research Integrity and Compliance: 305-243-6415
• Financial Improprieties: 305-284-2605
• Privacy Office/HIPAA: 305-243-5000 or 1-866-366-HUSH
• University Ombudsperson: 305-284-4922

Any University of Miami employee reporting or deciding whether to report activity that may be in violation of a law, rule, or regulation is protected against retaliation by the Whistleblower Protection Statement. For more information, visit the Office of Compliance site.

• Please note that submissions are due no later than 5 p.m. Thursday for publication on Tuesday.
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Jason Chesney, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of translational research, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, will present "6-Phosphofructo-2-Kinase: Not Just Another Toxic Target In the War Against Cancer" today (Tuesday) at noon in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium. For more information, please call Maria Penton at 305-243-6691.

The following presentations take place from noon to 1 p.m. They are free and a light lunch will be served. RSVP is required. Please call 1-800-545-2292 to register.

Robert Barrington, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, CBR Institute for Biomedical Research, Harvard University Medical School, will present “Linking Innate Immunity to B-Cell Memory: B Cell and FDC-Derived CD21/CD35” today (Tuesday) at noon in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, room 3109. For additional information, please contact Michelle Perez at 305-243-6655.

The following classes are offered by The Leadership Academy and take place from 9 a.m. to noon in Dominion Parking Garage, suite 155. Seating is limited. To register for a session, visit http://netlearning.miami.edu.  For more information about the Leadership Academy, visit www.miami.edu/development-training/la, or call the Professional Development Training Office at 305-243-3090 or 305-284-5110.

H&R Block will be providing on-site tax preparation at the Miller School of Medicine and Jackson Memorial Hospital today (Tuesday) through Friday in the Alamo Courtyard. Applications will also be available for Florida KidCare, an umbrella health insurance program for children birth through 18. For more information on the tax return service, please call Kathleen Blenke at 305-899-0961, or visit www.hrblock.com. For information about Florida KidCare Health Insurance, please call Ebenezer Boakye at 305-358-8800.

Travel Management will host its annual Travel Fair today (Tuesday) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the seventh floor of the Lois Pope LIFE Center. The fair features the five UM-authorized travel agencies, hotels and other UM vendors. Drop off your business card to win exciting raffle prizes such as airline tickets, hotel stays and dinners at local restaurants. For additional information, please contact Travel Management at 305-284-1087, or visit www.miami.edu/travel.

Jianqin Wei, Ph.D., postdoctoral associate, Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, will present “Role of p300 Acetyltransferase in Defense Against Myocardial Injury and Infarction” on Thursday at noon in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, room 6018. For more information, please contact Irene Hung at 305-243-6643, or ihung@med.miami.edu.

Harry R. Moody, Ph.D., director of academic affairs, American Association of Retired Persons, will discuss "Reimaging Aging: Positive Prospects for an Aging Society” on Friday from noon to 1 p.m. in the Hurricane 100 room at the BankUnited Center, 1245 Walsh Avenue, Coral Gables. Reservations are required. To RSVP, please send an e-mail to spurcell@med.miami.edu, or call 305-355-9080.

It seems that there are never enough hours in the day to do what matters most and this can leave us feeling off-balance. This seminar reveals how time management and stress management go hand-in-hand and will help participants find ways to prioritize time, reduce stress and achieve balance. It will be held on Friday from noon to 2 p.m. in Dominion Parking Garage, room 155. You can register on-line at http://netlearning.miami.edu. For step-by-step instructions on how to register, please visit http://www.miami.edu/eap/HowToRegister.doc. If you have any questions on using the online registration system, please call 305-243-3090, or call 305-284-6604 for questions about content.

Margaret Byrne will present “Payments to Human Subjects who are Participating in Research Studies” on Tuesday, April 18 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Mailman Center, room 3023. Log on to Net Learning at https://netlearning.miami.edu to register. For more information, please e-mail Maira Abraham at Mabraham@med.miami.edu.

The Sponsored Programs Education Workshop will be held on Wednesday, April 19 from 3 to 5 p.m. in room 502 of the Flipse Building on the Coral Gables campus. The workshop is a requirement for all individuals who would like to be listed as key personnel on sponsored programs. The program will focus on the fiscal and compliance issues of pre- and post-award management, the most recent information on the grant process, explain established policies and procedures and review the PI’s role and responsibility for administering sponsored projects. The goal is to have all key personnel attend an educational session by June 30. A listing of other available dates and locations can be found at http://www.miami.edu/UMH/CDA/UMH_Main/1,1770,2425-1;36662-2;34960-2;38799-3,00.html. Log onto NetLearning at https://netlearning.miami.edu to register. For more information, please contact mvalero@med.miami.edu.

Join Team UM for fitness and fun at the 21st Annual Corporate Walk/Run. Mark your calendar and plan to attend this fun event on Thursday, May 11. UM festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami. This is a wonderful teambuilding opportunity for your department as well as a chance to enjoy camaraderie with fellow co-workers during the post-race party. The department with the most participants (family and friends are welcome) will win a pizza party, compliments of Pizza Hut. The cost is $20 if your registration is received on or before April 19, or $25 if you register between April 20 and May 5. Your entry fee includes participation in the race, two t-shirts and the post-race party and raffle prize drawing. Proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America. If you have not yet received your application via interoffice mail, log on to www.med.miami.edu to print the registration form and event details, or call 305-243-7600.

Charles Weissmann, M.D., Ph.D., head of the Department of Infectology, Scripps Florida, will present “Of Prions, Men and Mice” on Friday, April 21 at 11:30 a.m. in Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s Retter Auditorium. This seminar is sponsored by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. For more information, please contact Betsy Sanchez at 305-243-6265.

Investigators, research coordinators, IRB members and IRB administrators/staff members are invited to a half-day conference sponsored by the Human Subjects Research Office on Friday, April 21 in the Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh-floor auditorium. Connie Lewin, M.D., and Marian Serge from the Food and Drug Administration will address regulations regarding the use of investigational drugs and devices. Topics will include the use of investigational drugs and devices in research and other situations such as emergency, humanitarian and compassionate uses, expanded access and custom devices. For further information and to download the registration form, please visit https://eprost.med.miami.edu/eprost/Rooms/DisplayPages/LayoutInitial?Container=com.webridge.entity.Entity%5BOID%5BF406D0453607BA47BA5559A623971A72%5D%5D. Please e-mail the completed registration form to Amanda Coltes-Rojas at acoltes@med.miami.edu, or fax it to 305-243-3328. Please contact Ms. Coltes-Rojas at 305-243-6494 with any questions. Reservations will be on a first come first serve basis.

Arthur Fournier, M.D., professor and vice chairman of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and associate dean for Community Health Affairs, will sign his new book The Zombie Curse at the medical bookstore on Monday, April 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. He will have an additional signing at the Coral Gables campus’ bookstore on Tuesday, April 25 at 6 p.m. This memoir of a physician battling the AIDS epidemic in Haiti does more than chronicle the story of a horrible disease; it is a moving tribute to the abundant courage, resilience and dignity of a people beset by tragedy. All of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to Project Medishare. For more information, please call the medical bookstore at 305-243-6068, or the Coral Gables bookstore at 305-284-4101.

This workshop is designed to help attendees improve their conflict resolution and negotiation skills. It uses a blended training format where the first part of the course is completed online and the second part of the course is an interactive face-to-face skills practice session. The workshop takes place on Thursday, April 27 from noon to 2 p.m. in Dominion Parking Garage, room 155. Visit http://netlearning.miami.edu to register. For step-by-step instructions on how to register, visit http://www.miami.edu/eap/HowToRegister.doc. Please call 305-243-3090 with questions about registration, or 305-284-6604 with questions about content.

Honors

William J. Whelan, Ph.D. , professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, received the 2006 Faculty Senate Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award during a special ceremony on Wednesday, April 5. This award recognizes his distinguished career in scientific research, which has focused on the field of polysaccharides of the starch/glycogen family. Dr. Whelan has been a member of the faculty since 1967.

 Daniel Santisteban, Ph.D., of the Center for Family Studies in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is currently conducting a research program that would provide adolescents and/or their family treatment for free. Participants must be 14 to 17 years old, have a parent or legal guardian willing to participate, meet DSM criteria for both substance abuse disorder and borderline personality disorder, and be willing to participate in four separate but paid evaluations. If interested, please contact Henry Calderon, clinical research specialist/assessor, at 305-243-2225, or hcalderon@med.miami.edu for details.

The Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement is conducting research with family caregivers of dementia patients who speak English and are 50 years of age or older. If you are not a caregiver but are interested in participating, you may be able to help as well. Participants will receive basic training on how to use the Internet and will be asked to look for information about care-giving and dementia. If you are interested in being a part of this research study, please call 305-355-9200. You will be paid for your time and effort.

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