<i>I recently had some diagnostic tests at the University of Miami’s Cardiovascular Center. From the moment I registered, and throughout the entire procedure, I felt I was in the hands of the best group of professionals. The Center has an incredible group of caring, dedicated people, including Eduardo De Marchena, M.D., and Jeanette Soto, ARNP.  They make me proud they are part of our UM family.<br> -Alina Sanchez-Garcia, associate director, Talent Acquisition and Retention, Medical Human Resources</i><br><br> Jeannette Soto, ARNP, (pictured) helps set high standards of care at the Cardiovascular Center.

I recently had some diagnostic tests at the University of Miami’s Cardiovascular Center. From the moment I registered, and throughout the entire procedure, I felt I was in the hands of the best group of professionals. The Center has an incredible group of caring, dedicated people, including Eduardo De Marchena, M.D., and Jeanette Soto, ARNP. They make me proud they are part of our UM family.
-Alina Sanchez-Garcia, associate director, Talent Acquisition and Retention, Medical Human Resources


Jeannette Soto, ARNP, (pictured) helps set high standards of care at the Cardiovascular Center. 

Around Campus
arrow "The Age of AIDS" to Air on PBS
arrow new  Child Car Seat Installation Check
arrow Lincoln Financial Group, Fidelity Investments and TIAA-CREF Visit the Medical Campus
arrow Questions about Compliance? UM Helplines Can Assist You
arrow e-Update Submission Guidelines

Human Subjects Research Opportunities
For information on current Human Subjects Research Opportunities, see the listings below. There are new opportunities this week.

Feedback

Faculty and staff submissions should be e-mailed to the Office of Communications, at update@med.miami.edu.


Events
arrowTODAY
  Tuesday, May 30, 2006 and June 1, 2006 at noon
Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Seminars
  Tuesday, May 30, 2006, noon to 1 p.m.
new  Human Subjects Research Seminar
  Tuesday, May 30, 2006, from noon to 2 p.m. in Diagnostic Treatment Center, room 259, and from noon to 2 p.m. in UM/Sylvester, room 1301
new  Retirement Celebrations
arrowUPCOMING
  Tuesday, June 6, 2006, noon to 1 p.m.
new  Conversations About Cancer
  Thursday, June 8, 2006, 10 to 11 a.m.
new  Find Research Funding and Partners
  Monday, June 12, 2006 and June 13, 2006, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Advanced Survival Skills for Scientists
  Tuesday, June 13, 2006 and June 14, 2006, 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Research Ethics Course

Peer Review
HONORS
 Mavara Mirza, M.D.,  and the Pediatric Mobile Clinic received a major grant from the Florida Department of Health for a new program,...
e-update.med.miami.edu

Around CampusBack to top
"The Age of AIDS" to Air on PBS

On the 25th anniversary of the first diagnosed cases of AIDS, Frontline examines one of the worst pandemics the world has ever known in The Age of AIDS, which will air on local PBS affiliates today (Tuesday) and tomorrow (Wednesday) from 9 to 11 p.m.

Filmed around the world in 16 countries, The Age of AIDS features interviews with major players in the battle against HIV/AIDS, including UM President Donna Shalala and Margaret Fischl, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the AIDS Clinical Research Unit at the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/frontline/aids.


new  Child Car Seat Installation Check

To ensure that your child car seat is installed correctly, a certified child passenger safety technician will be available today (May 30) and every other Tuesday thereafter 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.


Lincoln Financial Group, Fidelity Investments and TIAA-CREF Visit the Medical Campus

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 June 20. To schedule an appointment, contact Theresa Yong at 1-866-772-4163 or tmyong@lnc.com.

A representative from Fidelity Investments will be at the medical campus to conduct individual counseling sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 28 and July 26. To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-642-7131.

A representative from TIAA-CREF will be at the medical campus on June 27 and 29 to conduct individual counseling sessions. To schedule an appointment, visit http://www.tiaa-cref.com/moc, or call Daphne Georges-Kong at 1-866-842-3357.

All counseling sessions from these organizations will take place in the Human Resources Benefits Office, 901 NW 17th St., suite D.


Questions about Compliance? UM Helplines Can Assist You
  • 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.


e-Update Submission Guidelines

  • Please note that submissions are due no later than 5 p.m. Thursday for publication on Tuesday.
  • We are unable to include attachments.
  • Please use URL addresses in your announcements rather than hyperlinks.
  • Event announcements should include the time, date, location, speaker, topic and cost if applicable. All events should have a contact phone number or e-mail address for further information. We will run event announcements for three weeks only.
  • Information must be written in paragraph form. PDFs, Publisher files and flyers are not accepted.
  • Human Subject recruitment announcements must be IRB approved.
  • Events to be listed should be either held on the medical campus, sponsored or hosted by the Miller School of Medicine, or affect all or most of the employees on the medical campus.
  • Please be sure to e-mail items to e-Update at update@med.miami.edu. Submissions to other e-mail addresses run the risk of being missed.


EventsBack to top
Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Seminars
May 30, 2006, and June 1, 2006 at noon, Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, room 6018

The following presentations take place at noon in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, room 6018.

Adena Rosenblatt, pre-doctoral student and M.D./Ph.D. candidate, will present “Regulation of Androgen Receptor Activity: A Potential Mechanism of Action of Arsenic Trioxide Treatment in Prostate Cancer” today (Tuesday). Please contact Sara Pizano at 305-243-3419, or spizano@miami.edu for more information.

Peter Buchwald, Ph.D., associate director of drug discovery at IVAX Research, Inc., will present “Toxicity, Activity, and Receptor-Binding Data: Modeling Concepts and Illustrative Examples” on Thursday. Please contact Irene Hung at 305-243-6643, or ihung@med.miami.edu for more information.


new  Human Subjects Research Seminar
May 30, 2006, noon to 1 p.m., Mailman Center, room 3023

Aurea M. Flores will present “Investigational Drugs in Clinical Trials: The Role of Pharmacy” today (Tuesday) from noon to 1 p.m. in the Mailman Center, room 3023. Log on to NetLearning at https://netlearning.miami.edu to register. For more information, please e-mail Maira Abraham at Mabraham@med.miami.edu.


new  Retirement Celebrations
May 30, 2006, from noon to 2 p.m. in Diagnostic Treatment Center, room 259, and from noon to 2 p.m. in UM/Sylvester, room 1301

Julio Mesa will retire from the University of Miami on May 31. The retirement celebration honoring his 25 years of distinguished service will take place today (Tuesday) from noon to 2 p.m. in the Diagnostic Treatment Center, room 259. As of June 1, Maggy Dickens will be the administrator for Kidney/Pancreas, Liver/GI, and Heart/Lung.

After almost 34 years of distinguished service, Jose R. Simon will retire from the University of Miami on May 31. Please join us today (Tuesday) from noon to 2 p.m. in UM/Sylvester, room 1301, to say farewell to Jose. Rogelio Borroto will be the director of Physical Plant.


new  Conversations About Cancer
June 6, 2006, noon to 1 p.m., UM/Sylvester at Deerfield Beach, 1192 East Newport Center Drive, suite 100

Deborah O. Heros, M.D., co-leader, Neurological Cancer Site Disease Group, and director, Neuro-Oncology, will present “Chemo-Brain…The Side Effects of Chemotherapy” Tuesday, June 6 from noon to 1 p.m. at UM/Sylvester at Deerfield Beach, 1192 East Newport Center Drive, suite 100. Seating is limited. Please call 1-800-545-2292 to register.


new  Find Research Funding and Partners
June 8, 2006, 10 to 11 a.m., Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh-floor auditorium

Looking for funding opportunities? Searching for a collaborator? Leverage technology and learn to navigate through InfoEd SPIN Plus to locate funding opportunities or find potential collaborators from more than 600 institutions. Participate in the Navigating InfoEd SPINPlus seminar on Thursday, June 8 from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh-floor auditorium. Log onto NetLearning at https://netlearning.miami.edu to register. For more information, contact Brendaly Rodríguez at 305-243-6415, or brodriguez2@med.miami.edu.


Advanced Survival Skills for Scientists
June 12, 2006, and June 13, 2006, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences campus, Science and Administration Building

The Office of Graduate Studies and the Postdoctoral Programs Office will host “Advanced Survival Skills for Scientists (IBS 684 Professional Skills and Ethics II)" on Monday, June 12 and Tuesday, June 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Science and Administration Building at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences campus. This workshop will focus on the non-research survival skills that are necessary for a successful career in research, but are often learned through trial and error by many scientists. The curriculum is based upon training materials from the Survival Skills and Ethics Program at the University of Pittsburgh and will cover topics such as developing scientific creativity, landing the perfect job, and writing a successful grant. The deadline to register is this Friday. Lunch will be provided both days. For more information about the workshop, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies at 305-243-8105, or e-mail dierdre@miami.edu. Please include your name, department or program, and e-mail address.


Research Ethics Course
June 13, 2006, and June 14, 2006, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, room 6018

This course is offered to medical students and others who need exposure to the foundations of responsible conduct of research. It covers issues of data management, mentor-trainee relations, publication and authorship, animal studies, human subjects research, conflicts of interest and the UM Honor Code, among other topics. Discussion and debate are encouraged. Join Kenneth Goodman, Ph.D., director of the UM Bioethics Programs on Tuesday, June 13 and Wednesday, June 14 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, room 6018. A light dinner will be provided. To register for this course, please e-mail dierdre@miami.edu by Friday, June 9.


Peer ReviewBack to top

Honors

Mavara Mirza, M.D.,  and the Pediatric Mobile Clinic received a major grant from the Florida Department of Health for a new program, "Mobilizing Vaccine Initiative." This grant will focus on underserved Haitian and Hispanic communities and will provide immunizations and education about immunizations.


Human Subjects ResearchBack to top

 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.

Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are being recruited for a study of effects of sildenafil on exercise and breathlessness. Participants must have a firm clinical diagnosis of IPF, be 40 to 85 years of age, and not be on medication for IPF. Interested patients or physicians wishing to refer patients should call 305-575-3548, fax 305-575-3126, or e-mail rjackson2@med.miami.edu.

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is recruiting women for the following clinical research studies:

• A new investigational medication for pelvic pain due to endometriosis. To qualify, you must be between 18 and 45 years of age with regular menstrual periods, have endometriosis diagnosed by a surgical procedure (laparoscopy or laparotomy) within the past five years, have moderate to severe pelvic pain due to endometriosis for at least three months, have not used 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 contact Marisol Sloane at 305-243-1616, or msloane@med.miami.edu. Visit http://umic.miami.edu/documents/FINAL_BROCHURE2_1.pdf to view the brochure.

• An investigational medication to treat the symptoms of menopause and prevent osteoporosis. To qualify you must be between 40 to 64 years of age, have not had a period for at least six months, and have not had a hysterectomy. Qualified participants will receive free study-related tests and investigational medication, study-related physical and gynecological exams, mammograms and bone density scans, if eligible. Compensation for time and travel is available for qualified participants. Please contact Tilky Lopez-Blanco at 305-243-1616, or tlopez7@med.miami.edu.

• An investigational vaccine for human papillomavirus. Participants should be healthy women over the age of 26 who are not breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant during the next eight months and who will be in the area for the next three years. Qualified participants will receive study related tests, physical and gynecological exams, information on women’s health issues, family planning and compensation for travel and time. Please contact Iliana Rivas at 305-243-5832 for more information.

The Department of Psychology and the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control is conducting a quality of life research intervention with advanced prostate cancer patients. Participants should have Stage III or IV prostate cancer and have recently or currently been treated with hormone therapy. Eligible participants will take part in a ten-week cognitive behavioral stress and affect management program or a health promotions program. Three psychosocial/medical assessments are also required. If you are interested in this study or would like more information, please contact Frank Penedo, Ph.D., at 305-243-3329, or fpenedo@miami.edu.

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.

The Institute for Women’s Health, in collaboration with the Women’s Mental Heath Programs in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, is currently recruiting 92 African-American women employed at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine or Jackson Memorial Hospital to participate in a research study focus group to discuss feelings, beliefs and experiences about being overweight or obese. Volunteers for the African-American Women’s Weight Reduction Study will receive healthy snacks, valuable diet readiness feedback, and monetary compensation for their time. For more information, please call Rhonda at 305-355-9157 or e-mail rnelson@med.miami.edu.

Jennifer B. Marks, M.D., is currently recruiting patients ages 18 through 40 with type 1 diabetes mellitus with a recent diagnosis for participation in a research study to test the safety and effectiveness of an investigational medication. Patients must be taking multiple insulin injections daily and in good health. Those who are interested should contact Rogelio Suarez at 305-243-6573 or rsuarez2@med.miami.edu.

The AIDS Clinical Research Unit, directed by Margaret Fischl, M.D., is recruiting participants for the following studies:

• An investigational smallpox vaccine in patients with HIV and without HIV. The vaccine uses a modified vaccinia virus, which is not as strong as the smallpox virus and cannot grow well enough in human cells to cause disease. Participants must be 18 to 34 years of age, have never received smallpox vaccinations, and have no history of heart or skin problems. HIV patients must be taking antiretroviral therapy and have a viral load of less than 50,000 and a CD4 cell count greater than 200. Up to $275 provided and free HIV testing is done.

• An investigational CC-chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) entry inhibitor for patients with HIV. The study will look at single dose, dose escalations of a study drug (0.5 mg, 2.0 mg and 5.0 mg) and a placebo. The study will determine how well the study drug blocks CCR5 receptors and is tolerated. Participants must be 18 and older, not taking antiretroviral therapy for at least three months and have a viral load greater than 5,000 and a CD4 count greater than 250. Must be willing to do six-hour drug level monitoring. Up to $250 provided.

• A therapeutic HIV-1 vaccine study. Participants must be 18 to 50 years of age, receiving antiretroviral therapy, have an HIV-1 RNA level less than 500 copies/ml for at least two years and a CD4 cell count 500/ccm or higher. Up to $150 in food certificates provided.

• 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 on studies conducted by the AIDS Clinical Research Unit, contact Juan at 305-243-3838 or Leslie at L.Thompson@miami.edu.

The SPARE Study (Soy Phytoestrogens As Replacement Estrogen) is currently recruiting women 45 to 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 University of Miami Skin Research Group, directed by Brian Berman, M.D., Ph.D., is looking for people with acne, atopic dermatitis (eczema), and keloids. Participants should be 18 or older for the acne and keloid studies and ages 2 to 17 for the atopic dermatitis studies. If interested, please contact the research staff at 305-243-5519 or visit our website at www.skininvestigation.com.

The Division of Cosmetic Dermatology, directed by Leslie Baumann, M.D., is looking for teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 to participate in a research study to determine whether injections with Botulinum toxin Type A relieve excessive underarm sweating. If interested, please contact a member of the research staff at 305-532-5552.

Bruce Rubin, M.D., is currently performing a study on trigeminal neuralgia (TN) treatment with subcutaneous injections of BOTOX® to evaluate the effectiveness of treating facial pain associated with TN. Patients must have a diagnosis of TN for more than three months and be at least 18 years of age.
 
Dr. Rubin is also seeking patients for a research study on the treatment of tightness/spasticity in the wrist, fingers, and elbow caused by a stroke while evaluating the effect of BOTOX® on pulmonary functioning. Patients must be 18 years of age, have had a stroke six months ago or longer, have a pulmonary/breathing problem and cannot have used BOTOX® or any other botulinum toxin previously for any condition. Please contact Amy L. Kaye, ARNP, at 305-243-6223 for additional information on either of these studies.

 


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