Mauro Moscucci, M.D., M.B.A., professor of medicine and vice chair of the Department of Medicine at the Miller School of Medicine, has been named chief of the Cardiovascular Division.  He is a national leader in health care research, known for a pioneering program that uses benchmarks to improve outcomes for cardiac patients with coronary artery disease.  The Miller School’s Cardiovascular Division is one of the fastest growing clinical areas at UHealth – the University of Miami Health System.

The Eastern-Atlantic Student Research Forum (ESRF) celebrated 35 years of bringing together the brightest young minds in medicine and biomedical research for discussions and poster presentations. The forum took place at the Miller School and the Marriott Biscayne Bay February 25-28 and featured several renowned scientists who addressed the participants, students from UM and from medical schools nationally and internationally. Barbara M. Alving, M.D., director of the National Center for Research Resources at the National Institutes of Health, delivered the keynote address.
 
Miller School students took home six of the 2009 ESRF Awards. The students are: Dominic Maggio, Drs. Carl and Barbara Alving Endowed Biomedical Research Award; Adena Rosenblatt, best overall University of Miami presentation; Gia Hoosien, best overall basic science presentation; Suzanne Hower, first place outstanding basic science oral presentation; Christopher Bennett, first place outstanding basic science poster presentation; and Ann Plum, second place outstanding basic science poster presentation.
 
Pictured: From left, ESRF co-director Seth Miller, a third-year Miller School student; Alving; and co-directors Shalu Patel, a third-year student, and Michael Gorin, a second-year student.

The University of Miami community continues to mourn the loss of Maria Amador and two of her children, who died tragically last week. Maria, a UM employee since 1991, was director of education at the Miller School’s Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths, but less than half of all eligible people undergo any type of colon cancer screening despite its well-proven success in cancer prevention.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) Institutional Grant is providing funds for meritorious cancer research that cannot be readily supported through other funding mechanisms. The primary purpose of the ACS grant is to provide seed funds for the initiation of promising new projects or novel ideas by junior faculty members.

UM/Aetna medical plan members may contact UM’s on-campus Aetna claims representative for assistance with billing and claims issues at 305-243-7167. If you receive a bill for covered services from an Aetna provider you must do the following:

The Medical Wellness Center invites you to participate in guided Meditation Mondays classes from 1 to 1:30 p.m. every week.  This class is designed to aid in establishing a clear focus and healthy discipline for the achievement of success and personal satisfaction during the work week.

The Miller School commencement will be held at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, at the BankUnited Center on the Coral Gables campus. If you are part of the Dean’s administration or a faculty member, you must fill out the RSVP form whether you plan to attend commencement or not. Regalia is rented by the school and there is no charge, but you must fill out the name of your alma mater so the appropriate hood in the colors of your alma mater will be available. The regalia will be delivered directly to the Hurricane 100 Room at the BankUnited Center on the day of the ceremony.  Robing begins at 4 p.m. and the ceremony begins promptly at 5 p.m., so you must arrive on time for robing.

Aetna members can save significantly on health care expenses by using UM physicians and facilities. You will save $5 on primary care office visit copays, $10 on specialist office visit copays, $100 per day on inpatient hospital copays, and $50 to $150 (depending on the plan) on high-end diagnostics including MRI, PET, CT MRA and SPECT scans. Aetna Select 2 members and the POSII 600 do not have to pay their deductible for low-end diagnostic services if they use a UM facility. 

To find UM physicians or to make an appointment online, visit www.uhealthsystem.com. Members can also make an appointment by calling the UM employee dedicated appointment line at 305-243-CARE. If you need further assistance, contact a Benefits Expert by completing the form at www.miami.edu/benefits/ask.

You’re invited to join more than 300 supporters who are expected to gather at Bongos Cuban Café on Sunday, March 15, to support the 2009 fundraiser for the Miller School’s Department of Urology. This year, the celebration to support the department’s Center for Urologic Research, Education and Diseases (CURED) will feature a Latin beat.

The BioTech 2009 conference committee is inviting regional researchers to submit posters. Posters must showcase recent research findings and support the conference’s objectives to create collaborations among university researchers and companies who develop products, learn about new research and development occurring locally, and present opportunities to grant providers, licensees and investors. Research that supports application development is of particular interest.

The Post-Doctoral Programs Office is now accepting abstracts for its first annual Post-Doctoral Fellow Research Day scheduled for Friday, May 22. Participating in this event will allow you to practice your presentation skills, share research and learn about the research of your post-doctoral colleagues.

Given the continuing economic turmoil and volatility of financial markets, many individual investors and retirement plan participants are worried and/or confused about their retirement plans. Many employees have been seeking guidance on sources of potential stability. There are a number of things you can do and we encourage you to schedule a meeting with a retirement consultant. Three of UM's approved retirement vendors will visit in March to help with financial questions about your retirement plan.

The Optical Department at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute is offering its 20/20 Vision Club eyewear benefits to all UM and Jackson employees, family and friends. You can choose from an expanded selection of metal or plastic frames with single vision (distance or near) or bifocal plastic prescription lenses starting at only $40. Progressive lenses are also available and start at $135. You can also save $5 on your second pair of eye or sunglasses.

Certain restrictions may apply. For further information, please call 305-326-6092.

Are you looking for funding opportunities or applying for grants? You can learn more about internal procedures and policies regarding sponsored programs by taking an online course. Courses can be found in ULearn at www.miami.edu/ulearn. Once you login to ULearn, click on "Learn" at the top menu and then click on "Categories." The listing is titled "Research Administration and Sponsored Programs." Some of the courses are classroom-style and others are computer-based learning. 

For more information, please send an e-mail to ResEDU@med.miami.edu or call 305-243-5092.

Do you ever wonder why your computer is slow sometimes? It may be because you are not the only person using it. Your computer might be part of a botnet or zombie network. A botnet is a term used to define a group of computers that are seized by malicious software and given instruction from cyber criminals called bot herders. Botnet software is designed to be inconspicuous so you are not aware that your machine has been compromised.

This is an evolution from the typical computer virus which has an immediate and obvious effect on your computer. Since new computers are often compromised within minutes of being connected to an unprotected Internet connection, it should be no surprise that some bot herders control hundreds of thousands of computers. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to tell if your machine has been taken over by this software, but there are some tell-tale signs such as an outbox full of e-mail you didn’t send or noise coming from your hard drive even when you are not using your PC.

To read more, including steps to protect yourself and the University’s information, please visit http://www.med.miami.edu/hipaa/public/x385.xml. If you have questions related to this or any other HIPAA privacy or security related issue, please contact the Office of HIPAA Privacy & Security at hipaaprivacy@med.miami.edu.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in this country, and more than one million people in the U.S. develop skin cancer each year. Through UMatter preventive care benefits, employees and dependents enrolled in an Aetna medical plan are eligible to receive one free annual skin cancer screening with a UM dermatologist. Take advantage of your free cancer screening, and learn the facts about skin cancer prevention and steps you can take to help reduce your risk.

To make an appointment, please call 305-243-3729.

The Office of Research has launched a new international research listserv. The listserv targets UM faculty, staff and students engaged in international research and permits subscribers to post questions and share information related to international research.
 
For information on how to join this or any of the research listservs, visit http://med.miami.edu/orim/x20.xml.

• University Compliance (anonymous hotline): 866-YOURCALL
• Billing (anonymous hotline): 305-243-HELP or 877-415-HELP
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• 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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• 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.
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• 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.

The Cell Biology and Anatomy Seminar by Akira Chiba, Ph.D., professor of biology, scheduled for today (Tuesday) at noon in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium, has been postponed to a later date to be determined. This seminar will be featured in a future issue of e-Update with the new date, time and location.

For further information, contact Nilcer Aviles at 305-243-6691 or naviles@med.miami.edu.

The Cardiovascular Division will present Grand Rounds today (Tuesday) from noon to 1 p.m. at the University of Miami Hospital, Seminar Center. Robert A. Vogel, M.D., professor of medicine and director of clinical vascular biology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, will present a lecture titled "Teaching Lifestyle Modification to Prevent Coronary Heart Disease."

The Division of Hospital Medicine will present Grand Rounds today (Tuesday) at noon at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Central Building, second-floor auditorium. Shirin Shafazand, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, will present "When the Problem is the Right Side of the Heart: The Diagnosis and Management of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension-2009." By attending this lecture, participants will be able to evaluate the signs and symptoms of pulmonary hypertension, assess the diagnostic modalities available and evaluate the results accurately, and appreciate treatment modalities for PH and their effects. The lecture is designed for family practitioners, emergency physicians, surgeons, internists, and hospitalists.

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will host Nobel Prize winner Edmond H. Fischer, Ph.D., professor emeritus  of biochemistry at the University of Washington in Seattle, today (Tuesday) at noon in the Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh-floor auditorium. Dr. Fischer will present "Phosphorylase and the Origin of Reversible Phosphorylation."

If you are new to submitting electronic applications through Grants.gov, please join us for a Grants.gov hands-on training tomorrow (Wednesday) from 9 to 11 a.m. at Dominion Tower, room 1003A. The workshop will provide practical instruction for electronic submission of proposals through Grants.gov. Maria Valero-Martinez, manager of Sponsored Programs Education, will walk participants through the process as well as provide tips for avoiding common errors. The focus will be on finding and using the correct application package, following grant application instructions, and understanding the procedures for the internal routing of the proposal.

Space is limited. To register, please visit http://ulearn.miami.edu/. For help with registration, please send an e-mail to ResEDU@med.miami.edu.

Please join us for Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery Grand Rounds tomorrow (Wednesday) from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, room 2090. Roberto Perez, Ph.D., research assistant professor of dermatology & cutaneous surgery, will present "Animal Model Genetics in Wound Healing Research."

For more information, please call 305-243-4472.

Join us tomorrow (Wednesday) from noon to 1 p.m. at the Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh-floor auditorium for a Gail F. Beach Memorial Visiting Lectureship seminar.  Steve A. Goldman, M.D.,  Ph.D., professor and chairman of neurology and co-director of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine at the University of Rochester, presents "Progenitor Cell-Based Strategies for Treating Diseases of the CNS."

Please join us for a Pediatric Clinical Research Forum presentation by Lee Sanders, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics, tomorrow (Wednesday), from noon to 1 p.m. at the Batchelor Children’s Research Institute, conference room 508B. Dr. Sanders will present "Health Promotion in Early Childcare Centers: Results of a Controlled Trial."

Please RSVP to Natalya Bublik at 305-243-9936 or nbublik@med.miami.edu.

The Center on Aging in conjunction with the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement will host a series of group discussions on how modern communication technologies affect older adults at work. The lecture titled "The Impact of Modern Communication Technologies at Work" will take place tomorrow (Wednesday) at noon in the Mental Health Building, room 3208.

Seating is limited. To RSVP or for more information, please contact Chin Chin Lee at 305-355-9062 or clee@med.miami.edu.

The 17th annual Miriam Lemberg Visiting Professorship in Cardiovascular Disease is scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh-floor auditorium. Eugene Braunwald, M.D., Distinguished Hersey Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and chairman of the TIMI Study Group at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, will present "Emerging Insights into Antiplatelet Therapy."

For more information, call Yanay Tabraue at 305-243-1998 or ytabraue@med.miami.edu.

Come join our UWellness Cycling team! The team is starting to train for the MS 150 event that will be held May 2 and 3. Our kickoff event is tomorrow (Wednesday) at 6:30 p.m. in the Medical Wellness Center Atrium.

The Department of Neurological Surgery will present Grand Rounds this Thursday from 7 to 8 a.m. in the Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh-floor auditorium. Jeremiah Johnson, M.D., neurological surgery resident, will present "Neurogenic Stunned Myocardium and the Brain-Heart Connection."

The Department of Orthopaedics will present Grand Rounds this Thursday from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Mailman Center for Child Development, eighth-floor auditorium. Randall C. Marx, M.D., fifth-year orthopaedic resident, will present "Hallux Rigidus: Comparison of Arthrodesis and Hallux Metatarsal Head HemiCAP Resurfacing."

For more information, please contact Ledinaida Figueroa at lfigueroa@med.miami.edu.

Please join us for Surgical Grand Rounds this Thursday from 8 to 9 a.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium. Patricia Byers, M.D., professor of surgery, will present "Florida’s Trauma System: A Successful Collaboration Between the DOH & ACS." Upon completion of this lecture, participants will be able to appreciate the task of trauma system development, maintenance and improvement in Florida.

Please join us for Pediatric Grand Rounds today (Tuesday) from 8 to 9 a.m. in the Mailman Center for Child Development, eighth-floor auditorium. Samita Andreansky, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Microbiology and Immunology, will present "Influenza Virus: Lessons Learned and New Threats."

The Department of Neurological Surgery will present Grand Rounds this Thursday from 8 to 9 a.m. in the Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh-floor auditorium. Jerome Jacques Ricard, Ph.D., assistant scientist with The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, will present "A New Deadly Addiction: Ephrins and How It Impacts CNS Injury."

The Department of Medical Education Grand Rounds series, sponsored by the Educational Development Office , will host William C. McGaghie, Ph.D., this Thursday at noon in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, third-floor auditorium.  Dr. McGaghie, the Jacob R. Suker Professor of Medical Education and professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, will present "Developing a Scholarly Career in Medical Education."

The graduate students in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology will host Anthony G. Letai, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Department of Medical Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Medical School, this Thursday at noon in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, room 6018.  Dr. Letai will present "Primed For Death - Cells That Are Dying To Die."

Please join us this Thursday at noon in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, room 3109 for a seminar by James R. Alfano, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Nebraska.  Dr. Alfano will present a lecture titled "The Molecular Basis of Plant Immunity Suppression by the Pseudomonas Syringae Type III Effector HopU1."

Learn more about foundation relations and advancement at the Sponsored Programs Roundtable, "Foundation Applications," this Thursday, from noon to 1 p.m. at Dominion Tower, twelfth-floor conference room. The presentation will explain how to collaborate with foundation sponsors.

Please register at http://Ulearn.miami.edu. For more information, please send an e-mail to ResEDU@med.miami.edu.

The Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism will host Grand Rounds this Thursday at 1 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium. Clifford Rosen, M.D., clinical associate professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, will present a lecture titled "Bone Remodeling, Energy Metabolism and the Molecular Clock."

Coaching by a supervisor makes a difference in permanent performance change, implementation, reinforcement and retention of newly learned behaviors. The course, "Coaching for the Leadership Academy," focuses on learning techniques to transfer information from the classroom to actual practice. The session will be held this Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Dominion Parking Garage, suite 155.

You must complete the corresponding online computer-based learning modules before you enroll in the course. To register, visit ulearn.miami.edu and follow the instructions to logon. For more information, call 305-243-3090.

Attention study team members, coordinators, research nurses and all study personnel who manage patients. The Office of Research Information Management is offering a “Velos Patient Management Workshop." Come and learn how this system will help you manage your patients. The hands-on module will discuss patient enrollment, patient status management and patient calendars. The workshop will be held this Thursday and Thursday, March 12, 19 and 26, at Dominion Tower, room 1003 from 4 to 5 p.m.

Velos eResearch is a Web-based clinical research management application that is designed specifically for investigators and their research teams. It supports processes for patient recruitment, patient scheduling, budgeting, invoicing, and milestone management, data safety monitoring, adverse event reporting, system integration, data collection and study execution. Velos eResearch allows all study-related information to be centralized and can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. Accounts are password-protected and only accessible to authorized personnel. It is easy to use, reliable and completely secure. 

Registration for the workshop is required through ULearn. For more information, please send an e-mail to ResEDU@med.miami.edu.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences cordially invites you to Psychiatry Grand Rounds this Friday at noon in the Mailman Center for Child Development, eighth-floor auditorium. Joseph Henry, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of inpatient psychiatry at the Mental Health Hospital Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, will present "Considerations in the Acute Care Setting for the Treatment of Schizophrenia." Dr. Henry is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

Deborah Chin, the coordinator of Transition & Adult Services at the University of Miami/Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, will describe the process of transitioning to life after school and the role that schools play in transition planning. The presentation will take place this Friday from noon to 1 p.m. at the Mailman Center for Child Development, room 3023.

The Employee Assistance Program is pleased to offer a seminar, "Stress Management," for those interested in developing skills to help manage stress. The seminar will focus on causes and effects of stress, the impact of stress response, coping skills for preventing and relieving stress, and  relaxation strategies.

The seminar will take place this Friday from noon to 1 p.m. in Dominion Parking Garage, suite 155. To register, visit http://ulearn.miami.edu. For help with registration, please call the Professional Development and Training Office at 305-284-5110.

The Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and the Medical Wellness Center invite you to the kickoff of the Integrative Medicine Symposium and Expo (IMSE) with the lecture "How a Healthy Body Leads to a Sound Mind," with Mark Hyman, M.D., on Friday, March 6 at 3 p.m. at the Medical Wellness Center. Three-time New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Hyman will share insights from his newest book, The UltraMind Solution.  Dr. Hyman serves as the editor-in-chief of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, on the editorial board of Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal, and as a faculty member of the Institute for Functional Medicine. He is part of the core of physicians developing a data-driven bridge between integrative and conventional medicine. 
 
Immediately following his presentation, Dr. Hyman will answer questions and sign books.  Space is limited and RSVP is required by contacting Josephine Caputo at jcaputo@med.miami.edu.

Tango the night away at "Taste of Love: Viva Tango," a food and wine extravaganza to raise awareness and funds to support The Transplant Foundation in its effort to save lives. The event will take place this Friday at Jungle Island. The night will begin with cocktails at 7:30 p.m. followed by the main event from 8 to midnight.

The event is open to the public. Tickets are $100 in advance or $125 at the door. There will be a fashion show, a tango performance, live music and dancing, and a raffle for $2,500 cash. Not only will there be non-stop entertainment, but more than 25 beverage and food vendors will provide samples of their signature dishes.

The Transplant Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting transplant patients in need, educating the community on the importance of organ donation and funding transplant research. For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact Melissa Chediak-Wetzel at 305-817-5645 ext.106 or visit www.transplantfoundation.kintera.org/vivatango.

The Division of Complementary and Alternative Medicine will offer an acupuncture training course, which will take place across 15 Saturdays, this Saturday through June 27, from 9:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the Medical Wellness Center. The instructors for the course will be Janet Konefal, Ph.D., A.P., assistant dean of complementary and integrative medicine; Garrett Krause, A.P.; Fu Di, M.D., A.P.; and Jorge Mora, M.D.

The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis is proud to announce that multi-platinum recording artist and three-time Grammy Award Winner SEAL will be the musical headliner at Destination Fashion 2009, presented by Stewart Rahr, this Saturday, March 7, at Bal Harbour Shops. American designer and style icon Michael Kors will be in attendance to personally showcase his exclusive Fall 2009 Collection in a runway show presented by Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour at this high-profile event in South Florida beginning at 6 p.m. Runway and couture guests will feast on a phenomenal dinner in Neiman Marcus Bal Harbour catered by Barton G. Then at 8:30 p.m., Grammy Award winners, The Pointer Sisters, will dazzle guests with a rockin' concert including a special performance by Seal. 

Mark Hopkins' documentary Living in Emergency will be shown at the Bill Cosford Cinema on the Coral Gables campus as part of the Miami Film Festival this Sunday at 8:30 p.m. The film presents a window into the seldom portrayed and less-than-glamorous side of humanitarian aid work. It explores a world that is challenging, complex and fraught with the struggles, both internal and external, that aid workers face when working in war zones and other difficult contexts. 

For more information on the film, please visit www.livinginemergency.com.

Please join us on Monday, March 9, at 2 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, room 6018, for a seminar by Priyamvada Rai, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine.  Dr. Rai will present a seminar titled "Understanding the Role of Oxidative Stress in Cellular Senescence and Tumorigenesis."

The Jay Weiss Center for Social Medicine and Health Equity will present Grand Rounds on Tuesday, March 10, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, third-floor auditorium. Michael A. Carrera, Ed.D., director of the Children’s Aid Society, Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Programs, will present "Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention: A Holistic Approach."

The Cardiovascular Division will present Grand Rounds on Tuesday, March 10, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Gordon Center for Research in Medical Education in the Broad-Bussel Auditorium located on the first floor of the Clinical Research Building. Donald G. Rosenberg, M.D., professor of medicine in the Cardiovascular Division at the Miller School, will present a lecture titled "Cardiac Pearls."

Please join us on Tuesday, March 10,  at noon, in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium for a seminar by Lawrence H. Boise, Ph.D., professor of  microbiology and immunology. Dr. Boise will present "The Cell Biology Behind Current Cancer Therapeutic Approaches."

For additional information, call 305-243-6691 or send an e-mail to naviles@med.miami.edu.

Join the Medical Wellness Center for “Almond Milk Making, Raw Food Demo and Tasting" on March 10 at 12:15 p.m., presented by Chef Lisa Valle. At the event, in the center’s educational classroom, participants will learn how to make the dairy-free milk, hear about the benefits of drinking almond milk, and receive new recipes in which various non-dairy milks can be used.

Join the American Medical Student Association's Diabetes Awareness Event in the Alamo Park on Tuesday, March 10, from 2 to 4 p.m.  Speakers include Camillo Ricordi, M.D., director of the Diabetes Research Institute; Jay Skyler, M.D., associate director of academic programs at the DRI; Ronald Goldberg, M.D., associate director of medical affairs at the DRI; Warren Kupin, M.D., nephrologist and professor of clinical medicine; and Kellie Rodriguez, M.S.N., director of patient education at the DRI. The event will also feature performances by the Music Ensemble for the Enrichment of Medicine (MEEM) and the Medical Organization Valuing Expressive Dance (MOVED), and there will be free sugar conscious food.

Please join us for a Pediatric Clinical Research Forum presentation by Charles Mitchell, M.D., professor of clinical pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, on Wednesday, March 11, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Batchelor Children’s Research Institute, conference room 508B. Dr. Mitchell will present "Initial Results from IMPAACT Protocol P1041: A Prospective, Phase II/III, Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study to Determine the Efficacy of Primary Isoniazid (INH) Prophylaxis to Prevent Tuberculosis (TB) and Latent TB Infection (LTBI) Among HIV-1 Perinatally-Exposed Infants (Both Infected [HIV+] and Uninfected [HIV-]) in South Africa."

Join us for Medical Grand Rounds on Wednesday, March 11, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, third-floor auditorium. James Sowers, M.D., professor of medicine and physiology and pharmacology, vice chair for research in the Department of Internal Medicine, and director of the Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Division at the University of Missouri-Columbia, will present a lecture titled "Metabolic Syndrome – An Update 2009."

For more information, contact Cristina Flores at 305-243-6484 or cflores2@med.miami.edu.

On Wednesday, March 11 at 6:30 p.m., the Medical Wellness Center will hold a kickoff event for its running team. Please stop by the Atrium to meet the team captain, Janelle Diaz, and get more information on the training and how you can participate. The team’s first race is the Corporate Run 5K.

Gregory Zych, D.O., Christine E. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Orthopaedic Trauma, will present "Medical Malpractice." The presentation will take place on Thursday, March 12, from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Mailman Center for Child Development, eighth-floor auditorium.

For more information please contact Ledinaida Figueroa at lfigueroa@med.miami.edu.

Please join us for Surgical Grand Rounds on Thursday, March 12, from 8 to 9 a.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium. Jerrold Young, M.D., director of the Hernia Institute of Florida, will present "Chronic Pain After Inguinal Hernia Repair." Upon completion of this lecture, participants will be able to understand the definition, etiology and incidence of chronic pain after inguinal hernia repair.

On March 12, the faculty of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology’s NHLBI Training Program in Cardiovascular Signaling will be hosting the second annual Cardiovascular Research Symposium on the Schoninger Research Quadrangle. The collaborative forum will provide outstanding opportunities to promote cutting-edge science in laboratories, clinics and classrooms across UM and the South Florida cardiovascular community.

Trainees, fellows and faculty are invited to present, discuss and interact with recognized leaders from basic science and clinical cardiovascular disciplines. The event will feature a keynote address by Jeffery Molkentin, Ph.D., professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and a special presentation by Joshua Hare, M.D., director of the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute at the Miller School. Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., and James Potter, Ph.D., professor of molecular and cellular pharmacology, will present opening remarks.

For more information about the agenda and abstract submission, please visit www.uheartmiami.com/CRS. The abstract submission deadline is this Sunday.

The Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism will present Grand Rounds on Thursday, March 12, at 1 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium. Marc Lippman, M.D., professor and chairman of medicine, will give a lecture titled "Estrogenic Regulation of Breast and Breast Cancer."

The Jay Weiss Center for Social Medicine and Health Equity and the National Cancer Institute Coastal Cancer Information Service would like to invite you to the third quarterly seminar on Cancer Disparities and Community Research on Friday, March 13, at 10 a.m. in the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, conference room 1301. Matthew W. Kreuter, Ph.D., M.P.H., professor of social work and medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, and director of the Health Communication Research Laboratory, will present "Community-Based Communication Interventions to Eliminate Cancer Disparities."

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute invites you to the Retinopathy of Prematurity 2009 conference on Saturday, March 14 at 8 a.m. in the Retter Auditorium. This one-day course on retinopathy of prematurity will update physicians involved in the care of premature babies with eye disease caused by prematurity. Physicians in ophthalmology and neonatal units involved in the care of these babies, as well as the nurses involved in this process, will benefit from attending this course. The program will feature the basic science of the disease and the new treatments available. It will also look at the complications of the disease and treatment, neonatal unit screening programs, digital photography, telemedicine and the medico-legal status of the disease.

The federal government requires that the distribution of salary and wage to grants and contracts or other activities including teaching, patient care and administration must be based on payrolls that are documented in the Effort Certification Reporting System. The effort certification training is recommended for all new department administrators who are responsible for effort, defined as total time spent on university activities that an employee is compensated for. Although this class is for new administrators it is also recommended for all effort coordinators who would like a refresher course on the online Effort Certification Reporting System. The session will be held on Tuesday, March 17, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Dominion Tower, room 1003.

Please register for the training at http://ulearn.miami.edu or send an e-mail to Judy Mallon at jmallon@miami.edu.

The Cardiovascular Division will present Grand Rounds on Tuesday, March 17, from noon to 1 p.m. at the University of Miami Hospital, Seminar Center. Eduardo de Marchena, M.D., professor of medicine in the Cardiovascular Division, chairman of the UM Medical Group, and director of the International Medicine Institute, will present a lecture titled "Percutaneous Mitral Valve Repair."

The Medical Wellness Center is offering the “2009 Hot 'n' Healthy Food Trends II” on March 17 at 12:15 p.m. in the educational classroom. Sabrina Candelaria, MP, RD, LD/N, will make the presentation in which participants will learn about the latest food trends surrounding natural and whole foods, whole grain cooking tips, and how to shop for sustainable foods. There will be sample tasting!

Learn how to use the InfoEd Proposal Development System to prepare and submit your proposal electronically to the NIH. Join us for a hands-on workshop on Wednesday, March 18, from 9 a.m. to noon at Dominion Tower, room 1003. InfoEd streamlines the proposal development process. It is Web-based and accessible almost anywhere by Mac and PC users with no additional software. InfoEd populates agency forms, includes built-in agency validations, stores proposals in a secure environment and provides a database of all proposals submitted. This session will help participants create, route, submit and track proposals using the InfoEd System.

Please register at http://Ulearn.miami.edu. For more information, please send an e-mail to ResEDU@med.miami.edu.

DOCS Hurricane Response/Emergency Preparedness Team invites you to the second annual Medical Student Art Extravaganza on Wednesday, March 18, from noon to 4 p.m. in the Schoninger Research Quadrangle. On display and for sale will be original photography, paintings, sketches, crafts, jewelry and more. There will also be live music, a bake sale, and information about global humanitarian concerns. Enjoy an amazing afternoon with beautiful art for a good cause.  All proceeds will benefit the Red Cross for disaster relief.

Please join us for Surgical Grand Rounds on Thursday, March 19, from 8 to 9 a.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium. Filho Jayme Oliveira, M.D., assistant professor of surgery, will present "HIV/AIDS: A Dental Perspective." Upon completion of this lecture, participants will be able to understand new updates about HIV/AIDS worldwide.

The UM Hemophilia Treatment Center will host a one-day symposium for primary care providers to address the challenges of bleeding disorders. Speakers will include Joanna A. Davis, M.D., associate professor of clinical pediatrics and medical director of the Comprehensive Pediatric Hemophilia Treatment Center, along with several area and visiting physicians. The symposium, "Challenges for the Primary Care Provider: Coagulation Disorders and ITP," will be held on Thursday, March 19, from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Alexander All-Suite Oceanfront Resort in Miami Beach.

The symposium is free to UM and Jackson faculty, staff, voluntary faculty and former UM residents and fellows. For more information and for an online registration form, visit http://www.htcextras.org/symposium.html or e-mail Patrice Bravo at pbravo2@med.miami.edu.

The Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism will present Grand Rounds on Thursday, March 19, at 1 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium. James R. Sowers, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Missouri, will present "Mechanisms of RAAS Inhibition of Insulin Metabolic Signaling."

The Victor Center for Jewish Genetic Diseases at the Miller School will host an educational research fair to increase awareness of Jewish genetic diseases. The event will take place on Saturday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Temple Beth Am. Free carrier screenings will also be available to those who are between the ages of 18 and 44 and are of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.

For more information, please call Debbie Wasserman at 786-897-9587.

The Mary Bartlett Bunge Distinguished Women in Cell Biology Lecture Series will feature Susan L. Lindquist, Ph.D., a member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, professor of biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.  Dr. Lindquist will present her seminar titled "Protein folding mechanisms propelling rapid evolutionary change" on Tuesday, March 24, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh-floor auditorium. In addition, Dr. Lindquist will host a mentoring event titled "Yes We Can!  A Woman’s Perspective on a Life in Science" at 4 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium.

The Department of Orthopaedics will host Grand Rounds on Thursday, March 26, from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Mailman Center for Child Development, eighth-floor auditorium. Charles A. Popkin, M.D., fourth-year orthopaedic resident, will present "Successful Treatment of Osteitis Pubis with a Minimally Disruptive Surgical Technique."

For more information, please contact Ledinaida Figueroa at lfigueroa@med.miami.edu.

The Faculty Senate has awarded Anita Cava, J.D., co-director of UM Ethics Programs, with this year's Outstanding Teaching Award. The university community is invited to attend the ceremony and reception on Monday, March 30, at 4 p.m., at the School of Business Administration, Storer Auditorium on the Coral Gables campus.

This Friday, March 6, is the last day to submit abstracts for the Inaugural Social Medicine Advocacy, Research and Training (SMART) Forum, hosted by the Jay Weiss Center for Social Medicine and Health Equity.

Mark your calendars for the Institute for Women’s Health Research Day scheduled for May 1, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at University of Miami Hospital, Seminar Center. UM President Donna E. Shalala will present opening remarks and Vivian Pinn, M.D., associate director for research on women’s health and director of the Office of Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health, will present the keynote lecture.

General registration is free for the upcoming Health Research in the Americas V Conference, sponsored by the University of Miami Fogarty International Training Program in AIDS and TB and UNAIDS. The conference will focus on “HIV Prevention Across the Lifespan.” Presentations will cover prevention methodology among pediatric, adolescent, adult, and aging populations. It will also provide current HIV prevention information for clinicians, students, researchers and non-clinical health workers in order to address the increasing prevalence rates of HIV, and the need for clinicians and researchers to address prevention efforts among vulnerable and difficult to reach populations.

The Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute will hold its third annual Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute Symposium on Friday, May 15, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Retter Auditorium. This symposium brings together leading experts to discuss novel data on cutting-edge advancements in the field of stem cell research. Discussions from prominent keynote speakers include Evangelos Badiavas, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of dermatology and cutaneous surgery at the Miller School; Linzhao Cheng, Ph.D., associate professor of the stem cell program in the Institute of Cell Engineering at Johns Hopkins University; W. Dalton Dietrich, Ph.D., Kinetic Concepts Distinguished Chair and professor of neurological surgery and scientific director of The Miami Project to Paralysis; Eli Gilboa, Dodson Professor of Microbiology and Immunology; Joshua M. Hare, M.D., director of the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute; Richard Jones, M.D., professor of oncology and medicine and director of the Bone Marrow Transplantation Program at Johns Hopkins University; Jane Lebkowski, Ph.D., senior vice president of regenerative medicine at Geron Corporation in California; Paul Schiller, Ph.D., research associate professor of medicine and biochemistry and molecular biology at the Miller School; and John Wagner, M.D., professor and clinical director of the Stem Cell Institute at the University of Minnesota. 

The 2009 International Conference on Communication in Healthcare (ICCH) will be held at the Miami Beach Resort & Spa in Miami Beach October 4 through 7. The ICCH series is the largest gathering of researchers, educators and administrators from around the globe to focus on improving communication in healthcare. The multi-disciplinary nature of conference delegates encourages the integration of perspectives, theory, practice and innovation. Emphases of this year's conference are ethical issues in healthcare communication, patient safety as a communication issue and inter-cultural issues in communication. The international conference will feature Jozien Bensing, Ph.D., Michael Leonard, M.D., and William Branch, M.D., as the keynote speakers.

Please submit your oral, poster, workshop and/or interest group presentations by using the online submission Web site at http://submissions.miracd.com/icch2009/login.asp. The submission deadline is March 15, 2009. Authors will be notified of acceptance by May 30. For information on formatting your abstract submission, visit http://www.aachonline.org/downloads/FormatforAbstracts.pdf.

Early registration is encouraged as seating is limited. If you register before August 10, 2009, you will receive the early bird discount. To register now, fill out the form at http://www.aachonline.org/downloads/RegistrationForm.pdf.

For complete details and itinerary, please download the brochure at http://www.aachonline.org/downloads/ICCHEbrochure2009.pdf.

The Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine is conducting a series of research studies. Currently, we are conducting focus groups to understand how older adults are able to successfully use communication technology and the potential benefits and impact of communication technologies at work. If you speak English and are more than 18 years old, you might qualify for this study. If you want to learn more about CREATE, please call 305-355-9200 and mention the “Communication Technology at Work” project. You will be paid for your time and effort.

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