Jim Hiller, CEO of Hiller’s Markets is generously turning dollars into critically needed research for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Hiller, who lost his mother to the disease in 2000, has pledged $1 million to establish the Hiller ALS Clinic and Research Center at Wayne State University. This generous gift further strengthens WSU’s neurology research programs and the Wayne First capital campaign at the School of Medicine.

The Hiller ALS Clinic and Research Center at WSU will focus on comprehensive team-centered research and patient care while collaborating extensively with other universities and programs which also do cutting edge neuromuscular research.

Richard Lewis, MD, Wayne State University Professor and Associate chair of neurology, is the Director of the Hiller ALS Center. According to Dr. Lewis, such innovative research approaches are critical and multidisciplinary teams that include neurologists, therapists, genetic counselors and basic science researchers allow for optimal treatment plans for ALS sufferers. “This is a true translational research program with information obtained from patients generating basic research projects which will foster new approaches to the patient,” Dr. Lewis said. “The Hiller ALS Clinic and Research Center will allow physicians, scientists and health professionals to more effectively translate scientific discoveries into compelling and compassionate clinical care treatments.”

Hiller stated; “I have known Drs. Lisak, Lewis and Loeb for some time and I am persuaded that no university or hospital anywhere offers such excellence when it comes to treating ALS patients and in the research which will lead us ultimately to treatments for this disease. Wayne already has established itself as the foremost site for research and treatment of inherited neurological disorders and ALS is a logical adjunct to that work. It is a privilege to fund the work of dedicated and capable physicians like Dr. Richard Lewis and Dr. Jeffrey Loeb.

The Department Chairmen Dr. Bob Lisak is an important part of our Center as well. His vast knowledge and the esteem with which he is held by the scientific community and the medical community allows us to begin this endeavor with a significant amount of respect from peer institutions and fellow researchers and clinicians alike”

ALS is a fatal disease that attacks the central nervous system and causes motor neurons to die in the brain and spinal cord. This results in paralysis and increasingly difficult breathing, as the body is unable to follow the brain’s instructions, causing loss of muscle control and eventual atrophy throughout the body. The debilitating condition was made tragically famous by baseball legend Lou Gehrig, but continues to affect 30,000 people in the U.S.

“There are few disorders that are so debilitating and upsetting as ALS. With no cure in sight, it is critical that we work to maintain the best possible treatments and quality of life for patients in the clinic. It is equally important to creatively investigate basic scientific aspects of the disease in hopes of developing novel therapies. Mr. Hiller is enabling us to search for such a breakthrough,” Dr. Lewis said.

For more information about the Hiller ALS Clinic and Research Center at Wayne State University School of Medicine, please go to www.neurology.med.wayne.edu/hals.

 

John M. Flack, M.D., M.P.H., interim chair of the WSU Department of Internal Medicine and chief of the Division of Translational Research and Clinical Epidemiology, will present on current research on metabolism at 3 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 2, in room 2268, Scott Hall. The seminar is part of the CTSA initiative. Dr. Flack will present “Conditions Related to Vitamin D Deficiency: A Broad Platform for Team Science.” Abdul A. Samra, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chief of the WSU Division of Endocrinology, will moderate. For more information about this seminar series, please contact Dr. Ambika Mathur at amathur@med.wayne.edu.

The Academy of Scholars Annual Senior Lecture Series will be today in Blue Lecture at 3 p.m. David J.P. Barker, M.D., Ph.D., physician and professor of clinical epidemiology at the University of Southampton, will speak on “Chronic Disease Begins in the Womb.”Fifteen years ago, Dr. Barker, who is also a professor in the Department of Medicine at Oregon Health and Science University, showed for the first time that people who had low birth weight are at greater risk of developing coronary heart disease. He subsequently showed that they are also at greater risk of stroke, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. This led to the idea that these disorders originate through malnutrition in the womb and during infancy. In 1992, the British Medical Journal named this the “Barker Hypothesis.” It is now widely accepted. Dr. Barker recently joined the faculty at the Heart Research Center, OHSU, to study how nutrition and growth before birth and during early childhood alter the development of the heart.The seminar is co-sponsored by the Perinatology Research Branch of the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development.
Read more about Dr. Barker and his research...

 

The Wayne State University President's Biennial Conference on Health Disparities will be Thursday, Nov. 15, from 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the WSU McGregor Memorial Auditorium. Discussion topics include Environmental Influences on Health, Barriers to Patient Quality of Care, Sickle Cell, Health Disparities in the Arab American Community and Health Disparities Research.

John M. Flack, M.D., M.P.H., interim chair of the WSU Department of Internal Medicine, will deliver the keynote address,  "Is Vitamin D an Important Cause for Obesity as Well as a Mediator of Obesity Related Diseases?"

Registration for "Understanding and Unraveling Health Disparities" is $25. Students are free and 7.5 of CME credits are available. For more information or to register, please visit www.hdc.med.wayne.edu.

On October 18, 2007, the Wayne State University Board of Governors established the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, approved its membership, and adopted a charge for the committee. This recent development is the first step in a series of actions that will advance the search for President Reid's successor.

The committee aims to provide information and advice to the Board of Governors and to develop and recommend for consideration a prospective pool of candidates. The Board will be arranging open forums for members of the campus community to voice their thoughts on the essential qualities necessary for the next leader. These forums will be scheduled within the next few weeks.

The charge to the search committee and the list of the committee members can be found at http://www.bog.wayne.edu/search/index.php.

 

School of Medicine Dean Robert Mentzer has named Theodore B. Jones, M.D., as interim chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Dr. Jones, an associate professor, joined the School of Medicine faculty in 1991 and is presently director of the divisions of Maternal Fetal Medicine and Reproductive Genetics in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, as well as chief of Obstetrics at Hutzel Women's Hospital. His special interest focuses on treating pregnant women with medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Dr. Jones is an active clinical researcher and is an investigator for the NICHD International Pediatric and Perinatal HIV Studies Network. Since joining the faculty, he served as associate chair for education, as well as program director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Training Program. He is a graduate of Temple University Medical School, and completed his internship and residency at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.

"Dr. Jones is a skilled and compassionate academic physician with the depth and breadth of experience to lead this exceptional, nationally renowned department," said Dean Mentzer. "I am delighted to welcome Ted Jones to the school's senior leadership as we embark upon 'Vision 2011,' our strategic plan."

Dr. Jones is a resident of Bloomfield Hills. He and his wife Pamela have two children, Denise and Theodore, Jr.

 

Dr. Roberto Romero, chief of the Perinatology Research Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development/National Institutes of Health, has been elected to the Institute of Medicine. He is also a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and molecular  medicine and genetics at Wayne State University School of Medicine, The IOM, established by the National Academies, is recognized as a major resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on issues related to human health. The Institute selects individuals who have made seminal contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health. Election is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of medicine and health.

"This is a well-deserved recognition of Dr. Romero's contributions, and Wayne State University School of Medicine is proud that Dr. Romero is part of the faculty of the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.” said School of Medicine Dean Robert M. Mentzer, Jr., M.D. “The work conducted by the Perinatology Research Branch at Wayne State University, the city of Detroit, and the state of Michigan is at the cutting edge of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine.”

This unique branch, formed of clinical and basic scientists, has made contributions to address the health care problems of the population of Detroit. Investigators at the PRB and Wayne State University apply methods at the forefront of science to improve pregnancy outcome to study health and disease. The Perinatology Research Branch of NIH is a major asset for the state of Michigan.

Dr. Romero received his training at Yale University School of Medicine and joined the faculty there, where he remained for 16 years. In 1992, Dr. Romero became a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Wayne State University School of Medicine and Chief of the Perinatology Research Branch of the NICHD/NIH.

Dr. Romero's work focuses on the prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies with ultrasound (three-dimensional and four-dimensional) and the prevention of preterm birth, which is the most important challenge to modern obstetrics, costing the country $26 billion per year. Work done at Wayne State University has established that subclinical infection is a major cause of premature birth, and that the human fetus plays a role in the initiation of labor. Moreover, this work has established that fetal infection/inflammation is a risk factor for neurologic handicap and cerebral palsy. Dr. Romero has developed new tests for the rapid detection of these subclinical infections and is now working on methods to reduce fetal brain injury. 

 

The Wayne State University School of Medicine launched its strategic planning process during the spring of 2007 and the workgroups held its final meeting and presented their recommendations to me for consideration. The School of Medicine Strategic Plan 2007 - 2011 will be refined and presented to the departments and key constituents over the upcoming months.

The strategic planning process has been a tremendous effort, which reflects the work of faculty, department chairs and institute/center directors, deans, students and community partners. Their commitment to this process has enabled the School to focus on critical issues including the role we must play in the future of medical education, research and its impact on improving the delivery of health care.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to those individuals who have served on the following workgroups:

Undergraduate Medical Education Workgroup
Kenneth Palmer, PhD – Co-Chair
Robert R. Frank, MD – Co-Chair
Thomas Roe, MD – Dean's Office Leadership
Sharon Ackerman, PhD
Nelia Alfonso, MD
Patrick Bridge, PhD
William Crossland, PhD
Anne Greb, PhD
Matthew Jackson, PhD
Michael Joiner, PhD
Robert Lasley, PhD
Stephen Lerner, MD
Ambika Mathur, PhD
Silas Norman, MD
Renee Page, MD
Larry Schwartz, MD
Elizabeth Secord, MD
Michael Stellini, MD
Harley Tse, PhD

 

Graduate Medical Education Workgroup
John Flack, MD – Co-Chair
Robert R. Frank, MD – Co-Chair
Mark Juzych, MD – Dean's Office Leadership
Benjamin Atkinson, MD
David Bouwman, MD
Patricia Brown, MD
Lynne Carter, MD
Elie Chidiac, MD
Tsveti Markova , MD
David Mehregan, MD
James Rowley, MD
Julie Sullivan
Manuel Valdivieso, MD
Renee Van Stavern, MD

 

Research Workgroup
Linda Hazlett, PhD, Co-Chair
Ann Schwartz, PhD, MPH – Co-Chair
Daniel Walz, PhD – Dean's Office Leadership
Abdul Abou-Samra, MD, PhD
Nash Boutros, MD
Harry Chugani, MD
Michael Diamond, MD
Paula Dore-Duffy, PhD
Steve Ethier, PhD
Alan Hudson, PhD
Steve Krawetz, PhD
Jeffrey Loeb, MD, PhD
Richard Miller, MD
Zhuo-Hua Pan, PhD
Bonnie Sloane, PhD
Richard VanderHeide, MD, PhD
JianJun Wang, PhD

 

Clinical Care Workgroup
Gary Abrams, MD – Co-Chair
Darius Mehregan, MD – Co-Chair
Valerie Parisi, MD, MPH, MBA – Dean's Office Leadership
Safwan Badr, MD
Marc Basson, MD
Shannon Bongers, MD
Peter Dews, MD
Murali Guthikonda, MD
Steve Hindere, MD
Mujitaba Husain, MD
John Jacobs, MD
Mark Juzych, MD
Richard Lewis, MD
Martin Reznek, MD
Renato Roxas, MD
Maryjean Schenk, MD
Wilbur Smith, MD
Jeffrey Triest, MD
Joe Uberti, MD
Diana Vista-Deck, MD

 

Partnership and Public Policy Workgroup
Kendra Schwartz, MD, MPH – Co-Chair
Herb Smitherman , MD – Co-Chair
Donna Dauphinais – Dean's Office Leadership
Terry Albrecht
Eric Ayers, MD
James Blessman, MD
Julius Combs, MD
Debbie Dingell
Roy Elrod, MD
Matt Friedman
Liz Hardy
Rev. Nick Hood, III
Robert Johnson, MD
Valerie M.Parisi, MD, MPH, MBA
Nettie Seabrooks
Lucille Smith
Bonita Stanton, MD
Kimberly Voytel, MD
Jacquelin Washington

It is the dedication of faculty such as the above that will lead the School in achieving its goals towards a model of excellence. Again, my deepest gratitude for your efforts in the development of the 2007 - 2011 School of Medicine Strategic Plan.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Mentzer, Jr., MD
Dean, School of Medicine
Senior Advisor to the President for Medical Affairs
Wayne State University

The WSU School of Medicine is beginning a search for a new chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Dr. John Malone, Jr., the former chair, has returned to his position as a member of the faculty.

“The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is a premier academic department nationally known for its excellence in research, education and clinical care,” Dean Robert M. Mentzer, Jr., M.D., wrote in a letter announcing the change. “The School of Medicine is committed to supporting the department and advancing its reputation.” 

The second annual David Fromm Research and WSU Surgical Alumni Day will be 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 17, in McGregor Conference Center. The Symposium will include research presentations given by faculty members of the WSU Department of Surgery or their resident/fellow designees. The purpose of the annual event honors David Fromm, M.D., former chairman of surgery, and his passion for and contributions made to surgical research. It also showcases the cutting-edge basic, translational, and clinical research currently done in the department; demonstrates that research remains an important priority for the department; encourages medical students and surgical residents to pursue a career in academic surgery; and recognizes the achievements of those who previously trained in the Department of Surgery.

There is no charge for attending the Symposium. Free parking will be available from Parking Structure 1, on the northwest corner of Palmer and Cass.

The Wayne State University School of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 6.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)(tm). Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

DETROIT – On October 15 and 16, “The Big Event About Little Things” will take place at Wayne State University’s McGregor Conference Center. The conference, Emerging Nanoscience Applications in Technology and Biomedicine, will bring together some of the world’s greatest minds in respect to nanotechnology and nanobiomedicine.

In 2006, WSU’s President, Irvin D. Reid, awarded $1.2 million in collaborative nanoscience research projects to Wayne State faculty as part of his “President’s Research Enhancement Program.” This investment was designed to strengthen the university’s position as a nationally recognized research institution, and to contribute towards developing research themes for the university that are consistent with an emphasis on its urban mission and global presence.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Helmuth Möhwald, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Germany, headlines the event on Monday evening, October 15. Dr. Möhwald will address the conference participants on the topic, “From Interfaces to Nanoparticle/Polyelectrolyte Hybrid Capsules and Back.” Four additional internationally regarded plenary speakers will present topics on Supramolecular Assemblies, Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials, Biomaterial and Tissue Engineering, and Translational Nanomedicine. These guest speakers include Dr. Dennis Discher, University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Mark Saltzman, Yale University; Dr. Lonnie Shea, Northwestern University; and Dr. Chiming Wei, Johns Hopkins University.

Registration continues through Friday, October 12. The cost for all students is $50 and $250 for faculty and regular attendees. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.research.wayne.edu/enatbio.

A sixth year of funding has been announced for the Research Enhancement Program (REP). This program is designed to strengthen the University’s performance as a nationally recognized research university, as described in the Strategic Action Plan, and is intended to contribute toward developing research themes for the University that are consistent with an emphasis on the urban mission and a global presence. A total of $1.5 million is available to support approximately 3 to 5 awards.

President Reid has designated a portion of this year’s REP funds to support interdisciplinary projects related to urban health. This program’s research focus demonstrates the University’s institutional commitment to the underlying philosophy of the institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) proposal to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is to bring basic science findings to answer clinical problems and to draw on clinical experience to frame basic science investigation in the context of urban health. This theme encompasses a broad range of potential approaches and disciplines necessary to achieve an authentic change in urban health, including disciplines traditionally not associated with urban health as well as those already engaged.

The University expects this investment to enhance the University’s progress toward developing our institutional award to the NIH (see http://www.ctsa.wayne.edu/ and http://www.ctsaweb.org/) and to help build an academic environment that will increase the efficiencies and speed of clinical and translational research by creating an infrastructure that fosters interdisciplinary research and enhances training of the next generation of biomedical scientists. The program also is designed to continue building strengths in research on disparate outcomes in disease prevention and cure, experienced among different ethnic, cultural and socio-economic groups, as well as research directed toward improving the health of children.

The proposed research projects related to urban health will join together researchers who bring knowledge from their respective disciplines to work on a common problem; therefore, projects must be multidisciplinary. Multi-institutional research teams with at least one WSU faculty member (see further below for a list of institutions currently participating in the planning of the CTSA proposal, which are eligible to participate in the initiative) and research groups who have received prior REP funding are especially encouraged to apply. Research teams may propose to analyze a problem from many different perspectives and resolve it across a variety of domains such as biological, psychological, social/environmental, and community and policy. The projects should provide an opportunity for graduate students to bridge between different scientific laboratories, and develop research in the interstices of multi-disciplinary investigation.

Proposed projects need to support the long-term goals of the University’s CTSA proposal: (1) to foster and optimize multidisciplinary clinical and translational research at WSU, its affiliates and collaborating institutions elsewhere in Michigan; and (2) to develop a true academic home for clinical and translational research that will impact the healthcare of the citizens of the United States. Implicit in undertaking this planning process is the willingness to acknowledge and overcome roadblocks at all levels of our institution that are inherent to making the organizational and cultural changes necessary to build on the strong and extensive foundations in clinical and translational research that are already in place at WSU.
A pre-proposal meeting will be held on Tuesday November 6, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., Student Center Building, second floor, Hilberry A-B. Visitor parking is available at structures 2 and 5, both on Anthony Wayne Drive and Kirby – go to http://www.campusmap.wayne.edu/ to access WSU’s campus map – for $3.50 per car to be paid at the gate. During this meeting, an overview of the funding guidelines will be provided and Michael Diamond, M.D., Principal Investigator of WSU’s CTSA planning proposal and Hilary Ratner, Ph.D., Co-Investigator, will provide short presentations on the CTSA and the availability of university services and resources. Potential applicants, from both WSU and partnering institutions, are highly encouraged to attend. An important aspect of this meeting is to allow potential applicants to share their research areas and expertise needs, resulting in possible collaborations.

Please note: the Pilot and Collaborative Translational and Clinical Research (PCTCR) program is a companion initiative to this program, which will also support projects relevant to clinical and translational science. The PCTCR awards will likely support projects involving work smaller in scope, new investigative teams, or riskier projects than those funded by this REP. To access the announcement for PCTCR, please go to http://www.ctsa.wayne.edu/pilot.php.

Additional information includes:

• The period of funding will last for 18 months, starting approximately in May 2008.

• It is anticipated that 3 to 5 proposals will be funded.

• Eligible Principal Investigators can be from institutions other than WSU; however, one of the Co-PI’s must be a WSU faculty member.

• Groups who have been funded through prior Research Enhancement Programs can apply.

• Successful applicants will be expected to participate in information-sharing.

• The research proposal may request funding for the use of core services or resources at the University (see www.research.wayne.edu for a list of services and resources).

Participating institutions on WSU’s CTSA planning proposal include:

• Crittenton Hospital and Medical Center

• Detroit Medical Center

• Henry Ford Health Systems

• Oakwood Healthcare System

• Providence Hospital and Medical Center

• St. John Hospital and Medical Center

• St. Joseph Mercy Oakland

• William Beaumont Hospital

• John D. Dingell VA Medical Center

University of Windsor
See http://www.ctsa.wayne.edu/collaborations.php for links to institution web sites.
The assessment of submissions will proceed in three phases as follows:

Phase 1: Principal Investigators should e-mail a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) to sjames@wayne.edu.
The LOI should be limited to three-to-four pages in which the following are summarized: (1) research objectives and plan, (2) participating faculty, (3) budget in the form of a spreadsheet (maximum 18-month budget), (4) potential external funding sources and timeline for submitting proposals to these sources, and (5) potential of the project to enhance graduate programs and institutional reputation. Biosketches (not to exceed four pages) of the participating faculty should be appended. LOI’s and biosketches are due by e-mail attachment in one bookmarked pdf document no later than 5:00 PM on December 3, 2007.

Phase 2: An advisory committee consisting of faculty from the biomedical and life sciences, nursing, engineering and representatives from the Office of the Vice President from Research will evaluate the LOI’s on the following criteria:
− Relevance of project to intent of REP
− Significance of project
− Demonstrated excellence of the participating faculty
− Clarity and viability of research plan
− Appropriate use of multidisciplinary teams
− Potential for advancing knowledge in the field
− Potential for securing external funding opportunities
− Timeliness of external fund solicitations
− Contributions toward advancing graduate programs, research experiences for undergraduates, and institutional reputation.
Inclusion of post-doctorates and GRAs in the budget is encouraged.
Investigators will be selected from the Letters of Intent to develop full proposals. This initial review will be completed by December 21, 2007 and investigators will be notified shortly thereafter.

Phase 3: Complete proposals including summary, narrative, and full budget will be due in PDF format to the OVPR by e-mail (sjames@wayne.edu) no later than 5:00 PM on March 3, 2008. Proposals require the approval of all deans of the faculty involved. External reviews will be solicited to assess scientific merit, likelihood of external funding and other criteria for final award decisions. Award recipients will be informed by the Office of the President no later than April 21, 2008. Funding will be contingent upon the availability of funds at that time; however, the President’s commitment is to give a high priority to the support of research even in difficult financial times.

We look forward to receiving your Letters of Intent!
Irvin D. Reid, President
Nancy S. Barrett, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

A sixth year of funding has been announced for the Research Enhancement Program (REP). This program is designed to strengthen the University’s performance as a nationally recognized research university, as described in the Strategic Action Plan, and is intended to contribute toward developing research themes for the University that are consistent with an emphasis on the urban mission and a global presence.

President Reid has designated a portion of the REP funds for the second year of a three-year commitment to support research projects in the arts, creative arts research or research that engages the arts in carrying out the University’s urban research mission. We will consider awards in the range of $10,000 to $50,000. These projects are expected to lay the foundation for further work beyond the award end date and result in external funding appropriate for the field of study, e.g., a fellowship award, commission or grant award to continue or expand the project.

Individual faculty members and research teams led by full-time faculty are invited, by means of this memo, to develop proposals that are responsive to this funding announcement. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to: creative activity that extends the reach of the arts to underserved populations; creative projects that have a transformational impact that is cultural, economic or social; an investigation of cultural expression through the arts; projects that build knowledge and appreciation of the arts in the community; visual sociology and non-traditional visual projects; visual components of literacy; documenting and/or preserving important works of art; exploring, utilizing and advancing technology in the arts; and developing leadership and entrepreneurship in the arts. Collaborative teams that include faculty from the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts are encouraged.

A pre-proposal meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 31st, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., in room 6202 (sixth floor) of 5057 Woodward Avenue. Parking is available at the Visitors Parking structure on the corner of Cass and Putnam Avenues. Access this structure by driving north on Cass Avenue for 1 block past Warren Avenue. Turn right on Putnam, and turn right halfway down the block to enter the structure. We will validate your parking ticket. During the pre-proposal meeting, an overview of the funding guidelines will be provided. Potential applicants are highly encouraged to attend.

There are no proposal forms. The assessment of submissions will proceed in three phases as follows:
Phase 1: Principal Investigators should e-mail a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) to sjames@wayne.edu.
The LOI should be limited to three-to-four pages in which the following are summarized: (1) research objectives and plan, (2) participating faculty/researcher staff, (3) budget in the form of a spreadsheet (maximum 18-month budget), (4) potential external funding sources and timeline for submitting proposals to these sources, and (5) potential of the project to enhance graduate programs and institutional reputation. Biosketches (not to exceed four pages) of the participating faculty should be appended. LOI’s and biosketches are due by e-mail attachment in one pdf document no later than 5:00 PM on December 3, 2007.

Phase 2: An advisory committee consisting of faculty from the arts disciplines and representatives from the Office of the Vice President for Research will evaluate the LOI’s on the following criteria:

• Relevance of project to the intent of the REP

• Significance of the project

• Demonstrated excellence of the participating faculty

• Clarity and viability of the research or project plan

• Appropriate composition of multidisciplinary teams, when applicable

• Contribution toward advancing graduate programs, research experience for undergraduate students, or institutional reputation

• Potential to secure external grant funding, a fellowship award, or a commission for further study or dissemination of the project

Capacity to build knowledge and appreciation of the arts in the community, including a clear statement of expected outcomes and how they will be measured
Inclusion of Graduate Research Assistants or post-doctoral students in the budget is encouraged.
Investigators will be selected from the Letters of Intent to develop full proposals. This initial review will be completed by December 21, 2007 and investigators will be notified shortly thereafter.

Phase 3: Complete proposals including summary, narrative, and full budget will be due in PDF format to the OVPR by e-mail (sjames@wayne.edu) no later than 5:00 PM on March 3, 2008. Proposals require the approval of all deans of the faculty involved. External reviews will be solicited to assess scientific merit, likelihood of external funding and other criteria for final award decisions. Award recipients will be informed by the Office of the President no later than April 21, 2008. Funding will be contingent upon the availability of funds at that time; however, the President’s commitment is to give a high priority to the support of research even in difficult financial times.

We look forward to receiving your Letters of Intent!
Irvin D. Reid, President
Nancy S. Barrett, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

This program is designed to strengthen the University’s performance as a nationally recognized research university, as described in the Strategic Action Plan, and is intended to contribute toward developing research themes for the University that are consistent with an emphasis on the urban mission and a global presence. President Reid has designated a portion of the REP funds for the second year of a three-year commitment to support research in the humanities and social sciences on issues that are important to women and girls throughout the world. We will consider awards in the range of $10,000 to $50,000. These projects are expected to lay the foundation for further study beyond the award end date and result in external funding appropriate for the field of study, e.g., a fellowship or an award to continue or expand the research (see review criteria below). The program will culminate in a national conference to be held on WSU’s campus in order to share the research resulting from this program and ignite further collaboration and generation of ideas. Individual faculty members and research teams led by full-time faculty are invited, by means of this memo, to develop proposals responsive to this program announcement. Examples of research projects include but are not limited to: leadership styles, motivations, and opportunities in academia; government policies and their impact in the workplace; current or historic role of women and how it shapes communities today; visual sociology and non-traditional visual projects; health-related communications; work and family, gender-based health disparities; and the status of girls and women in other cultures. Investigators are encouraged to use research methods appropriate to their topic and discipline, but are reminded that historical research methods, secondary data analyses, qualitative interviews, video and film, health services research, survey methods, and policy analyses appropriate to the study goals are all welcome approaches.

For guidance on how to frame research inquiries to be relevant to this program, investigators are welcome to contact the following members of the steering committee:
Cathy Lysack, Ph.D., whose latest research explores the integration and social inclusion of persons with physical disabilities in the community (577-2297; c.lysack@wayne.edu).
Dorothy Nelson, Ph.D., whose background includes clinical research in areas of women's health (577-9064; DNelson@med.wayne.edu).
Margaret Winters, Ph.D., whose research interests include cognitive grammar and the history of linguistics (577- 6244; mewinters@wayne.edu).
For assistance with finding cross-campus collaborators contact: Nancy Christ, Director for Research Program Development (577-0551; nchrist@med.wayne.edu).
A pre-proposal meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 30th, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., in room 6202 (sixth floor) of 5057 Woodward Avenue. You can park at the Visitors parking structure on the corner of Cass and Putnam Avenues. Access this structure by driving north on Cass Avenue for 1 block past Warren Avenue. Turn right on Putnam, and turn right halfway down the block to enter the structure. We will validate your parking ticket. During the pre-proposal meeting, an overview of the funding guidelines will be provided. Potential applicants are highly encouraged to attend.

There are no proposal forms. The assessment of submissions will proceed in three phases as follows:

Phase 1: Principal Investigators should e-mail a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) to sjames@wayne.edu. The LOI should be limited to three-to-four pages in which the following are summarized: (1) research objectives and plan, (2) participating faculty/researcher staff, (3) budget in the form of a spreadsheet (maximum 18-month budget), (4) potential external funding sources and timeline for submitting proposals to these sources, and (5) potential of the project to enhance graduate programs and institutional reputation. Biosketches (not to exceed four pages) of the participating faculty should be appended. LOI’s and biosketches are due by e-mail attachment in one pdf document no later than 5:00 PM on December 3, 2007.

Phase 2: An advisory committee consisting of faculty from the humanities and social sciences and representatives from the Office of the Vice President from Research will evaluate the LOI’s on the following criteria:

• Relevance of project to intent of REP

• Significance of project

• Demonstrated excellence of the participating faculty

• Clarity and viability of research plan

• Appropriate use of multidisciplinary teams, if applicable

• Potential for advancing knowledge in the field

• Potential for securing external funding opportunities, as appropriate for the field of study

• Appropriate timeline for external fund solicitations

Contributions toward advancing graduate programs, research experiences for undergraduate students, and institutional reputation
Inclusion of post-doctorate fellows and Graduate Research Assistants in the budget is encouraged. Special consideration will be given to research teams that foster collaboration among early career researchers, post-graduate students, and established researchers. Investigators will be selected from the Letters of Intent to develop full proposals. This initial
review will be completed by December 21, 2007 and investigators will be notified shortly thereafter.

Phase 3: Complete proposals including summary, narrative, and full budget will be due in PDF format to the OVPR by e-mail (sjames@wayne.edu) no later than 5:00 PM on March 3, 2008. Proposals require the approval of all deans of the faculty involved. External reviews will be solicited to assess scientific merit, likelihood of external funding and other criteria for final award decisions. Award recipients will be informed by the Office of the President no later than April 21, 2008. Funding will be contingent upon the availability of funds at that time; however, the President’s commitment is to give a high priority to the support of research even in difficult financial times.

We look forward to receiving your Letters of Intent!
Irvin D. Reid, President
Nancy S. Barrett, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

An alliance composed of Michigan’s top three research universities, two leading health care systems, and state and local health agencies will join together in a national research project to study how the environment affects the health and development of children.

The National Children’s Study (NCS), the largest national children’s health study of its kind, will monitor the health of more than 100,000 children nationally from before birth to age 21.  Michigan’s study sample size represents a population of 5,000 and and Michigan researchers will recruit and monitor approximately 1,000 participants in Wayne County for the initial phase of the program.

Michigan State University will lead Michigan’s role in the project, which is believed to be the most ambitious children’s health study of its kind.  Nigel Paneth, an MSU professor of epidemiology, and pediatrics and human development, will direct the study.

Project collaborators include MSU, Wayne State University, the University of Michigan, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Henry Ford Health System, Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), and Wayne County and city of Detroit health departments.

"No children’s health study of this size or scope has ever been undertaken," Paneth said. "The results should provide critical information about environmental influences and effects on the  health of children .

"Environmental influences are broadly defined," Paneth added. "We are examining the effects of environmental toxins, nutrition and family and societal structures." 
"By studying children through several phases of growth and development, including their development before birth, we will be better able to understand the role of these factors on health and disease."

The first phase of the Michigan part of this project focuses on Wayne County. Participant recruitment is expected to begin sometime in 2009.
In the future, it is anticipated that the study will include four other Michigan counties that were selected to be among the 105 counties representing the U.S. in the NCS: Genesee, Grand Traverse, Lenawee and Macomb counties.

Planning for this project began in 2002 when MSU and the other partners formed the Michigan Alliance for the National Children’s Study, or MANCS. The idea, said Paneth, was that each institution brings unique skills to the table.

"The structure of MANCS reflects a sustained collaborative effort among Michigan State, Wayne State, University of Michigan and Henry Ford which collectively account for 96 percent of NIH research dollars in Michigan," Paneth said.

Each institution will play a specific role in the study.

• U-M will be responsible for enrolling and interviewing study participants and assessing post-natal child development.
• WSU will oversee the assessment and care of pregnant women.
• Children’s Hospital of Michigan will serve as the repository for biological samples.
• Henry Ford Health System will serve as the repository for environmental samples and will perform medical examinations of children.
• MSU will coordinate the overall work of the study, and house the project at its East Lansing campus. MSU Extension will help develop community support for the study.
• MDCH will provide information related to live birth characteristics and locations in Wayne County.

"It’s important that Michigan be a part of the largest and most comprehensive national study of child health ever mounted," Paneth said. "But we also expect that issues especially important to the health of Michigan children will be addressed, leading to new ways of treating and preventing disease in our children and to new public health programs in our state."

"For many years I have treated children in my practice in Detroit where we have hypothesized that environmental influences have had a detrimental effect on children's health, said Dr. Charles Barone, professor of Pediatrics at Wayne State University, Director of Pediatrics at Henry Ford Health System and Pediatrician  at Children's Hospital of Michigan.  "This nationwide study will provide the concrete data needed to link specific environmental influences on health outcomes of children."

Wayne State University and the Center for Urban and African American Health invites all healthcare professionals and students to submit abstracts concerning the treatment and prevention of health disparities to be considered for presentation.

Abstracts may be submitted in any scientific discipline related to the health of ethnic minority populations and may represent either completed work or results of work in progress. Curriculum vitae of the principal author must be included with the abstract. Previously published or presented abstracts will not be considered. All abstracts must be submitted by Friday, October 22, 2007.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
The abstract must be submitted by email to: ecullum@med.wayne.edu in Word Document Format (.doc) using minimal text formatting (i.e. tables, etc.). Submission will not be accepted by fax or mail. The following information must be included on all submitted abstracts:
Title of abstract (IN CAPITAL LETTERS).
2. Author name(s), organization name(s) of each author(s). Underline the presenter's name.
3. Name of participant/community group with whom the author(s) work.
4. For the presenter clearly indicate the following: street address (work), city, state, ZIP code, work phone and fax numbers and email address.
5. Abstract length is 250 words maximum.

Oral Presentation:
4 distinguished abstracts will be invited to present a 20 minute oral presentation during the Health Disparities Research section of the conference.

Poster Presentation:
The posters will be displayed for the duration of the conference. There will be dedicated time for poster viewing and discussion between attendees and the poster presenter. Poster board size is 4'x6'.

Conference Themes:
Abstracts are invited, but not limited, to address the following:
• Health disparities
• Models of patient and public involvement
• Overcoming barriers to patient participation in research

Grading/Presentation Guidelines:
Abstracts will be scored by the Wayne State University Abstract Review Committee according to scientific merit, relevance to health of ethnic minority populations, and expertise of the presenter. All accepted abstracts will be presented as posters at the Wayne State University Biennial President’s Conference on Health Disparities.

A presenting author is expected to attend the conference and present the abstract. Abstracts will not be considered without a completed conference registration form from the presenting author.

Conference Fees:

Non-Student Rate: $25
Student rate: Free
Day of conference registration is $100.00

Notification of acceptance:
The selection committee will notify authors of their abstract's acceptance by November 2, 2007.

For more information about the conference or to register, visit http://www.hdc.med.wayne.edu/, or contact Erikka Cullum at 313-966-9687.

Lawrence Morawa, M.D., has been named permanent chair of the WSU Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He has served on an interim basis in the post since August.

“I am confident that Dr. Morawa's talent and skills; his many years of compassionate practice; and his experience in medical student education will substantially enrich our orthopaedic surgery program,” Dean Robert M. Mentzer, Jr., M.D., wrote in a letter announcing the appointment, effective Oct. 1.

The presidents of the University of Windsor and Wayne State University recently came together with the mayor of Windsor, Mr. Eddie Francis, to discuss an international collaborative project, known as the North American Public Health Institute, which the two universities are creating to address public health issues.

Two years ago, the vice presidents for research at these two institutions met with 150 faculty members at both universities to gather ideas on ways the two could work together on a unique, cross-border comparative research project in public health.

“We at Wayne State University are excited about this opportunity to collaborate with our colleagues in Windsor,” said Irvin D. Reid, president of Wayne State University. “ Detroit and Windsor may have very different health care delivery systems, but they share a number of critical public health problems as well as a common boundary. We now have an effective way to combine the research expertise of Wayne State and the University of Windsor to confront the health-related issues of our two cities.”

Detroit and Windsor have a greater public health burden than other areas of Michigan and Ontario. In 2003 the Detroit Health Care Stabilization Workgroup reported that Detroit 's population has sharply higher rates of illness, severity and mortality than the rest of the state. Similarly, the 2001 Community Health Profile of Windsor reports that mortality and morbidity rates were higher there than in the rest of the province.

“By setting priorities and coordinating and integrating them in a way that is best for our two cities and surrounding areas, this cross-border collaboration will make an impact on our two very different public health structures,” commented Dr. Reid. “Many projects have been identified at both of our universities where collaborations have already begun, making it evident that our teams of researchers see this as a unique opportunity to develop research projects that were previously not possible.”

Currently, groups of researchers at both institutions are developing collaborative projects focusing on:

• The cause of variations in vaccination rates between Canada and the U.S. and strategies for improvement;
• The impact of gambling addiction on finances and society;
• The victimization and assault perpetration on women;
• The examination of how educational systems relates to child health outcomes, particularly childhood obesity;
• The relationship of land use to health outcomes.

Other opportunities for partnerships are being explored and developed. The University of Windsor 's Partnership for Road Safety group, led by Dr. Anne Snowdon, professor of Management Science at the University of Windsor, is one such group. Dr. Snowden has worked closely with Michigan industry to design an improved booster seat to increase child safety in automobiles for children ages 4 to 8. Road crashes are the leading cause of death of children in Canada and the U.S., and the use of this improved booster seat for this age group could prevent 74 percent of deaths and 67 percent of serious injuries, according to Dr. Snowdon.

This new North American Public Health Institute will continue to expand research programs, and begin to develop a more formal directorship and administrative staff to further develop a formal research agenda for the Institute. U.S. and Canadian grants will be sought to fund various research projects. For further information about NAPHI, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu/naphi/.

The Pathfinders in Medicine Gala, the premiere fundraising event for the School of Medicine, will be this Saturday, Oct. 6, at the Athenaeum Suite Hotel and Conference Center, in Detroit. Pathfinders raises funds for scholarships that make medical school possible for many talented and deserving individuals who would not otherwise become physicians.

Dr. Joe Schwarz, former congressman and a School of Medicine alumnus, will be the honorary host and keynote speaker. Since leaving Congress, Dr. Schwarz has been appointed to the Governor's Emergency Financial Advisory Panel and the Secretary of Defense Panel investigating Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Most recently, Dr. Schwarz was appointed by the Detroit Regional Chamber and Detroit Renaissance as chair of a prestigious panel to evaluate medical education, research and patient care as drivers of economic growth and quality of life in the Southeast Michigan region.

For more information or to RSVP, please visit: http://www.med.wayne.edu/alumni/pathfinders/.