ROUNDS, 01-07-08: Akbar, Benencia 2007-8 Competitive Grant Program Awardees

ROUNDS, 01-07-08: Akbar, Benencia 2007-08 Competitive Grant Program Awardees

Welcome to the new ROUNDS! This weekly e-newsletter goes out to all OU-COM and CORE personnel.

 

Those of you who were OU-COMers prior to 2004 will recall the previous print versions of ROUNDS, the internal publication that covered a variety of news, announcements and just about anything happening in the college or our CORE system.

 

The new ROUNDS, in a different format and design, will, as the previous ones, bring you the news that you want to know and need to know. But to do that we need your — faculty, staff and students — help. So I encourage you to send me your news and announcements every Wednesday by 3 p.m., which will make up the following week’s ROUNDS.  If you have any questions or suggestions, and I imagine you might, please contact me, 3-0896 or sanders@oucom.ohiou.edu.

 

 

NEWS

 

Akbar, Benencia 2007-08 Competitive Grant Program Awardees

Huzoor Akbar, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacology, and Fabian Benencia, Ph.D., assistant professor of immunology, each are recipients of the $20,000 Competitive Research Award. Their research proposals are “Novel Insulin Mimetic Small Molecules as Antithrombotic Agents” (Akbar) and “Recruitment of Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Cells to Tumors” (Benencia). The Competitive Grant Program, which began in 2005, is designed to encourage faculty to develop research proposals for application to the National Institutes of Health. All proposals were evaluated by three peer reviewers outside of OU and then by an internal OU panel exclusive of COM faculty. Up to three proposals were eligible for funding, and this year, 10 proposals were submitted by COM faculty. Congratulations to Professors Akbar and Benencia.

 

John Kopchick receives New York College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Riland Award

John Kopchick, Ph.D., Goll-Ohio Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, received NYCOM’s (New York Institute of Technology) Riland Medal for Research at the college’s annual convocation ceremony. The Riland Medal is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to medical science and education, health policy, public policy and osteopathic philosophy.

< http://iris.nyit.edu/nycom/Convocation_2007_08.htm>

 

Tropical Disease Institute Provides Training for Chagas Disease Control

OU-COM’s Tropical Disease Institute teamed with international organizations to conduct a three-day training workshop on current methods for Chagas disease control.

<http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/tdi/TDINEws/Training_Ecuador_SNEM_Summer2007.htm>

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Research and Scholarly Affairs Committee (RSAC) Training Awards

All Group I faculty are eligible to apply for RSCA Training Award, a new program designed to help them obtain additional training in specific techniques or methods at off-site facilities to better position themselves to secure external funding and develop their research programs. Faculty may pursue training in a research lab or they may opt to enroll in a short course offered by an institution or company. Individuals may receive up to $5,000 per application, up to $20,000 this fiscal year. Please contact RSCA Chairwoman Susan Williams, 3-2363 or email, williams@oucom.ohiou.edu, for more information. Deadline for submissions is Feb. 29.

 

Kilvert Community Benefit Drive

The Student National Medical Association is collecting donations of clothing and non-perishable foodstuffs for the people of Kilvert, Ohio. Donation boxes are located in Irvine 194, the Learning Resource Center and the Office of Student Affairs. All donations must be made by Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. For more information, please contact second-year student Kimberly Jackson (909-855-6390, kj113204@ohio.edu).

 

2008 Outstanding Graduates and CORE Outstanding Student Nominations

Attention CORE assistant deans, CORE administrators, administrators and clinical faculty: Nominations for the 2008 Outstanding Graduates and the CORE Outstanding Student Award must be submitted by March 3 via email to Molly deLaval (delaval@oucom.ohiou.edu, 3-2152). The criteria for nominees and ballots for are posted here.

<http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/saffairs/senior_awards.htm>

 

Need to Review or Dig Deeper into the Philosophical Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine?

The Office of Faculty Development has provided that opportunity online via “Faculty Development on Osteopathic Philosophy and Principles,” a 16-slide presentation covering the key definitions, goals and objectives of osteopathic medicine.

<http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/fd/Osteopathic%20Philosophy%20and%20Principles.mht>

 

Kenyan Crafts for Sale Benefit Kenyan Children

In light of the crisis occurring in Kenya, please help support Kenyan children orphaned by AIDS, who are particularly vulnerable to this unrest and upheaval, through the purchase of Kenyan craft items that help procure clothes and educational materials as well as needed relief for them. There is a variety of unique gifts, including jewelry, carvings and more available in Grosvenor 304 that may be purchased from Gillian Ice (Grosvenor 309, 3-2128, iceg@ohio.edu). Fundraising for these orphans will continue throughout the year.

<http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/international/ice_kenya/childrensfund.htm>

 

 

AWARDS

 

Student and Professional Support and Relations Unit Awards

Congratulations to the Classified Employee of the Year, Michelle Pendergast, administrative assistant, and the Administrative Employee of the Year, Leeanna Morgan, learning specialist. Pendergast and Morgan were recognized at the unit’s holiday party held Dec. 13.

 

Department of Administrative & Finance Services Employee of the Year

Congratulations to John Dehmann, office services technician, who received the bi-annual Outstanding Employee Award for administrative and finance services Dec. 21.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

 

Publications

R.V. Balaji, M.B.A., research grants development coordinator, Office of Research and Grants; Chris Knisely, executive director, Office of Research and Grants; and Jack Blazyk, Ph.D., associate dean for research. Internal Grant Competitions: A new opportunity for research officers to build institutional funding portfolios. J. Research Administration. Nov. 2, 2007, pp. 44–50.

 

Appointments

Mario Grijalva, Ph.D., director of the Tropical Disease Institute, was appointed as a coordinator of the Surveillance and Information Systems Work Group of the World Health Organization’s Global initiative for Chagas control.

 

 

CALENDAR

 

Residency Programs Educational Day: Otorhinolaryngology

Pediatric DisordersRichard Klapchar, D.O.

Jan. 10, 9 a.m. to noon, Ohio University Pickerington Center

 

Cultural Competency, Part 3

Jan 12, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Irvine 194

 

 

EMPLOYEE NEWS

 

Christopher Johnson, Ph.D., assistant research professor, joined the Department of Geriatric Medicine/Gerontology Oct. 1.

 

David Tolentino, D.O., CORE assistant dean (St. John West Shore Hospital), joined the Office of Academic Affairs Jan. 1.

 

Cynthia Greenlee, R.N., nurse practitioner, joined Community Health Programs Jan. 1.

 

Erin Murphy, Ph.D., assistant professor of medical microbiology, joined the Department of Biomedical Sciences Jan. 1.

 

Randall Colucci, D.O., M.P.H., assistant professor of family medicine, joined the Department of Family Medicine Jan. 2.

 

Kapil Bajaj, health information technology programmer/analyst, joined the Office of Information Systems and Instructional Technology Jan. 2.

 

Anita Martin joins the Office of Communication as assistant editorial director Jan. 7.

 

 

_________________________________________

 

Kevin M. Sanders

Writer/Editor

Office of Communication

College of Osteopathic Medicine

321 Grosvenor Hall

Ohio University

Athens, Ohio 45701

Phone: 740-593-0896

Fax: 740-593-0343