Announcements
Life Sciences Discovery Fund Information Sessions
The UW Medicine School of Medicine is hosting a series of information sessions for the Life Sciences Discovery Fund. In 2007, the Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF) is inviting research proposals from non-profit entities within Washington State for health-related research. The LSDF Authority has been authorized to invest $350M of tobacco settlement bonus payments in research to better the health of Washington’s citizens and to foster economic growth within our communities.
In preparation for the two 2007 grant competitions, LSDF is making a series of public presentations throughout the State to familiarize life sciences researchers with the LSDF and the goals of its granting programs. Dr. John DesRosier, LSDF Director of Programs, will review the 2007 granting programs and explain the request for proposal process.
The information sessions are open to all faculty, staff and students. No registration is required.
- Friday, January 12 at 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM in HSC, Room T-625
- Friday, January 26 at 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM in HSC, Room T-625
- Wednesday, January 31 at 11:00 AM to 12:00 Noon in HSC, Room T-625
Fall 2006 Department of Pathology Employee of the Quarter Nominations
The selection of the Fall 2006 Department of Pathology Employee of the Quarter marks the start of the second year of the Employee Recognition Program. Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination - the program would not be possible without you - and congratulations again to all the recipients of the award.
The Employee Recognition Program was started last year to better recognize the outstanding achievements of our colleagues. At the completion of each academic quarter, the Employee Recognition Team will review the nominations and select the best nomination. Employee of Quarter honorees receive a $100 gift certificate from the University Bookstore. The Department will also provide catering for the recognition ceremony.
All Department of Pathology classified and professional staff members are eligible to be nominated. Faculty, residents, post-docs, graduate students, and student assistants are not eligible, but are encouraged to submit nominations.
The deadline for the Fall 2006 Employee of the Quarter Award is
January 19th. Past winners include:
- Fall 2005: Dianne Willis, HMC
- Winter 2006: Anthony Trotter, PCS
- Spring 2006: Chiyen Miller, UWMC EM Lab
- Summer 2007: Heechun Huh, Budget and Finance
Please visit the
Employee Recognition Program Nomination website to submit your nomination for the Fall 2006 award.
Martin Luther King Day of Service at UW
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?" Martin Luther King, Jr.
How can you help re-ignite Dr. King's dream of greatness... by serving your community! In the spirit of Dr. King,
MAKE IT A DAY ON, NOT A DAY OFF.
On Monday, January 15, 2007, University of Washington students, staff, faculty, and alumni will volunteer for a variety of community projects throughout King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. Projects include restoring habitats, maintaining trails, painting and cleaning community centers, leading activities for seniors, and assisting at food banks. This year, the UW Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service will have a special emphasis on issues related to homelessness, with many projects hosted by organizations focused on homelessness. Join us in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in this day of service!
Visit the UW Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service web site -- http://www.depts.washington.edu/mlkjr -- to learn more about exciting project opportunities for 2007. At this site, you can register for a project as an individual, or as a group. Projects fill up quickly; early registration is encouraged. The final registration deadline is Wednesday, January 10, 2007.
This year, the University of Washington is partnering with the United Way of King County Out of the Rain campaign to present educational forums on poverty and homelessness the week before the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Details on these educational forums, presented by UW faculty, United Way of King County staff, and community experts, are available at www.depts.washington.edu/mlkjr.
The UW MLK Jr. Day of Service will begin at 8:00 am on January 15th in the HUB Ballroom. Join President Mark Emmert, United Way of King County Chief Executive Officer Jon Fine, and UW Alumni Association Interim Co-Executive Director Paul Rucker to kick off a tremendous day of service and giving.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact mlkjr@u.washington.edu
2007 UW Outstanding Public Service Award
Do you know of a faculty or staff member who has made exemplary contributions to the common good through public service? If so, we urge you to nominate him or her for the University's 2007 Outstanding Public Service Award.
This Award, initiated in 1980, recognizes faculty and staff efforts to improve the quality of people's lives locally, nationally or internationally. It is presented at the University's annual Recognition Ceremony in June and includes a $5,000 award. The selection committee considers the nature and extent of the public service activity, the amount of time and effort involved, and the lasting impact it has had. The basis for the nomination may be social, cultural, civic, education-related, or health-related achievements. It may be uncompensated consulting work within one's area of expertise, or volunteer work in other areas.
Nominations for the award may be made by faculty or staff, or by a member of an organization that has benefited from the public service activity. Nominating letters should not exceed two single-spaced typed pages. They should include the following:
-A description of the nature, extent, and impact of the service;
-The period in which the activity occurred and a description of the effort
involved;
-Whether the nominee received compensation for the activity.
Nominations may be accompanied by a maximum of three additional one-page letters of support, and must be received by Friday, January 26, 2007. They should be sent to the Outstanding Public Service Award Committee, Room 227 Gerberding Hall, Box 351241, Seattle, WA, 98195. Nominations and letters of support, as well as specific questions regarding the process, can also be submitted via email to: Gus Kravas at: gkravas@u.washington.edu. The committee is composed of faculty and staff.
Public service plays a very important part in the University's reputation for effective institutional citizenship. This award focuses attention on the University's contributions in this important area, so we hope you will take a few moments to consider nominating a deserving colleague. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact provost@u.washington.edu
Grants.gov
A message from Barb Peterson and Toni Bennett
The UW is involved in a major transition to NIH electronic grants submission process. Many of our faculty, all of our grants managers, and most of our administrative staff have already attended training sessions on the UW and grants.gov processes. In addition, please visit the
OSP website for information on the electronic grant submittal processes, changes, timelines, and training sessions. You can also view the
NIH videocast training session.
Although we are confident that OSP and the School of Medicine have anticipated and resolved most of the problems, they haven't experienced the volumes of proposals that are anticipated for the Feb 1 deadline. To meet the February 1 deadline, OSP recommends the final e-GC1, budget, biosketches, subcontract information, letter(s) of support (if applicable), and a draft of the scientific proposal be electronically submitted to OSP at least two weeks in advance of the deadline. The final scientific proposal MUST then be submitted electronically (by the PI) to OSP by one week in advance so it can go through the grants.gov & NIH verification process in time for the Feb 1 deadline. There is little to no wiggle room in these deadlines.
In anticipation of a large volume of proposals, please contact your grants manager if you are even considering submitting a proposal for either the February 1st or March 1st deadlines. Below is our departmental timeline to the February 1 deadline in Pathology.
Monday, January 8: Obviously we need advance time to meet OSP's deadline (remember that everything also goes through the Dean's office for approval). To meet the February 1 target, you must discuss your budget and other details of your pending proposal with your grants manager by Monday, January 8, 2007. At that time, you and your grants manager will work out the internal deadlines for the draft and final versions of your proposal.
If you haven't contacted your grants manager by that January 8th, you risk not having sufficient time to submit your proposal for acceptance. Remember this is the first time that the University, the department staff, and you are going through the on-line process for RO1 grants and we expect that there could be some timing issues.
Thanks for your attention to this important issue. Please contact your grants manager, or one of us, if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Barb Peterson & Toni Bennett
Save the Dates
2007 Dermatopathology Conference The 2007 Dermatopathology Conference is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, May 19, 2007 at the UWMC. Please watch this space for new conference information.
2007 Pathology Retreat August 24-25, 2007 at the Sleeping Lady in Leavenworth, Washington. All faculty, residents, post-docs, grad students, and selected staff members are invited to attend.
2008 Pathology Retreat September 12-13, 2008 at the Sleeping Lady in Leavenworth, Washington. All faculty, residents, post-docs, grad students, and selected staff members are invited to attend.
In the News
New Generation of Pathology
The December issue of
Columns, the University of Washington Alumni Magazine, included an article on the ground-breaking stem cell research being done by
Dr. Nelson Fausto, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathology, and
Dr. Chuck Murry, Professor of Pathology and Co-Director of the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine.
The
article features the incredible story of Mary-Jo Fraser and her acute liver failure experience and how the work of Drs. Fausto and Murry could one day repair damaged tissue and organs, such as the liver or heart.
$10 Million NIH Grant for BEAT Collaborative Research Group
Chuck was also busy securing a
$10.2 million grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the NIH to research heart muscle regeneration. The BEAT (Bioengineered Allogeneic Tissue) scientists, a collaboration of chemists, bioengineers, biochemists, cell biologists, pathologists, cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, are teaming up to develop a new way to treat heart attacks. The new approach involves a combination of molecular medicine, cell therapy, and new concepts in tissue engineering.
The Alvords: A Legacy of Philanthropy
Professor Emeritus Ellsworth "Buster" Alvord and his wife Nancy received the
Gates Volunteer Service Award at a gala recognition ceremony last September. The Gates Volunteer Service Award recognizes volunteers whose efforts have encouraged others to support the UW through time, service and philanthropy. For more information about the award, please visit
UW Foundation website.
UW Researchers Urge Caution and Patience on Anti-Aging Compound
The following story appeared in the December 8th issue of UW School of Medicine Online News
Matt Kaeberlein, Assistant Professor of Pathology, and Peter Rabinovitch, Professor of Pathology, two UW researchers who study the science of aging, authored an editorial on that topic in a recent issue of the journal Nature. The editorial addressed research in that same journal showing the lifespan improvements and health benefits of resveratrol, a compound found in some types of grapes and in red wine. That research showed that very high doses of resveratrol improved the lifespan of mice on a high-calorie diet, compared to overfed mice not receiving the compound. Resveratrol also prevented obesity-related disease in some of the mice on a high-calorie diet. Researchers believe that the compound may mimic dietary restriction in its ability to prolong lifespan and reduce the effects of some diseases in certain organisms.
Kaeberlein and Rabinovitch urge caution on the matter of using resveratrol to improve health or prolong lifespan, as we don't yet know the long-term effects in humans of high doses of the compound. They also suggest further research on whether resveratrol can mimic dietary restriction in humans, and specifically whether it can reduce the ill-effects of obesity or diabetes.
The editorial appeared in the Nov. 16 issue of Nature, and is available online to UW faculty, students and staff, through the
UW Libraries website.
UW Lobbies for More Money from State Legislature
The University of Washington Board of Regents are lobbying the state legislature for more money. The Regents submitted a report entitled,
"Meeting the Global Challenge", requesting increased financial support for higher education.
UW Willed Body Program
Dr. Daniel Graney, Biological Structure Professor and Director of the Willed-Body Program, has managed the University of Washington School of Medicine's Willed Body Program for over forty years. He recently spoke with the
Puget Sound Business Journal about the importance of the program and the attention to detail it takes to run it properly.
Click
here to learn more about the Willed Body Program at UW.
Women in Science
Professor Ana Mari Cauce addressed the debate regarding the role of women in science and engineering in a guest column that appeared in the
Seattle Times recently.
520 Bridge Replacement Project
More than $2 billion is needed to replace the 520 Bridge. Funding options, including taxes and tolls, are discussed
here. The Athletic Department also expressed concerns about the construction impacts and potential loss of
revenue.
Children's Hospital Expansion
Children's Hospital is looking east to expand its pediatric services in Bellevue. Find out more about their plans in this
Seattle Times article.
UW Spokane?
According to
The Daily, the UW School of Medicine may increase its class size for the first time in over thirty-five years by creating a Spokane branch of the UW SOM. Up to twenty medical students and eight dental students could start matriculating by Fall 2008.
Seattle Bicycle Master Plan
Seattle Mayor Greg Nichols and the Seattle Department of Transportation recently introduced a 10-year
Bicycle Master Plan for the City of Seattle. To read more about the Bicycle Master Plan or if you would like to submit public comment on the plan by the January 30, 2007 deadline, click
here.
Path People
Bill Mahoney: Pathway to Independence
Bill Mahoney was selected as one of 58 recipients of the NIH
Pathway to Independence Award. The
award "offers a new opportunity for promising postdoctoral scientists to receive both mentored and independent research support."
Bill has been a postdoctoral fellow in
Steve Schwartz's laboratory since June 2004. He received my Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore in 2004 and a BS in Biochemistry from Trinity College (Hartford, CT) in 1999.
In the Schwartz laboratory, Bill studies the molecular regulation of Regulator of G-Protein Signaling - 5 (link to grant abstract) (RGS5; the gene which specifically identifies smooth muscle cells from the artery), and investigates the role of RGS proteins in arterial remodeling. While continuing to characterize the expression regulation of RGS proteins under the guidance of Dr. Schwartz, Bill will build the groundwork for the transition from a mentored postdoctoral fellow to an independent principle investigator.
Click
here to read Bill's grant abstract.
Kim Howard, New HMC Tech
Please welcome Kim Howard, AP Tech, to Harborview. Kim has several years of lab experience and is looking forward to making a positive contribution to our department. Her role will help support the Pathology department's objectives of providing flexible cross coverage and increased opportunities for staff training and professional development. These objectives will further sustain our mission to provide quality patient care, service and teaching.
Deborah Siegel, New UWMC EM Tech
Deborah is a technician in the Electron Microscopy Laboratory. Deborah provides additional processing capability in the Electron Microscopy (EM) Lab. Currently she disects and embeds tissue, creating sections for light microscopy. In the future Deborah also plans to do EM and become familiar with diagnostic principles. Her experience at UWMC thus far has been greatly enhanced by the teaching and support of the EM lab members, and the encouragement of the Anatomic Pathology doctors who utilize EM in their diagnostics. Deborah grew up in Buffalo NY, and has lived in WA for 10 years. She attended UW, earning undergraduate degrees in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Anthropology. In her free time she enjoys underwater diving, taking care of animals, and volunteering. Deborah also speaks Russian and hopes to earn a Master's degree in Public Health and Physician Assistant.
Hyun Kim, New UWMC Cytogenetics Tech
Please welcome Hyun Kim to Anatomic Pathology. Hyun just started in the Cytogenetics laboratory as a lab tech in the neoplasia and post-natal area. She is a UW graduate in microbiology and has experience at Quest diagnostics before coming to the Cytogenetics laboratory. Hyun enjoys Science and Seahawks - not necessarily in that order.
Shiela Guiao
Join us in congratulating Shiela Guiao on her successful completion of the Board of Registry Practical & Computer examination for Certification as a Histology Technician (ASCP).
Team Transplant Recap
Congratulations to Stephanie Brown, UWMC Admin Assistant, and Steve Berard, Communication Manager, for completing the UW Medical Center Seattle Half Marathon on November 26th. Stephanie and Steve completed the race as part of Team Transplant, a group UW faculty, staff, friends, family, and most importantly, the transplant patients running the race to
promote organ donor awareness.
Pathology Holiday Party Recap
The annual
Department of Pathology Holiday Party was highlighted by a special presentation to Dr. Nelson Fausto, Professor and Chair of the Department, on the occasion of his birthday. Barb Peterson, Director of Finance and Administration, presented Dr. Fausto with a Native American Talking Stick hand-carved and painted with several icons representative of Dr. Fausto's responsibilities with the university. Pictured with Dr. Fausto are his wife, Dr. Ann De Lancey (left) and Barb Peterson (right). The Talking Stick is traditionally used at various Native American ceremonies, signaling all present to remain quiet and attentive to the person holding the Talking Stick.
Holiday revelers were entertained by the Sonny Byers jazz band, including a special accompaniment by Dr. Fausto's new assistant, Jane Norris. The return of the always popular raffle must have contributed to the increased attendance from last year as there was no food left over this year. Sadly, the 2006 Holiday Party will be the last hosted at the Portage Bay Room in the South Campus Center. The School of Medicine takes over the space in the Summer of 2007.
Heechun Huh: Summer 2006 Employee of the Quarter
Congratulations to Heechun Huh, longtime Department of Pathology finance and budget manager, for her much-deserved selection as the Summer 2006 Department of Pathology Employee of the Quarter. Heechun's selection, in acknowledgement of her outstanding management of the Department's fiscal program operations, is a tribute to over twenty-five years of commitment to service, innovation and accountability with the department. While the honor recognized Heechun's exceptional performance over a finite period of time, the award is also emblematic of her entire tenure with the Department of Pathology, reflecting not just her accomplishments last summer, but also how much Heechun has met to the department throughout her distinguished career.
The following Department of Pathology employees were also nominated for their exemplary work during the quarter:
- Judi Morris, Fiscal Specialist II with DOP Administration
- Carol Arnold, Grants and Contracts Manager at HMC
- Paula Reeve, Program Operations Manager at UWMC
- Pam Stephens, Program Coordinator at UWMC
- Donna Kenney, Research Scientist at HMC
- Toni Baullinger, Anatomic Pathology Technician at HMC
- Jeff Golden, Lab Technician at UWMC
- Kelly Hudkins-Loya, Research Scientist at HSC
- Yan Wang, Research Scientist at HMC
Budget/Finance News
Gift Policy Reminder
A university audit discovered that over the past several years, there were several incidents when the department reimbursed faculty or staff for birthday, holiday, baby shower, marriage, death, or similar personal events. Although these expenditures are permissible, they must be paid from the Chair's discretionary budget. The Chair's discretionary budget is funded by gifts specifically designated to be discretionary, which are not easy to obtain. In the past, when faculty requested we use their enrichment/enhancement funds to cover personal gifts, we would deduct the expense from the enrichment account balance, but the Chair's Discretionary fund was actually used to reimburse or pay for the expense.
The department has restricted the use of the Chair's discretionary budget to provide resources for special purchases in support of our research and teaching missions. In general they will be used to support activities that are not allowable expenses on departmental operating budgets or funds from research grants.
University of Washington regulations regarding giving and receiving gifts to employees are very specific. Gifts to employees can be made in recognition of their good work, an outstanding accomplishment or achievement, or to honor their service when they retire.
The department realizes that there are events in people's lives that are very significant and we don't want to disuade you from acknowledging these times. If you have an exceptional circumstance that you think merits departmental support, please contact Toni Bennett or Barb Peterson to discuss.
Governor Greoire's UW Budget
The following message is from President Emmert
Governor Gregoire presented her 2007-09 budget proposal that will be submitted to the Legislature in January when it convenes. The highlights of her nearly $30 billion budget for the state have been reported in the media. I want to tell all of you what a strong budget for higher education and the University of Washington the Governor has put together. If enacted, her proposal for the UW would increase our operating budget by $181 million for the biennium (state funds and tuition) and would make substantial inroads in closing the per student funding gap that exists between us and our peer research universities. The capital budget she has proposed almost doubles our current capital budget and is the best the University has seen in over a decade. It resumes the renovation and renewal of our older buildings that has been slowed by inadequate levels of funding in the past several biennia. All of this is very welcome news, and we are grateful to the Governor for her leadership. She has made it clear since her election that investing in the future of our state meant investing in our children and young people. Her budget is true to that vision.
Here are some highlights of her budget:
OPERATING BUDGET
Compensation: $53.9 million in new state appropriations is provided for increased compensation. This amount includes funding to implement all negotiated collective bargaining agreements. In addition, funds are provided to ensure at least a 3.2% and 2.0% cost of living adjustment over the next two years for faculty and other non-represented professional staff, effective September 1 of each fiscal year. Funds are also included for employee health insurance benefit changes.
Enrollments: $23.6 million is provided for 1,630 new enrollments during the next two academic years. This includes 500 new undergraduate enrollments on the Seattle campus (250 per year) for math, science, engineering and other high demand fields; 210 new graduate enrollments on the Seattle campus (105 per year); 480 new enrollments for the UW Tacoma campus (240 per year); and 440 new enrollments for the UW Bothell campus (220 per year).
Research: $10.1 million is provided in new funding for research initiatives. This includes $6.3 million for Department of Global Health; $3.3 million to support operations and maintenance of the new Benjamin Hall Interdisciplinary Research Building; and $500,000 to enhance the University technology transfer "gap fund" used to help commercialize research discoveries.
WWAMI/RIDE: $4.5 million is provided in the UW operating budget for the medical and dental school expansion in Spokane.
Partners for Our Children: The Governor's 2007 Supplemental Budget includes $1 million one-time funding to assist with the establishment of a "best practices" center at the University of Washington School of Social Work to research factors affecting the well being of foster children.
Other: Other items which received funding include $500,000 in new resources to help improve retention rates for low income and first generation students; $340,000 to support the Washington Academy of Sciences; $225,000 for the William Ruckelshaus Center (plus $25,000 in the 2007 supplemental budget); and $168,000 for support of the UW State Climatologist.
CAPITAL BUDGET
Restore the Core: The UW's "Restore the Core" package of requests to renovate historic buildings on the Seattle campus is funded with $94 million in new state capital appropriations. This includes full funding of construction for Savery Hall, Clark Hall, Playhouse Theater and Magnuson H-Wing (also received $3.0 million from local funds). In addition, full funding for planning and design is provided for the next phase of restoration projects including Balmer Hall, Lewis Hall and Denny Hall.
Data Center: The budget provides $25.0 million to construct a new primary Data Center in the UW Tower and to provide ongoing campus computing and communications infrastructure and connectivity.
Interdisciplinary Academic Building: $5.0 million is provided for pre-design and design for a new facility that will enable significant advances in the UW's molecular engineering program.
UW Tacoma Phase 3: $6.2 million is provided for pre-design and design for major renovation of the Joy Building, including the addition of a fourth floor. This will provide nearly 70,000 square feet of additional classroom and faculty office space.
UW Bothell Phase 3: $5.0 million is provided for pre-design and design for a multi-purpose academic building to accommodate a capacity increase of at least 600 student FTE's.
Intermediate Student Service and Classroom Improvements: $8.4 million is provided to continue renovation of general assignment classrooms on the Seattle campus, consolidate and modernize space for Student Services programs and provide classroom space for the WWAMI/RIDE medical and dental expansion. The amount provided is $6.6 million less than the UW had requested.
Minor Works: As requested by the University, minor works preservation and program projects would be funded through local building account funds.
There is a long legislative road ahead for this budget to become a reality. We will be working hard in the coming months to make sure the Legislature understands our needs and the very positive ways in which the Governor's budget addresses them. I will keep you posted from time to time on how we are doing.
Sincerely,
Mark A. Emmert
President