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CHANNING LABORATORY NEWS
CHANNING LABORATORY NEWS 2008
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| August, 2009. The Channing Laboratory extends its deepest and most profound sympathy to Dr. Ellen Cahir-McFarland on the loss of her brother, Sgt. William Cahir, killed by an insurgent’s bullet in Afghanistan while serving his third tour of duty with the U.S. Marine Corp. Bill Cahir was an exceptional person who cared deeply about his country, and showed deep compassion for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan as well. He was greatly admired by his fellow Marines for his efforts to help all who came his way. During his time in the nation’s capital he worked for Senator Edward Kennedy then left to write for Newhouse until 9/11 after which he enlisted at the age of 34. He has been posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for his unswerving courage and service to his country. Bill was also a well known and respected member of the Washington, DC community as evidenced by the many tributes from his friends and colleagues. Sgt. Cahir leaves his wife, Renee Browne and unborn girl twins, due in December. The Today Show recently broadcast a moving interview with Renee Browne, a lady of great courage and love. As long as there are people like Sgt. William Cahir in this country we will always remember what our freedom really means.
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|  September 29, 2009. It is with deep regret and sadness the Channing Laboratory marks the passing of the Editorial Service Office, a fixture for 20 years in the Quad, as of Friday, October 2, 2009. During these unfortunately trying financial times for BWH, budget cuts are necessary and the Editorial Office has become the newest casualty. Researchers may contact the BWH Center for Faculty Development and Diversity and the Office for Research Careers at BWHCFDD@partners.org or BWHOPRC@partners.org in lieu of this free service for grant writing assistance.
Mr.Paul Guttry and Ms. Jeanne Zimmerman, the present staff members of the Editorial Service Office, were feted today at an afternoon tea held by their many friends and grateful researchers here at the Channing. Paul and Jeanne have started an editorial service at paulguttry.com as an added resource for the Longwood medical community and have registered the site as a vendor for BWH.
The Channing Lab staff and the many Quad researchers vying for those precious NIH dollars will miss your patient devotion to excellence and the rewards it has brought to so many over the years. Best of luck, Paul and Jeanne!!
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September 22, 2009
 Dr. Frank Speizer has announced the retirement of his Administrative Assistant Cindy Nebolsine after 26 years of service carrying out many tasks far beyond her job description. Cindy has been with the Channing for as long as many people here can remember. At her retirement fete today she was joined by family and both new and old friends wishing her well on her new life adventure. Many of those in attendance told heart-warming and sometimes hilarious stories about their days in the Quad as a member of the Speizer group. Cindy's calm and common sense manner has helped many a distraught new scientist with the difficulties of fulfilling their goals in life. Those of us who have worked with Cindy and those who have gone on to prestigious positions with her help will remember her time here with fondness and a smile. We will miss Cindy's annual Speizer Group breakfasts (always a wonderful fun event) and, even more than that, we will miss that cheerful smile and those nice words every morning. We hope to see you drop by once in a while, Cindy, and let us know what's happening in your new life.
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Channing Researchers Win Bocci Championship
The BWH Bulletin, August 21, 2009
Long time Channing researchers Dr. Lorelei Mucci, Dr.Rulla Tamimi, and Dr. Fran Grodstein, co-founders of the Channing Laboratory Happiness Committee, hosted the first annual bocci tournament on the Quad this summer. 16 4-member teams competed during their lunch hours for 8 days with the BOCCI BRUISERS emerging triumphant. An ice cream party was held at the Channing to bring the tournament to a rousing close. Hopefully, this will become a truly annual event for the Channing. We applaud the Happiness Committee for their thoughtfulness and dedication to the improvement of the working morale of over 110 of their colleagues. Well done!!
June 24, 2009
 The Directors, Staff, and many close friends took time this afternoon to honor Jaylyn Olivo on the occasion of her impending retirement. Jaylyn, a long time member of the BWH Editorial Service, began her Editorial Service career back in 1987. She and Julie McCoy started the original Editorial Service under Drs. Dennis Kasper and Frank Speizer, both of whom attended the gala for Jaylyn. The laughter was non-stop as everyone reminisced about the battle to convince the hospital to offer this vital service to its many researchers and the many funny incidents during her amazing 22 years with the Channing. At times, when the laughter began to ebb, one could not tell whether the tears in the eyes of her many friends were from the laughter or from the realization that she was really leaving. Those of us here at the Channing who have had the pleasure of working with this lovely lady have come to regard her with fondness for her gentle manner, unbridled sense of humor, and generous nature. Many of us have been the afternoon recipient of her North End canoli runs to Mike's Bakery and have the pounds to prove it. Thanks, Jaylyn, from the many researchers who owe the success of their publications to your cheerful guidance and from those of us who will miss your smile and your big heart. Jaylyn leaves this tip for all future would-be publishers, "If you use the phrase,'On the other hand', your paper will never be published!!"
Again, thanks for everything, Jaylyn. You will be sorely missed!!
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CONGRATULATIONS!!
| The Channing Laboratory wishes to extend its heartiest congratulations to BWH President Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, on his elevation to the position of President and CEO of Partners HealthCare. Under his guidance the Channing has achieved unprecedented growth and improvement as one of the premier research labs in the country. Thank you, Dr. Gottlieb, for your faith in BWH and in the Channing Laboratory. We look forward with great anticipation to watching Partners HealthCare System grow as we have under Dr. Gottlieb's talented leadership.
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CONGRATULATIONS!!
| On Wednesday, March 11, 2009, the Harvard Medical School's Office for Diversity and Community Partnership presented Barbara Bierer, MD, Professor of Medicine at BWH, the Harold Amos Faculty Diversity Award. These awards recognize faculty and staff making significant achievements in helping HMS and HSDM become a diverse and inclusive community. Since joining BWH Dr. Bierer has instituted wide-ranging changes to research programs and procedures throughout the hospital environment. Her hard work and dedication has helped research efforts here at the Channing by creating a logical flow of information and systems and establishing workable procedures and protocols to our benefit. Well done, Dr. Bierer!!
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CONGRATULATIONS!!
| The Channing Laboratory wishes to extend sincere congratulations to Dr. A. Heather Eliassen, instructor in medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, on her being awarded the Brigham and Women's Fellowship. We also wish to congratulate Dr. Heather Baer, instructor in medicine, on her receipt of the Amalie and Edward Kass Fellowship award. These fellowships provide funding to promising new investigators juggling research duties and non-career responsibilities at one of the most difficult stages of their careers. We are honored they have chosen The Channing Laboratory to help them on their way to success. |
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CONGRATULATIONS!!
| The Harvard University Office of Faculty Development and Diversity recently announced the appointment as Associate Professor of Ambulatory Care and Prevention of Dr. Ross Lazarus, long-time faculty member here at the Channing Laboratory. Congratulations, Dr. Lazarus!! |
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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May 26, 2009. Associate Channing researcher Elizabeth Karlson, MD, co-chair of the Center for Human Genetics at the BRI and associate professor of medicine at HMS, holds seminar for the Translational Genetics Seminar Series at the BWH main campus on the topic, Risk Prediction of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Are We Ready to Bring Genetic Risk Scores to the Clinic?
May 19, 2009. Channing researcher Margaret McLaughlin-Drubin, PhD, has been awarded a Research in Excellence Award Spring 2009 from the BWH Biomedical Research Institute for her research Epigenetic Reprogramming by the Human Papillomavirus E7 Oncoprotein.
The Channing Laboratory is proud to recognize the following employees for their years of service to BWH:
BWH Bulletin, May 22, 2009
5 YEAR SERVICE AWARDS
- Louise Bishop
- Laura Kaufman
- Milissa McEnery-Stonelake
- Marie Scurti
10 YEAR SERVICE AWARDS
- Gideon H. Aweh
- Shelagh A. Lessard Pearson
- Steve Oliveira
15 YEAR SERVICE AWARDS
20 YEAR SERVICE AWARDS
25 YEAR SERVICE AWARDS
- Sandra L. Hatten, Administrator, The Channing Laboratory
NEWS
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Channing researcher addresses the Genetics community
The BWH Biomedical Research Institute, September 16, 2009
 Dr.Edwin K. Silverman, MD, PhD, will be the featured speaker for the fall installment of the Translational Genetics Seminar Series presented by the BRI Center for Human Genetics, to be held in the BWH Shapiro Conference Center Board Room located in the new Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, on September 24, 2009 from 5-6PM. Dr. Silverman's topic will be Genetic Epidemiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, a subject of much cutting-edge research here on the Quad.
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Important new study on BPA exposure is published by Channing researcher
The Harvard University Gazette, May 28 - June 3, 2009
 Karin B. Michels, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at HSPH and Harvard Medical School, is the senior author of a new study showing BPA levels in the urine of test subjects increased substantially after drinking cold liquids from polycarbonate bottles. This study is quite important since the proliferation of these bottles has begun to concern health researchers and environmentalists worldwide and has prompted Canada to ban the use of BPA in polycarbonate baby bottles since 2008. Click HERE to read the entire article. A related story, Undergrads volunteer for bottle BPA study is also available at www.news.harvard.edu/gazette,2008/05.15/09-nalgene.html. Click HERE to read the entire study of the web site of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Editor's Note: See also the June 19, 2009 Harvard Focus article by Jue Wang and the CHANNEL 5 NEWS article and video.
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Dr. Willett participates in new HSPH panel series
The Harvard Focus, May 1, 2009
and The Harvard University Gazette, April 16-22, 2009 by Alvin Powell, Harvard News Office
 Dr. Walter Willett participated in the first panel of the new HSPH series of participatory panels addressing public health issues. Of concern to this panel was the socioeconomics barriers preventing women from getting breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in less-developed countries. Here is the United States the ongoing campaign to help women recognize the need for prompt examinations and treatment of breast cancer has been well publicized and has helped lower the mortality rate for breast cancer but such is not the case for women facing cultural and early detection and treatment difficulties in countries not as well equipped as the US. Click HERE to read Alvin Powell's article on the new HSPH panel series and click HERE to read the article in The Harvard Focus.
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Channing researcher urges caution in assessing genetic risk of disease
The Harvard Focus, April 17, 2009 by Carol Cruzan Morton
 Dr. David Hunter, the Vincent L. Gregory professor in cancer prevention and respected Channing researcher, and his colleague Dr. Peter Kraft, associate professor of epidemiology at HSPH, have recently published a thoughtful propective on rushing to use the latest estimates of genetic risks in disease diagnosis and treatment. The perspective, published online April 15 in The New England Journal of Medicine points out that genetic research is still in its infancy and cannot really provide accurate estimates of risk factors for disease. Click HERE to read this interesting perspective.
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Channing Lab Director receives NERCE funding
The Harvard Focus, April 3, 2009 by Jan Reiss
 Since 2003, NIAID has funded the New England Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases (NERCE) at HMS under the direction of Channing Laboratory's Director, Dr. Dennis L. Kasper, William Ellery Channing professor of microbiology and molecular genetics. The NERCE program incorporates 11 centers across the country and is attempting to foster a safe effective multidisciplinary research on infectious disease. The first 5 year round of funding has helped establish programs of investor-initiated research, training researchers in biodefense and emerging infectious disease pathogens, establishing core facilities, and developing a host of programs to help respond to national emergencies involving bioweapons and infectious diseases. This second round of 5 year funding will continue and strengthen the astounding progress achieved in the first 5 years. Click HERE to read much more about this important new award.
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Channing scientists particpate in pancreatic cancer study
The Harvard University Gazette, March 12-18, 2009
 Using data from the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, Channing Laboratory researchers Dr. Charles Fuchs, Dr. David Hunter, and Dr. Edward Giovannucci confirmed the link between blood types and pancreatic cancer in a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The study analyzed the blood type and pancreatic cancer occurence in the participants of the study and may be helpful in future intervention treatments of the disease.
Click HERE to read this important article.
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Nationally known Channing scientist again takes a stand for better nutrition
The Boston Globe, March 4, 2009 by Louisa Kasdon, Globe Correspondent
Once again, Dr. Walter Willett has stepped up to the podium to speak out against yet another health risk, salt, at a conference called Worlds of Healthy Flavors at the Culinary Institute of America. Many of the food industry chefs and executives were present to hear his comments and suggestions regarding the reduction of salt and excess sugars in our menus and processed foods here in America. Dr. Willett called on the executives to help present better options to the public in the future. Dr. Willett has been the moving force behind the ban on trans fats on a nationwide scale. The conference sponsors, aside from the Harvard School of Public Health, included The National Peanut Board, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Sun-Maid Growers of California, The Almond Board of California, Mexican Hass Avocado Inporters Association, National Watermelon Promotion Board, and others. Reprints of this article may be obtained from the
Boston Globe.
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Channing researcher, Dr. Joann Manson, receives yet another international honor
The Harvard Focus, February 6, 2009
Dr. Joann Manson, the Elizabeth Fay Brigham Professor of Women's Health at HMS and chief of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, was the recipient of the 2008 International Menopause Society's Henry Burger Prize for the most significant contributions to the field of menopause medicine and women's health in the preceding two years. Manson was honored for her research on cardiovascular disease in women and clarifying the benefits and risks of estrogen therapy. She received the award at the World Congress on Menopause in Madrid, Spain.
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Randomized clinical trial on obesity supervised by Channing Laboratory scientist helps confirm reduced calorie intake for weight loss
The Harvard University Gazette, Dec. 18 - Feb. 4, 2009 by Todd Datz, HSPH Communications
 Dr. Frank Sacks and researchers from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center of the Louisiana State University System have published results from a randomized clinical trial comparing overweight participants assigned to four different diets over two years. The study, funded by the NHLBI, appeared in the Feb. 26th issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. The scientists used four different diet group for the participants were spanned were all from different backrounds, geography, and income and were provided counseling and group sessions were included over the course of the study. All participants achieved meaningful weight loss and maintenance of weight loss during the period of the study. Click HERE to read about this study in more detail.
Editor's Note:
Harvard Focus also published the article "Cutting Calories, Not Juggling Menu, the Key to Weight Loss" spotlighting Dr. Sacks' obesity study
The Harvard Focus, March 6, 2009 by Nuño Domínguez
Click HERE to read this article.
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Channing scientist helps create new interdisciplinary course to further Harvard's green initiative
The Harvard University Gazette, Dec. 18 - Feb. 4, 2009 by Gervis Menzies
Long-time nutrition expert Dr. Walter Willett has helped helps design a new interdisciplinary course titled "Bicycle Environments in the U.S. and the Netherlands/Denmark: Case Studies in the Promotion of Physical Activity" to help promote better health and reduce greenhouse gases. Dr. Willett is well known here for his love of biking and championship of better nutrition to reduce obesity in our population and is a member of the Cambridge Bicycle Committee. Click HERE to read more on this exciting new Harvard course.
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CHANNING LABORATORY NEWS ARCHIVES
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