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Shorttakes

September 2004

A compilation of news from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Published three times a year. Just scan these “shorttakes” for information on what’s happening at NIAMS, or access the complete articles for viewing or use in your own newsletter or other publication.

From the Director . . .

This September and October, NIAMS is beginning again the process to determine its research opportunities and needs over a longer term (two to four years). We have effective mechanisms for determining our shorter term initiatives, and our current strategic plan has served the Institute well. But as time and science move ahead, so must we revisit our long-range objectives, noting the accomplishments we have achieved from the present plan and charting a new one.

Over the upcoming weeks, we will host a series of six planning panels to help us with this task: in orthopaedics, arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, skin biology and skin diseases, cartilage and connective tissue biology and diseases, muscle biology and muscle diseases, and bone biology and bone diseases. Our panel participants will do a bit of “homework” in advance: to poll their communities and colleagues, asking for their perspectives on what the research opportunities and needs are in these disciplines for FY 2005-2009. Their recommendations will be valuable.

At the same time, we are seeking ideas from our grantees, the scientific community at large, professional and voluntary organizations, and the public. An electronic call will soon go out to these communities, and we look forward to the responses. After the new plan is drafted, it will be posted on the NIAMS Web site for comment (www.niams.nih.gov). We will consider all of the input that we receive, and present the plan for review and concurrence by our Advisory Council at their January 2005 meeting. The final plan will be posted on the Institute's Web site and remain active for the next five years.

A broad, ecumenical view of opportunities and needs will be our best guide as we move our science into the future. I look forward to your thoughts and recommendations.

Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D. Director National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institutes of Health

Research Watch . . .

Scientists have begun to learn how HIV protease inhibitors affect bone, and have discovered that one HIV drug–ritonavir–may actually preserve bone.

Full story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/ne/highlights/spotlight/2004/hiv_med_bone.htm

Scientists have discovered and demonstrated in mice a method of delivering genetic therapy for muscular dystrophy and perhaps other diseases of the muscle or heart. The method involves the delivery of a corrected gene for dystrophin (a protein found in normal muscle tissue).

Full story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/ne/highlights/spotlight/2004/gene_muscle_mouse.htm

Findings from research at the NIAMS Laboratory of Muscle Biology and from their colleagues show that a protein called follistatin plays a critical role in the growth and regeneration of adult skeletal muscle cells.

Full story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/ne/highlights/spotlight/2004/follistatin.htm

Using chopsticks contributes to osteoarthritis (OA) in the hand, according to researchers studying elderly Chinese individuals.

Full story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/ne/highlights/spotlight/2004/chopstick.htm

A new clinical study to determine how people with rheumatoid arthritis evaluate improvements in disease symptoms will be carried out by NIAMS at the Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md.

Full story: http://www.niams.nih.gov/ne/press/2004/08_03.htm

Grants and Contracts . . .

The following announcements related to NIAMS appeared in recent issues of the NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts. These announcements are made to the research community to express our interest in funding specific areas of research. For more information on NIAMS grants and contracts, visit the NIAMS Web site at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/rtac/.

Requests for Applications:

Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Centers, RFA-AR-05-001. Issued: July 19; letter of intent receipt date: January 24, 2005; receipt date: February 24, 2005.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AR-05-001.html

Requests for Applications (NIH Roadmap):

National Technology Centers For Networks and Pathways, RFA-RM-04-019. Issued: August 10; letter of intent receipt date: January 18, 2005; receipt date: February 22, 2005.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-04-019.html

Molecular Libraries Screening Instrumentation, RFA-RM-04-020, Issued: July 13, 2004; letter of intent receipt date: September 22, 2004; receipt date: October 22, 2004.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-04-020.html

Innovation In Molecular Imaging Probes, RFA-RM-04-021, Issued: July 22, 2004; letter of intent receipt date: September 22, 2004, receipt date: October 22, 2004.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-04-021.html

Program Announcements:

Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24), PA-04-107. Issued June 8. This announcement will supersede PA-00-005 and apply to all K24 applications submitted on or after the October 1 deadline.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-107.html

Supplements to Promote Reentry Into Biomedical and Behavioral Research Careers, PA-04-126. Issued: July 9.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-126.html

Novel Approaches to Enhance Animal Stem Cell Research, PA-04-125. Issued: July 9.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-125.html

Joint Degeneration: Mouse Models, PA-04-139. Issued: August 12.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-139.html

Highlights From the Hill, HHS and NIH . . .

NIH Roadmap

Since the NIH Roadmap for Biomedical Research was officially launched last September, many exciting new initiatives have begun. In November 2003, NIAMS issued a request for applications for the Dynamic Assessment of Patient-Reported Chronic Disease Outcomes on behalf of NIH. This roadmap initiative will establish a network of investigators who will develop innovative approaches to measuring patient-reported outcomes for a diverse population of individuals, including racial and ethnic minorities, having a variety of chronic diseases. It is anticipated that awards will be made in September 2004. The request for applications is available electronically at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-04-011.html.

As part of the re-engineering of the clinical research enterprise, NIH is funding Regional Translational Research Centers (RTRCs). These centers are designed to accelerate the development and translation of new drugs, biomarkers, and treatment strategies from the laboratory bench to clinical testing by increasing interactions between basic and clinical scientists. An interim report outlining the implementation of RTRCs is available at http://nccam.nih.gov/rtrc/. Additional information on NIH Roadmap activities is available at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/index.asp. The Roadmap supports three broad areas: 1) New Pathways to Discovery, 2) Research Teams of the Future, and 3) Re-engineering the Clinical Research Enterprise.

Conflict of Interest

The House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee (Representative Jim Greenwood [R-PA], Chairman) held the third in a series of hearings on NIH conflict of interest issues on June 22. NIH Director Elias Zerhouni, M.D., testified about his proposal to strengthen the ethics system at NIH. In follow-up to the hearing, Dr. Zerhouni briefed the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education (Representative Ralph Regula [R-OH], Chairman) on conflict of interest issues on July 23.

At the request of Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA), John Dingell (D-MI), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), the Government Accounting Office recently began a review of conflict of interest policy at NIH. The objectives of the review are to: 1) summarize recent actions taken by NIH in response to concerns about conflicts of interest involving NIH employees, 2) assess whether NIH’s revised conflict of interest policies and procedures are adequate to address and prevent conflicts of interest and ensure integrity in the conduct of scientific research, 3) determine to what extent NIH’s conflict of interest policies are limited by other Federal laws and regulations, and 4) evaluate possible consequences of revised conflict of interest policies and procedures on NIH’s scientific work. Additional information is available on the House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee’s Web site at http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/subcommittees/Oversight_and_Investigations.htm.

Muscular Dystrophy

NIH has been actively engaged in implementing the mandates of the Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education Amendments of 2001 (the MD-CARE Act), and is working closely with representatives of the muscular dystrophy (MD) research and patient communities in this effort. The Muscular Dystrophy Coordinating Committee (MDCC), led by NIH, has developed a research and education plan with broad input from scientists and representatives of MD patient organizations. In an effort to continue implementation of the provisions of the MD-CARE Act, MDCC will meet again in the winter of 2004. Additional information on MDCC is available at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/research/muscular_dystrophy/coordinating_committee.

In follow-up to Congressional language, NIAMS, along with NINDS, NICHD and CDC, are actively planning a workshop on the burden of muscle diseases that will take place in January 2005. The purpose of the workshop is to identify existing data on the costs and scope of muscle diseases, with a focus on the muscular dystrophies, and to recommend strategies for developing new information sources.

Lupus Working Group

The second official meeting of the Lupus Federal Working Group–a group charged with coordinating Federal efforts in lupus research and education–was held June 22. The current status and plans of the new Lupus Biomarkers Working Group–whose purpose is to bring together the entire lupus community and hasten the development of lupus biomarkers–were a major topic of discussion. Future opportunities in lupus stem cell trials were also discussed. NIAMS was chosen to lead this working group, which is comprised of representatives from all relevant DHHS agencies and other Federal departments having an interest in lupus. Several lupus voluntary organizations also attended. A meeting summary will be available on the NIAMS Web site at http://www.niams.nih.gov/ne/reports/sci_wrk/index.htm.

Arthritis Bill

On June 8, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Aging [Senator Kit Bond, (R-MO), Chairman] held a hearing, “Arthritis: A National Epidemic,” that provided relevant background information for S. 2338, the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2004. The bill was introduced by Senator Bond (R-MO) in April 2004 and Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) co-sponsored the bill.

In addition to Senator Bond (R-MO), Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Patty Murray (D-WA) also attended the hearing. Susana Serrate-Sztein, M.D., of NIAMS testified on behalf of NIH. Two patients, a representative from CDC, and two rheumatologists also testified. Full testimonies are available on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Web site at ttp://health.senate.gov/bills/hlh_47_bill.html.

Representative Charles “Chip” Pickering, Jr. (R-MS) introduced a companion bill, H.R. 4610, on June 17. This companion bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health on July 7. Both the House and Senate versions call for an increase in arthritis research and prevention activities in DHHS. The Senate bill has seven co-sponsors and the House bill has 28 co-sponsors. A full description of the bill provisions is available at http://thomas.loc.gov.

Osteoporosis and Bone Health

The Office of the Surgeon General will soon release a report on osteoporosis and bone health. NIAMS worked closely with colleagues in the Office of the Surgeon General to complete this report that was created in follow-up to Congressional language in the FY 2002 appropriations report for the Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services. A summary of the planning workshop that lay the foundation for writing the report is available electronically at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/bonehealth/.

Budget Update

On July 14, the House Appropriations Committee completed its mark-up of the FY 2005 Appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. The House bill includes $28.5 billion for NIH, and $515.4 million for NIAMS. The House Committee mark is identical to the FY 2005 President’s Budget request. The Senate Appropriations Committee marked up the bill on September 15. The Senate mark provides $28.9 billion for NIH, an increase of $1.1 billion and 4 percent above the FY 2004 level and $380 million over the President’s budget request. The amount proposed for NIAMS is $521 million, which represents a 4 percent increase over the FY 2004 comparable amount. House and Senate conferees must now reconcile the differences in the two bills before the final appropriations bill can be passed. If this does not happen before October 1, we will begin the fiscal year with a continuing resolution.

NIAMS Faces . . .

Four members of the National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Advisory Council are leaving the council after four years of service: Gunnar Andersson, M.D., Ph.D.; Bess Dawson-Hughes, M.D.; Michael Frank, M.D.; and Oretta Mae Todd, Ph.D., R.N. The Institute thanks them for their many contributions, and wishes them well in future endeavors.

The Institute welcomes Gahan Breithaupt as NIAMS Associate Director for Management and Operations. Gahan brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position, having served most recently as Acting Associate Director for Management for NINDS.

Wilma Peterman is NIAMS’ new Senior Program Analyst responsible for legislative issues and congressional contacts. Wilma was formerly a program analyst in the NIAMS Office of Program Planning.

In June, NIAMS welcomed Glen Nuckolls, Ph.D., as the new Director of the Muscle Disorders and Therapies Program for the NIAMS Extramural Program.

We bid farewell to Karen Butler, EP Senior Administrative Officer, who accepted a position at the Department of Homeland Security.

CAPT Janet M. Jones, R.N., Nurse Specialist (Research), Office of the Clinical Director, retired after 30 years with the government and 4 years with NIAMS, where she has been involved with protocols involving pediatric patients.

Kudos . . .

Robert Rosen, NIAMS Chief Information Officer, was honored September 8 by DHHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, for contributions to the Technical Review Team for the System for Enterprise Records and Correspondence Handling (SERCH). SERCH will be an integration of products for workflow, image capture, reporting, and document and records management.

Cheryl Kitt, Ph.D., Director of the NIAMS Extramural Program; Richard Lymn, Ph.D., Director of the Extramural Muscle Biology Program; and Anita Linde, recently appointed Special Assistant to the Director of the NIH Office of Communications and Public Liaison, were recognized at the NIH Annual Director’s Award Ceremony, as part of the team that fostered a national effort for research and discovery in muscular dystrophy.

From the Health Partnership Program…

Health Partnership Program (HPP) activities continue under the leadership of the Institute’s Scientific Director, Peter Lipsky, M.D. Below are current highlights.

NIAMS Community Health Center (CHC)

Since the opening of the NIAMS CHC in July 2001, we have enrolled over 900 new patients into the Natural History Study of Rheumatic Diseases in Minorities. Through collaborations with other NIH entities, NIAMS has brought new community research to the Washington, D.C., area through the CHC.

• The study Health Beliefs and Health Behaviors Among Minorities with Rheumatic Diseases, conducted by the NIH Clinical Center Department of Nursing, is currently in Phase II, conducting focus groups with patients and HPP community partners.
• NIAMS is collaborating with the NIH Clinical Center Department of Clinical Bioethics on a study that will look at views towards clinical research of people from multicultural communities.
• The National Cancer Institute (NCI) began seeing patients at the CHC in July under a new screening and referral study looking at various forms of cancer.

Community Meetings and Events

From June through September, NIAMS has participated in over 18 events, including the following local gatherings:

• The Alternative Medicine and Women’s Health Seminar
• University of the District of Columbia’s Bodywise Health Fair
• Unity 2004
• The National Black Nurses Association
• The 2004 Minority Women’s Health Summit
• The Senior Citizen’s Counseling and Delivery Services Elderfest
• The 4th Annual National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations
• The D.C. Office on Aging Elderfest
• The annual Tenants’ and Workers’ Support Committee Health Fair.

In June and July, staff from NIAMS’ Office of Communications and Public Liaison (OCPL) gave presentations on arthritis at three local senior centers in Washington, D.C.

Professional Meetings

On August 13, staff from OCPL gave an oral presentation at DHHS’ 2004 Minority Women’s Health Summit in Washington, D.C. The presentation was titled, “From the Ivory Tower to the Neighborhood: Increasing Awareness and Involvement in Health Disparities Research for Rheumatic Diseases.”

Update on Equal Employment Opportunity . . .

The 2004 Summer Student Program ended August 5 with a farewell ice cream social for 53 students. Among the highlights of their summer was a trip to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Center (Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Va.), and the IMAX movie, “Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk.” Students also participated in the Annual NIH Poster Day.

Four interns from the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) were placed in the NIAMS Office of the Director and the NIAMS Extramural Program. The WRP supports the President’s New Freedom Initiative and the goal to increase employment of people with disabilities in the private and public sectors.

The EEO Office participated in planning and implementing the 2004 program for the National Youth Initiative for Biomedical Research. The annual visit of African American youth was June 23-25; of Native American Youth, June 24-25; and of Hispanic Youth, July 15-16. Gregory Dennis, M.D., Director Clinical Care, IRP, gave a scientific presentation at the African American youth meeting on June 25. Students from all of the Youth Initiatives were given tours of NIAMS labs in Building 50.

The EEO Office collaborated with staff and faculty from Woodrow Wilson Senior High School and Wheaton High School (our new adopted school) to plan Adopt-a-School program activities for the 2004-2005 school year. Activities will include: mentoring programs, the annual Science Fair at Wilson High School, Groundhog Job Shadow Day, Career Day, and guest speakers for lunchtime seminars.

The EEO office is sending publications and/or plans to participate in the following meetings/events:

• Congressional Black Caucus, Washington, D.C., September 8-12
• Black Family Reunion, Washington, D.C., September 11-12
• Nanticoke Native American Powwow, Millsboro, Del., September 11-12
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities National Conference, Washington, D.C., September 12-13
• NIH Annual Orientation Fair, Bethesda, Md., September 14
• Native American Powwow Outreach Initiative - Healthier Indian Communities Through Partnerships and Prevention Summit Meeting, Washington, D.C., September 22-24
• Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, Austin, Tex., October 21-24
• Interagency Disability Educational Awareness Showcase, Washington, D.C., November 2-3
• Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, Dallas, Tex., November 10-14
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society, Anchorage, Alaska, November 11-14
• Wheaton High School Kick-Off of the Academy of Bioscience and Medicine, Wheaton, Md., November 17

Upcoming Events . . .

NIAMS sends an exhibit and publications to a number of meetings each year. Look for us at the following events between now and the January 2005 issue:

• 4th Annual National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Population, Washington, D.C., September 28-October 1
• Bureau of Engraving & Printing’s Annual Health Fair, Washington, D.C., October 13
• American College of Rheumatology Annual Conference, San Antonio, Tex., October 16-21
• George Washington University Health Expo, Washington, D.C., October 23
• Telemundo’s “La Feria del la Familia,” (The Family’s Fair), Washington, D.C., October 24

New Publications . . .

Handout on Health: Sports Injuries (booklet)
Q & A: Fibromyalgia (revised booklet)
Q & A: Sprains and Strains (revised booklet)
Looking for a Career in Biomedical Research? (bookmark)

For information on arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, including copies of the new publications listed above, contact:

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases NIAMS/National Institutes of Health
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
Phone: (301) 495-4484 or (877) 22-NIAMS (free call, in English or Spanish)
TTY: (301) 565-2966
Fax: (301) 718-6366
E-mail: NIAMSInfo@mail.nih.gov
World Wide Web: www.niams.nih.gov

For information on osteoporosis and other bone diseases, contact:

NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases ~ National Resource Center
1232 22nd Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037-1292
Phone: (202) 223-0344 or (800) 624-BONE (2663)
TTY: (202) 466-4315
Fax: (202) 293-2356
E-mail: orbdnrc@nof.org
World Wide Web: www.osteo.org

For general information on NIAMS and its research programs, contact:

Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases/NIH
Building 31/Room 4C02
31 Center Drive, MSC 2350
Bethesda, MD 20892-2350
Phone: (301) 496-8190 or (877) 22-NIAMS (free call)
TTY: (301) 565-2966
Fax: (301) 480-2814
E-mail (inquiries): NIAMSInfo@mail.nih.gov
E-mail (public liaison): NIAMSPublicLiaison@mail.nih.gov
World Wide Web: www.niams.nih.gov

Compiled by the Office of Communications and Public Liaison, NIAMS; phone: (301) 496-8190; e-mail: NIAMSInfo@mail.nih.gov