IUSM will contribute 289 new physicians from the Class of 2012 during commencement ceremonies at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 12, in the Indiana Convention Center Sagamore Ballroom.

Doctor of Medicine degree recipients will include 14 students completing dual degrees — seven with an M.D./MBA, six with an M.D./Ph.D., and one with an M.D./M.A. Saturday’s graduates will begin residencies in their chosen specialties this summer, with the length of that training ranging from two to seven years depending on the speciality.

IUSM also will confer 153 degrees in other areas of study, including 129 master’s degrees in health administration, public health, science, clinical research, translational science, medical science and 24 doctorates.

The keynote speaker will be Lewis R. First, M.D., professor and chair of pediatrics at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and chief of pediatrics at Vermont Children’s Hospital at Fletcher Allen Health Care. Following the presentation of diplomas by IUSM Dean Craig Brater, M.D., and the formal hooding ceremony, Indiana’s newest physicians will repeat in unison the time-honored Physician’s Oath, promising, among other things, to practice their profession “with conscience and dignity,” and to always consider the health of their patients first and foremost.

Among the many IUSM students to graduate on Saturday are:

Jennifer Trotter, 36, who is the third of her siblings to attend medical school at IUSM. Trotter, a former middle school teacher in Illinois and Colorado, is the mother of three daughters — an 8-year-old and a 6-year-old, and an 18-month-old born while she was a student — and one of 25 natural and foster siblings. Trotter said she was adopted at the age of 5 from a dysfunctional, single-parent family, along with her four natural siblings. Her parents, Bill and Linda Johnson, also adopted nine other children who were in foster care with the Johnsons. Trotter is pursuing a career in medicine in large part because of her family history. “I was surprised how little physicians knew of children who had a childhood like mine,” she said. “I want to work at an academic medical center in an area with a disadvantaged city patient population.” Trotter begins her training in emergency medicine this summer. To learn more about Trotter, see the Q-and-A in "Student Showcase."

Alexander Ondari, 29, a native of Kenya, whose medical school journey was made possible by his peer's generosity. After the death of his father in 2008, Ondari returned from the funeral in Kenya as guardian of his 16-year-old sister. When financial backing from an aunt fell through in summer 2009, he was on the verge of leaving school. Then 300 of his classmates joined forces and pledged $100 each to keep him in class, while close friends sought financial backers. “I was fortunate that within three days, they had raised $60,000,” he said. Ondari received support from five physicians who have co-signed loans to keep him in the classroom and help him support his sister, who is completing her sophomore year at Marian University. The vice president of his graduating class, Ondari will train as a surgery resident after graduation and ultimately plans to return to Kenya to practice medicine and develop medical education programs. He feels “medicine is more of a calling than just a career choice,” in part because of the obstacles he has overcome and the goodwill he has experienced while completing his education in the United States.

Victoria Fahrenbach, 29, who grew up near Lebanon, Ind., and attended Indianapolis’ Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School and Butler University. She entered IUSM in the fall of 2007 on the Indianapolis campus and, during her second year, won a prestigious summer research scholarship from the American Academy of Neurology. For her project, Fahrenbach designed a study to validate a type of test used by psychiatrists to determine whether the cerebellum portion of the brain is impaired in some cases of schizophrenia. The research stretched into a six-month project and delayed her return to medical school by a year. “Delaying my graduation to conduct research absolutely enhanced my medical school experience,” said Fahrenbach, who will receive her diploma Saturday, May 12, after which she will begin a residency in anesthesiology at Stanford University, where she aims to complete a Ph.D. through a special program for medical residents.

For a complete list of 2012 graduates, visit the Office of Medical Student Affairs website.

More than 120 IUSM alumni will celebrate their reunions during the 2012 Alumni Weekend, May 18 and 19. Alumni from the classes of 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, and 2002 will meet in Indianapolis for campus tours, educational programming and social gatherings, including the 65th Annual Strawberry Shortcake Luncheon.

Four alumni will be recognized for their achievements at the annual alumni awards program at 5:45 p.m. Friday, May 18, in Scholar’s Hall at University Place Conference Center and Hotel.

Robert Dittus, M.D., will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award. Dr. Dittus is director of the Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health, associate vice chancellor for public health and health care, and senior associate dean for population health sciences at Vanderbilt University. He also directs the Quality Scholars Program and is director of the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare. A 1978 IUSM graduate, Dr. Dittus also completed his residency in internal medicine at IU in 1982.

William Cast, M.D., will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award. Dr. Cast is an otolaryngologist from Fort Wayne and serves as chair of the IU Board of Trustees. He is a 1962 graduate of IUSM.

The Glenn W. Irwin Jr., M.D., Distinguished Faculty Award will be presented to two IUSM faculty:

Mary Ciccarelli, M.D., is associate professor of clinical medicine and pediatrics, associate chair for pediatric education and director of the Center for Youth and Adults with Conditions of Childhood at IUSM and Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. She completed her residency from IUSM in pediatrics and medicine in 1986.

John Kincaid, M.D., is the Kenneth L. and Selma G. Earnest Professor of Neurology at IUSM. Dr. Kincaid is a 1975 graduate of IUSM, and completed a residency in neurology in 1979.

Campus faculty, staff and students who wish to attend the awards reception on Friday, May 18, should contact the IUSM Alumni Association at IUSMalum@iupui.edu.

For more information on Alumni Weekend, including an event schedule and registration information, visit www.alumni.iupui.edu/alumniweekend.

Jennifer Trotter, 36, will graduate with a medical degree during the IUSM Commencement on Saturday, May 12. She is the third of her siblings to attend medical school in Indiana; all three entered the medical school as non-traditional students. Trotter is the mother of three daughters — an 8-year-old and a 6-year-old, and an 18-month-old born while she was a student — and is one of 25 natural and foster siblings. She begins her training in emergency medicine this summer.

Why did you decide to go into medicine? I love teaching. I taught middle schools for five years and decided to pursue my master's degree in curriculum and instruction while thinking about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I wanted to make a bigger impact than the 30 students I worked with for one year. My older brothers, who were both on their paths through medical school, encouraged me to consider medicine. I had never thought about being a doctor, but the idea that I could take care of patients and teach them about their bodies was exciting. Also, I think having the opportunity to teach medical students was enticing because I feel they are the best and brightest that society has to offer, and to have the privilege to teach them is a true honor.

What is your most memorable experience as an IUSM student? I don't have one specific memory, but I remember the patients. I have a special place in my heart for the patients at Wishard. They are my people.

What is the most valuable thing you learned during your studies? I think the most valuable lesson is that I can't know everything, but I need to try ... to never stop learning!

What was your greatest challenge as a medical student? Balancing my personal life with the challenges of medical school. I am a mother of three, a lieutenant in the National Guard and a non-science major; so the cards were stacked against me before I even began medical school. In addition, my second year of medical school was overwhelmed by my mother being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and dying, one of my brothers dying in a car accident, and having a complicated early pregnancy. I was able to recover academically, but knowing one's emotional limits is unfortunately a lesson best learned through experience. Also, learning that I can't do everything alone, and to lean on my family for emotional support, are valuable skills to master.

Who do you consider your most inspiring professors among the faculty? If I had to pick one person, it would be Javier Sevilla-Martir, M.D., assistant dean for diversity affairs and associate professor of clinical family medicine. He does it all: serving the poor in his clinic and teaching medical students not only about medicine but culture. He epitomizes the type of doctor we should all aspire to become because his goal is to teach patients how to better care for themselves, but does it through respecting their culture and where they come from.

What are your future plans? I will be an emergency medicine physician. I hope to pursue a fellowship and work as faculty in the academic setting teaching student doctors. However, I have to be at a residency program that serves the poor. I feel an obligation to be a steward to the poor and downtrodden. I came from poverty; I lived on food stamps; I know what it is to have no home and no food, and I think it is too easy for some physicians to forget about the conditions that their patients live in every day. 

Who will be in town to see you graduate? My parents, Bill and Linda Johnson; CJ, my best friend from high school; my husband, Scott; and our three children.

How does it feel to finally graduate? Like a weight has been lifted off my chest! I think it is a celebration for my entire family; we’ve been working hard for so long, and have overcome so much, I really can't think of one word that summarizes the joy and pride that I will feel. I am excited to finally have an opportunity to engage in self-motivated learning. I have to admit that being called a doctor will be pretty gratifying.

Aisha N. Davis and Renecia Watkins are the first IUSM student to be accepted into a new fellowship program for medical students who want to take a year off from their studies to earn a master’s in translational science.

The master’s in translational science degree program, established in August 2011 through collaboration between IUSM and Indiana Clinical and Translation Science Institute, was first open only to postdoctoral students with a medical, dental or doctoral degree, but recently expanded to include current medical students. The program covers all aspects of translational science, including cutting-edge genomic research, regulatory and ethical issues in basic biomedical and clinical research, clinical study design, data analysis, and statistical and mathematical modeling.

Davis will be studying the human papillomavirus types and cervical cancer specimens from women in the United States, Jamaica, Botswana and Kenya under the mentorship of Darron Brown, M.D., professor of medicine and microbiology and immunology, and Gregory Zimet, Ph.D., professor of pediatrics and clinical psychology. Watkins will be studying the effects of newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes on endothelial progenitor cell count and function in children under the mentorship of Linda DiMeglio, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics,; Laura Haneline, M.D., professor of pediatrics and micrology and immunology, and Janice Blum, Ph.D., IUPUI Chancellors Professor and professor of microbiology and immunology. Davis and Watkins will begin their studies this summer.

In addition, Xiaodong Peng, Ph.D., a biomedical informatics fellow at Regenstrief Institute, will be the first participant to graduate from the program this fall. He is one of four postdoctoral students to enroll in the first year of the program.

For more information, visit the Indiana CTSI.

New IUSM faculty hired between December 2011 and April 2012 are invited to breakfast with IUSM Dean Craig Brater, M.D., from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 15, in Fairbanks Hall, Room 5005.

This informal breakfast also provides an opportunity to meet the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development faculty and staff and learn about resources and programs available at the School of Medicine.

To register, visit faculty.medicine.iu.edu.

Stephan Viehweg, associate director of the Riley Child Development Center at the School of Medicine, has been named interim director of the IUPUI Center for Translating Research Into Practice. As interim director, he will lead the effort to identify and celebrate translational research on the IUPUI campus. His appointment is effective July 1.

Viehweg will maintain his position as a research associate in pediatrics and continue to lecture at the School of Social Work. He also will continue to oversee the Catie B. Project for Family Centered Care.

For more information, visit the IUPUI Newsroom.

The IUPUI Staff Council will meet from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, in the IUPUI Campus Center, Room 405C.

For more information, including future dates and locations, visit www.iupui.edu/~scouncil/meetings.

Gregory A. Petsko, Ph.D., will present “A New Approach to the Treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases” from 4 to 5 p.m. Monday, May 14, in the VanNuys Medical Science Building, Room 326.

Dr. Petsko is the Gyula and Katica Tauber Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry and chair of biochemistry at Brandeis University. He also serves as an adjunct professor of neurology at the Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School and is an associate member of the Tufts-New England Medical Center Cancer Center.

Refreshments will be served at 3:30 p.m. This event is presented by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Leonard Shultz, Ph.D., a professor with the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, will present “Humanized Mice: A Bridge to the Clinic” from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 17, in the VanNuys Medical Science Building, Room 326.

This event is presented by the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.

Kieren Mather, M.D., associate professor of medicine, will present “Design Considerations for a Clinical Trial for Beta Cell Preservation in Early Type 2 Diabetes” from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday, May 17, in the Daly Student Center, Room 185.

Refreshments will be served at 12:30 p.m. This event is presented by the IU Center for Diabetes Research.

Laura M. Calvi, M.D., will present a combined Indiana Bone and Mineral Study and Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research seminar from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 17, in the Cancer Research Building (R4), Room 101.

Dr. Calvi, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, will present “Therapeutic opportunities targeting complex regulatory interactions in the bone marrow.”

This event is presented by the IU Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.

Adrian Lynn Oblak, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in anatomy and neurobiology at Boston University School of Medicine, will present "The Brain's Structural Changes in Autism and Old Age" from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, May 21, in the Riley Outpatient Center auditorium.

This event is presented by the IUSM Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center.

Shanker Swaminathan, a doctoral student in the Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, will present a thesis defense presentation on “The Role of Genomic Copy Number Variation in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment” from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 23, in Walther Hall (R3), Room 203.

This event is supported by the Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics.

The Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute will host an online workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, May 24.

This workshop will focus on MetaMiner, a product designed for disease-specific analysis of metabolic pathway information from GeneGo, an online provider of genetic data related to biological pathway analyses, biomarker identification, disease profiling and drug targeting. GeneGo services are available to all faculty at Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame via a full license access agreement with the Indiana CTSI. To learn more about GeneGo access via the Indiana CTSI, visit this page. To learn more about MetaMiner, visit this page.

To participate in the meeting, visit this page, and enter the meeting number of 654 228 211. The meeting password is “Metaminer.”

To join the audio conference, call 877-384-0533 and enter “93302032” followed by the “#” sign. To add this event as a calendar item in Microsoft Outlook or other scheduling program, click here.

For assistance, visit this page and select “Support” from the left navigation bar.

Mark your calendars! The 2012 Behavioral Cooperative Oncology Group Annual Fall Conference on Team Science will be from Nov. 8 to 9 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Indianapolis. The keynote speaker will be Kara Hall, Ph.D., a program director at the National Cancer Institute.

The Behavioral Cooperative Oncology Group is a consortium of Indiana University, Michigan State, University of Michigan and Ohio State University. Co-sponsors of this year’s event also include the Walther Cancer Foundation, IU Simon Cancer Center, Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research at IUPUI.

The schedule for the submission of recommendations for promotions to be effective July 1, 2013, is:

• July 1, 2012: Submit tentative list to Dean's Office.
• July 6, 2012: Formal recommendations (original only), including all documentation, to be submitted to the Dean's Office.

The schedule for requests for sabbatical leaves (applicable to tenure-track faculty only) during academic year 2013-14 is:

• Oct. 12, 2012: Tentative list to be submitted to the Dean's Office
• Oct. 31, 2012: Applications to be submitted electronically to the Dean's Office

To access forms to be used for promotion recommendations, visit this page.

For sabbatical leave information, visit this page.

Please send all the completed forms for the above faculty actions to the attention of Lynn Wakefield, Fairbanks Hall 5100.

For more information, visit this page or email lwakefie@iupui.edu.

"Indiana Cancer Facts and Figures 2012" — the state’s only comprehensive report on the burden of cancer — has been released online. The report was unveiled during the 2012 Indiana Cancer Consortium  Annual Meeting, “Hot Topics in Cancer Prevention and Control," on April 27.

A collaborative effort of the Indiana Cancer Consortium, the American Cancer Society Great Lakes Division and the Indiana State Department of Health, "Indiana Cancer Facts and Figures 2012" is the third edition of the burden report, with previous publications released in 2003 and 2006.

It includes the most up-to-date cancer information available and identifies current cancer trends and their potential impact on Indiana residents and significantly helps the ICC measure Indiana’s progress toward meeting the goals and objectives outlined in the "Indiana Cancer Control Plan 2010-2014." The plan was created as a roadmap for comprehensive cancer control in six focus areas including primary prevention, early detection, treatment, quality of life, data access and advocacy.

In Indiana, nearly 30,000 residents are diagnosed with cancer annually, and two out of five people will eventually develop a form of cancer during their lifetime. Cancer professionals and advocates are encouraged to utilize the data and strategies within the publication to educate and lead for policy and behavioral changes that promote healthier lifestyles among Hoosiers. 

In addition, an infograph that depicts the burden of specific cancer types on Indiana residents has been developed by the Indiana Cancer Consortium. To see the infograph or access a code to embed the infograph on another website, visit this page.

To download Indiana Cancer Facts and Figures 2012, visit this page.

IUSM is seeking volunteer instructors to facilitate a technique-focused, procedural skills training day for incoming third-year medical students on June 12 in the Simulation Center at Fairbanks Hall, Room 4100.

This event will educate more than 300 incoming third-year students about common procedural skills before they are encountered during clinical experiences. Volunteer instructors are needed to teach peripheral IV access, airway management, arterial puncture and Foley Catheter insertion. Faculty, resident and inter-professional instructors from various IUSM departments and other units on campus are sought to assist with this training effort.

Volunteers should consider this event a once-a-year endeavor. The preferred time commitment is at least a four-hour block, either from 8 a.m. to noon or 1 to 5 p.m. Educational materials, structure of the sessions, materials and other information will be provided.

For more information or to volunteer, email ahumbert@iupui.edu and indicate skills station interest and preferred time.

VITAS Innovative Hospice of Northwest Indiana is seeking patient care volunteers from the IUSM-Northwest medical education center spend time with terminally ill patients and their caregivers during a critical period. After completing orientation, volunteers provide respite for caregivers, offer companionship for the patient, run errands and help in small but meaningful ways. Assignments and schedules are made according to the volunteer’s preferences.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Brendan Bird at 219-791-0561 or brendan.bird@vitas.com.

This week marked the start of the fifth season of the Farmers Market at Wishard, which offers a selection of fresh and local produce, fresh baked goods, plants and honey products and other market items.

The market takes place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each Tuesday, through Sept. 4, along the perimeter of the Wishard Wellness Gardens behind the Bryce Building at Wishard Memorial Hospital. Signs are displayed providing to the location.

The Farmers' Market at Wishard is part of the iWishard Wellness program.

For more information, call 317-630-7374.

This week on "Sound Medicine," an IU surgeon and director of the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Wishard Health Services will talk about how "spray-on skin" can change the lives of burn victims. In addition, an ophthalmologist at the Glick Eye Institute will discuss how certain old-age afflictions, such as memory loss and slowed reaction time, may be the result of aging eyes; a women's health expert explores the connection between cardiovascular disease and aspirin; and the author of “I Always Sit With My Back Against the Wall” discusses the effect of post-traumatic stress disorder on veterans.

"Sound Medicine," an award-winning radio program that covers controversial ethics topics, breakthrough research studies and the day-to-day application of recent advancements in medicine, is co-produced by IUSM and WFYI Public Radio and underwritten by IU Health Physicians and IUPUI. The program next airs at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 13, on WFYI 90.1 FM, and is also available via podcast and Stitcher Radio for mobile phones and iPads. Reports on Primary Health Care topics are sponsored by Wishard Health Services.

For more information on this episode, visit the IUSM Newsroom, or visit the "Sound Medicine" website.

The Research in Palliative and End-of-Life Communication and Training (RESPECT) Center has issued a call for pilot proposals to facilitate the development of research focused on improved communication and decision-making for patients facing serious or advanced illness.

The RESPECT Center will fund one pilot project — up to $15,000 — with a starting date of July 1. All teaching and research faculty at IUPUI who are qualified to apply for NIH funding are eligible to apply for this pilot grant opportunity. Preference will be given to new investigators and to research that fosters trans-disciplinary collaboration. The goal of this grant is to generate preliminary data that will facilitate investigators competing successfully for extramural research funding.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Monday, May 21, to Laura Holtz, RESPECT Center project manager, at holtzl@iupui.edu.

For complete application details, visit this page or contact Laura Holtz at 317-423-5602 or holtzl@iupui.edu.

The state of Indiana is seeking applications for its 2012 Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Fund research award program. This program supports research for the prevention, treatment and cure of spinal cord and brain injuries, including acute management, medical complications, rehabilitative techniques and neuronal recovery.

The maximum amount for these grants is $60,000 per year for up to two years. Applicants must be affiliated with an Indiana-based research institution or organization, but national and international collaborations are encouraged. This grant is administered for the state of Indiana by the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute.

Application deadline is 5 p.m. Monday, May 21.

To access complete application information, including eligibility guidelines, submission forms and a proposals presentation checklist, visit www.indianactsi.org/grants. Log in using your institutional username and password and select “Indiana Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Fund Grant Program - 2012.05 (SCBI).”

Application are also available at www.in.gov/isdh/23657.htm.

For more information, contact Lisa Dinsmore at info@indianactsi.org.

The Center of Excellence in Cardiovascular Research is seeking application for grants to support clinical and translational cardiovascular research projects. The research projects must be relevant to cardiovascular disease and provide information to enhance an application for a larger extramurally funded research activity.

The maximum amount for this grant is $80,000 per year for up to two years. Applicants must have an Indiana University faculty appointment, or demonstrate a close link to the IU Health Cardiovascular Programs. IU Health physicians with affiliate appointments are eligible to apply.

Faculty from Indiana CTSI partner institutions (Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame) are eligible to apply if the study is linked to IU Health facilities. The submission deadline for letters of intent is 5 p.m. Monday, June 18, and applications are due by 5 p.m. Monday, July 2.

To access complete application information, including eligibility guidelines, submission forms and a proposals presentation checklist, visit www.indianactsi.org/grants. Log in using your institutional username and password and select “Center of Excellence in Cardiovascular Research: Research Grants - 2012.07.”

For more information, email info@indianactsi.org.

The Fairbanks Institute for Healthy Communities is seeking applications for the purchase of phenotypic-rich biospecimens from INbank. Awards for the purchase of specimens is based out scientific funding that could generate extramural funding or novel intellectual property.

The maximum amount for this award is $50,000, with several awards to be distributed based on the number and type of biospecimens requested. Full-time faculty with a rank of assistant professor and above from Indiana University, Purdue University or the University of Notre Dame are eligible to apply.

The submission deadline for letters of intent is 5 p.m. Friday, June 29, and applications are due by 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 1.

To access complete application information, including eligibility guidelines, submission forms and a proposals presentation checklist, visit www.indianactsi.org/grants. Log in using your institutional username and password and select “Fairbanks Institute: Funding for the Purchase of Phenotypic-rich Biospecimens - 2012.10.”

More information about the Fairbanks Institute is available at www.fairbanksinstitute.org.

For more information, email info@indianactsi.org.

The IU Office of the Vice Provost for Research and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research offer weekly digests containing information about funding opportunities including those that limit the number of allowable pre-proposal or proposal submissions.

Funding opportunity categories include the sciences, limited submissions, technology and multidisciplinary:

• Sciences
• Limited Submissions
• Multidisciplinary
• Technology

To subscribe to these updates by email, visit this page.

Awards for best poster presentations were given to students, fellows, and faculty conducting cancer research at IUSM, IUPUI, IU Bloomington, Purdue University, and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, a collaboration between IUSM and the University of Notre Dame, who participated in Cancer Research Day on May 9 in the IUPUI Campus Center.

Cash awards for best posters by graduate students, post-doctoral/medical fellows, research technicians, and clinical nurses in all three research categories were selected. The awardees are:

• Basic science, graduate student: Sara Ghassemifar (first place), Hoa Nguyen (second) and Keith Stayrook (third). Honorable mentions: Christopher Batuello, Raju Rayavarapu and Eva Tonsing-Carter.
• Basic science, postdoctoral/medical fellow: Jumpei Teramachi & Richard Gallo (first place) and Ana Jakimenko. Honorable mentions: Timmy Mani and Safi Shahda.
• Basic science (translational/clinical research), research technicians: Kristen Dusenbury (first place) and Inha Jo (second)
• Translational/clinical research (population science/epidemiology), graduate student: Jonathan Mehtala (first place), Kelly Holohan (second) and Ecaterina Pestereva (third). Honorable mentions: Susan Conroy and Serena Pearce
• Translational/clinical research (population science/epidemiology), postdoctoral/medical fellow: Jodi Skiles (first place), Patricia Juarez (second) and Candice Sauder. Honorable mentions: Yaser Homsi and Nazmul Huda.
• Behavorial science, graduate student: Shannon Christy (first place).
  

This annual event is designed to increase understanding and awareness of IU Simon Cancer Center research endeavors and encourage collaboration with other cancer research institutions in Indiana.

Christopher Callahan, M.D., Cornelius and Yvonne Pettinga Professor in Aging Research and director of the IU Center for Aging Research, is the recipient of a Health Advocate Award from the American Occupational Therapy Association. Dr. Callahan received the award April 28 during the association’s 92nd Annual Conference and Expo in Indianapolis. The award recognizes “extraordinary contributions of national significance” to the advancement of health promotion, health care or both. Dr. Callahan was recognized as a health advocate for his patient-centered approach to his work with older adults with dementia and depression, including developing interventions that maintain and improve everyday function of elders.

Anantha Shekhar, M.D., Ph.D., as associate dean for translational research and Raymond E. Houk Professor of Psychiatry and Professor of Neurobiology and Pharmacology, has been named president of the Association for Clinical and Translational Science. ACTS was formed this year following the merger of three scientific societies: the Society for Clinical and Translational Science, the Association for Clinical Research Training and the Association for Patient-Oriented Research. The merger of these three prestigious organizations, which are focused on various aspects of translational science, will help the translational medicine community speak with a louder, more unified voice on policy issues, such as encouraging continued government support of scientific research. Dr. Shekhar also serves as director of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. The appointment was made during the group’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., April 18 to 20.

The fourth edition of “Clinical Hematology Atlas,” a spiral bound reference for peripheral blood morphology by Bernadette Rodak, M.S., MLS, professor of clinical laboratory sciences and pathology, and Jacqueline Carr, M.S., a laboratory manager at IU Health, was published by Elsevier in April 2012.  The atlas is available in multiple languages, including Polish, Korean and Spanish.

The Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute will be present to educate the public about the important role they can play in clinical research during the March of Dimes “March for Babies” walk-a-thon from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, May 12, starting at White River State Park, 801 W. Washington St.

Representatives from INresearch, an online volunteer registry developed by the Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute to increase access to information and participation in clinical trials at IUSM, will pass out information and water bottles to walkers on the canal as they trace a 3.1-mile route through downtown. The money raised by walkers for the March for Babies fund supports important research and programs that help babies begin healthy lives. For more information, visit this page.

To learn more about INresearch, visit INresearch.org.