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Moen Joins NIGMS as Review Administrator

Dr. Laura K. Moen recently joined NIGMS as a scientific review administrator in the Office of Scientific Review, where she will manage the review of selected research training, program project, and center grant applications. She will also assist in the review of applications to the NIGMS Minority Biomedical Research Support Branch. She is a biochemist who comes to NIGMS from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, where she was an associate professor in the department of chemistry and biochemistry. Her research interests revolved around characterizing the mechanisms and function of the HTLV-1, HTLV-2 and HIV reverse transcriptases. She conducted postdoctoral research at Oregon State University and at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine under a fellowship from the University of California task force on AIDS.

NIAMS Council Gains Four

Four new members were recently named to the National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Advisory Council. They are Chris Allen, president and CEO of Family Road Care Centers in Detroit; Dr. John P. Atkinson, professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis; Dr. Paul R. Bergstresser, professor and chair of the department of dermatology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; and Jean Mandeville of Minneapolis, an advocate for increased public awareness of and medical research for bone diseases.

Allen oversees the development of a national outcome evaluation program at each center to measure morbidity and mortality of high-risk maternal and child health populations.

The goal of Atkinson's research is to further understanding of the origins of autoimmunity; for the past decade, his laboratory has focused on characterizing complement receptors and complement regulatory proteins.

Bergstresser's research focuses on the effects of ultraviolet B radiation on immunity in skin. He is a member of many professional societies, and is the former editor-in-chief of Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, and Photomedicine.

Mandeville is the parent of a young adult with osteogenesis imperfecta and has served as president, board member and chairman of the research and advocacy committee of the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation.

Nahin Directs Extramural NCCAM

Dr. Richard L. Nahin has been appointed the first director of the Division of Extramural Research Training and Review at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. He will direct the division responsible for fostering, designing and implementing the vast majority of the research and training in complementary and alternative medicine conducted or supported by the center, as well as the administration of all grant applications reviewed by NCCAM. Nahin received his undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of California in 1979, and his doctorate in neuroscience in 1985 at the same university. He joined NCCAM in 1996 as a program officer for extramural activities. He had served as acting director of DERTR since early 1999.

Melnick Is New AERB Chief

Dr. Sandra L. Melnick has been appointed chief of the Analytic Epidemiology Research Branch (AERB) in NCI's Epidemiology and Genetics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences. The branch identifies priorities and sponsors peer-reviewed extramural epidemiologic research in cancer etiology and modifying factors, nutritional epidemiology, infectious disease epidemiology, hormonal studies, molecular epidemiology, metabolic/enzymatic pathways, physical and chemical agents, and environmental epidemiology. Since joining NCI in 1996, Melnick has been program director for AIDS and infectious disease epidemiology in AERB, and acting chief of the branch. She previously was project officer of the U.S. Women's Interagency HIV Study at NIAID and coordinating chair for natural history and epidemiology, NIH Office of AIDS Research.

McNairy Named Associate Director at NCRR

Dr. Sidney A. McNairy, Jr., has been selected as associate director of research infrastructure (RI) at the National Center for Research Resources. He will oversee grant program activities that support the development of state-of-the-art biomedical research facilities, improve animal research facilities, expand and develop faculty research capabilities at predominantly minority institutions, and improve the public's understanding of science. He began his federal career in 1974 with the NIH Division of Research Resources, which became NCRR in 1990. Since 1994 he has directed NCRR's RI grant programs. Before coming to NIH, McNairy was professor of chemistry at Southern University, Baton Rouge, La., and guest research scientist at several private and federal organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Charles Pfizer, and Eli Lilly.

Marron Selected NCRR Associate Director

Dr. Michael T. Marron was recently selected associate director of biomedical technology at the National Center for Research Resources. He has an extensive background in both chemistry and physics. He has been with the Office of Naval Research since 1983, first as manager of the Molecular Biology Program, where he oversaw multidisciplinary extramural research programs, and then later as a program manager of laser medicine for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Most recently, he directed the Manufacturing Technology Program and was instrumental in developing the U.S. Navy's long-range strategy for science and technology investment. Marron will head NCRR's grant portfolio, which includes more than 60 Biomedical Technology Resource Centers nationwide, and NCRR's Shared Instrumentation Grants Program.