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In the News
February 2005
February 28 update.
Drug Delivery Systems
NBC-TV affiliates ý Feb., 2005
Peter Swaan, PhD, associate professor, School of Pharmacy, discussed the latest advancements and developments in drug-delivery systems.
Suit Seeks Tighter Federal Salt Regulations
Atlanta Journal-Constitution ý Feb. 25
Seeking to force a reduction in the levels of sodium that Americans consume, the Center for Science in the Public Interest is suing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The suit cites a commentary in the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) contending that 150,000 lives would be saved annually if sodium levels in the food supply were cut in half. "Unfortunately, a lifetime of eating too much salt is putting Americans' lives in jeopardy," says Stephen Havas, MD, professor, School of Medicine. Havas was the lead author of the AJPH commentary.
Surgeons Insert Tube to Help Pope Breathe
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 25
On Feb. 24, doctors in Rome performed a tracheotomy on Pope John Paul II. The tracheotomy goes a step beyond a nonsurgical intubation, which physicians say is the least-invasive method of helping a patient breathe. Rodney Taylor, MD, assistant professor, School of Medicine, and a head and neck surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center, discusses the procedure and the treatment options that have been reported from Rome.
www.baltimoresun.com
UMB Smiling Over Tooth Technology
Baltimore Business Journal - Feb. 18
Gary Hack, DDS, assistant professor, Dental School, and Leonard Litkowski, DDS, associate professor, Dental School, are co-creators of NovaMin, a substance that helps rebuild tooth minerals. Their new technology, and the spin-off company that NovaMin has spawned, are profiled.
baltimore.bizjournals.com
February 25 update.
A Better Pill to Swallow?
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 25
It's unlikely Americans will return in numbers to aspirin as the pain reliever and anti-inflammatory medication of choice, not only because of the risk of internal bleeding but also because the newer drugs only have to be taken once a day, helping what doctors call "compliance." Says William Henrich, MD, professor, School of Medicine, "Time will tell whether people will be able to tolerate aspirin as they did 20 years ago. Twenty years ago, people had to tolerate it. I'm not sure they will with the newer drugs available."
www.baltimoresun.com
Lawmakers Consider Renaming BWI After Marshall
Associated Press - Feb. 24
Maryland lawmakers are considering renaming Baltimore-Washington International Airport after Thurgood Marshall. "We have many facilities named in honor of former governors, legislators, and other state officials," says Larry Gibson, LLB, professor, School of Law. Thurgood Marshall filed a lawsuit against the University of Maryland for not admitting a black friend to the School of Law. After the victory, a series of court cases challenged segregation, culminating in the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.
www.baltimoresun.com
Prosecutors Say Virginia Man Not Tortured
Washington Post - Feb. 24
Federal prosecutors have denied that an American student charged in an al Qaeda plot to kill President Bush was tortured in Saudi Arabia and called him a "grave danger" to the United States. The student's name is Ahmed Omar Abu Ali. Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law, and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, called the Abu Ali prosecution "very messy." He said the case might not even have been prosecuted if not for a lawsuit, filed by Abu Ali's family against the government, seeking Abu Ali's return to the U.S.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 23 update.
Assassination Plot; Eminent Domain Case
WUSA-TV, Ch. 9, 9 a.m. - Feb. 23
A man has been indicted for his alleged role in a plot to assassinate President Bush. Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case involving the use of eminent domain by the city of New London, Conn., to acquire privately owned homes that the city says it needs as sites for privately developed offices, hotels, and parking. Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law, discussed both developments.
CDC Explores Pregnancy-Homicide Link
Washington Post - Feb. 23
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that homicide is a leading cause of traumatic death among new and expectant mothers, with higher risks for women who are younger than 20 or black. It was the CDC's first national look at pregnancy and homicide. Cara J. Krulewitch, PhD, assistant professor, School of Nursing, calls the CDC findings significant. "Homicide was second on the list of injuries," she said. "It wasn't falls. It wasn't suicides. It wasn't anything else."
www.washingtonpost.com
Gunshot Residue Evidence
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 23
A Baltimore judge has rejected the use of gunshot residue evidence, saying he believes that a city lab analyst's conclusion fell short of accepted scientific standards. The ruling could affect dozens, if not hundreds, of other city shooting cases. Jerry Deise, JD, professor, School of Law, is quoted extensively.
www.baltimoresun.com
Interpol Chief Warns of Bioterrorism Attack Threat
WTOP Radio, 8:30 a.m. - Feb. 23
The threat of a biological terrorist strike by al Qaeda is very real but the world is still not prepared, says Ronald Noble, head of Interpol. "The terrorist threat is as real today as in 2001 when September 11 occurred," Noble told the BBC. Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law, discussed Noble's warning.
Steering Seniors to Better Driving
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 2
The AAA-Mid-Atlantic driving club has organized a pilot program aimed at helping the elderly stay behind the wheel. The third of four classes offered was to be a presentation by the School of Pharmacy and an opportunity for seniors to meet one-on-one with a visiting pharmacist to review their medications.
February 22 update.
In Maryland, New Threats Loom in the Battle Against AIDS
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 21
New York's alert that a gay man had become ill with a possible super strain of HIV has left experts eager for clues that could show whether the strain poses a real or imagined threat to public health. Many observers feel that the case has revealed an enemy at work: the waning of safe-sex practices. Robert Gallo, MD, director of the Institute of Human Virology and professor, School of Medicine, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com
Partnership Leads to Product That May Help Teeth, Revenues
Daily Record - Feb. 21
Gary Hack, DDS, assistant professor, Dental School, and Leonard Litkowski, DDS, associate professor, Dental School, are co-creators of NovaMin, a substance that helps to rebuild tooth minerals. Their new technology, and the spinoff company that NovaMin has spawned, are profiled. Hack and Litkowski are pictured.
The Good News
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 21
The city of Baltimore is improving at its core. Mature commercial development is staying steady. Colleges are adding researchers, and some universities, such as the University of Maryland, Baltimore, are adding students and staff to the city's neighborhoods.
www.baltimoresun.com
February 21 update.
Ehrlich Targets Witness Threats
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 9
In an effort to target some of Maryland's most violent criminals, Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr.'s legislative agenda this year includes a bill that would give prosecutors broader powers to go after anyone who intimidates or harms witnesses. Witness intimidation is a chronic problem in Baltimore that stymies many of the city's homicide cases. Says Michael Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law, "The goal is laudable, but there are too many problems with (the bill's) approach. The system will encourage people to be unavailable for trial and encourage police not to find them."
www.baltimoresun.com
Justice Denied Should Lead to Broad Reform
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 20
Walter Arvinger, convicted for a murder he did not commit, returned home to his family in Baltimore after 35 years in prison. Gov. Ehrlich commuted his life sentence as a result of the efforts by Michael A. Millemann, JD, professor, School of Law, and about 20 students from the School's Clinical Law Office. These efforts and their implications are profiled by columnist C. Fraser Smith.
www.baltimoresun.com
New Drug Panel Has Challenges Before It
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 19
A proposed Drug Safety Oversight Board, and a Web page to provide new information quickly to physicians and consumers, would be one way the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is able to help consumers weigh the emerging risks and benefits of drugs on the market. "I think most people assume drugs are just 'safe,' and that's really not the criteria being used. It's a really hard balancing act," says Sheila Weiss Smith, PhD, associate professor, School of Pharmacy and adjunct professor, School of Medicine.
www.baltimoresun.com
February 18 update.
Blackwell is Convicted of Molesting Teen Stokes
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 18
Maurice Blackwell, the former priest of St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in West Baltimore, was convicted on Feb. 17 of molesting a parish choirboy, who years later shot him. Abraham Dash, JD, professor, School of Law, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com
Negroponte Appointment
Baltimore Sun ý Feb. 18
WTOP Radio ý Feb. 17
President Bush has made career diplomat John Negroponte his surprise selection to the new post of director of national intelligence. Analysts have said the person named would have to be able to hold his or her own in turf battles with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law, and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, says Negroponte does not have the intelligence background the job requires and "he lacks the stature to go 'mano a mano' with Rumsfeld."
www.baltimoresun.com
Students Prepare for Brain Bee
Fox 45, WBFF-TV, 10 p.m. ý Feb. 17
Norbert R. Myslinski, PhD, associate professor, Dental School, and Norman Capra, PhD, graduate program director, Dental School, were interviewed and featured during the Baltimore Brain Bee. The event was held on Feb. 17 at the Maryland Science Center.
Witness Intimidation Bill
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11 6 p.m., 11 p.m. ý Feb. 17
Legislators in Annapolis are considering a bill that will make it easier for witnesses to testify in murder cases with less fear of retaliation and intimidation. Jerry Deise, JD, professor, School of Law, was interviewed.
February 16 update.
FDA Begins Public Hearings on Painkillers
National Public Radio, "Morning Edition" - Feb. 16
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is holding three days of hearings on the safety of painkillers such as Vioxx and Celebrex. Consumer advocates and politicians have sharply criticized the agency for its handling of safety questions regarding these painkillers. Frank Palumbo, PhD, JD, professor, School of Pharmacy, and director of its Center on Drugs and Public Policy, was interviewed.
www.npr.org
Judges Order Two Reporters to Testify on Leak
WUSA-TV, Ch. 9, 9 a.m. - Feb. 16
Reporters at the New York Times and Time magazine may be jailed if they continue to refuse to answer questions before a grand jury about their confidential conversations with government sources regarding the leak of a covert CIA officer's identity, a federal appeals court ruled. Michael Greenberger, JD, professor, School of Law, and director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, discussed the case.
February 15 update.
Drug Delivery Systems
KSDK-TV, St. Louis ý Feb. 14
Peter Swaan, PhD, associate professor, School of Pharmacy, discussed the latest advancements and developments in drug-delivery systems.
Dying Man Does Homework, Finds Way to Beat Liver Disease
Arizona Republic - Feb. 15
Gary Boland, an Arizona resident who required a liver transplant, learned from doctors in the School of Medicine that a strong young man would make the best candidate as an organ donor. Successful surgery ultimately was performed at University of Maryland Medical Center.
www.azcentral.com
N.Y. City Mayor Backs Health Commissioner
Newsday - Feb. 15
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that it was better to be early than late in informing the public about a dangerous "super strain" of HIV found resistant to drugs. City officials have been accused of acting prematurely in sounding a public alarm last week. On Feb. 12, Robert Gallo, MD, director of the Institute of Human Virology and professor, School of Medicine, said that city officials had jumped the gun when they announced that an unidentified man had contracted the 3-DCR HIV strain.
www.newsday.com
February 14 update.
AIDS Alert Draws Criticism
Newsday ý Feb. 14
International Herald-Tribune ý Feb. 14
New York Times ý Feb. 12
A day after sounding an alarm that a New York City man had contracted an extremely rare and dangerous strain of HIV that turns quickly into full-blown AIDS and resists most drugs, the city's public health officials found themselves under fire from top AIDS researchers. Robert Gallo, MD, director of the Institute of Human Virology and professor, School of Medicine, said that New York City officials had jumped the gun when they announced that the unidentified man had contracted the 3-DCR HIV strain.
www.newsday.com
Hospitals Throughout Maryland See Outbreak of Flu Cases
Baltimore Sun ý Feb. 12
Emergency rooms throughout Maryland have been taxed to capacity by an influx of patients complaining of seasonal illness. "Winter is busier. We've been crowded but not overwhelmed," says Dick Kuo, MD, assistant professor, School of Medicine, and medical director of the adult emergency room at University of Maryland Medical Center.
www.baltimoresun.com
Popular ADHD Drug Comes Under Greater Scrutiny from U.S. Parents
USA TODAY ý Feb. 14
Parents whose children take Adderall XR for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) face a dilemma this week: whether to let their kids stay on a medicine that could be unsafe when experts say there is a lack of long-term research to guide the decision. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a public health advisory on its Web site. However, children with heart defects could be at higher risk. Parents are making decisions about stimulants such as Adderall XR with few facts, says Julie Magno Zito, MS, PhD, associate professor, School of Pharmacy, and School of Medicine.
February 11 update.
C.I.A. Interrogator's Defense to Cite Bush at Brutality Trial
New York Times ý Feb. 11
A contract interrogator for the Central Intelligence Agency, charged with beating an Afghan prisoner who died the next day, is basing his defense in part on statements by President Bush and other officials that called for tough action to prevent terrorist attacks and protect American lives. Michael Greenberger, JD, director, Center for Health and Homeland Security and professor, School of Law, discusses the case.
Cooling the Notion of Perfect Temperature
Baltimore Sun ý Feb. 11
Celebrated in song and enshrined for more than a century in schoolbooks and medical texts, 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit is the benchmark many of us use to determine who goes to school or work and who stays in bed. However, that number is apparently a medical myth. Philip Mackowiak, MD, professor, School of Medicine, an infectious disease specialist and fever researcher at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, has conducted the first major examination of body temperature in more than a century. He is quoted extensively.
www.baltimoresun.com
Dental School to Raise Funds for New Facility, UMB Head Says
Baltimore Sun ý Feb. 11
President David J. Ramsay, DM, DPhil, told state lawmakers on Feb. 10 that the University of Maryland, Baltimore, intends to fund the $16 million needed for its new Dental School through donations and equipment discounts rather than with a loan. Christian Stohler, DMD, Dr Med Dent, dean, Dental School, is cited.
www.baltimoresun.com
February 10 update.
FDA Backs New Ban on Blood Donations
Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Feb. 9
Scientific advisers recommended Tuesday that the government ban blood donations from anyone who has received transfusions in France since 1980, a reflection of continuing concern about the spread of "mad cow" disease in the United States. Robert Rohwer, PhD, associate professor, School of Medicine.
State Runs Hard in Race for Biotech Business
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 8
Some leaders in the technology businesses, especially the life sciences, are concerned about the progress Maryland is making in the biotechnology sector. The state dropped to a No. 4 ranking as a biotech area last year in a report by the accounting firm Ernst & Young. However, in a letter to the editor, Greater Baltimore Committee President Donald Fry writes that the state's biotech sector is much healthier than a Sun story on Feb. 3 would indicate.
www.baltimoresun.com
Toilet Phobia Tackled
Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia) - Feb. 9
Severe cases of shy bladder syndrome can have a devastating effect on the lives of people who suffer from the condition, says Steven Soifer, PhD, an associate professor in the School of Social Work and president of the International Paruresis Association. Soifer is quoted extensively.
West Side Leads City's Resurgence
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 10
Baltimore's long-struggling west side is outperforming the rest of downtown, including the waterfront, on job gains and some other measures of economic vitality. It is a sign that redevelopment efforts are gaining traction. The west side added 130 jobs between summer 2003 and summer 2004, "largely because of expansion at the University of Maryland, Baltimore." The UMB BioPark is cited.
www.baltimoresun.com
February 9 update.
Baltimore Streets Meaner, but Message is Mixed
New York Times - Feb. 9
Even as the murder rate in Baltimore creeps up, city officials say the overall crime rate has steadily fallen and that the city is more free from crime for the law-abiding majority than it has been in decades. However, some experts object to police officials' assertions that it's only the drug dealers who are in grave danger on the meaner streets. "We get patients in our hospital who are shot while they lay on their couches," says Carnell Cooper, MD, assistant professor of surgery, School of Medicine, and a surgeon at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.
High School Sports Not Immune to Steroid Problem
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 9
Sports columnist John Eisenberg profiles the growing story of steroid abuse in sports amid reports that a book by former Major League Baseball star Jose Canseco will contain accusations of rampant steroid use by the game's greatest stars. The use and abuse of steroids by high school athletes is also "startlingly pervasive," Eisenberg writes. Says Tony Tommasello, PhD, associate professor, director of the Office of Substance Studies, School of Pharmacy, "If you can get away with it and it gives you an edge, our world is becoming so competitive that people are going to do it."
www.baltimoresun.com
Migraine Affecting Vision is Tied to Stroke Risk
Detroit Free Press - Feb. 9
Women with migraines that cause vision changes are more likely to suffer a stroke than those without a history of the severe headaches, researchers have reported. Steven Kittner, MD, professor, School of Medicine, presented the researchers' findings at a meeting of the American Stroke Association.
www.freep.com
Proving Criminal Intent in Asbestos Case Won't Be Easy
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 9
Business columnist Jay Hancock discusses Monday's federal indictment of W.R. Grace & Co. It is the first attempt in the United States to hold a manufacturer of asbestos-containing products criminally liable for health and environmental harm, experts say. ýJudges are reluctant to apply to someone that kind of (criminal) responsibility when they didn't actually write down on a piece of paper, 'I know I'm doing wrong and I don't care,'" says Rena Steinzor, JD, professor, School of Law, and director of the Schoolýs environmental law clinic.
www.baltimoresun.com
February 8 update.
Baltimore Biotech Gains in Diabetes Fight
Daily Record - Feb. 8
Researchers in the School of Medicine have found a way to prevent rats from developing Type 1 diabetes by blocking a protein that regulates the intestine. About half of the people with diabetes have increased levels of zonulin, a protein that regulates the permeability of the intestine by opening and closing specialized structures that act like gates between cells, says Alessio Fasano, MD, professor, School of Medicine, the researcher who discovered the protein.
Biotechnology Business 'Profectus' Started by Gallo
Baltimore Business Journal - Feb. 4
AIDS researcher Robert Gallo, MD, director of the Institute of Human Virology and professor, School of Medicine, has started a biotechnology business based on the institute's work. Profectus Biosciences Inc. will develop and commercialize products to treat human viral diseases and cancers. The company has licensed HIV vaccine technology from the state's University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, home to the Institute of Human Virology. Profectus is located at a University of Maryland business incubator in College Park. UMBI president Jennie Hunter-Cevera, PhD, is quoted.
baltimore.bizjournals.com
Lawsuit Takes Aim at Ex-Bosses of Allfirst
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 6
This week, two lawsuits from shareholders who contend that higher-ups at the financial institution formerly known as Allfirst Bank should have known about and policed the $690 million trading scandal will be merged into a 70-page complaint in federal court in New York. "There is this desire on the part of judges and certainly the public to impose a heightened standard on (corporate) directors and officers to ensure they know more about their companies," says Lisa Fairfax, JD, professor, School of Law.
www.baltimoresun.com
Migraine Affecting Vision is Tied to Stroke Risk
KING.com (Seattle) - Feb. 4
Women with migraines that cause vision changes are more likely to suffer a stroke than those without a history of the severe headaches, researchers have reported. Steven Kittner, MD, professor, School of Medicine, emphasizes that the incidence of stroke in young women (about one in 5,000 every year) is low.
Teens Put Their Brains to Use in Competition
Hartford Courant ý Feb. 6
The Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science Regional Brain Bee tested high school students' knowledge of neuroscience, emotions, memory, sensations, sleep, and neurological disorders. Winners of the roughly 30 local brain bees around the country compete in the final rounds at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, scheduled for March 18-19
www.courant.com
UM Law Students, Faculty Honored at MLK Ceremony
WPFW Radio - 9:45 a.m., Feb. 4
Freed prisoner Walter Arvinger and his family came to the University of Maryland, Baltimore, for a ceremony involving the students and faculty who worked on his case for 18 months and helped to secure the commutation of his sentence by Gov. Ehrlich. They were honored with Diversity Recognition awards at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr./Black History Month celebration. Renee Hutchins, JD, assistant professor, School of Law, was interviewed.
February 7 update.
Black AIDS Day to Target Growing Crisis
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 6
Black AIDS Day, which takes place on Feb. 7, is designated by activists to draw attention to the scourge of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in black America. A new report from the Los Angeles-based Black AIDS Institute called "The Time is Now" underscores the problem by using statistics, suggestions for funding reform, and personal stories. William Blattner, MD, professor, School of Medicine, associate director, Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com
Former Judge Faults Mayor on Race Issues
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11 - 11 p.m., Feb. 3
The Hon. George Russell, Jr., JD, a 1954 graduate of the School of Law, was the keynote speaker at the annual commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month held at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Russell became the first African-American to sit on the Circuit Court in Maryland in 1966 and on the state appellate court in 1967. The School honored Russell with its Distinguished Graduate Award in 2000. During his speech, Russell said that Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and the city's other political leaders have failed to speak out against racial injustice.
Stem Cell Showdown Looms in Annapolis
Washington Post - Feb. 6
The divisive national debate over embryonic stem cell research was set to arrive in Annapolis this week, when Maryland lawmakers were expected to introduce legislation to spend state money on science that the federal government refuses to fund. The legislation calls for Maryland to spend $25 million a year on research that has been restricted by President Bush at the federal level. The $25 million is relatively modest but, "It will signal that Maryland is open for business," says Barry Handwerger, MD, professor, School of Medicine, who has Parkinson's disease.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 4 update.
Former Judge Faults Mayor on Race Issues
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 4
The Hon. George Russell, Jr., JD, a 1954 graduate of the School of Law, was the keynote speaker at the annual commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month held at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Russell became the first African-American to sit on the Circuit Court in Maryland in 1966 and on the state appellate court in 1967. The School honored Russell with its Distinguished Graduate Award in 2000. During his speech, Russell said that Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and the city's other political leaders have failed to speak out against racial injustice.
www.baltimoresun.com
Migraine Affecting Vision is Tied to Stroke Risk
Baltimore Sun ý Feb. 4
Women with migraines that cause vision changes are more likely to suffer a stroke than those without a history of the severe headaches, researchers have reported. Steven Kittner, MD, professor, School of Medicine, emphasizes that the incidence of stroke in young women (about one in 5,000 every year) is low.
www.baltimoresun.com
New Hope for Heart Patients
Baltimore Sun ý Feb. 4
A landmark study has shown for the first time that patients with mild and moderate heart disease may be able to live longer with implantable defibrillators that shock chaotic heartbeats into normal rhythms. R.E. Hood, MD, assistant professor, School of Medicine, is quoted.
www.baltimoresun.com
The Gray Area Between Food and Drug
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 4
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has published an 84-page document that sets priorities for future research, including managing pain, enhancing physical and mental health, and preventing disease. "They're saying we need to look at complex systems of care, like Chinese medicine as a whole, rather than any individual aspect of it," says Brian Berman, MD, professor, School of Medicine.
www.baltimoresun.com
February 3 update.
A Killer Worth Fighting
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 3
State support for research into smoking-related illnesses, funded with part of Maryland's share of the historic $243-billion national settlement with the tobacco industry, would be slashed 27 percent under a proposed spending plan from Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr. Strong concerns about the potential damage to research into cancer and tobacco-related diseases have been voiced by Kevin Cullen, MD, professor, School of Medicine. An editorial states, "Unless Mr. Ehrlich reverses course, the consequences will be dire."
www.baltimoresun.com
Maryland Slips in Biotech Race
Baltimore Sun ý Feb. 3
Many leaders in the technology businesses, especially the life sciences, are concerned about the progress Maryland is making in the biotechnology sector. The state dropped to a No. 4 ranking as a biotech area last year in a report by the accounting firm Ernst & Young. Among the signs of progress cited are the UMB BioPark and a reported announcement from the state about a revitalization plan in the neighborhood surrounding the BioPark.
www.baltimoresun.com
Scenes from a Relief Mission
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 3
Annapolis Capital - Feb. 3
A humane wave of generosity and goodwill sprang from all corners of the world to help heal, repair, and rebuild what the tragic tsunami wrought in Asia and Africa. A part of that second wave was Karen McClure, MS, RN, graduate teaching assistant, School of Nursing, and a family nurse practitioner in Millersville, Md. McClure, five physicians, two other nurses, a physician's assistant, a military paramedic and two counselors with expertise in post-traumatic stress disorder, all working for the Presbyterian Church of America's relief organization, arrived at a Sri Lanka refugee camp Jan. 8.
www.baltimoresun.com
The Hon. George Russell, Jr., Delivers MLK Ceremony Keynote Speech
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11- 5:30 p.m., 11 p.m. -Feb. 2
The Hon. George Russell, Jr., JD, a 1954 graduate of the School of Law, was the keynote speaker at the annual commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month held at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Russell became the first African-American to sit on the Circuit Court in Maryland in 1966 and on the state appellate court in 1967. The School honored Russell with its Distinguished Graduate Award in 2000.
UM Law Students, Faculty Honored at MLK Ceremony
WMAR-TV, Ch. 2 ý 5:30 p.m., 11 p.m., Feb. 2
Freed prisoner Walter Arvinger and his family came to the University of Maryland, Baltimore, for a ceremony involving the students and faculty who helped to secure the commutation of his sentence. Honored with Diversity Recognition Awards at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr./Black History Month celebration were three professors in the School of Law: Michael A. Millemann, JD; Renee Hutchins, JD; and Steven Schwinn, JD. Also honored with the Outstanding Student Award were students from the Walter Arvinger Legal Defense Team.
media.umaryland.edu:8080
February 2 update.
Biotechnology Business 'Profectus' Started by Gallo
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 2
AIDS researcher Robert Gallo, MD, director of the Institute of Human Virology and professor, School of Medicine, has started a biotechnology business based on the institute's work. Profectus Biosciences Inc. will develop and commercialize products to treat human viral diseases and cancers. The company has licensed HIV vaccine technology from the state's University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, home to the Institute of Human Virology. Profectus is located at a University of Maryland business incubator in College Park.
www.baltimoresun.com
City Enhances West-Side Revival Plan
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 2
City development officials in Baltimore have unveiled a renovation project of more than $100 million, assigned to three development teams, that officials hope will bring life back to a 3.6-acre "superblock" that links Charles Center to the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
www.baltimoresun.com
With Proper Care, Pope's Illness Not Life-Threatening
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 2
Specialists at university medical institutions termed Pope John Paul II's condition as of Feb. 1 as "serious," but said that it is not necessarily life-threatening as long as doctors carefully monitor the pontiff's breathing and administer appropriate medications. Rodney Taylor, MD, assistant professor, School of Medicine, and a head and neck surgeon at University of Maryland Medical Center, says "the area including (Pope John Paul II's) voice box and vocal cords and trachea is inflamed, presumably from a viral infection such as the flu."
www.baltimoresun.com
February 1 update.
Healing the Divide
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 1
With the start of Black History Month, Taunya Lovell Banks, JD, professor, School of Law, writes in an op-ed commentary, "While there has been much talk about black reparations as a means of healing the racial divide between these two groups (African-Americans and whites), reparation discussions focus almost entirely on economic redress for African-Americans. There is little discussion of racial reconciliation as a component of reparations."
www.baltimoresun.com
Warnings About the Bextra Drug
WBAL-TV, Ch. 11 - 5:45 p.m., Jan. 31
Sheila Weiss Smith, PhD, FISPE, associate professor, School of Pharmacy and adjunct professor, School of Medicine, appeared live on the anchor desk to discuss warnings about potential heart risks presented by the painkiller Bextra. Managed-care provider Kaiser Permanente has stopped prescribing Bextra until tests show whether the painkiller is safe.
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