NIH Funds $9.5 Million for Research on HIV and the Human Innate Immune System
Studying how the mouth wards off diseases will have implications for understanding overall how people stay healthy. The Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine will use a five-year, $9.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research—the largest grant ever in the dental school's 117-year history—to study oral health as one of the human body's frontline defenses against infections.
Under the direction of lead investigator Aaron Weinberg, professor and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at the dental school, a team of 22 researchers will unravel changes in the human body's innate immune system in HIV-infected people on anti-retroviral therapies to provide new insights into how the body keeps us healthy.
"New evidence surfaces repeatedly that oral health plays an important and integral role in general health," says Jerold Goldberg, dean of the dental school. "The award from the NIH demonstrates the importance of working across disciplines and professions to answer complex questions."
A multidisciplinary team from dentistry and medicine will discover why HIV-infected humans receiving the class of drugs referred to as highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) have increased the incidence of oral complications, such as a quadrupled rate of contracting human papillomavirus (HPV). Read more.
Campus News
The Ohio Collaborative Conference on Bioinformatics will be held on campus today through June 17. There will be several conferences, keynote speakers and research presentations. The conference is co-sponsored by the Case School of Engineering and the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. Go online for more details.
The American Cancer Society's Third Annual Pan Ohio Hope Ride will take place July 30 through August 2. The event will take bicyclists across the state to raise awareness and money to support the operations of the Hope Lodges in Cleveland and Cincinnati, and a future one in Columbus. Riders will be staying on the Case Western Reserve campus the night of July 29, and there are multiple opportunities to volunteer for activities on campus and at the Hope Lodge for the ride's kickoff celebration. Hope Lodge provides free housing for cancer patients and their families while undergoing treatment away from home. Contact Paul Purdy at 888-227-6446 extension 1222 or by e-mail at panohioinfo@cancer.org if interested in volunteering.
The Weatherhead School of Management's Master of Science in Positive Organizational Development program is continuing to host free online workshops and open houses. Faculty and alumni will explore leadership and organizational change. Join David and Alice Kolb from 4 to 6 p.m. today for "Team Learning." The workshop will be followed by an online open house about the master's program in organization development with Harlow Cohen, program director. Learn more.
For Faculty and Staff
In an effort to support the university's sustainability program, Distribution Services is no longer offering FedEx paper airbills to customers. The department has established online shipping with FedEx, which will enable the processing of shipments online, completing customs documents, and downloading shipment reports. Departments interested in obtaining FedEx online shipping abilities should call Darlene Hall at 368-2565 or Crystal Campbell at 368-1354.
A limited number of slots remain for the Travelport training session scheduled for 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 16. Interested travelers and travel arrangers can learn about this useful online booking tool by signing up online.
For Students
The Writing Resource Center (WRC) is open for summer sessions through July 26. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. All appointments will be held in Bellflower Hall 104. Go online to make an appointment, or send an e-mail to writingcenter@case.edu with questions.
Events
Case Western Reserve University's LGBT Task Force is marching in the Cleveland Pride Parade on Saturday, June 20. The group will meet at 11 a.m. on the corners of West 3rd Street and Rockwell Avenue in downtown Cleveland to assemble for the march. If interested in participating, contact Jennifer Lhotsky via e-mail, or by phone at 368-0705.
The views and opinions of those invited to speak on campus do not necessarily reflect the views of the university administration or any other segment of the university community.
