UIC News Bureau

UIC News Bureau http://www.news.uic.edu UIC News Bureau en-us Wed, 16 May 2012 06:32:03 -0500 UIC News Bureau http://www.uic.edu/favicon.png http://www.news.uic.edu UIC News Bureau Chicago Police Cameras More Effective When Clustered, Study Says http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3482&fromhome=1 Chicago's network of police cameras is more effective at reducing crime in high-crime areas than in low-crime areas, according to a new study. The report, co-authored by Rajiv Shah, University of Illinois at Chicago adjunct assistant professor of communication, suggests that blue-light cameras should be concentrated in high-crime areas rather than spread throughout a city. This "hotspot" approach differs from the way cameras are used in many cities, says Shah, who studies legal and policy implications of communication technologies. "The idea championed by former mayor Richard Daley of placing a camera on every corner results in the vast majority of those cameras having little or no impact on reducing crime," he said. Shah and co-author Jeremy Braithwaite, a doctoral student at the University of California-Irvine, analyzed two previous studies -- one by students at Northwestern University and the other by the Chicago Police Department -- that investigated the effectiveness of Chicago's surveillance network. Their analysis indicates that the initial crime level of an area where a camera was placed had a significant effect on the camera's overall impact. Cameras in high-crime areas were associated with large reductions in crimes, while medium- to low-crime areas experienced minimal change. "Diffusing a large number of cameras throughout a city does not appear to be effective in reducing crime," Shah said. "Instead, the targeted use of a smaller number of cameras in high-crime areas is much more effective." The researchers offer three possible explanations for the findings: -High-crime areas are likely to have increased police presence and additional strategies at work. -Cameras in high-crime areas are more likely to be monitored at all times. -The apparent drop in crime in high-crime areas could be partly due to "regression to the mean" -- a statistical effect in which first measurements are extreme and the second measurement tends to be closer to the average. The researchers describe the impact of surveillance in high-crime areas as the "catalyst effect" of cameras. "The act of placing cameras in high-crime areas pushes the police to focus their efforts in these areas, thus reducing crime," Shah said. Further research with experimental controls will be needed to separate out the effects of other policing efforts and to isolate the catalyst effect of cameras, Shah said. Technological advances may also help measure the benefit that cameras provide. "Cameras have limitations," Shah said. "They are only as good as their technology and the person watching the camera." The full report, "Spread Too Thin: Analyzing the Effectiveness of the Chicago Camera Network on Crime," appears in the forthcoming issue of Police Practice and Research: An International Journal. UIC ranks among the nation's leading research universities and is Chicago's largest university with 27,000 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, 15 colleges and the state's major public medical center. A hallmark of the campus is the Great Cities Commitment, through which UIC faculty, students and staff engage with community, corporate, foundation and government partners in hundreds of programs to improve the quality of life in metropolitan areas around the world. For more information about UIC, please visit www.uic.edu. [Shah photo: <a href="http://newsphoto.lib.uic.edu/v/shah/">newsphoto.lib.uic.edu/v/shah/</a>.] bflood@uic.edu (Brian Flood) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3482&fromhome=1 Mon, 14 May 2012 12:38:05 -0500 Four UIC Students Win Brundage Scholarships http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3477&fromhome=1 Fourteen University of Illinois students from the Chicago, Springfield and Urbana-Champaign campuses have been awarded Avery Brundage Scholarships for excellence in academics and athletics. Each winner will receive a $2,500 award for the 2012-2013 academic year. The four recipients from UIC, their areas of study and sports are: (EDITORS: See list.) The Avery Brundage Scholarship Fund Committee, composed of nine representatives from the faculties and student bodies of all three campuses, selects students who engage in athletics for personal development, not as preparation for professional sports. In addition, the students must be working toward bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees at the University of Illinois and must be in the top 25 percent of their undergraduate class or in good academic standing in their graduate program. The scholarship program was established in 1974 by an endowment from Avery Brundage, University of Illinois alumnus and former president of the International and U.S. Olympic committees. CHICAGO -- Christopher Knowlton, Engineering, dance DEERFIELD -- Lukasz Adamcyzk, Liberal Arts and Sciences, gymnastics EVANSTON -- Justin Welke, Dentistry, basketball GALENA, OH –- Abbi Lane, Applied Health Studies, running burton@uic.edu (Bill Burton) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3477&fromhome=1 Wed, 9 May 2012 14:34:33 -0500 UIC Student Wins State Department Scholarship http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3479&fromhome=1 A University of Illinois at Chicago student has won the U.S. State Department's Critical Languages Scholarship for intensive language studies in Turkey this summer. Hugh Vondracek, a sophomore in the UIC Honors College majoring in political science, received the highly competitive award, which places recipients in a fully-funded 10-week language program featuring cultural enrichment experiences. He will be based in northwest Turkey, where he will study Turkish at the Tömer Institute in Bursa. Vondracek, who is minoring in international studies, studied in Spain for one year during high school and has extensive language skills in Spanish, German, Italian, and European Portuguese. In view of Turkey's unique political and geographic position between the East and West, Vondracek believes that building Turkish language skills will bolster his foreign policy credentials. "Foreign policy has effects on real people," he says of his aspirations in the field. "Making policy that is effective, but that is at the same time just, is something that is lost in policy making." After graduating from UIC, he plans to pursue a graduate degree and eventually seek a career as a Foreign Service officer working in a consulate or embassy. Vondracek, a resident of Oak Lawn, Ill., graduated from H.L. Richards High School in 2010. The Critical Languages Scholarship is part of the National Security Language Initiative, a U.S government interagency effort to increase the number of Americans mastering critical-need languages. Program participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers. UIC ranks among the nation's leading research universities and is Chicago's largest university with 27,000 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, 15 colleges and the state's major public medical center. A hallmark of the campus is the Great Cities Commitment, through which UIC faculty, students and staff engage with community, corporate, foundation and government partners in hundreds of programs to improve the quality of life in metropolitan areas around the world. For more information about UIC, please visit www.uic.edu. bflood@uic.edu (Brian Flood) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3479&fromhome=1 Wed, 9 May 2012 11:34:46 -0500 UIC Bioengineering Doctoral Student Receives FMC Fellowship http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3480&fromhome=1 Christopher Knowlton, a University of Illinois at Chicago doctoral student in bioengineering, is among four University of Illinois Ph.D. students who received $20,000 FMC Technologies, Inc., Fellowships for the 2012-2013 academic year. Four master’s students will each receive $12,000. The selection committee included representatives from FMC Technologies, Inc., the University of Illinois, and the U of I Foundation. The FMC Technologies, Inc., Scholarship Fund, formerly called the FMC Educational Fund, was originally established as the Link-Belt Educational Fund in 1963 with a donation from University of Illinois alumnus Bert A. Gayman. A few years later, Link-Belt merged into the FMC Corporation, which later became FMC Technologies, Inc. Intending to provide education and research opportunities, the fund now provides approximately $360,000 annually for undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships at the University of Illinois. Gayman, a Champaign native who earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois in 1897, spent his entire career with Link-Belt in Chicago and chose to remain an anonymous donor to this educational fund until 1973, a year before his death. burton@uic.edu (Bill Burton) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3480&fromhome=1 Wed, 9 May 2012 14:59:20 -0500 UIC Institute Funds 17 Studies of Race in Health, Justice, Economics, Education http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3481&fromhome=1 Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago will use grants and fellowships from UIC's Institute for Research on Race & Public Policy to conduct 17 year-long studies of racial and ethnic inequalities in health, justice, economics and education. All studies will conclude with reports at the end of the 2012-13 academic year. HEALTH Neighborhood Effects on African American Preterm Births. In 2009, African American women had 1.5 times more preterm births than non-Hispanic white women, perhaps because of stress, writes Carmen Giurgescu, assistant professor of family health science. She will explore whether green space moderates the stress of living in poor, violent neighborhoods. Comfort Food and Depression among African Americans and Latinos. Shannon Zenk, assistant professor of health systems science, says African Americans tend to be less physically healthy than whites, but have lower rates of major depression. Latinos also appear to be at lower risk for depression than whites. Zenk will examine whether energy-dense "comfort" foods buffer the effects of psychosocial stress through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal/cortical axis, and whether the effects differ by ethnicity. Ethnic Culture as a Protective Factor against Suicide in African American Women. Suicide has been less common among African Americans than other racial groups, but it is increasing, particularly among young males, says Valerie Borum, assistant professor of social work. Borum will investigate how African American culture may buffer against suicide among African American women. Advocacy for Change in Sickle Cell Disease Treatment. Sickle cell disease affects 100,000 Americans. Many physicians avoid using opioids to relieve the pain of SCD because they believe SCD patients abuse drugs and exaggerate reports of pain. Miriam Ezenwa, assistant professor of bio-behavioral health sciences, will engage African American adults affected by SCD to pinpoint policy and system barriers to pain treatment. Obstructive Sleep Apnea in African Americans. Obstructive sleep apnea is under-diagnosed and associated with workplace and traffic accidents, neurocognitive impairment, and cardiovascular disease. African-American ethnicity is a risk factor for earlier, more severe onset. Bharati Prasad, assistant professor of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine, will research a home-based diagnostic test for OSA and the hypothesis that lack of physical activity affects African-Americans at risk for OSA. SMART Girls Program. Sabine French, assistant professor of psychology, will revise the SMART Girls program of the Roseland/Pullman Boys & Girls Club to improve health, fitness, education and self-esteem among African American girls aged 13-17 in an underserved area. Part one focuses on personal values in dating relationships, date violence and rape, sexual risk-taking, sexual myths and truths, and the physical and emotional changes of adolescence. Part two covers nutrition, cooking skills and fitness. JUSTICE Bias-Motivated Crime against Transgender Women of Color. Violence against transgender women of color is often attributed to sexual orientation rather than race or gender, says Paul Schewe, associate research professor of psychology. Schewe and Alicia Matthews, associate professor of nursing, will investigate police classification of crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons in Chicago to determine how it may increase the likelihood of bias-motivated violence against LGBT people. The Politics of Enclosure in South Africa and Palestine/Israel. The South African elite live behind walls and fences in gated communities, while Israel builds walls and fences to surround Palestinians, says Andy Clarno, visiting assistant professor of African American studies and sociology, who compares the Palestinian enclaves to U.S. prisons. He will analyze the relationships among political and economic restructuring, marginalized populations, and the politics of security. The Impact of Race and Ethnicity on Release from the Juvenile Justice System. The U.S. Department of Justice mandates that states address disproportionate minority contact with the juvenile system. Christine Martin, assistant professor of criminology, law and justice, will do a comprehensive literature review to determine how ethnicity influences points of release from the Illinois system. Race, Masculinity and Class Politics in Contemporary Hyderabad. Habshis or Siddis -- people of Abyssinian/Ethiopian heritage who came to India between the ninth and 20th centuries -- were seen as both Indian and African; low-caste and marginalized; hyper-masculine ex-soldiers and asexual eunuchs; and Muslims in a Hindu country, says Gayatri Reddy, associate professor of anthropology and gender and women's studies. She will research their descendants' sense of belonging in Hyderabad, and racial differences in ideas of masculinity, religion and caste politics. ECONOMICS Partnering and Parenting Among Newly Middle-Class Latinos in Chicago. The literature on Latinos in the U.S. has focused on the poor and the working class. Lorena Garcia, assistant professor of sociology, will investigate what constitutes middle-class status among Latinos who identify as middle-class, and how class mobility informs their approaches to partnering and parenting. Racialized Roles in Globalized Corporate Environments. Sharon Collins, associate professor of sociology, used "racialized" to describe jobs in affirmative action and community relations that managed the progress of black people in the 1960s and 1970s. Twenty years ago, she interviewed black executives who benefitted from social protest and federal mandates. She will study achievement among current black executives to determine whether roles are racialized in a global economy. Ukuphanta: South African Women in the Informal Economy. Ukuphanta is Zulu slang meaning "to get by." It often refers to illegal means of making ends meet, says Claire Decoteau, assistant professor of sociology. In the squatter camps around Johannesburg, she heard it used to refer to transactional sex. Decoteau will explore how African women in post-apartheid South Africa ukuphanta, and thus transform their identities, gender relations and markets. EDUCATION Language Ideologies of Teachers in Bilingual Schools. Students learn about language not only in school, but through language itself. Zitali Morales and Victoria Trinder, assistant professor and clinical assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, will investigate beliefs about language among teachers in bilingual school settings and how those beliefs relate to their theories and practices of teaching. Collaborative Research for Justice in Education in Chicago. Chicago’s Board of Education recently voted to close, phase out and turn around 17 public schools serving low-income African American and Latino students, despite opposition from parents, teachers, students and local residents. Pauline Lipman, professor of educational policy studies, will work with the Kenwood/Oakland Community Organization on a series of policy briefs grounded in the lives of the people affected by this decision. Training in Social-Emotional Learning. Most students of social work and urban elementary education at UIC are white women preparing to work in schools that are 85 percent African American and Latino. Marisha Humphries and Cassandra McKay, assistant professors of educational psychology and social work, respectively, will develop training to raise awareness of racial inequalities in education; how social-emotional learning and racial identity influence outcomes; and how to support social-emotional development and positive racial identity. Equity in Inclusive Education. Federico Waitoller, assistant professor of special education, will write on partnerships between schools and universities to improve teachers' and schools' capacity to work with students facing multiple layers of difference; e.g., a Spanish-speaking Latino student identified for special education. UIC ranks among the nation's leading research universities and is Chicago's largest university with 27,000 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, 15 colleges and the state's major public medical center. A hallmark of the campus is the Great Cities Commitment, through which UIC faculty, students and staff engage with community, corporate, foundation and government partners in hundreds of programs to improve the quality of life in metropolitan areas around the world. aranallo@uic.edu (Anne Brooks Ranallo) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3481&fromhome=1 Wed, 9 May 2012 15:09:32 -0500 Labor Secretary Hilda Solis at UIC Tuesday to Discuss Challenges, Opportunities Facing Grads http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3478&fromhome=1 WHAT: Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis will sit down with college students and recent graduates at the University of Illinois at Chicago on Tuesday to discuss the challenges and opportunities they face as they enter the workforce. WHO: Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis; Jennifer Woodard, UIC associate vice chancellor for civic and corporate relations; and UIC students and recent graduates. WHEN: Tuesday, May 8 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CDT WHERE: UIC Student Center East 750 S. Halsted St. Cardinal Room, 3rd floor DETAILS: At a time when the unemployment rate for Americans with at least a college degree is about half the national average, advanced education and training have never been more important. However, more than 7.4 million students with federal student loans will see their interest rates double on July 1 unless Congress acts. As part of a three-city trip, Secretary Solis will have a conversation with these students to learn what the Labor Department can do to help new workers get ahead in today’s modern workforce. The event is open to the media. Press should notify Scott Allen (312) 353-6976, <a href="mailto:allen.scott@dol.gov">allen.scott@dol.gov</a> or Mary Brandenberger, (202) 693-4651, <a href="mailto:brandenberger.mary@dol.gov">brandenberger.mary@dol.gov</a> in the Labor Department’s Office of Public Affairs. burton@uic.edu (Bill Burton) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3478&fromhome=1 Mon, 7 May 2012 16:42:31 -0500 Commencement at UIC http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3475&fromhome=1 Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, bestselling author Alex Kotlowitz, Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard K. Koh, and other civic and business leaders are the featured speakers at college commencements at the University of Illinois at Chicago May 2-6. More than 7,000 students will be honored at ceremonies for 14 colleges. With 27,500 students, UIC is Chicago's largest university and has the nation's largest medical school. UIC is among the nation's leading universities in federal research funding. College commencements take place at the UIC Pavilion, 525 S. Racine Ave., and the UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Road. The schedule is as follows: • Honors College: May 2, 7 p.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: Dr. David Ansell, vice president for clinical affairs and chief medical officer, Rush University Medical Center. • Nursing: May 3, 1 p.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Ada Sue Hinshaw, nursing dean, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. • Applied Health Sciences: May 3, 2 p.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: Kenneth Cooper, father of the aerobics movement. • Education: May 3, 6:30 p.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Carol D. Lee, professor of education and social policy, Northwestern University. • Pharmacy: May 3, 7:30 p.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: William S. Marth, president and CEO for the Americas, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. • Jane Addams College of Social Work: May 4, 9 a.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Mildred Joyner, president of the Council on Social Work Education. • Urban Planning and Public Affairs: May 4, 10 a.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board president. • Medicine: May 4, 2 p.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard K. Koh, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. • Public Health: May 4, 3:30 p.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: Alex Kotlowitz, bestselling author of “There Are No Children Here” and producer of the Indie Spirit Awards Best Documentary for 2012, “The Interrupters.” • Business Administration: May 5, 9 a.m. UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Carl J. Schramm, leading authority on entrepreneurship, innovation and economic growth and co-founder of the Obama administration’s “Start Up America” initiative. • Dentistry: May 5, 10 a.m., UIC Forum. Speaker: Dean Bruce Graham. • Engineering: May 5, 2 p.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Glenn Neland, former senior vice president of Dell Worldwide Procurement and Global Experience. • Architecture and Arts: May 5, 7 p.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: Eva Maddox, design principal for branded environments, Eva L. Maddox Associates. • Liberal Arts and Sciences: May 6, 10 a.m., UIC Pavilion. Speaker: George Crabtree, distinguished professor of physics and electrical and mechanical engineering at UIC and senior scientist and distinguished fellow at Argonne National Laboratory. LAS is the largest college commencement. About 7,000 graduates and guests are expected to fill the UIC Pavilion to capacity. For more information about UIC's 2012 commencement ceremonies and receptions, visit www.uic.edu/depts/ovcsa/commencement/index.shtml. burton@uic.edu (Bill Burton) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3475&fromhome=1 Tue, 1 May 2012 10:50:32 -0500 Two UIC Students Recognized by Goldwater Foundation http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3474&fromhome=1 Two University of Illinois at Chicago students who plan medical careers have been recognized by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence Foundation for their academic achievement. Wenji Guo, a junior in the UIC Honors College majoring in biological sciences, was named a Goldwater Scholar and will receive $7,500 from the foundation for use next year in paying for tuition, books and other fees. Daniel Wang, also an Honors College junior majoring in biological sciences, received an honorable mention in recognition of his undergraduate science research. Both plan to earn joint M.D./Ph.D. degrees to become physician-researchers. Guo has worked with faculty in medical labs at UIC and at the University of Chicago. While much of her research has focused on cancer, she has recently turned to epidemiology. "Engaging in research is incredibly intellectually rewarding," she said. "You get the immense privilege of investigating important problems. You get to see something new, for the first time, that no one else has seen." Guo, a 2010 graduate of Libertyville High School, has already been a contributing author to journal publications and recently presented a poster at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. She is a leader of several student groups, and was founder of the UIC chapter of United for Undergraduate Socioeconomic Diversity, a national student-led advocacy group. She has won numerous university academic awards and honors in addition to the Goldwater recognition. Wang, now a resident of Naperville, is a 2009 graduate of Dunlap Community High School in Dunlap, Ill., near Peoria. He has done research into viral diseases at UIC and in Germany at the Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitat Munster Center for Molecular Biology and Virology. He is active in several campus organizations and committees and participates in sports, including intramural football, dodgeball and tennis. He is also on UIC's cycling and triathlon team. Only 282 were selected from among 1,123 qualified students nominated for the Goldwater Scholarship, named for the late Republican senator from Arizona. The scholarship ranks among the most prestigious undergraduate awards for students in mathematics, science and engineering. For more information about UIC, visit <a href="http://www.uic.edu">www.uic.edu</a>. francuch@uic.edu (Paul Francuch) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3474&fromhome=1 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:52:22 -0500 Gallery 400 Opens "Spectral Landscape (with Viewing Stations)" http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3472&fromhome=1 Gallery 400 on April 27 will open "Spectral Landscape (with Viewing Stations)," a group exhibition that organizes works by 18 noted artists according to a color spectrum to explore color as both formal and social force. Works by Polly Apfelbaum, John Baldessari, Anne Collier, Gary Hill, Gaylen Gerber, Rashid Johnson, Anna Kunz, Judy Ledgerwood, Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle and Richard Mosse are included. In approaching the exhibition as a landscape, artist-curators Pamela Fraser and John Neff considered not only spectral color, but also atmospheric phenomena such as infrared, thermal, metallic, and iridescent color. The show reveals how artists navigate interactions among colors, histories, and sensations through a curatorial approach that sees color in expected ways, and through diverse artists working in a wide variety of genres and methods. In a related screening, "Color Films," Fraser and Neff organize films and videos along a spectrum that registers changes in color, but also changes in expressive modality: abstraction, ritual, landscape, etc. They include "Infrared Nail Pull" by Paul Dickinson, "Carrie Yellow" by John Kramer, "Pink and White Terraces" by Nova Paul, "Flushing" by Cheryl Donegan, and more. The opening reception for both shows will take place on April 27, 5-8 p.m. "Color Films" will be screened on May 23 at 7 p.m. "Spectral Landscape (with Viewing Stations" will be on view through June 9; Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, noon-6 p.m. For gallery tours, go to <a href="http://gallery400.uic.edu/visit/tours">gallery400.uic.edu/visit/tours</a>. Admission to all programs is free. The programs are supported in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. aranallo@uic.edu (Anne Brooks Ranallo) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3472&fromhome=1 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:49:45 -0500 Can Weight Loss Help African American Breast Cancer Survivors? http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3473&fromhome=1 Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Institute for Health Research and Policy have designed a novel community-based weight loss intervention designed for African American breast cancer survivors. Under a five-year, $3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute, researchers will determine if the program, called Moving Forward, is effective in decreasing body mass index and weight and improving diet and physical activity habits. They will also evaluate the effect of weight loss on blood pressure, cholesterol and quality of life. African American women exhibit higher breast cancer mortality rates than white women; in Chicago the breast cancer mortality rate for black women is 116 percent higher than the rate for white women, says Melinda Stolley, principal investigator of the study and institute researcher. Poor diet, lack of physical activity and obesity contribute to breast cancer progression and may intensify other conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, she said. "One of the cruel things about being diagnosed with breast cancer is that most women gain weight post-treatment -- on average 5 to 7 pounds -- which is not fully understood. We want to target African American women because nearly 78 percent of African American women are overweight or obese." Physical activity has been shown to improve survival in breast cancer patients, Stolley said, but there has been very little research on weight loss in African American breast cancer survivors. UIC will partner with the Chicago Park District to implement the study in the Roseland/Pullman, Englewood, Austin, South Shore and Lawndale neighborhoods. The randomized study will recruit 240 African American breast cancer survivors who have completed treatment at least six months prior; are overweight; are physically able to participate in moderate physical activity; and are not currently in a structured weight loss program. The goal of the weight loss intervention is to address health behavior change at an individual level while acknowledging the importance of culture, family lifestyles, community traditions and social support, said Stolley. A pilot study "was effective in significantly reducing dietary fat and significantly increasing vegetable intake, vigorous activity, and social support." Women in the pilot study lost five and a half pounds during the six-month intervention. Women in the program will receive a free 12-month membership to a participating park district location where they will attend twice weekly exercise and educational sessions. Participants in the control group will meet weekly to learn about general health topics. At the end of the program all participants will receive a 12-month free membership to the Chicago Park District. Co-investigators are Drs. Richard Campbell, Giamila Fantuzzi, Ben Gerber, Angela Odoms-Young, and Lisa Sharp. UIC ranks among the nation's leading research universities and is Chicago's largest university with 27,000 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, 15 colleges and the state's major public medical center. A hallmark of the campus is the Great Cities Commitment, through which UIC faculty, students and staff engage with community, corporate, foundation and government partners in hundreds of programs to improve the quality of life in metropolitan areas around the world. smcginn@uic.edu (Sherri McGinnis González) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3473&fromhome=1 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:17:28 -0500 UIC Presents First Garofalo Symposium http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3470&fromhome=1 WHAT: The School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Chicago will host the Garofalo Symposium, the first presentation of a planned annual event to honor the late Doug Garofalo, cutting-edge architect and UIC professor of architecture. WHEN: April 27; reception, 5-6 p.m.; panel discussion, 6–8 p.m. WHERE: Gallery 1100 UIC Art + Architecture Building 845 W. Harrison St. DETAILS: Speakers will discuss Doug Garofalo's influence on the discipline, profession, and teaching of architecture, including the intellectual legacy of individual projects. Works by Garofalo Architects will be on view. Garofalo was at the forefront of advanced digital and conceptual methods in architectural design and education during his 25 years of full-time teaching and professional practice. He received one of the first United States Artist Fellowships. His work was published and exhibited extensively. Garofalo served as interim director of the UIC School of Architecture from 2001 to 2003 and was named a UIC University Scholar in 2009. Space is limited. Seating will be first-come, first-served. An RSVP is required at <a href="http://garofalosymposium.eventbrite.com/">garofalosymposium.eventbrite.com</a>. For information, contact Lauren Van Damme, assistant director, UIC School of Architecture, at (312) 966-5696 or <a href="mailto:lvd@uic.edu">lvd@uic.edu</a>. aranallo@uic.edu (Anne Brooks Ranallo) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3470&fromhome=1 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:50:23 -0500 Iranian Nobel Peace Laureate to Speak at UIC http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3471&fromhome=1 WHO/WHAT: The University of Illinois at Chicago will host a talk by Iranian human rights activist Shirin Ebadi, 2003 Nobel Peace Laureate. WHEN: April 25 4 p.m. WHERE: Student Center East 750 S. Halsted St. Cardinal Room DETAILS: Ebadi, the first Iranian and first Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, will speak about the challenges confronting movements for peace and human rights in the world today. Ebadi's work as a lawyer and human rights activist has focused on the rights of children and women. In 2001, she co-founded the Defenders of Human Rights Center. She is a former judge in Tehran, where she was dismissed from the bench following the 1979 Islamic revolution. She has written many books, including her memoir "Iran Awakening: A Memoir of Revolution and Hope." Admission is free. For more information, call (312) 413-2799. The event is presented by the Office of the Chancellor and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. bflood@uic.edu (Brian Flood) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3471&fromhome=1 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:24:42 -0500 Mathematician Gets CAREER Award for Diverse Model Connections Study http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3469&fromhome=1 University of Illinois at Chicago mathematician Irina Nenciu has taken on the challenge of analyzing connections among complicated mathematical equations and techniques -- hoping to find improved ways to mathematically analyze real-world problems ranging from the economy to the bunching-up of city buses during rush-hour. Nenciu won a prestigious five-year, $500,000 National Science Foundation Early Faculty Career Award to study, specifically, "long-time asymptotics of completely integrable systems with connections to random matrices and partial differential equations." She chuckles when asked to put that in terms that are understandable to a non-mathematician. She broke it down one mouthful at a time. Differential equations examine the relationship of variables and functions, she said. While useful in explaining certain phenomena in science, engineering and economics, they are complicated, and understanding their solutions is the subject of ongoing study. "I look at questions of how do solutions look like for very large times," said Nenciu, assistant professor of mathematics, statistics and computer science. "Assume you let a long time go by -- is there some structure in the solution that always emerges, regardless of where you start from? Do you see something that one recognizes?" "Asymptotics," she said, "is just a fancy word for the long-time behavior of the solutions, and how you can make predictions from what you're given." Random matrices are mathematical arrays of numbers or symbols representing random values. They are tools used widely in Nenciu's specialty, mathematical physics. "They're a hot topic in math," Nenciu said, citing use in fields like economics and elsewhere to gain better understanding of certain behavioral outcomes. Examples include optimal pacing of buses to prevent bunching, or the quickest airliner passenger-boarding procedures. She said random matrices and integrable systems are mathematically similar techniques, but the direct connections are not clear. "It looks coincidental, but it's proved to be so useful that most of us believe there's something deeper behind it," Nenciu said. "We're trying to understand that connection through a problem that tries to evaluate how efficient various numerical algorithms are." The NSF CAREER award will involve consultation by Nenciu with other experts, and a yearly UIC summer school to be held 2013 through 2018 for advanced graduate students and junior faculty from Chicago-area universities who are working in areas related to her research. Nenciu said the summer school will give participants a chance to discuss research in an informal setting and allow graduate students a personalized opportunity to learn the logic followed to present proofs in academic papers. For more information about UIC, visit <a href="http://www.uic.edu">www.uic.edu</a>. francuch@uic.edu (Paul Francuch) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3469&fromhome=1 Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:13:41 -0500 Anti-tobacco TV Ads Help Adults Stop Smoking, Study Finds http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3468&fromhome=1 Anti-tobacco television advertising helps reduce adult smoking, according to a study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Institute for Health Research and Policy -- but some ads may be more effective than others. Adults and youth are exposed to a variety of anti-smoking messages on television. However, no research had been done on whether the ads, produced by various sponsors, impact adult smoking behaviors, or on how the ads differ, says Sherry Emery, a senior scientist at the UIC institute and lead author of the study. The new study, in the April issue of the American Journal of Public Health, looked at the relationship between adults' smoking behaviors and their exposure to ads sponsored by states; by private foundations; by tobacco companies themselves; or by pharmaceutical companies marketing smoking-cessation products. The researchers measured exposure to smoking-related advertisements using Nielsen ratings data for the top 75 U.S. media markets from 1999 to 2007. They combined this data with individual smoking data and state tobacco-control-policy data. The researchers analyzed variables such as smoking status, intentions to quit smoking, attempts to quit in the past year, and average daily cigarette consumption. They found that in markets with higher exposure to state-sponsored media campaigns, "smoking is less, and intentions to quit are higher," Emery said. Higher exposure to state-sponsored, private (American Legacy Foundation), and pharmaceutical advertisements was associated with less smoking. Higher exposure to tobacco industry advertisements was associated with more smoking. "On the surface, the tobacco-industry ads were mostly anti-smoking and a little corporate promotion, but they weren't promoting the act of smoking," Emery said. "But the effect of the ads is that they are associated with more smoking." An unexpected finding of the study was that adults who were in areas with more ads for pharmaceutical cessation products were less likely to make an attempt to quit. "Since we looked at the total amount of exposure to anti-smoking campaigns -- and the campaigns are very different – our data suggests that it may not matter what you say to people, just that you're saying it a lot," she said. Most of the recent state-sponsored media campaigns were supported by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The researchers suggest that the recent increased funding for anti-tobacco campaigns may contribute to meaningful reductions in smoking among U.S. adults. Co-authors include Yoonsang Kim, Young Ku Choi, Glen Szczypka, and Frank Chaloupka of UIC and Melanie Wakefield of the Cancer Council in Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. For more information about UIC, please visit <a href="http://www.uic.edu">www.uic.edu</a>. smcginn@uic.edu (Sherri McGinnis González) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3468&fromhome=1 Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:53:38 -0500 Students, Grads to Lobby for State Support of U. of I., Higher Education http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3467&fromhome=1 On Wednesday, April 18, more than 200 University of Illinois alumni and students from the university's three campuses will be in Springfield to meet with legislators as part of the fourth annual “University of Illinois Day at the Capitol” lobby effort. Coordinated by Illinois Connection, the legislative advocacy network of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, these concerned stakeholders will canvas the statehouse and speak one-on-one with their representatives to encourage funding support for the University of Illinois and higher education in general. UI President-designate Robert Easter, UIC Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares and UIS Chancellor Susan Koch will participate as well. "A strong University of Illinois helps make for a strong Illinois economy," says Amy Eichhorst, who directs the Alumni Association's advocacy program. "Our state Legislature needs to invest its limited resources where it will bring maximum benefit. "The strength of the U of I is in the faculty, students, staff and alumni who come together to improve people's lives and make the world a better place through education, innovation and economic development," Eichhorst said. "It's important for people who believe in the University of Illinois to make sure their state representatives know how they feel." After an 11:30 a.m. lunch briefing and 1:15 p.m. group photo outside the Capitol, the UI alumni and students will visit legislative offices for scheduled appointments throughout the afternoon. The group will reconvene at 4 p.m. to debrief at the Inn at 835 (located at 835 S. 2nd St.). Illinois Connection is sponsoring the effort in partnership with Undergraduate Student Government and Student Alumni Ambassadors at UIC, the Student Government Association at UIS, the Illinois Student Senate and Student Alumni Ambassadors at UIUC, and the UI Student Trustees. For more information about the UI Alumni Association's Illinois Connection advocacy program, visit www.illinoisconnection.org. v-faurie@uillinois.edu (Vanessa Faurie) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3467&fromhome=1 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:49:56 -0500 Summer Camp for Kids with ADHD Begins June 11 http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3466&fromhome=1 Camp STAR, a comprehensive, evidence-based therapy for children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and other behavioral, emotional and social difficulties, begins its fifth season in June. The camp, whose name stands for Summer Treatment for ADHD and Related Issues, is a partnership of the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Jewish Council for Youth Services. The director of Camp STAR, Dr. Mark Stein, professor of psychiatry at UIC's Institute for Juvenile Research, says that the program is not only effective in reducing ADHD symptoms, but in teaching skills to children and their parents that can improve social functioning. Children with ADHD and associated problems often struggle to fit in at typical camps that do not address their special needs, Stein said. "At Camp STAR we have the opportunity to provide a very intensive treatment using behavior modification, modeling, medication and by looking at a variety of activities -- how the child participates in sports, and how the family structures the home," Stein said. "We're able to dramatically change their behavior. The really exciting thing is that many of the children, by the end of the summer, have had a successful experience, and it translates into them feeling better about themselves." Every child gets an individualized treatment plan to teach and reward social skills, improve attention, and control impulsive behaviors. A one to two staff-to-camper ratio ensures that each child receives individual attention. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students in psychology, education, or health-related fields staff Camp STAR. Camp STAR is based on the behavioral therapy principles used in the Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD, which showed that children who participated in a summer treatment program obtained a high level of success with lower doses of medication than children who did not receive behavioral treatment. Camp STAR combines typical camp activities with behavioral treatments to improve social skills and anger management, reduce oppositional behaviors, and enhance self-esteem. Campers express their creativity through arts and crafts, and work on classroom behavior in the Academic Learning Center. Weekly parent training sessions will discuss techniques to improve child behavior at home and family relations. Camp highlights include weekly field trips, Friday BBQs, swimming and an end of camp graduation ceremony. Camp STAR also includes a research component to help investigators learn more about personalizing ADHD treatment . In 2010 and 2011, Stein and collaborators from the University of Chicago examined the relationship between behavioral improvement in ADHD symptoms, sleep, and nutritional intake during the program. They found that even when campers were prescribed stimulant medication for their ADHD -- which often has a negative effect on sleep -- the children's sleep normalized on days they were at camp, but varied on weekends when they were not at camp. This year, Stein and colleagues will continue to look at interventions aimed at improving daytime behaviors and children’s sleep patterns. Children ages 6-12 with ADHD, oppositional disorders, learning disabilities, anxiety, and social challenges associated with high-functioning Autism/Asperger's syndrome may be eligible. Camp STAR starts June 11 and runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each weekday until July 27 in Highland Park, Ill. For more information, contact (847) 814-STAR (7827) or visit http://www.jcys.org/campstar For more information about the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, visit <a href="http://www.hospital.uillinois.edu">www.hospital.uillinois.edu</a>. smcginn@uic.edu (Sherri McGinnis González) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3466&fromhome=1 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:05:54 -0500 UIC to Host Global Activism Expo http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3462&fromhome=1 Hundreds of Chicago-area activists will gather at the University of Illinois at Chicago for the fifth annual Global Activism Expo on April 28. The free event, hosted by UIC's Social Justice Initiative and presented by Chicago Public Media (WBEZ 91.5 FM), will be noon - 6 p.m. at the UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Road. The goal is to offer local communities a chance to get involved with participating organizations that have been featured on WBEZ's Global Activism Series. Among the projects represented will be teaching neonatal resuscitation in Tanzania, building libraries in Haiti, assisting survivors of sexual violence in Congo, and helping victims of human trafficking in Vietnam. "We are proud to partner with WBEZ in this important and diverse gathering that seeks to promote service, solidarity and public education around global, economic and human rights issues," says Barbara Ransby, UIC interim vice provost of planning and programs. Onsite demonstrations will be presented and free-trade items will be available for purchase. Educational panels and workshops, coordinated by the Social Justice Initiative, The Public Square at the Illinois Humanities Council, and WBEZ, will focus on local and global issues. Personalities from Chicago Public Media's WBEZ and Vocalo will be present and participate in breakout sessions. For more information, visit www.wbez.org/expo or call (312) 948-4600. UIC's Social Justice Initiative reflects the university's mission to "create knowledge that transforms our views of the world and, through sharing and application, transforms the world." Later this year, the program will organize a Student Summer Institute on Social Justice and Human Rights, initiate various community engagement projects, and help to disseminate art and scholarship that stimulate debate and discussion around social justice concerns. Pop-up "JUST" art centers will appear along south Halsted Street, south of Roosevelt Road, later this spring. For more information about UIC's Social Justice Initiative, visit <a href="http://www.uic.edu/depts/oaa/vppp/">www.uic.edu/depts/oaa/vppp/</a>. bflood@uic.edu (Brian Flood) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3462&fromhome=1 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:17:08 -0500 UIC Engineer Tackles Nanoscale Computing Challenges http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3463&fromhome=1 Today's best computer chips boast staggering transistor arrays exceeding 2 1/2 billion, but new nanometer-level technologies hold the promise of boosting that number even more. Nanotransistors may be fabricated from materials ranging from silicon to carbon nanotubes and even large molecules. But how do you guarantee such ultra-small electronic circuits will perform reliably? Wenjing Rao, University of Illinois at Chicago assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, will explore that question using a five-year, $450,000 National Science Foundation Early Faculty Career award she just won. Today's chips are built based on the device called CMOS -- complementary metal-oxide semiconductor -- which can be fabricated with very high reliability. But tomorrow's nanotransistors may need to be made using entirely new processes. "If you switch to a different mechanism, there will be change," Rao said. "Just as if I switched building materials from brick to glass and steel, you get a different character. While I may be able to build a taller building with lighter materials, new problems may occur." Future nanotransistors, she said, are likely to be subject to faults and defects. Research may even prove it is not worthwhile to manufacture them for conventional use, such as desktop computers. But nanoelectronics-based systems may prove useful for entirely new application domains, such as embedded systems and sensors. Rao will explore this as part of her NSF Career Award, along with the theoretical limits, capabilities and applications of nanotransistor chips. "If each transistor will be that small, you're subject to a lot of defects and faults," she said, "so, how do you deal with that? We have to be able to detect faults and find way to tolerate them, perhaps by using a different component to do the same computation, or -- long-term -- by self-repair." Rao will study possible ways to best test and diagnose problems with nanotransistors and determine if and how redundant systems can act as safeguards against faults. "You have to have a work-around," she said. "A chip for a sensor, for example, could be subject to environmental variations such as background noise, cosmic radiation and environmental vibrations. You'd also expect to see a lot of faults during computations." Rao said computer engineers are asking many far-ranging questions about electronic nanosystems in an attempt to set up design and manufacturing rules that will ensure that new products using them will be reliable. "We're really trying to probe for where's the boundary. What can and cannot be done? We're looking at what we can do from an engineering perspective into what's possible, what's not, and what's too costly." Rao's grant will also be used in part to support doctoral students assisting in her research, and to develop new coursework on the subject at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. For more information about UIC, visit <a href="http://www.uic.edu">www.uic.edu</a>. francuch@uic.edu (Paul Francuch) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3463&fromhome=1 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:08:40 -0500 UIC Hosts Renowned Mexican Poet and Activist http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3464&fromhome=1 WHO/WHAT: "When Silence Comes Upon a Poet -- National Emergency in Mexico." The University of Illinois at Chicago will host a public lecture by award-winning Mexican poet and activist Javier Sicilia. WHEN: April 17 2 - 4 p.m. WHERE: Jane Addams Hull-House Museum 800 S. Halsted St. DETAILS: Javier Sicilia, a renowned Latin American poet and novelist, will share his journey from writing poetry to launching the national Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity in Mexico. He started the movement shortly after his son's death -- a victim of drug war violence. The movement has mobilized thousands of Mexican citizens to call for greater government accountability and changes in security and law enforcement policies. Time Magazine recognized Sicilia's activist work in its 2011 Person of Year issue honoring "the Protester." He was awarded the 2009 Aguascalientes National Award in Poetry, one of the most prestigious honors in Mexican literature. Admission is free, but seating is limited. For more information or to RSVP, call (312) 996-2445. The event is presented by the UIC Latin American and Latino studies program. bflood@uic.edu (Brian Flood) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3464&fromhome=1 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:14:00 -0500 UIC Named 'Tree Campus USA' by Arbor Day Foundation http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3465&fromhome=1 The University of Illinois at Chicago has been named a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. At last count, UIC had 5,376 trees of 101 different species on its 250-acre urban campus on the near-west side of Chicago. "UIC is pleased to get recognition for our dedication to our trees," says Cynthia Klein-Banai, associate chancellor for sustainability. Campus trees are important not only for aesthetics, she said, but also for reducing the "heat-island" effect and to offset carbon emissions. UIC earned recognition by meeting required standards for sustainable campus forestry and by sponsoring student service-learning projects. "Students throughout the country are passionate about sustainability and community improvement, which makes the emphasis on well-maintained and healthy trees so important," said John Rosenow, chief executive of the foundation. "Achieving Tree Campus USA recognition sets an example for other colleges and universities and allows students a chance to give back to both their campus community and the community at large." Tree Campus USA was launched by the foundation in 2008 and is supported by a grant from Toyota. The number of trees on the UIC campus will grow on Thursday with a 10:30 tree-planting celebration at several locations, hosted by the foundation. Free t-shirts and lunch will be provided for volunteers. Volunteers who register 24 hours in advance at <a href=" http://arbordaynow.volunteermatch.org/campaign/project_detail.jsp?id=1077482">arbordaynow.volunteermatch.org/campaign/project_detail.jsp?id=1077482</a> will be entered in a drawing for an Amazon Kindle Fire. For more information or special arrangements, contact Andrew Lueck at <a href="mailto:alueck2@uic.edu">alueck2@uic.edu</a>. burton@uic.edu (Bill Burton) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3465&fromhome=1 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:01:54 -0500 Chicago Man Receives Robotic Kidney Transplant After 17 Years http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3461&fromhome=1 Jimmie Jones of Calumet Park, Ill., has beaten all odds to survive 17 years on the waiting list for a new kidney. Diagnosed with hypertensive kidney disease in his 40s, Jones' health quickly deteriorated to the point where he needed dialysis three times a week. Physicians at a south side Chicago hospital placed him on the waiting list for a new kidney in 1995 but told him that he needed to lose weight before he could be a candidate. A former high school athlete, Jones is a large man, and he had difficulty taking the weight off. "It's a miracle he's still alive," says Dr. Enrico Benedetti, head of surgery at the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, who noted that 70 percent of hypertensive dialysis patients survive less than five years. Jones, now 64, had learned that physicians at UI Hospital were performing robotic kidney transplantation on obese patients who would not otherwise be candidates for surgery. He decided to make an appointment. Up to half of dialysis patients are obese, defined as those with a body mass index greater than 30. In the U.S., studies have shown that obese patients wait longer for a cadaveric kidney transplant and often have poorer outcomes, including surgical site infections. As a result, many U.S. transplant centers deny transplantation to very obese patients and will not put them on the waiting list if they have a BMI greater than 35, says Dr. Jose Oberholzer, chief of transplantation surgery at UI Hospital and the C.& B. Frese and G. Moss Professor of Transplant Surgery, Bioengineering and Endocrinology at UIC. "These transplant centers avoid listing morbidly obese patients for kidney transplantation, because obesity markedly increases the risk of wound infection, which lowers graft and patient survival," said Oberholzer. "However, we know that the benefits of transplantation outweigh the risks in this patient population. Transplantation in obese patients provides a clear survival advantage over dialysis -- and an improved quality of life." In a traditional "open" kidney transplant procedure, a six- to eight-inch incision is made in the right-lower abdomen to implant the donor kidney. In robotic kidney transplantation using the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System, surgeons transplant the kidney through a 2 3/4-inch incision above the patient's belly button, with four tiny incisions in the abdomen to accommodate the robotic laparoscopic instruments. "The majority of patients needing kidney transplantation are overweight or obese, and this procedure offers what we believe is a safer, minimally invasive procedure with fewer complications," says Dr. Pier Giulianotti, chief of general, minimally invasive and robotic surgery at UI Hospital and the Lloyd M. Nyhus Professor of Surgery at UIC. Giulianotti said robotic surgery provides a three-dimensional view and utilizes instruments with 360-degree range of motion, allowing surgeons to complete these more complex procedures. "The benefits to the patient are reduced surgical trauma, reduced risk for wound complications, and improved patient survival," said Giulianotti. Jones underwent robotic kidney transplantation on Feb. 17. His new kidney is functioning perfectly, and he no longer requires dialysis. Jones says he is grateful for his new kidney and "feels like a new man, 100 percent better." For more information about UI Health, visit <a href="http://www.hospital.uillinois.edu">www.hospital.uillinois.edu</a>. [Editors Note: Video report available at <a href="http://youtu.be/nCUDosmYce8">http://youtu.be/nCUDosmYce8</a>] smcginn@uic.edu (Sherri McGinnis González) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3461&fromhome=1 Wed, 4 Apr 2012 10:05:34 -0500 NBC Star and Chicago Native to Speak at UIC http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3460&fromhome=1 WHO/WHAT: "From Chicago to NBC's "Community." The University of Illinois at Chicago will host a talk by Danny Pudi, actor from NBC's comedy "Community." WHEN: April 11 4 p.m. WHERE: Student Center East 750 S. Halsted St. Illinois Room DETAILS: Danny Pudi, who stars as the pop culture-obsessed Abed Nadir in NBC's Thursday night comedy "Community," will discuss growing up in Chicago as the son of Indian and Polish immigrants and his career from improv to television. In the show's first season, Daily Variety named him one of "TV's Top 10: News Faces for Fall." Pudi studied improv at the Second City Conservatory and is a founding member of Siblings of Doctors, a trio of Indian-American comics that perform sketch comedy and improv. Among Pudi's television credits are recurring roles on dramas "Greek" and "Gilmore Girls," as well as guest-starring parts on "The Bill Engvall Show" and "ER." His recent film credits include "Road Trip 2: Beerpong" and "Thunder Geniuses" from director Michael Clancy. He will appear in the upcoming independent horror comedy "Knights of Badassdom," with Peter Dinklage, Steve Zahn, Ryan Kwanten and Summer Glau. He graduated from Marquette University, where he received the inaugural Chris Farley Scholarship. Pudi is a graduate of Notre Dame High School, Niles, Ill. Admission is free. For more information, call (312) 413-9569. The event is part of Asian American Awareness Month at UIC. bflood@uic.edu (Brian Flood) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3460&fromhome=1 Mon, 2 Apr 2012 10:29:10 -0500 MONDAY: State Kicks Off Donate Life Month at University of Illinois Hospital http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3458&fromhome=1 WHAT: In celebration of National Donate Life Month, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White will join representatives from the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, the Gift of Hope, organ and tissue donor recipients, and families who have provided the gift of life through organ donation. White will unveil the state's new organ and tissue donor commercial and honor families who have saved the lives of others through organ donation at the hospital's "Tree of Life" public memorial. WHEN: Monday, April 2 10 a.m. WHERE: University of Illinois Hospital 1740 W. Taylor St. For more information about the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, visit <a href="http://www.hospital.uillinois.edu">www.hospital.uillinois.edu</a>. smcginn@uic.edu (Sherri McGinnis González) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3458&fromhome=1 Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:45:27 -0500 Renowned Global Studies Scholar to Deliver Talk at UIC http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3457&fromhome=1 WHO/WHAT: "Digital Formations of Powerless and Powerful." The University of Illinois at Chicago department of communication presents a talk by noted Columbia University sociologist Saskia Sassen. WHEN: April 4 4 p.m. WHERE: Student Center East 750 S. Halsted St. Room 605 DETAILS: As Chicago prepares to host the NATO summit and the World Summit of Nobel Laureates, UIC welcomes Saskia Sassen for a discussion that compares two socio-technical developments: electronic financial networks and local social activist movements, such as Occupy or Arab Spring, that are globally networked. Sassen, who is credited for coining the phrase "global city," was recently named one of Foreign Policy magazine's top 100 influential thinkers. Her research and writing focus on globalization (including social, economic and political dimensions), immigration, terrorism, new technologies, and changes within the liberal state that result from current transnational conditions. She is the author of several books and has written for The Guardian, New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Newsweek International, and Financial Times. She is a regular contributor to Huffington Post. Admission is free. RSVP to Mamie Gray at <a href="mailto:mamie@uic.edu">mamie@uic.edu</a> or (312) 996-3187. The event is the department of communication's inaugural lecture supported by the Martha and Victor Harnack Endowment. bflood@uic.edu (Brian Flood) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3457&fromhome=1 Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:21:25 -0500 Computer Scientist Drives for Comprehensive Traffic Model http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3456&fromhome=1 Traffic and transit information from smart phones, online maps, or radio and TV is not as timely or accurate as it could be, given all the untapped data that could provide a truly dynamic regional traffic picture. University of Illinois at Chicago assistant professor of computer science Jakob Eriksson hopes he can create a traffic model that gathers together and puts these missing pieces to use. He has received a five-year, $400,000 National Science Foundation Early Faculty Career Award to help make the goal a reality. "The long-range ambition is to build something like a roadmap, but annotated with everything that's going on at the moment," Eriksson said. "We're basically interested in anything that has to do with your commute." The UIC computer scientist knows that there are not enough sensor points and sources to get a complete birds-eye view of real-time traffic, but there is information not being fed into traffic reporting systems that, if used, could make the picture more complete. Road sensors, tollway transponders mounted on windshields and "jam cam" traffic cameras could provide pieces to the ever-changing traffic puzzle. "There are a large number of different kinds of sensors out there," Eriksson said. "This project asks, how do we combine it all into one coherent model showing the current status of the transportation network?" Mathematical calculations that could predict alternate routes on side-streets and secondary routes could help motorists bypass traffic jams. A more dynamic, real-time traffic picture could also help commuters decide when it would be more practical to use mass transit. "It becomes a problem of how you combine all these different kinds of data," Eriksson said, noting the project entails multi-modal traffic sensing. "Do you take the train or drive? What of the many sensory modalities available do we use to really sense what's going on in the streets?" Initially Eriksson and his students will use Chicago-area data for their study, but they may branch out to other cities that provide different data to tap. While Eriksson's work will not end traffic jams, it may help make commuting a less taxing experience. But he knows he has taken on a very complicated task. "There may be 10,000 road segments we want to simulate in some detail with perhaps a million cars on the road during rush hour," he said. "To reflect reality, that's going to require a whole lot of computing power. It's going to take some work to get it right." For more information about UIC, visit <a href="http://www.uic.edu">www.uic.edu</a> francuch@uic.edu (Paul Francuch) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3456&fromhome=1 Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:37:51 -0500 Asian American Awareness Month at UIC http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3455&fromhome=1 "A Celebration of Culture and Consciousness." The University of Illinois at Chicago celebrates Asian American Awareness Month with cultural events, performances, lectures and presentations. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. For more information, call (312) 413-9569. For a complete list of events, visit <a href="http://www.aarcc.uic.edu">www.aarcc.uic.edu</a>. April 3 My Sassy Korea. Food, games, karaoke and information booths. 4 - 6 p.m. Student Center East, Cardinal Room, 750 S. Halsted St. April 4 Asian American Awareness Month Kickoff with John Vietnam, WBBM-FM's (B-96) Julian on the Radio, and DJ Illusive, along with student performances. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Lecture Center Quad (located outside directly west of Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted St.) H.E.R.O.E.S. (Helping Everyone Realize Our Everyday Struggles). Talent and variety show. 6 - 8:30 p.m. Student Center East, Illinois Room, 750 S. Halsted St. April 5 Surprising Revelations About Asian American and Pacific Islander College Students. Panel discussion about the latest national and UIC research on Asian American and Pacific Islander students. Noon - 1:30 p.m. Addams Hall, Room 207, 830 S. Halsted St. Asian American Safe Zone 101. Training to educate people on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer issues and concerns. 2 - 5 p.m. Behavioral Sciences Building, Room 365, 1007 W. Harrison St. RSVP at www.gsc.uic.edu by April 3. April 6 Chancellor's Committee on the Status of Asian Americans Student Social. 1 - 3 p.m. Rafael Cintron-Ortiz Latino Cultural Center, Lecture Center B2, 803 S. Morgan St. "Mr. & Mrs. Asian Sensation 2011." Pageant and talent competition. 5:30 - 9 p.m. Student Center East, Illinois Room, 750 S. Halsted St. April 9 ASAM Expo. Academic fair celebrating Asian American undergraduate research projects in the arts and sciences. 4 - 6 p.m. Student Center East, Room 302, 750 S. Halsted St. April 11 Danny Pudi -- from Chicago to NBC's Community. Actor to discuss growing up in Chicago and his career. 4 - 6 p.m. Student Center East, Illinois Room, 750 S. Halsted St. April 13 Sayawan. Annual year-end formal held by Filipinos in Alliance. Doors open 6 p.m.; dinner 7:30 p.m. Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza, 350 West Mart Center Dr. $45 singles/$85 couples. April 18 Bone Marrow Registry Drive. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Lecture center quad (directly west of Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted St.) April 20 "ImaginAsian." Fashion and variety show. Performers include Stir Friday Night!, Chicago Asian American comedy troupe. 6 - 10 p.m. Student Center East, Illinois Room, 750 S. Halsted St. April 24 Are You Doctor Yet? Asian students showcase their musical and artistic talents in this American Idol-based show. Guest performance by singer/songwriter Andrew Garcia, contestant from season nine of "American Idol." 6 - 9 p.m. Student Center East, Illinois Room, 750 S. Halsted St. April 26 Asian American Studies Program Annual Lecture Series. Chandra Talpade Mohanty, professor of women's and gender studies and dean's professor of the humanities, Syracuse University. 4 - 6 p.m. Student Center East, Room 302, 750 S. Halsted St. bflood@uic.edu (Brian Flood) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3455&fromhome=1 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:20:04 -0500 Hull-House Museum Opens Free Art Lending Library http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3453&fromhome=1 The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum at the University of Illinois at Chicago has revived and elaborated on a service once offered by Addams herself -- an art lending library. Contemporary works by established artists will be lent free of charge to anyone who visits the museum, signs up, and chooses an artwork to keep for up to three months. The volunteer Hull-House Mobile Art Corps, a group experienced in handling art, will travel to borrowers' homes around the city to install, document, and uninstall the art. "Contemporary art is often presented as rarified -- something to experience only in a museum or gallery,” says Heather Radke, project and exhibit coordinator at the museum. “The Hull-House Museum, like the Hull-House settlement before it, seeks to integrate art into the lives of all, challenging the notion that art is something apart from day-to-day living." Unlike the reproductions once lent by Addams to clients of the settlement house, these works will be original. Many of the artists have exhibited throughout the U.S. and Europe, some at world-class venues like New York's Museum of Modern Art, London's Tate Museum, the Pompidou Centre in Paris, and Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art. The initial collection of 28 pieces was curated by Abigail Satinsky and Shannon Stratton, directors of threewalls gallery. They include sculpture, painting, collage, photography and other works on paper. Information on the art and artists will be available next week at <a href="http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull">www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull.</a> Radke said the tradition of art lending libraries continues not only at the museum, but in organizations such as the Tenderloin Art Lending Library in San Francisco and the Seattle Art Lending Library. "For many participants, this will be the first piece of original art they have had an opportunity to live with," Radke said. The art lending library is part of the museum’s year-long focus on arts education in Chicago. In September, the museum opened “Unfinished Business: Arts Education,” a community-curated, participatory art exhibition that explores the importance of cultural rights in a democracy. The exhibition will be on view through December. The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, part of the UIC College of Architecture and the Arts, is in the original headquarters of the Hull House settlement at 800 S. Halsted St. Regular museum hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For information, call (312) 413-5353. aranallo@uic.edu (Anne Brooks Ranallo) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3453&fromhome=1 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:07:58 -0500 UIC Theatre Presents Brechtian 'Full Circle' http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3454&fromhome=1 Chicago- and Los Angeles-based director/actor Dado will direct acting students at the University of Illinois at Chicago as they present Charles Mee's "Full Circle," based on Bertolt Brecht's "The Caucasian Chalk Circle." Set in 1989 at the fall of the Berlin Wall, "Full Circle" updates Brecht's parable and play-within-a-play, while raucously departing from it. The East German chancellor watches a play at the Berliner Ensemble, while out in the streets students protest, rich Americans scout investment opportunities, and two women begin their struggle to save an abandoned baby from both communism and capitalism. Brecht's 1944 play focused on a European valley abandoned during World War II. Two factions of farmers fight over the land -- one planning to plant fruit trees, and another arguing that they have always raised goats there. The locals determine who will use the land to the best advantage of the community. Both plays were based on an ancient Chinese play, "The Chalk Circle." Dado, who uses only one name, is a Jeff-nominated director, actor and arts educator. An ensemble member of A Red Orchid Theatre, she has directed there and at the Goodman Theatre, the Victory Gardens, Shattered Globe, and Los Angeles' Rogue Machine. The Chicago Tribune wrote of her direction of Craig Wright's "The Unseen" at A Red Orchid: "...this director clearly understands that the key to this drama is not the politically charged evocation of torture, but the focus on how people try to cope with life’s horrors, whatever their type and scale." Performances are April 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m.; April 8 and 15 at 2 p.m.; and April 11 at noon, at the UIC Theatre, 1044 W. Harrison St. Tickets are $16 for general admission and $11 for students. Parking is available for $8 - 10 at 1100 W. Harrison St. For information, please call the box office at (312) 996-2939. [Note: Photos may be downloaded at http://newsphoto.lib.uic.edu/v/uictheatre/.] aranallo@uic.edu (Anne Brooks Ranallo) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3454&fromhome=1 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:42:34 -0500 Cell Protein Interactions Favor Fats http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3446&fromhome=1 For cells to signal each other to carry out their vital work, could the cell membrane's lipids -- or fats -- play a role in buttering-up the process? A research group led by University of Illinois at Chicago chemistry professor Wonhwa Cho thinks so, and presents detailed findings in the April 27 issue of Molecular Cell, online March 22. Proteins -- molecular machines that process signals critical for cell function and regulation -- perform their work by forming complex and tightly regulated interaction networks. Until recently, most scientists thought cellular protein interactions were very tight and specific. But research now indicates that is not the case. Cho has studied cell membranes for more than two decades and has long hypothesized that membrane lipids play a critical role in regulating cellular protein interactions. To convince skeptics, he and his team conducted a genomic-scale investigation into if, and how, lipids play this important role. "Cellular protein interactions are mediated by so-called protein interaction domains, or PIDs. These are small molecular structural units within large proteins that specialize in recognizing interaction partners," he said. "We decided to characterize PIDs in the whole genome and determine how many are regulated, by which membrane lipids, and how it's done." For their pilot study they selected the PDZ domain, one of the most abundant in human cells and a major target for drug development. Developing therapies based on protein interactions is a major field of biomedical research, but a better understanding of protein interaction networks is needed. Due to the large number of PDZ domains, it was impractical to characterize all of them experimentally. So Cho, working with UIC computational scientist and associate professor of bioengineering Hui Lu, his graduate student Morten Kallberg, Columbia University colleague Barry Honig and Honig's postdoctoral assistant Antonina Silkov, performed bioinformatics computations to predict and classify the functions of all lipid-regulating PDZ domains using an experimental database collected by Cho's postdoctoral assistant Yong Chen and graduate student Ren Sheng. Cho said the group found that "an unexpectedly large number" of PDZ domains -- more than 30 percent -- interact with various membrane lipids, and that lipids control their cellular location and interaction with other protein partners. "Furthermore, different PDZ domains are regulated by different lipids in different mechanisms, which open new avenues for drug development for specific control of cellular activity of PDZ domains implicated in major human diseases," he said. The findings will be available online in a searchable format for other researchers working on PDZ domains. Cho and his group have since used their PDZ approach to study the other major protein interaction domains. He said they've collected substantial data and will soon report findings showing that lipids control cellular location and function in the other domains as well. Cho said his next major step is to develop a new and novel class of small molecules that specifically modulate lipid binding activity of protein interaction domains to control diverse, dysfunctional cellular signaling pathways which cause cancer, diabetes and other inflammatory and metabolic diseases. Major support funding was provided by the Chicago Biomedical Consortium with support from the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, the National Institutes of Health and the National Research Foundation of Korea. For more information about UIC, visit <a href="http://www.uic.edu">www.uic.edu</a>. francuch@uic.edu (Paul Francuch) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3446&fromhome=1 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:00:36 -0500 Grants Aim to Hasten Discovery of New TB Drugs http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3448&fromhome=1 Forty-five years. That’s how long it’s been since the last drug – rifampin – hit the market to treat tuberculosis, an infection that affects nearly one third of the world’s population and causes 1.8 million deaths annually. The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy has received three new federally-funded grants to hasten the discovery of new therapeutic treatments. Tuberculosis, once the leading cause of death in the U.S., is a still-common and in many cases lethal infectious disease caused by various strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. It is spread through the air when people who have an active infection cough or sneeze. Medicinal chemistry researchers, led by Larry Klein, senior research scientist at UIC’s Institute for Tuberculosis Research, will chemically optimize a series of compounds, the prototype of which was originally discovered by feeding simple chemicals to a genetically altered strain of E. coli. Optimization involves repeating a cycle of chemical synthesis followed by testing for potency against the tubercle bacillus, lack of toxicity in mammalian cells, and stability in the presence of enzymes in the blood and the liver. “Managing tuberculosis is challenging in that there is an increasing abundance of multi-drug-resistant strains, which has led to a severe health problem,” Klein says. “The majority of cases are found in developing countries and regions with prevalent HIV/AIDS problems, and leads to an urgent need to find novel anti-tuberculosis compounds.” Birgit Jaki, research assistant professor of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy and principal investigator of a second grant, will study actinomycetes -- filamentous or rod-shaped microorganisms found in soil that have a great metabolic capability that generates unusual molecules of therapeutic value. Jaki’s study will utilize a targeted isolation procedure using high-speed countercurrent chromatography to assign a structure or compound class to an active principle at an early stage of the drug discovery process. Once the structure is known, researchers at the Institute for Tuberculosis Research can rapidly isolate larger amounts of material. This approach is a departure from the classic bioactivity-guided isolation procedure, said Jaki, who is an associate researcher at the institute. “Industry and funding agencies shy away from [the] traditional approach, because it is extremely time and labor intensive, and the outcome is often unpredictable.” The new technology can handle large quantities of samples and will result in the discovery of "a plethora of new, unidentified anti-tuberculosis natural products, with one or more of these being a viable lead compound for tuberculosis drug development,” Jaki said. The third project, under the direction of Scott Franzblau, director of the institute, will establish in vitro assays to rapidly detect the anti-tuberculosis activity of liver enzyme-derived metabolites -- a weakness of many current methods, Franzblau said. “Current algorithms for high-throughput, screening-based drug discovery for antimicrobial agents, including those for tuberculosis, fail to account for the possibility of active metabolites early in the drug discovery process,” he said. “Compounds that would only be active after metabolism in the liver are not detected in high-throughput screens.” High-throughput screening uses robotics, data processing and control software, liquid handling devices and sensitive detectors to quickly conduct millions of chemical, genetic or pharmacological tests. The process can rapidly identify active compounds, antibodies or genes that modulate a particular biomolecular pathway. The results provide a starting point for drug design. The tuberculosis-active metabolite assays should preclude the need for identifying the structure of active metabolites and then synthesizing them in order to confirm their presence or absence, Franzblau said. The three two-year grants, totaling nearly $1.3 million, are funded through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, one of the National Institutes of Health. The Institute for Tuberculosis Research is a drug discovery research facility working to develop new drugs to combat an old, but still evolving, global public health threat. The institute is unique in bringing an industrial model of drug discovery into an academic environment and applying it to a neglected disease. In addition to in-house discovery projects, the institute also collaborates with public and private institutions worldwide in the effort to eradicate tuberculosis. samhos@uic.edu (Sam Hostettler) http://tigger.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/newsbureau/cgi-bin/index.cgi?from=Releases&to=Release&id=3448&fromhome=1 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:40:11 -0500