at M I C H I G A NWinter 2001

A PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDICAL SCHOOL

Michigan’s Ambitious MSTP GradsBridge the Clinic and the Laboratory

HandD iscovering:ealing

54 Winter 2001

LimIn the Limelight

Five University of Michigan Medical Schoolfaculty members have been elected fellows ofthe American Association for the Advancementof Science, the world’s largest organization ofscientists. They make up the majority of theU-M’s seven new AAAS fellows, the largestgroup from any single U.S. institution this year.

AAAS fellows are a select group chosen by theirpeers for distinguished efforts in advancingscience or scientific applications. The 251individuals elected this year will officiallybecome fellows on February 17, 2001, at thenational AAAS meeting in San Francisco.

The five Medical School faculty members are:

Huda Akil, Ph.D., Gardner C. Quarton Profes-sor of Neurosciences, professor of psychiatryand co-director and senior research scientistof the U-M Mental Health Research Institute.She was recognized for her outstanding con-tributions to the neurobiology of depressionand stress, and for leadership in creating amodern scientific basis for psychiatry.

George J. Brewer, M.D., professor of geneticsand internal medicine. He was elected for hisclinical research on copper metabolism andWilson’s disease, and the development of zincand tetrathiomolybdate treatments that havetransformed care of patients with the disease.

Jack E. Dixon, Ph.D., Minor J. Coon Professorof Biological Chemistry and chair of theDepartment of Biological Chemistry. Hisnomination cited his pioneering discoveries ofpeptide hormones, structure and catalyticmechanism of phosphotyrosine phosphatases,and the lipid second-messenger target of thetumor suppressor PTEN.

Stanley J. Watson,M.D., Ph.D., RaphaelCollegiate Professorof Neurosciences inthe Department ofPsychiatry and co-director and researchscientist at the U-MMental HealthResearch Institute. Hewas elected inrecognition of his

distinguished contributions to understandingthe neurobiology of stress and depression.

Max S. Wicha, M.D., professor of internalmedicine and director of the U-M Comprehen-sive Cancer Center. He was elected for hiscontributions to the understanding ofapoptosis in the biology and treatment ofbreast cancer, and for national leadership in thefight against cancer.

The other two U-M faculty elected AAASfellows were Vincent Pecoraro, Ph.D., profes-sor of chemistry in the College of Literature,Science and the Arts, and Nancy Reame,M.S.N., Ph.D., professor, School of Nursing,and a research scientist in the ReproductiveSciences Program.

Five U-M Medical School faculty electedfellows of world’s largest science organization

Max WichaStanley WatsonJack DixonGeorge BrewerHuda Akil

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melightRobert M. Anderson,Ed.D., professor andsenior research scien-tist in the Depart-ment of Medical Edu-cation, received theOutstanding Educa-tor in Diabetes Awardfrom the AmericanDiabetes Associationon June 10, 2000, attheir annual Scientific Sessions meeting in SanAntonio. The award is presented each year tothe distinguished health professional who hasmade exceptional educational efforts in diabe-tes. The honor recognized Anderson’s work indefining the essence of diabetes education asencouraging informed decision-making andpersonal responsibility, and in positioning thehealth care system to better respond to theongoing needs of people with diabetes.

Diane Baker, M.S.,clinical associate pro-fessor of humangenetics and directorof the Genetic Coun-seling Program, hasbeen selected as a2001 AAAS Congres-sional Fellow.Approximately 80fellows per year takepart in this program,which allows accomplished, socially aware sci-entists/health care professionals to participatein and contribute to federal policy-making pro-cesses. The program is supported by the Ameri-can Association for the Advancement of Sci-ence, the American Society of Human Genet-ics, and the fellow’s home department.

Steven R. Buchman,M.D., associate profes-sor of surgery in theSection of Plastic andReconstructive Sur-gery and director ofthe CraniofacialAnomalies Program,has been selected as theRobert H. Ivy SocietyAward Winner at the2000 national meetingof the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Theaward is given annually for the paper showingthe greatest degree of excellence in preparation,presentation and illustration of scientific mate-rial as well as the greatest degree of excellence inscientific merit, originality and impact.

Alphonse Burdi (Ph.D.1962), professor of celland developmentalbiology and researchscientist in the Centerfor Human Growthand Development, wasawarded an HonoraryDoctor of Science de-gree at the Universityof Athens commence-ment exercise on May 26, 2000. This high honor,recommended by medical and dental faculty atthe University, recognizes Burdi’s more than 200scientific and clinical contributions to the worldliterature on developmental craniofacial biologyand the causes of leading birth defects andsyndromes such as clefts of the lip and palate.

Horace Davenport,Ph.D., D.Sc., the Wil-liam Beaumont Pro-fessor Emeritus ofPhysiology andformer chair of theDepartment of Physi-ology, has been listedas one of the 50 mostinfluential gas-trointestinal profes-sionals of the past century by thevGastroenterology.com Web site. In consulta-tion with leading professionals,vGastroenterology.com identified 50 scientists,clinicians and inventors who have had the big-gest influence in the field of gastroenterologyover the past 100 years. A brief description ofDavenport’s contribution to the field ofgastroenterology and some biographicalinformation are posted on the site.

Kim Eagle, M.D.,Albion Walter HewlettProfessor of InternalMedicine and chief ofclinical cardiology, hasbeen appointed editorof Current JournalReview by the Ameri-can College of Cardi-ology. The College is aprofessional society ofover 25,000 cardiovascular physicians andscientists from around the world who supportthe mission of fostering optimal cardiovascularcare and disease prevention through professionaleducation, promotion of research, leadership inthe development of standards and guidelines, andthe formulation of health care policy.

Eva Feldman, M.D.,professor of neurologyand director of theJuvenile DiabetesFoundation Center forComplications ofDiabetes, was honoredby the AmericanDiabetes Associationfor her commitmentand dedication todiabetes research.Feldman has been continuously funded by theAmerican Diabetes Association since 1995, andher work was highlighted in their 2000 ProgressReport. Feldman also received the 2000 Jane L.Cobb Promise Award for excellence in scientificresearch from the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

John Greden, M.D.,Rachel Upjohn Pro-fessor of Psychiatryand Clinical Neuro-sciences, chair ofpsychiatry, seniorresearch scientist inthe Mental HealthResearch Instituteand director of thenew MichiganDepression Initiative, has been appointed chairof the American Psychiatric Association’sCouncil on Research. The American Psychiat-ric Association is a medical specialty societyrecognized worldwide, with a membership of40,500 U.S. and international physiciansspecializing in the diagnosis and treatment ofmental illnesses and substance use disorders.

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56 Winter 2001

Michael J. Imperiale,Ph.D., professor ofmicrobiology andimmunology, wasselected to receive aUniversity of Michi-gan 2000 FacultyRecognition Award.He was recognized forg r o u n d b r e a k i n gresearch in cancer

biology and gene therapy, outstandingteaching, and exemplary leadership and admin-istrative service.

Mohamed K. Khan,M.D., Ph.D., lecturer inthe Department ofRadiation Oncology, hasbeen elected to theAmerican MedicalAssociation’s Councilon Scientific Affairs(CSA). There are 11members who sit on theCouncil; each is elected

by the AMA’s House of Delegates. CSA is anadvisory council within the AMA regarding scien-tific medical issues. It also drafts reports that serve asa national source of information on science andresearch-based issues that affect the practice of medi-cine and the quality of patient care. The Councilprepares policy positions and makes policyrecommendations, most of which have beenapproved by the AMA House of Delegates and arenow the official policy of the AMA.

The American Acad-emy of PhysicalMedicine and Reha-bilitation recentlyhonored James ALeonard Jr., M.D.,clinical professor andchair of the Depart-ment of PhysicalMedicine and Reha-bilitation, with a

Distinguished Clinician Award. The Academyhonors physical medicine and rehabilitation phy-sicians who have achieved distinction on the ba-sis of their scholarly level of teaching and theiroutstanding performance in physiatric patientcare activities. Leonard has devoted most of hisclinical career to the care and treatment of pa-tients needing orthotic and prosthetic services.He is a renowned teacher and clinician, hasauthored numerous publications and has pre-sented more than 130 lectures to medical and pro-fessional organizations on topics in the field ofmedical rehabilitation.

Medical School Professor Receives TopNational Medical Teaching Award

One of the Medical School’s leading educators of future physicians has now been namedone of North America’s top teachers of medicine. Cyril Grum, M.D., professor of internalmedicine and coordinator of many medical education activities at the U-M Medical School,received a major national award for medical student teaching last October at the meeting ofthe Association of American Medical Colleges in Chicago.

Grum and three co-recipients were honored with the Alpha Omega Alpha RobertJ. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Award, recognizing outstanding contributions tomedical education by gifted teachers. The four were chosen from a select groupof faculty, one nominated by each medical school dean in the U.S. and Canada.The award carries with it a $10,000 prize for each recipient, $5,000 for eachinstitution’s teaching activities, and $1,000 for each local chapter of the AlphaOmega Alpha medical student society.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized for my teaching efforts over the past 20years,” says Grum. “As a teacher, I work to excite, inspire and lead students — I dowhatever it takes. My greatest duty is to send them out on a career journey wherethey’ll surpass what I have done. Every teacher should strive for that.”

At the Medical School, Grum directs the curriculum for all third- and fourth-year students, as well as directing his department’s clerkship program, duringwhich third-year students practice the art and science of medicine in patient-caresettings. He also teaches second-year students, counsels fourth-year students ontheir career directions, and carries out research designed to improve the effec-tiveness of medical education.

Cyril Grum in 1996 with students Tina Hahn and Kwabena Osei-Boateng (standing) andWilmer Balaoing (seated)

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The Graduate Pro-gram in Cellular andMolecular Biologyhas named its annuallectureship theMyron Levine Lec-tureship to honorProfessor EmeritusMyron Levine, Ph.D.,founding director ofthe Cellular andMolecular Biology Program, now in its 27thyear. The inaugural lecture, “Signal Transduc-tion Mechanisms that Control Nervous SystemDevelopment and Function,” was presented onSeptember 5, 2000, by Michael Greenberg,Ph.D., professor of neurology and neurobiol-ogy at Harvard University, at the AnnualSymposium and Poster Session of the Cellularand Molecular Biology Program.

Simon Levine, Ph.D., associate professor anddirector of the Rehabilitation Engineering Pro-gram in the Departments of Physical Medicineand Rehabilitation and Biomedical Engineer-ing, was awarded the esteemed Mentor Awardby the Rehabilitation Engineering Society ofNorth America. The award is given for leader-ship in counseling and nurturing of others inthe rehabilitation and assistive technology field.Levine was also elected as a fellow of the Soci-ety for his national and international contri-butions to rehabilitation technology.

Manuel O. Lopez-Figueroa, Ph.D., apostdoctoral fellow inStanley Watson’s lab atthe Mental HealthResearch Institute, wasrecently presentedwith the 2000 YoungInvestigator Award forSuperior ResearchAchievement in theField of Nitric OxideBiology/Chemistry. The award was presented bythe three Nobel Laureates in Medicine and Physi-ology for 1998 at the First International Confer-ence of the Biology, Chemistry and TherapeuticApplications of Nitric Oxide.

Lopez-Figueroa was also one of four recipientsof the Brain Research Interactive Young Inves-tigator Award from the Society for Neuro-science in 2000. He was selected for outstand-ing research demonstrated by articles publishedon the Brain Research Interactive Web site andin Brain Research during the past year.

Barbara Luke, Sc.D.,M.P.H., professor ofobstetrics and gyne-cology, won theAmerican Society ofJournalists andAuthors OutstandingBook of the Year(Service Category) forher book, When You’reExpecting Twins, Trip-lets or Quads: A Complete Resource. Founded in1948, the American Society of Journalists andAuthors is the nation’s leading organization ofindependent nonfiction writers.

Ralph Lydic, BertLaDu Professor ofA n e s t h e s i o l o g y ,director for researchin the Department ofAnesthesiology, andprofessor of physiol-ogy, has been namedpresident of the SleepResearch Society. TheSleep Research Soci-ety exists to promote understanding of theprocesses of sleep and its disorders throughresearch, the training of practitioners ofresearch and the dissemination of the fruits oftheir efforts to the scientific and medicalcommunities as well as to the general public.

John Moran, Ph.D.,assistant professor ofhuman genetics andinternal medicineand one of the Medi-cal School’s first Bio-logical SciencesScholars, has receivedone of five 2000 KeckDistinguished YoungScholars awards. TheKeck award carries agrant of up to $1,000,000 over the next fiveyears and was instituted by the W.M. KeckFoundation to support the nation’s most prom-ising young scientists involved in biomedicalresearch addressing the fundamental mecha-nisms of human disease.

James J. Mulé, Ph.D.,Maude T. Lane Profes-sor of Surgery, wasnamed by the directorof the National CancerInstitute to serve on itsBoard of ScientificCounselors, beginningJuly 1, 2000. Mulé isresponsible for thereview of the Institute’sentire intramural clinical research program andwill serve as an adviser to the director. Mulé alsoserves as the chairman of the Institute’s Experi-mental Therapeutics study section. He is thedirector of the U-M’s Graduate Program inImmunology and the Cancer Center’s TumorImmunology Program.

Elizabeth Petty, M.D.,associate professor ofinternal medicineand of human genet-ics, received the 2000University of Michi-gan Regents’ Awardfor DistinguishedPublic Service. TheRegents’ Award,presented annuallysince 1991, recognizespublic service activities that relate closely toteaching and reflect professional andacademic expertise. Petty was chosen for hercontributions to the public’s and medicalprofession’s understanding of genetics; herservice to the Medical School, University andthe state of Michigan; and the example sheprovides for students and young physicians.

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LimelighJulia Richards,Ph.D., associateprofessor of ophthal-mology and visualsciences, has beenselected to receive theLew R. WassermanMerit Award from theBoard of Trustees ofthe Research toPrevent Blindness(RPB) health organization, a world leader insupport of eye research.

Richards was appointed last year to the ScientificAdvisory Board of the Glaucoma Foundation inNew York. In September of 2000, she was theco-chair of the Seventh Annual Optic NerveRescue and Regeneration Think Tank entitled“Immune Modulation and Gene Expression inGlaucoma: Toward a Unified Field Theory ofGlaucoma.” Richards is engaged in the search forgenes which cause glaucoma, one of the leadingcauses of blindness in the U.S.

Jean Robillard, M.D.,professor and chair ofPediatrics and Com-municable Diseases,has been elected to asix-year term on theBoard of Directors ofthe American Board ofPediatrics. Through-out his career,Robillard has been amember of numerous boards and committees.For the American Board of Pediatrics, he hasserved on the Certifying Examination PlanningCommittee, the Task Force on TransplantationMedicine, and the Examination Committee forthe Sub-Board of Pediatric Nephrology. He alsohas served as the chairman of the Sub-Board ofPediatric Nephrology.

The American Board of Pediatrics is one of 24certifying boards of the American Board ofMedical Specialties. Board certification representsdedication to the highest level of professional-ism in patient care. The Board of Directorsconsists of distinguished pediatricians in educa-tion, research and clinical practice, as well as oneor more non-physicians who have a professionalinterest in the health and welfare of children andadolescents.

Sanjay Saint, M.D.,M.P.H., has won a2000 Excellence inResearch Award forPhysicians from theBlue Cross Blue Shieldof Michigan Founda-tion, for his workexamining the effec-tiveness of a clinicalpractice guideline forthe management ofuncomplicated urinary tract infection in women.For the work, published in the American Journalof Medicine, Saint, assistant professor in theGeneral Medicine Division of the Department ofInternal Medicine, receives $10,000 in funding forfuture research on clinical protocol and pathwayevaluation.

Jochen Schacht,Ph.D., professor ofbiological chemistryand professor ofotolaryngology, is partof a small group ofscientists and teachersworking, with fundingfrom the NationalInstitutes of Health, todevelop curriculummaterials, includingexperiments and computer-based exercises, formiddle school students to help them learn aboutthe ear as a sound processor. The initial results oftheir work, which began last summer, will beposted on the Web for field-testing by studentsin selected schools in 2001. The project issupported by the Office of Science Education atNIH.

Thomas L. Schwenk(M.D. 1975), profes-sor and chair ofFamily Medicine, hasbeen elected to theNational Depressiveand Manic Depres-sive Association(DMDA) Board ofDirectors. TheNational DMDA isthe largest patient-run, illness-specific organization in the nation.

Schwenk was also elected to the Board of Direc-tors of the American Board of Family Practice.The American Board of Family Practice is the sec-ond largest medical specialty board in the U.S.Schwenk was elected for a five-year term.

Audrey F. Seasholtz(Ph.D. 1983), associateprofessor of biologicalchemistry and seniorassociate researchscientist in the MentalHealth Research Insti-tute, received the Uni-versity of Michigan’s2000 ResearchScientist RecognitionAward. The awardrecognizes exceptional scholarly promise inprimary research faculty.

Kent J. Sheets, Ph.D.,associate professor offamily medicine,received the Societyof Teachers of FamilyMedicine “InnovativeProgram Award” atthe Annual SpringConference inOrlando in May.Sheets was honoredfor his work in devel-oping and directing the Preceptor EducationProject. These highly successful materials weredesigned to help busy community familyphysicians become more effective teachers ofmedical students in their private practicesettings. The materials teach basic skills inseveral core teaching areas — organization andplanning, observation, assessment, teaching,feedback, evaluation, tips on handling prob-lems, and collaborative teaching and learning.

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ghtJason Wening, a graduate student in biomedical engineering in the lab of SteveGoldstein, won the gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle at the 2000Paralympics in Sydney, Australia, in October. Wening is a bilateral below-the-knee amputee who was also born with a partially formed left arm and hand.

Wening is the defending gold medalist from the 1996 and 1992 Paralympics. Heset a new world record during his gold medal swim at 4 minutes, 42.97 seconds,improving his previous world record by almostthree seconds. He had set that record earlier thesame day in a qualifying swim.

Breaking the record twice in one day was anaccident, Wening said, because he’d only tar-geted it for the final. “I thought breaking therecord in the morning might have sapped toomuch energy but I guess it worked out,” he said.“I knew it would take a world record to win itbecause every time I’ve won at the Paralympics,the silver medalist has gone under the oldrecord as well.”

Wening, who is the co-captain of the U.S. swimteam, has not been beaten in his 400-meter freestyle class since 1991.

Gold Medalist Jason Wening

Dara Spearman, agraduate student inthe Program in Bio-medical Sciences, isserving a three-yearterm on the NationalHeart, Lung, andBlood Institutes SleepDisorders ResearchAdvisory Board. TheBoard, comprised of

12 physicians, scientists, and representatives ofpatient advocacy groups and 11 NationalInstitutes of Health representatives, advises thedirector of the NIH on research activities ofthe National Center on Sleep DisordersResearch. Spearman’s role on the Board will beto review research proposals and advise in long-range planning for sleep disorders research.Spearman is also pursuing an M.D. degree as amember of the Class of 2004.

Two Medical Schoolfaculty members havebeen selected to serveas members of the2000-2001 Class offellows in the HedwigVan Amerigen Execu-tive Leadership inAcademic MedicineProgram for Women.

Denise G. Tate (top),Ph.D., associate profes-sor and director ofresearch in the Depart-ment of PhysicalMedicine andRehabilitation, andHope Haefner, M.D.(bottom), associateprofessor of obstetricsand gynecology, joinonly 42 faculty nation-ally who were selected to participate. Over theyear-long fellowship, fellows work together witheminent faculty and national leaders to findinnovative ways of implementing the positivechanges in leadership that are necessary to recastand reconfigure academic health centers, and,ultimately, health care for the 21st century.

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The Michael S. Aldrich Sleep Disorders Fund has been established tohelp the Sleep Disorders Laboratory continue to advance research onsleep disorders, to provide the best in clinical care to patients seekinghelp with sleep disorders, and to ensure that many future physicianswishing to specialize in sleep medicine may obtain the advanced train-ing they need to become contributors to this important and growingfield of medicine. Gifts can be made to the Michael S. Aldrich SleepDisorders Fund, U-M Office of Medical Development, 301 E. LibertyStreet, Suite 300, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48104-2251.

Jeremiah G. Turcotte(M.D. 1957, Resi-dency 1963), profes-sor of surgery, is serv-ing as the electedvice-president of theUnited Network forOrgan Sharing. He isalso a member of theNetwork’s Board ofDirectors and wasrecently nominated for the position ofpresident. The Board, composed of medicaland other transplant professionals, transplantrecipients and donor families, advises theDepartment of Health and Human Servicesand the Health Resources and Services Admin-istration on policies for allocation of transplantdonor organs throughout the U.S. The UnitedNetwork for Organ Sharing also administersthe Organ Procurement and TransplantNetwork which maintains a computerizedwaiting list for all patients awaiting a cadav-eric organ transplant and coordinates thedistribution of donor organs within the U.S.

John Voorhees (M.D.1963, Residency 1969),Duncan and Ella PothDistinguished Profes-sor and chair ofDermatology, was in-ducted into the RoyalCollege of Physicians.Approximately 15non-United Kingdomphysicians are selectedannually from allspecialties for induction into the College. Electeesare chosen based on accomplishments withintheir field, and Voorhees, who was cited for hisresearch in psoriasis and skin aging and for hisoverall impact on modern dermatology, isbelieved to be the first American dermatologistgiven the honor.

Voorhees has also been awarded honorarymembership in the Netherlands Society of Der-matology and Venereology. He was honored forhis outstanding merits and leadership in re-search during the past three decades in the fieldof pathogenesis of psoriasis and theaging process.

Michael Aldrich, Sleep PioneerNoted for Narcolepsy Work,Dies at 51

Michael S. Aldrich, M.D., a Univer-sity of Michigan Medical Schoolneurology professor who was thefounder of the U-M Sleep DisordersLaboratory and a prominent clini-cal and basic sleep researcher, diedJuly 18, 2000, at his home in AnnArbor after a long fight againstosteosarcoma. He was 51.

Known internationally for hiswork on narcolepsy, Aldrich wasconsidered a pioneer neurologistin the relatively young field ofsleep medicine. He established theU-M Sleep Disorders section ofthe U-M Department of Neurol-ogy in 1985, when sleep disorders were mainly the province of psychia-trists. Over the next decade and a half, he developed the center into aburgeoning clinical service, a home to groundbreaking research on sleepand its relationship to neurological disorders, and a training groundfor numerous young sleep specialists. The Sleep Disorders Laboratoryhas been renamed the Michael S. Aldrich Sleep Disorders Laboratory inhis honor, with Ronald Chervin, M.D., serving as director.

Aldrich’s narcolepsy research explored both the basic underpinnings ofthe disorder in the neurotransmitters of the brain, and its clinical mani-festations. Aldrich is credited with codifying the signs of narcolepsy andestablishing the most effective diagnostic methods, allowing physiciansto distinguish it from other causes of excessive sleepiness.

In 1990, his seminal New England Journal of Medicine article on thetopic provided an eye-opening primer for general physicians and spe-cialists, giving them the means to detect cases of narcolepsy that mighthave otherwise gone undiagnosed. His recent book on the topic in theOxford University Press Contemporary Neurology series is already con-sidered a classic.

Aldrich’s wife, Leslie Aldrich, M.D., is a clinical assistant professor ofgastroenterology at the Medical School.

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Brian Zink, M.D.,associate professor ofemergency medicineand assistant dean ofmedical student ca-reer development, hasbeen elected presi-dent of the Society forAcademic EmergencyMedicine for 2000-2001. The Society is a5,000-member organization whose mission isto improve patient care by advancing researchand education in emergency medicine.

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Leaving RetirementAssets to the Universityof Michigan MedicalSchool:A great way to help educate futuregenerations of physicians

Retirement assets, which are often subject toincome taxes and estate taxes at a combinedmarginal rate of 75% or more, are an excel-lent vehicle for making a gift to a charitableinstitution such as the University of MichiganMedical School. By simply advising the planadministrator of your wishes and signing theappropriate beneficiary designation form, youcan make the Medical School the beneficiaryof the balance of your retirement planaccounts during your lifetime or after yourdeath. Because this area of estate planningis relatively new and complex, guidance fromyour attorney or other professional knowl-edgeable about tax law is advisable. If youwould like more information about contribut-ing retirement assets to the University ofMichigan Medical School, please call theOffice of Medical Development and AlumniRelations at (734) 998-7705 or write to direc-tor Jim Thomas by e-mail atjimthom@umich.edu or by U.S. mail at 301 E.Liberty, Suite 300, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2251.

Jorge Iñiguez-Lluhí, Ph.D., and UrsulaJakob, Ph.D., have become the seventhand eighth Biological Sciences Scholarsat the University of Michigan.

Iñiguez-Lluhí, of the Department ofPharmacology, is a native of MexicoCity and earned his doctorate at theUniversity of Texas SouthwesternMedical Center in Dallas beforedoing postdoctoral work at theUniversity of California at SanFrancisco. His research focusesprimarily on cellular signal recogni-tion, transduction and response.

Jakob, who earned her Ph.D. inbiophysics and physical biochemistryfrom the University of Regensburg inGermany, completed postdoctoralwork at the U-M where she hascontinued as a research scientistfocusing on the structural and func-tional characterization of recentlyidentified heat shock proteins. Jakob’sBiological Sciences Scholar appoint-ment, in the Department of Biologyin the College of Literature, Scienceand the Arts, begins September 2001.

The U-M Biological SciencesScholars program recruits top facultyto the emerging Life Sciences Initia-tive through appointments within the

Medical School and in other life sciences-related departmentsthroughout the University.