How about using the back page as an "IC Employee Recognition" page? It would be a nice way to show appreciation to those who may not necessarily be discovering the cure for cancer but who make the day a little brighter by kind words or deeds—someone on staff or who services a building or IC offices.

Just a thought.

—Chanee Jackson, OD

A suggestion for the back page of the Catalyst: You often feature PhDs or top people in their field in issues (which is good), but what about the average employee who makes a significant contribution to their job? Perhaps you could ask for nominations from division heads, select a candidate, and run a short piece on the person and their idea or performance that rated special mention.

—Gail McMullen
Veterinary Associate, NCI

—The Catalyst would be pleased from time to time to publish back-page photos and a few words about individuals selected for such recognition. Please send us your nominations!—ed.

Preventing Breast Cancer

Preventing breast cancer will be the theme of the March 26 meeting of the Women's Health Special Interest Group.

JoAnne Zujewski, medical director of clinical research operations, NCI, and head of the breast cancer clinical research section, will discuss the effects of raloxifene in premenopausal women, as well as future directions for research.

The meeting will be held in Wilson Hall (3rd floor), Building 1, from 11:30 to 1:00.

Hypnosis in Medical Care:
Altering Perception and Reality

Another in NCCAM’s Distinguished Lectures series will be held May 6, 2003, 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m., in the Masur Auditorium, Building 10.

David Spiegel, of the Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, Calif., will discuss "Hypnosis and Group Support in Medical Care: Altering Perception and Reality."

Proteome Exploring

A symposium on recent developments in proteomics technology and applications—"Exploring the Proteome II"—will be held in the main Natcher auditorium May 2, 2003. Invited lectures will be delivered by eight scientists from leading proteome research groups in the United States and Europe. The symposium is sponsored by 15 NIH institutes and centers and organized through the Proteomics Interest Group.

NIH pre- and postdoctoral fellows are invited to submit posters for display in the Natcher lobby on May 1 and 2. Posters should describe either a significant application of proteomics methods to a biomedical research problem or a specific technical or methodological advance in proteomics. Space is limiterd, and priority will be assigned to fellows from sponsoring institutes and centers. Abstracts may be submitted online through links here beginning March 1 and ending March 22. Authors will be notified of acceptance by April 1.

[Note: as of March 24, the deadline was extended to April 4, with notification April 14.]

AIDS Malignancies

The 7th International Conference on Malignancies in AIDS and Other Immunodeficiencies: Basic, Epidemiologic and Clinical Research" will be held April 28–29, 2003, in the main Natcher auditorium. Register online.

Stem Cells

This year’s General Motors Cancer Research Foundation annual scientific conference and awards ceremony will be devoted to a cutting-edge exploration of stem cell research and will be held June 10–11, 2003, in the Masur Auditorium.

A contact person for more information may be reached by e-mail or phone at (919) 668-8018.