September 28, 1998
Volume 51, No. 6

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAMPUS NEWS Ink finally dry on Emory West deal Carter breaks silence on Clinton, says nation will heal First Person: Young people use words, not weapons, to talk differences Seven faculty named to distinguished appointments Issues in Progress: Faculty Council Leaf blowers a nuisance no more Thomas tapped to help eliminate racial disparities in health status Author Alice Walker to give reading Oct. 5 October is breast cancer awareness month. Are you aware of your risk? Blohm new health sciences fundraising chief John Blohm is the new senior associate vice president for health sciences development. He comes to Emory from the University of Alabama (UAB), where he has served since 1996 as associate vice president for major fund development. Blohm will lead the fundraising program, including major gifts, prospect development and alumni activities for the Health Sciences Center, including the schools of medicine, public health, nursing, the hospitals and Yerkes. He will also manage the efforts of development executives working in key components of the health sciences. Before joining the UAB staff, he served as senior development director and coordinator of advancement and alumni affairs at the University of Florida College of Medicine. Madeleine Albright to speak Oct. 21 at Glenn Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will deliver this year's Institute for Women's Studies Rosalynn Carter Distinguished Lecture in Public Policy on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 3 p.m. in Glenn Auditorium. Albright will answer questions after her address. Tickets are required for this event, which is open to the general public. A limited number of free tickets will be available at the DUC ticket office beginning Sept. 28.

SCHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH Rich conducts field research for Empowerment Zone Model created for childhood trauma-adult depression link Emory participates in trial for melanoma vaccine Researchers at the Winship Cancer Center have begun clinical trials of a new vaccine for malignant melanoma. Emory is one of about 200 sites in the United States to test GMK, a vaccine that stimulates the production of antibodies that have been shown in vitro to recognize and destroy cancer cells. "Malignant melanoma remains one of the most deadly forms of skin cancer today," said David Lawson, Emory medical oncologist and a national co-chair for the trial. "Most patients are cured by surgery, but patients whose tumors are large or who have lymph node involvement are at high risk for recurrence because of residual disease. There has been longstanding interest in developing vaccines that would prevent the disease from resurfacing." Cancer vaccines such as GMK attempt to train the immune system to recognize cancer cells as a threat, causing it to produce sufficient antibodies to the cancer, thus potentially preventing recurrence. The GMK malignant melanoma trials are Phase III studies conducted under FDA regulation. Patients eligible for participation must have had either a deep primary melanoma (4mm or thicker) or disease that has spread to regional lymph nodes and been free of disease after surgery. Participants must be enrolled within eight weeks of surgery and will be randomized to receive either the GMK or high-dose Interferon alpha 2b. Patients will not be allowed to choose the treatment they receive. For more information call Carol Hill at 404-778-4907. Free depression screenings at Wesley Wood Oct. 8 Free depression screenings will be offered on National Depression Screening Day, Oct. 8, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., by staff of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. The screenings will take place at Wesley Woods Health Center, 1841 Clifton Rd., 4th floor. No appointment is necessary. Those who believe they may have clinical depression are invited to view a video on depression symptoms and treatment, complete depression assessment forms and have one-on-one, confidential assessments with an Emory mental health professional. Based on assessments, staff will discuss general treatment options and inform participants of investigative medication and behavioral therapy studies at Emory for which they may qualify. Friends and family members of people with depression may attend the Oct. 8 session as well.