Pulse

Volume5/1998_September08September 8, 1998 PULSE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER Cardiovascular Geneticist, Roger Williams, Dies In Swissair Crash Roger R. Williams Roger R. Williams, M.D., 54, professor of internal medicine and a recognized expert in the field of cardiovascular genetics, died Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1998, in the crash of a Swissair jetliner off the coast of Nova Scotia. Williams had been enroute to Geneva for a World Health Organization meeting. There he was to chair the proceedings of an international group of scientists from some 30 coun-tries who are participating in " MED PED," a massive public health project designed by Williams that combines new discoveries in genetics and computerized genealogical tools to trace medical pedigrees. " There is a profound sense of grief at the health sciences center with the death of Roger Williams, not only because of his contributions to science and medicine, which brought him and the university international acclaim, but because of the kind of person he was," said John M. Matsen, M. D., senior University vice president for health sciences and dean, School of Medicine. " He was sensitive and caring. He was a friend to all, and our hearts go out to his wife, Linda, and their seven children. Roger's passing is a tremen-dous loss to the university, our state and all who knew him." Williams was one of the medical school's most successful faculty members in obtaining research funding. Since joining the faculty in 1976 he had been principal investigator on 21 research grants totaling $ 18.9 million. Nearly $ 16 million of that total was awarded by the National Institutes of Health for investigations into the genetic and environmental determinants of hypertension, characterization of coronary- prone pedigrees, heart attack and stroke deaths in Utah families, and other subjects. At the time of his death he had been working on a $ 2 million NIH grant on a hypertension genetic epidemiology network. Williams developed effective new tools for evaluat-ing and helping families with strong familial predisposi-tion to early coronary disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, breast cancer and morbid obesity. These tools include: detailed family history data collection and quantitative scoring methods, biochemical and physi-ological tests for preclinical disease detection and emerging DNA tests for genes related to heart- related illnesses. Williams is the founder and director of the U's Cardiovascular Genetics Research Clinic, which fosters collaborative investigations involving preventive medicine, epidemiology, genealogy, population genet-ics, molecular genetics, biochemistry, nutrition, pharmacology, clinical pathology, pathophysiology and clinical cardiology. A native of Ogden, Utah, Williams received his B. S. degree from Weber State University in 1968 and his M. D. degree from the U of U in 1971. He did his internship and residency at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N. C., followed by post- doctoral fellowships at the National Cancer Institute and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute ( where he was a tenured medical epidemiologist in 1975- 1976). Williams is the author of more than 200 profes-sional publications. He has chaired numerous commit-tees for the National Institutes of Health. UH Sponsors Farmers' Market and Health Fair This Saturday UH staff will participate in a health fair this Saturday at the Downtown Alliance's weekly Farmers' Market. The market, which will run from 8 a. m.- 1 p. m. at Pioneer Park ( 300 West 300 South), features fresh produce, baked products, homemade crafts and flowers. Representatives from a variety of hospital depart-ments and the Utah Poison Control Center will provide free health screenings, consultations and information. For further details, contact Sandi Martin, xl- 2542. In Memoriam University Hospital lost four esteemed volunteers during the summer. The hospital is grateful for the hours of service provided by these dedicated women. They will be missed. Cleo McCracken Lou Cantrell 1993- 1998 1996- 1998 Pauline Foreman Lucille Hofmann 1994- 1997 1991- 1996 The Better Bones Tour is coming to University Hospital on Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 10: 30 a. m.- l p. m. The event, which will be held near the main entrance to the hospital, is designed to educate people about the impor-tance of bone health and calcium. The tour will feature free osteoporosis risk assessments, bone density screenings, prizes, milk and a milk mustache Hospital Games and BBQ This Friday University Hospital s rescheduled Hospital Games and employee BBQ is this Friday from 11 a. m.- 6 p. m. on the west side of the hospital. The event will feature variety of activities and food. Contact your manager for ticket information. photo contest. The winner of the national contest will be featured in a milk mustache ad in People magazine. UH is one of only 100 health-care facilities selected across the country to participate in the tour. The event is spon-sored by the Milk Proces-sor Education Program, National Dairy Council and the National Os-teoporosis Foundation. Expand Your Career Opportunities Attend Anatomy/ Terminology Courses Hospital Human Resources is offering courses in basic anatomy, Sept. 8- Dec. 10, and medical terminol-ogy, Sept. 23- Nov. 25. The anatomy course will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4- 5 p. m. in the College of Nursing,' room 509. The medical terminol-ogy course will be held on Wednesdays from 4- 6 p. m. in the Browning auditorium. The classes, free for hospital employees, are open to all Health Sciences Center staff for $ 50. The medical terminology class is a prerequisite for the basic anatomy course. For more information or to register, call Xydell Hobbs, x5- 9911. Milk Mustaches Needed Sept. 16 Lions and Witches Coming to UNI The University Neuropsychiatric Institute ( UNI) will host a free performance of the Sundance Children's Theatre production of the C. S. Lewis classic The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe this Saturday. Activities for children, including face painting, fitness activities, food booths and a dance workshop will begin at 9 a. m.; the performance will begin at 10 a. m. Saturday's event is the premiere of the Sundance Children's Theatre 1998 Educational Tour which will travel to more than 100 elementary schools throughout Utah. The first 500 children to arrive will receive a free tour t- shirt. For more information, contact UNI, 583- 2500. Jr. Volunteers Complete Summer Service Back to school means the end of the UH summer junior volunteer program. This year's 30 volunteers logged more than 1,200 hours of service. " Junior volunteers did a tremendous amount of work this summer," said Sharon Martinez, Volunteer Services. " The group participated in a variety of projects which benefitted patients and staff. We are gratelul for their help." For more information about the hospital's volunteer program, contact Martinez, xl- 2278. Library Forum This Wednesday The Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library will hold its first Library and Information Technology Forum this Wednesday at noon in Classroom A. The presentation will focus on the new multimedia func-tions of the renovated classroom. Calhoun's Pastels Featured in Hallside The pastel paintings of J. Calhoun are featured this month in the Hallside Gallery, AC113 SOM. According to her personal statement, her love of art was fostered during the two years she spent living and painting in a small shack in the Uinta Mountains. She says she spent the time painting, hiking and studying books on Japanese, Russian and impressionist art. Her work has been featured at the Albion Day Lodge at Alta Ski resort and Hogle Zoo. This year her work was accepted into the annual Salt Lake Commu-nity College President's Invitational Art Show. J. Calhoun PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPE