Upcoming Events:
ASEF Luncheon, September 29, 2009
John Trojanowski, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, is the speaker at this Luncheon Event.
His research interests are focused on the molecular mechanisms of neural dysfunction, degeneration of the nervous system, and concomitant losses of communicative activities and cerebral functions, both in normal ageing and in neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, other forms of dementia, and Parkinson’s disease.
Dr. Trojanowski’s lecture is titled: “Tau-Focused Drug Discovery for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Tauopathies”.
He has provided the following Abstract :
Neuronal inclusions comprised of the microtubule-associated protein tau are found in a number of neuro-degenerative diseases,
commonly known as tauopathies. In Alzheimer’s disease, the most prevalent of these tauopathies, misfolded tau , is probably a key pathological agent.
Recent Phase III clinical trial failures suggest that it is timely and prudent to consider alternative drug discovery strategies for Alzheimer’s disease. Here we review those directed at reducing the consequences of pathological tau, including strategies to decrease misfolded tau and to compensate for the loss of normal tau functions.
This Luncheon is scheduled as follows:
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time: 11:45a.m.
Location: The Hourglass Room of the University Club. (Located on the 2nd floor of The Inn at Penn - enter from 36th and Walnut Street).
Please confirm your attendance by sending a RSVP via email to Rachael Berget (rberget@mail.med.upenn.edu) or via phone (215-898-7160).
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ASEF Open House / Reception
September 30th, 2009An "Open House / Reception" will be held to introduce ASEF's New Office Space on the 21st Floor of Penn Tower to the new members.
We invite all our colleagues to join us for a tour of the new facilities which consist of a work/study room, furnished with computers and desks, a lounge, and a small office for private consultations and other professional needs.
Light refreshments will be served at the Reception while you can enjoy the impressive views of the Penn Medical Center, the Perelman Building, and most of the other health-related medical buildings, under construction or already completed. (Directional signs will be posted in Penn Tower to guide you to the location.)
Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Time: 4:00p.m. to 6:00p.m.
Location: 21 Penn TowerPlease send your RSVP by email to Rachael Berget (rberget@mail.med.upenn.edu) or phone via 215-898-7160-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASEF Luncheon, October 20, 2009
Dupont Guerry IV, MD, Professor Emeritus of Medicine (Oncology) will be the featured speaker.
He has centered many of his research activities on Melanoma - a poorly understood and often disastrous disease which is rapidly spreading in our society, especially also in the younger population. It is a very difficulty disease to detect early, has quite varying courses, and if not controlled early on, is usually fatal.
In his research projects at Penn, Dr. Guerry addressed the role of immunobiology factors in tumor progression. He was, and is, active in the development and application of therapeutic possibilities for the patients with metastatic disease. He is also interested in the identification of risk factors which could be used in predictive models for patients with high risk of developing melanoma disease.
His book: "Melanoma: Prevention, Detection, and Treatment". Yale University Press 2005, with coauthor Catherine M. Poole, is highly acclaimed for it's coverage of these topics and for bringing much insight into the real characteristics of Melanoma.
Dr. Guerry's lecture is titled: "What Can You Do About Your New Grandchild's '1 in 50' Chance of Developing Melanoma: From Genetic Susceptibility to Action"
This Luncheon is scheduled as follows:
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Time: 12:00p.m.
Location: The Lenape Room of the University Club. (Located on the 2nd floor of The Inn at Penn - enter from 36th and Walnut Street).
Please confirm your attendance by sending a RSVP via email to Rachael Berget (rberget@mail.med.upenn.edu) or via phone (215-898-7160).-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASEF 2009 Emeritus Dinner, October 27, 2009
On this day, we will have our annual reception and dinner to welcome and honor the retirees of the past academic year. The festivities are scheduled to be as follows:
Reception: 5:00p.m. - 6:15p.m. (free of charge)
Location: Lobby of Biomedical Research Building (BRB)At 6:15p.m. we will move to the Auditorium of the Biomedical Research Building (BRB) for the Introduction of the Retirees by the President of ASEF, Dr. Howard Goldfine. The highlight of the evening will be an Address by the Dean of the School of Medicine, Dr. Arthur H. Rubenstein.
This year's honorees are Angelina Castro, MD, Charles C. Clark, PhD, George W. Drach, MD, David R. Goldman, MD, John Monroe, PhD, Edward N. Pugh, Jr, PhD, Alan Rosenquist, PhD, Alan Schreiber, MD, Alfred Sellers, MD, Michael E. Seltzer, MD, Howard M. Snyder, MD, and Peter Sterling, PhD.
The Dinner, ($40/person), will follow the address from the Dean and will be held on the 14th floor Faculty Lounge of the Biomedical Research Building (BRB).
Please join us in honoring our retirees and greeting old and new friends.
Please send you RSVP as soon as possible to Rachael Berget (rberget@mail.med.upenn.edu) or via phone (215-898-7160).
Please make your check ($40/person) payable to "Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania" and send your payment to:
Rachael Berget
Faculty Affairs and Professional Development
University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine
328 Anatomy Chemistry Building
3620 Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6015-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retirement Planning, November 3, 2009
Change from an active professional life in the academic world to the status of a retired person (i.e. Emeritus) is an unavoidable part of our lives. Many factors have to be considered to help making this transition a comparatively easy process, especially in these times of economic uncertainties.
A "Team" of Administrative Officers of our Medical School and the University has, in the past few years, guided many of our colleagues through the complexities of the retirement process by presenting lecture and discussion sessions at the end of each academic year.
Since these sessions were very informative and successful, we decided to schedule such a session also for the Autumn.
Our "Vicki and Hilary Team"...
Victoria Mulhern, Executive Director, Faculty Affairs and Professional Development (FAPD) of the Medical School
Hilary Lopez, Senior Benefits Specialist, University of Pennsylvania Division of Human Resources...have agreed to provide a "Autumn Retirement Planning Session", in which they will present the most recent regulations and data, with ample time for individual and personal discussion.
This session is scheduled as follows:
Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Time: 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Location: Reunion Hall, John Morgan Building, Ground floorPlease confirm your attendance by sending a RSVP via email to Rachael Berget (rberget@mail.med.upenn.edu) or via phone (215-898-7160).
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ASEF Luncheon, November 9, 2009
Stuart L. Fine, M.D., Professor and Chairman of Ophthalmology and Director of the Scheie Eye Institute.
Dr. Fine's lecture is titled: "Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Epidemiology, Classification, Diagnosis and Treatment"
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the most devastating eye diseases - and has been largely incurable. A variety of methods have been used over the years to bring some hope; Photocoagulation and other laser techniques were tried, but most attempts did not give satisfactory results. Advances in modern molecular biology finally made a variety of experimental pharmacological treatments possible.
By far the most promising approach to treating AMD came with the discovery of a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in animal tissues, which was purified and characterized. This led to the early suggestion that an antibody to VEGF might be able to control endothelial growth in tumors. A widely known example of such a monoclonal antibody, made on an industrial scale, is known under its trade name Avastin; it was developed and approved for terminal states of metastatic cancers. the first experimental use of Avastin on an AMD patient was reported in 2003. Quite a number of such experimental applications followed in Institutes and Centers all over the world. More recently, a modified monoclonal antibody fragment, the anti-VEGF drug Lucentis was used in combination with intravitreal injection. This led to detectable clinical improvements and even some partial improvement of vision. This can therefore be considered a therapy for at least one form of AMD which is coupled with a corroidal neovascularization process. Much further work and more clinical trials will be needed to establish this as a proven therapy. (Advanced spectrometric techniques such as ORT should be used for refined imaging of the retina and its layers. The audience looks forward to learn about these and other new developments in AMD Therapy.
This luncheon is scheduled as follows:
Date: Monday, November 9, 2009
Time: 11:45a.m.
Location: The Hourglass Room of the University Club. (Located on the 2nd floor of The Inn at Penn - enter from 36th and Walnut Street).
Please confirm your attendance by sending a RSVP via email to Rachael Berget (rberget@mail.med.upenn.edu) or via phone (215-898-7160).-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASEF Luncheon, December 9, 2009
Leonard Warren, MD, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Cell and Developmental Biology and Professor Emeritus at Wistar
Dr. Warren's lecture is titles: "Immigrant Scientists in America"
Dr. Warren's extensive research activities were initially focused on the characteristics and metabolic role of glycoproteins. He then returned to fundamental studies of the surface membranes in both normal and malignant animal cells.
After his retirement, Dr. Warren turned his interests to a quite different area, the writing of Scientist Biographies. His first book brought the life of Joseph Leidy in to the foreground. Biographies of other remarkable historical persons followed. In July, 2009, his fourth biography was published, presenting the life story of "Maclure of New Harmony".
This last luncheon of 2009 is scheduled as follows:
Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Time: 11:45a.m.
Location: The Lenape Room of the University Club. (Located on the 2nd floor of The Inn at Penn - enter from 36th and Walnut Street).
Please confirm your attendance by sending a RSVP via email to Rachael Berget (rberget@mail.med.upenn.edu) or via phone (215-898-7160).-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASEF Luncheon Seminar: A Look into the Year 2010
We would like to remind our colleagues that the monthly series of ASEF Luncheon Talks - and likewise the parallel program of our sister organization PASEF - will actively continue in the coming year.
Please watch for further announcements here on this web page and in your email.
Finally, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our colleague and friend, Nicholas Kefalides, for organizing these fascinating Series Luncheon Seminars for both of our groups. We hope to see many of our members participating in 2010.