Table of Contents
Education Health and Medicine Economy International Issues National Security Policy and Research Issues New at the National Academies Events and Open Meetings

Education


US Needs New Approach to Improve International Education

More support from all levels of the US education system is needed to develop an integrated approach to improving foreign language skills and expertise on other cultures, says a new report from the National Research Council. Also, the Education Department should consolidate oversight of its foreign language and international education programs under a high-ranking official who would provide strategic direction and coordinate its work with other federal agencies.


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New Teacher Resources Available

To help teachers bring the latest in science and policy to the classroom, the Division on Earth and Life Studies of the National Academies has launched a new Teacher Resources website. The site provides comprehension questions and other classroom activities based on 4-page report briefs that explore key scientific and policy issues on the environment and life sciences. Teachers are also encouraged to use the wide variety of Academies report briefs and special products to create their own materials to be featured on the site.


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Health and Medicine


Smart Prosthetics Conference Summary

Last November the National Academies Keck Futures Initiative held a conference where more than 150 researchers from various disciplines gathered to discuss challenges in the prosthetics field. A summary of the conference recaps these discussions, which explored different problems to developing smart assistive devices and possible solutions.

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IOM Gets the "Safe-Rx Evangelist" Award

In recognition of the Institute of Medicine's outstanding leadership on the issue of patient safety and preventable medication errors, a coalition of community pharmacies and patient safety advocates presented the IOM with the Safe-Rx Evangelist Award. The award -- presented by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the National Community Pharmacists Association, and SureScripts -- goes to a single person or organization whose advocacy has made an exceptional impact on the awareness and prevention of medication errors.

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Cancer in Elderly People: Workshop Proceedings

The IOM's National Cancer Policy Forum sponsored a public workshop addressing several issues related to cancer and aging, including cancer rehabilitation, increased prevalence of cancer survivors, end of life care, the role of nurses, and Medicare costs in geriatric oncology.

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US HIV/AIDS Efforts Should Shift Focus to Sustainability

The US government's global HIV/AIDS relief program known as PEPFAR is making significant contributions to addressing the pandemic in hard-hit countries, but should shift its primary focus from providing immediate, emergency relief to building the capacity of affected nations to sustain their fight against HIV/AIDS over future decades, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council.

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Comprehensive Plan Needed for Biomarker R&D

Federal agencies and other research funders, academic scientists, and private industry should take a comprehensive approach to research and development in cancer biomarkers, a field now hindered by piecemeal and unorganized efforts, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

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Economy


Maximizing Value From New Data on US Communities

The US Census Bureau's new American Community Survey provides annually updated demographic, economic, and housing characteristics for states, counties, cities, and neighborhoods, replacing the decennial census "long form." A new report from the National Research Council offers guidance to government officials, analysts, the media, and others on using the data effectively, and recommends continued development and user education to achieve the new survey's full potential.

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International Issues


NAS President, Vietnamese Official Sign Agreement

Ralph Cicerone, president of the US National Academy of Sciences, and Banh Tien Long, Vietnam's vice minister of education and training, signed a joint statement today to encourage mutual learning and cooperation between the two nations in science, technology, and education. Pham Gia Khiem, Vietnam's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, also attended the ceremony.

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National Security


Improving the Nation's Water Security

Concern over terrorist attacks since 2001 has directed attention to potential vulnerabilities of the nation's water and wastewater systems. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which leads federal efforts to protect the water sector, initiated a research program in 2002 to address immediate research and technical support needs. This report recommends that EPA develop a strategic research plan, address gaps in expertise among agency program managers and researchers, and improve information dissemination. The report also recommends high-priority research topics for EPA, including empirical research in behavioral science to better understand how to prepare people for water security incidents.

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Policy and Research Issues


Amendments to Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research

In 2005, the National Academies released "Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research," offering a set of ethical standards for a field that, due to the absence of comprehensive federal funding, lacked national standards for research. In order to keep the Guidelines up to date, given the rapid pace of scientific developments in the field of stem cell research, the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee was established in 2006 with support from the Ellison Medical Foundation, the Greenwall Foundation, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The committee has now released a letter report with its first set of amendments to the Guidelines. The report also clarifies earlier recommendations and conclusions, including the criteria for determining which stem cell lines it is acceptable to use.

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Method Holds Promise and Pitfalls

When confidential information about research participants -- e.g., the locations of their homes or workplaces -- and spatial data are linked, the risk of participants' identities becoming known to others increases, yet such linked data make important new research possible. A new report from the National Research Council suggests mechanisms that can allow this kind of research to expand while protecting confidentiality.

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Metagenomics 'Will Transform Modern Microbiology'

The new science of metagenomics, where the DNA of entire communities of microbes -- most of them previously unknown -- is studied simultaneously, promises to revolutionize understanding of the microbial world, says a new National Research Council report. It calls for a Global Metagenomics Initiative to drive advances in the field.

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New at the National Academies


New Exhibit on Infectious Diseases Opens March 31

The Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences is opening a new interactive exhibit, "Infectious Disease: Evolving Challenges to Human Health." The exhibit explores the microbial world we live in, examines the emergence of new threats, and shows how our response determines the spread of disease.

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Symposium on Visual Culture and Bioscience

The National Academy of Sciences' Office of Exhibitions and Cultural Programs co-hosted a virtual symposium on visual culture and bioscience March 5-13. The program brought together experts to discuss intersections between the visual arts and life sciences. The 30 participants – comprising artists, scientists, historians, ethicists, curators, sociologists, and writers – made presentations throughout the week.

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Events and Open Meetings


Nanomaterials in Biology and Medicine: Promises and Perils

The National Academies' annual Sackler Colloquium will take place April 10-11, on "Nanomaterials in Biology and Medicine: Promises and Perils." Researchers will discuss new ways to create functional nanomaterials in biology, challenges involved in bringing these technologies to the consumer, and related societal and ethical concerns. Prof. George Whitesides will deliver the 2007 Sackler Lecture, "Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: A Portrait in Early Adolescence," which is free and open to the public, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10. The program, list of speakers, and registration information are posted at the accompanying links.

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MEETING: Globalization of Innovation

The National Academies' Policy and Global Affairs Division will host a meeting on Globalization of Innovation: Emerging Trends in Information Technology, Biopharma, and Financial Services, on April 20 in Washington DC. This one-day meeting is open to the public; a draft agenda is posted at the accompanying link. If you would like to attend the sessions of this meeting that are open to the public or need more information please contact Mahendra Shunmoogam, by email at <mshunmoogam@nas.edu> or by telephone at 202 334 2823.

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Stem Cells Eastern Regional Meeting

The National Academies' Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee is organizing several regional meetings in 2007 to facilitate conversations with those involved in the oversight of stem cell research. The meetings -- designed for members and staff of stem cell research oversight (ESCRO and SCRO) committees, interested members of institutional research boards and other relevant committees, and others with an interest in the oversight of stem cell research -- will focus on implementation of the National Academies' Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research. The eastern US meeting will be held in Cambridge MA on June 11th. Registration and logistical information as well as the project's website are posted at the accompanying links.

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Colloquium on Water Implications of Biofuels

The Water Science and Technology Board is organizing a colloquium that will address water quality, water quantity, and land resources implications of biofuel production in the United States. The colloquium will address both "conventional" feedstock (e.g., grain and vegetable crops) and "next-generation" feedstock (e.g., cellulosic biomass and municipal solid waste). It will take place July 12, 2007 from 8 am - 5 pm at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington DC. More information is posted at the accompanying link.

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