Since Tuesday’s notice in @Rochester, there are three new cases of COVID-19 to report: three River Campus students. Please note that the University’s COVID-19 Dashboard is updated daily. Whenever a new case is known, the contact-tracing process begins immediately with confirmed exposures being contacted and required to quarantine.
It’s extremely important for the health of the University community that individuals continue to adhere to the face masking and social distancing protocols. Even as some individuals are now receiving their first or second dose of the vaccine, these practices to prevent the transmission of the virus cannot be relaxed.
If you think you’re experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, it’s important to report them through Dr. Chat Bot—for non–Medical Center faculty, staff, and all students and for Medical Center employees—immediately. Even if you think your symptoms might be something else—like a cold, seasonal congestion, or allergies—it’s still important to tell University health professionals and contact tracers what you’re experiencing.
David Topham, the founding director of the Translational Immunology and Infectious Disease Institute, has been studying the coronavirus and the role of memory B cells—immune cells that persist for a lifetime and produce antibodies when re-exposed to a pathogen that they have been programmed to fight. “Even if antibody levels wane and you get reinfected or you get infected with a variant, the memory B cells—if you have enough of them—will respond very quickly and prevent that severe disease,” says Topham, who holds the Marie Curran Wilson and Joseph Chamberlain Wilson Professorship in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.
We’ve all been living under COVID-19 long enough to know you don’t need to have the virus to be affected. There’s a good chance that what you or someone you know is feeling isn’t a Case of the Mondays or just a bad day.
If you’re feeling anxious, depressed, or unlike yourself in some other way, consider reaching out to the University Counseling Center—you’ll receive a comprehensive assessment and individualized treatment plan. And if you see someone else who is really struggling, contact the CARE Network. A member of the CARE staff will then reach out to this person and offer them a supportive conversation. Anyone can submit a referral.
Check in next Wednesday for more tips and resources that will help you stay focused, healthy, and connected.
Thursday is the e5 application deadline
The spring application deadline for the e5 Program, a fifth tuition-free year of college to launch a project and engage in an experiential pursuit, is 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 1. Seniors are only permitted to apply during their fall semester. Contact Angela Buchiere with questions about the application process or to learn more about the program.
Three Minute Thesis competition
Three Minute Thesis is an academic competition that challenges doctoral students and postdoctoral appointees to describe their research within three minutes to a general audience. A panel of judges will select the first-place winner and runner-up among nine finalists from across the University, and the audience will determine the People’s Choice Award. The competition takes place Friday, April 9, at noon EDT. Register here to join. This event will be interpreted for the deaf and hard of hearing. If you would like to request accommodations, contact Jen_Prosceo@urmc.rochester.edu at least three business days prior to the event.
Webinar explores resources for Medical Center innovators
Join the Ain Center for Entrepreneurship and the Office of Biomedical Research Development for the webinar “Resources for URMC Innovators” today, Wednesday, March 31, from noon to 1:30 p.m. EDT. All University faculty, staff, and students are welcome to attend and learn about resources available to support innovation. Join online via Zoom to learn more about the featured organizations and how they can help turn your research or ideas into reality.
Learn about advanced certificate programs in the Department of Public Health Sciences
This webinar takes place Friday, April 2, at noon EDT and will highlight key elements of each certificate and discuss program requirements and the application process. Register in advance, even if you cannot attend, by completing this registration form. A link to a recording of the webinar will be sent to all registrants, regardless of attendance, after the event. Email Annie Majoka with questions.
Yale professor Joseph Fischel to deliver Rainbow Lecture
Join Joseph Fischel, an associate professor of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at Yale University, for the Rainbow Lecture, “Gay Rights for Cows, or the Extinction of Sodomy Law,” on Tuesday, April 6, at 4:45 p.m. EDT. This virtual lecture will be followed by a Q&A session with Fischel. Contact sbai@rochester.edu with requests for accommodation. The webinar will be recorded and distributed privately for those unable to attend live.
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