Asma Al-Qasimi was elated when she won a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Postdoctoral Fellowship to study quantum physics at the University of Rochester.

Her path seemed clear. She was in exactly the right place, studying with exactly the right people, to further explore the “gray area” between quantum and classical objects.

Then, a year later, Asma and her husband Daniel James, a ’92 PhD graduate of the University of Rochester, now professor of physics at the University of Toronto, started a family. Just a few weeks into her first pregnancy the morning sickness began. After a trip to the emergency room in her second trimester, she was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition that affects less than 1 percent of pregnant women.

Al-Qasimi put her career on hold for three years, during which she and James coped with another difficult pregnancy.

As Sara Webb has written in Science, “The challenge of juggling a science career and personal and family obligations is not a new issue, particularly for women. In a career where productivity and publications define your value, can you take a couple of years off and then make a successful return? When you do, will employers trust your dedication to your job?”

This is an issue for women in all academic fields, but especially in STEM fields, where women have been traditionally underrepresented.

“There are many reasons why we do not have as many women in STEM fields as we would like,” Al-Qasimi says. “But I think that a very important one is women having to choose between having children or continuing their careers without interruptions.”

Fortunately, Al-Qasimi was welcomed back to her group at the University. She applied for, and won, the M. Hildred Blewett Fellowship from the American Physical Society. The fellowship enables women to return to physics research careers after having had to interrupt those careers.

Blewett was an accelerator physicist at Brookhaven, Argonne, and CERN, starting at a time when there were few women in the field. According to an APS profile, Blewett always felt she was held back in her career because she was a woman—and remembered having to take a year off from college for lack of funding. Thus, her interest in bequeathing an award that would help women physicists overcome such obstacles.

Recently, the fellowships have been awarded to three to five recipients a year.

“Asma is a remarkable young woman, and we’re very pleased that her unique qualities could be recognized in this way,” says Joseph Eberly, the Andrew Carnegie Professor of Physics and Optics, who is her research sponsor at the University of Rochester.  “It’s not surprising that Asma was selected, because her credentials are strong and very solidly aligned with the Fellowship’s description. ”

The award has made all the difference to Al-Qasimi. She has never regretted her decision to interrupt her career “to have two beautiful children.” But she is glad she did not have to give up the research she is passionate about.

Otherwise, she says, “I would always feel that I haven’t fulfilled what I’m here to do.

“There would have been a sadness in the background, always.”

Other programs that support re-entry to research or the academic workforce:

• National Institutes of Health Research Supplements to Promote Re-Entry into Research Careers
• National Science Foundation Re-entry to Active Research Program (RARE)

Several chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients at the Wilmot Cancer Institute took part in two groundbreaking, nationwide phase 3 studies that are changing the way doctors treat the disease. The positive results were reported recently at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting — and will immediately impact CLL patients in the Rochester region and across the U.S., said Paul Barr, director of Wilmot’s Clinical Trials Office.

The median overall survival for patients with CLL has tripled during the last 30 years, and the latest clinical trials will result in further improvements, Barr said.

The new studies compared the current standard treatments for front-line chemotherapy with regimens using a combination of ibrutinib, a drug that targets BTK, a critical protein in CLL, and rituximab, a type of immunotherapy. Ibrutinib is taken as a pill and is often less toxic than chemotherapy.  One study was designed for patients younger than 70 years old, while the other was designed for older patients.

The clinical research represents the first time ibrutinib/rituximab has been directly compared to the most aggressive and promising therapies available today. Both studies showed that ibrutinib provided a longer time of remission compared to chemotherapy. The same drug has been extensively tested in certain patients with relapsed CLL, and was also shown to be safe and effective.

For more detailed scientific data, go to:

https://ash.confex.com/ash/2018/webprogram/Paper116653.html

https://ash.confex.com/ash/2018/webprogram/Paper120779.html

Mujdat Cetin, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, who has been named a fellow of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), a distinction limited to no more than one-tenth of one percent of the total voting membership. His citation is for contributions to image processing for synthetic aperture radar and sensor array.  Cetin’s research interests are within the broad area of data, signal, and imaging sciences with cross-disciplinary links to several other areas in electrical engineering, computer science, and neuroscience. His research group has made several advances in three key areas: computational sensing and imaging as applied to radar and biomedical imaging; probabilistic methods for image and video analysis as applied to biomedical image analysis, microscopic neuroimaging, and computer vision; and signal processing and machine learning for brain-computer/machine interfaces, with applications for alternative communication and rehabilitation for patients, and monitoring of cognitive states.

The Office for Human Subject Protection (OHSP) went live last month with a new IRB review software — Click IRB.  All Institutional Review Board submissions are now processed in Click IRB.  The RSRB Online Submission System ROSS is now read-only.

Important considerations in using the new system include:

• Only principal investigators (PIs) and PI proxies can submit items for review. This includes new studies, modifications, and continuing reviews. All study team members can create submissions but only the PI and PI Proxies are able to submit. If the PI wants study team members to submit, they must assign specific study team members the PI Proxy role, using the activity on the main study workspace.  Instructions for doing so are available in the study staff manual.  PI Proxies can be assigned or revised at any time without any action by the IRB (no modification is needed).
• When a study was transferred from ROSS to Click IRB, only select data points were migrated (i.e., a “shell” of the study was created). All study “shells” are required to be “filled” with the first submission (i.e., modification or continuing review).  Step-by-step instructions for doing so are available in the OHSP Q4 Newsletter.  Note:  As described above, only the PI and PI Proxies can submit these items.  If the PI wishes to assign one or more PI Proxies, they may do so at this time.  For study coordinators and research assistants, we recommend you use the “Add Comment” activity to notify PIs when items are ready for submission.  Provide direction in the comment to instruct the PI to assign the PI Proxy, if applicable.
• Only principal investigators (PIs), PI proxies, and primary contacts receive notifications concerning submissions (e.g., notifications that the IRB has requested clarifications).  Instructions for assigning PI proxies and primary contacts are available in the study staff manual.
• Modifications and continuing reviews (MOD/CR) can now be bundled as one, comprehensive submission. When submitting the MOD/CR, bear in mind that the revisions included within the submission cannot be reviewed and approved until the study is within 30 days of expiration, in accordance with continuing review policy.  Depending on the timing of your submission and the revisions included, it may be advantageous to submit the modification and continuing review separately, so the modification may be reviewed and approved in advance of the 30-day requirement.
• Help is available!!  The study staff manual provides extensive information on how to submit items for review, respond to clarifications, and upload study documents.  Please use the step-by-step instructions provided in the manuals with each submission, until you become familiar with the new review system.  Additional manuals are also available on the RSRB website for department and ancillary reviewers.  Similarly, the OHSP Q4 Newsletter provides critical information for study teams during this transition.  One-on-one help is also available during dedicated open office hours; individual one-on-one help can also be requested by contacting Kelly Unsworth.

OHSP recognizes that this transition period can present a challenge for study teams; please be assured that this process will get easier as you become more familiar with the review system and as legacy study “shells” from ROSS are completed.  Have questions?  Contact your RSRB Specialist.

Laurie Steiner and Kate Ackerman of the Human Genomics Research Group will present an update on a collaboration with Yale University, which involves sequencing of interesting cases of congenital complex disease in infants. 

All are welcome to attend their presentation, which begins at 2 p.m., Tuesday December 11 in MRBX 1.1121.

The Human Genomics Research Group aims to advance research of genetic sequence variation in human disease and foster collaborative work at the University of Rochester.

If you would like to be added to the HGRG group email list, contact Ying Meng or Sarah Kerns.

The Department of Public Health Sciences has funds to support a limited number of research pilot projects that have a substantial component of or impact on public health sciences, practices, or policies.

The focus of the pilot program is to stimulate new collaborations with public health sciences faculty.

The deadline for submitting initial proposal abstracts is February 1. See submission criteria and other details.

The Wilmot Cancer Research postdoctoral fellowship supports mentored research training for physicians with MD or MD/PhD degrees who have completed their residency training and intend to pursue an academic career in clinical, translational, or basic cancer research.

The fellowship provides funding for up to three years. View application details. For questions, email Pamela Iadarola or call 585-275-1537.

Submit applications by Friday, February 15, 2019.

Rakan Ashour, materials science, “Tackling Key Engineering Challenges in Liquid Metal Batteries: Temperature and Mass Transport.” 2 p.m. December 14, 2018. Hutchison Hall Room 473. Advisor: Douglas Kelley.

Kyle Berger, biophysics, “Thermodynamic and Structural Studies of RNA Internal Loops Closed by GU Pairs.” 2 p.m. December 18, 2018. Neuman Room (1-6823) Medical Center. Advisor: Douglas Turner.

Sarah Catheline, pathology, “Inflammation in Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis: Contribution of IKKβ/NF-κB Signaling and Interplay with Chondrocyte Hypertrophy.”  2 p.m. December 18, 2018. Lower Adolph Auditorium (1-7619) Medical Center. Advisor: Jennifer Jonason.

Today:  “Construction and Collapse: Felix von Merveldt’s Zivilverwaltung.” Department of History work-in-progress workshop presentation by doctoral student Andrew Kless. 12:45 p.m. in the Gamble Room, Rush Rhees Library. Learn more and get a copy of the paper. 

Dec. 10: Deadline to apply for Humanities Center internal fellowship for fall 2019 or spring 2020, for a tenured associate professor in the humanities or humanistic social sciences who will use the time at the Center to complete a second book. Projects must address the theme of “communities,” broadly understood. Applicants should follow the guidelines here.

Dec. 14: 6 p.m. deadline to apply for travel reimbursement awards of up to $1,000  (one for clinical research and one for basic sciences research) to support a School of Medicine & Dentistry medical student, graduate student, postdoctoral trainee, clinical resident, and/or clinical fellow to attend national or international meetings at which they will present their research and make professional connections. For questions, email Amy Blatt or call 585-275-4912. View the full RFA.

Jan 2.: Letters of intent/initial abstracts due by 8 a.m. for Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) Incubator award from the School of Medicine and Dentistry to foster the establishment of extramurally funded, nationally recognized centers of excellence in biomedical research.  View details and application instructions and the SAC Incubator Program RFA. Contact Anne Reed for more information.

Jan. 14: Applications due for pilot funding from the Environmental Health Science Center to support projects relevant to the theme of “Environmental Agents as Modulators of Human Disease and Dysfunction.” Forms and guidelines can be found on the Environmental Health Sciences Center web site. Send applications to Pat Noonan-Sullivan.

Jan. 15: Deadline to submit cancer research grant applications for new collaborative studies targeting future MPI R01, P01, and U01 funding from National Cancer Institute. Applications should be submitted electronically to  Pamela_Iadarola@urmc.rochester.edu at the Wilmot Cancer Institute. Questions should also be directed to her.

Jan. 24: Phelps Colloquium Series: Donald Hall, the Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Sciences & Engineering, “Looking Beyond Our Horizons: Interdisciplinary Education and Civic Responsibility.” Pablo Sierra Silva, assistant professor of history, “Pirates, Captives, and the Digital Archive: Researching Afro-Mexican History in the 21st Century.” 4-5:30 p.m. Feldman Ballroom, Douglass Commons. Register here. Questions? Contact Adele Coelho or call 273-2571.

Feb. 1: Initial proposal abstracts due for Department of Public Health Sciences funding for esearch pilot projects that have a substantial component of or impact on public health sciences, practices, or policies. See submission criteria and other details.

Feb. 15: Applications due for Wilmot Cancer Research postdoctoral fellowship providing mentored research training for physicians with MD or MD/PhD degrees who have completed their residency training and intend to pursue an academic career in clinical, translational, or basic cancer research. View application details. For questions, email Pamela Iadarola or call 585-275-1537.