People

An Integral Part of the Frederick Community—Michael Dean

For more than 30 years, Michael Dean, Ph.D., has been an integral part of the NCI at Frederick community. In addition to studying several different aspects of genomics and cancer research, he has worked with the Werner H. Kirsten Student Intern Program and also volunteered his time with Mission of Mercy, a community-based organization providing free healthcare and free prescription medications to the uninsured and under-insured.

Former WHK Intern Returns to NCI at Frederick as Earl-Stadtman Investigator

The Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Signaling (LCDS) recently welcomed John Brognard, Ph.D., as the new Earl-Stadtman Investigator. While Brognard is new to this role, he is not new to NCI at Frederick. In high school, Brognard was a Werner H. Kirsten Student Intern in what was formerly known as the ABL research program, where he worked under Bob Moschel, Ph.D., senior investigator, and Gary Pauly, Ph.D., currently a staff scientist in the Chemical Biology Laboratory.

A Helping Hand in the Frederick Community—Ross Smith

By day, Ross Smith is the compliance and security officer for Data Management Services, Inc., assigned to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Frederick. His role is to ensure the secure operation of in-house computer systems, servers, and network connections.

But in his spare time, Smith is also a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT).

First ATRF Chili Contest Proves It’s Not Always about the Meat

Wafting cumin through the building, 15 slow cookers full of chili lined an L-shaped conference room at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Advanced Technology Research Facility (ATRF), as voters strolled past “No electioneering” signs and the tasting began Feb. 29.

Chili No. 13 came out of the gate with a spicy authority. “My tongue’s still tingling,” said one taster. “Just looking at it, you can tell how spicy it is,” said another judge. Thick with ground beef, with a smoky, peppery aroma, it was layered with black beans and corn, and it had a back-of-the-throat burn no other contestant’s offering could match. A nearby box of tissues served as a must-have for anyone sampling the sinus-clearing concoction.

Be a Mentor and Experience the Excitement of Rediscovery

You don’t really know something until you can teach it to someone. Raul Cachau said he believes this is not only true in academia, but in research laboratories as well. He said that being a mentor means rediscovering things long taken for granted.

“It really forces you to rethink some of the things you do,” said Cachau, Ph.D., principal scientist, Advanced Biomedical Computing Center (ABCC). “It brings focus to many of the things that happen on a daily basis … There’s a positive impact to taking a fresh look at something.”

Chili Cookoff 2016: The Largest Ever

Marco Johnson decided to bring “the big guns” to the 13th annual Protective Services Chili Cookoff—his wife, Jill. The strategy paid off because Johnson’s chili recipe won first place, standing out against some stiff competition.

Johnson, a shuttle bus driver for Protective Services, added his own special touches to the recipe developed by his wife; he used Kielbasa as the main ingredient and increased the smoky flavor, hence the name Jill’s Smoky Kielbasa Chili. The recipe also included crispy bacon, hot pepper seasonings, and a variety of diced tomatoes, from roasted to hot.

Robert Wiltrout Says Goodbye to NCI in 2015

After 34 years at NCI, Robert Wiltrout, Ph.D., said he is looking forward to trading his I-270 commute for another type of commute: exploring the waterways of Maryland, Alaska, and Wyoming to fulfill his love of fishing.

Wiltrout officially retired as director of the NCI Center for Cancer Research (CCR) on July 2 of last year.

Throughout his college academic career, Wiltrout had an interest in science, but it was not until he was working on a research project for his master’s degree that he considered a career in scientific research.