The trolls from “Frozen,” a North Pole tunnel, and a Christmas tree–shaped periodic table of elements were just a few of the decorations on display during the second annual Holiday Decorating Contest in December.
The contest, sponsored by the R&W Club Frederick, awarded prizes to three groups and two individuals whose decorations were judged based on visual impact, creativity, and craftsmanship.
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.
Ergonomics is “the scientific study of people at work,” with the goal of reducing stress and eliminating injuries associated with overused muscles, bad posture, and repeated tasks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that working ergonomically reduces muscle fatigue, increases productivity, and decreases the number and severity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs affect the muscles, nerves, and tendons, and are a leading cause of lost workdays due to injury or illness.
Platinum Publications are selected from articles by NCI at Frederick scientists published in 42 prestigious science journals. This list represents articles published during the time period shown above, as generated from PubMed.
Articles designated as Platinum Highlights are noteworthy articles selected by Dr. Craig Reynolds, associate director, National Cancer Institute, from among the most recently published Platinum Publications.
Eric Betzig, Ph.D., a 2014 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and a scientist at Janelia Research Campus (JRC), Howard Hughes Medical Institute, in Ashburn, Va., visited NCI at Frederick on Sept. 10 to present a Distinguished Scientist lecture and discuss the latest high-resolution microscopy techniques.
Betzig co-invented photoactivation localization microscopy (PALM) in collaboration with scientists at NIH. PALM achieves 10-fold improvement in spatial resolution of cells, going from the resolution limit of approximately 250 nm in standard optical microscopy down to approximately 20 nm, thus producing a so-called “super-resolution” image. Spatial resolution refers to the clarity of an image or, in other words, the smallest details that can be observed from an image.
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.
They call themselves “rasologists”: scientists who study the RAS family of genes and the cancers that can arise due to mutations within them. This field of research is at the heart of some sobering numbers. Almost a third of all human cancers, including 95 percent of pancreatic cancers, are driven by mutated RAS genes. The American Cancer Society estimates there were 48,960 new cases of pancreatic cancer in the United States in 2015 and 40,560 deaths from the disease. A high proportion of lung and colorectal cancers are also driven by mutations in RAS.
The Scientific Library’s annual Summer Video Series was so successful that it will be offering a new Winter Video Series beginning in January.
For this inaugural event, the staff is showing the eight-part series from National Geographic titled “American Genius.”
The Technology Refresh Program (TRP) is an NCI-funded initiative designed to promote efficient spending on computer equipment by providing staff members with access to the latest technology to meet their computing needs, said Kyle Miller, IT coordinator, Computer and Statistical Services (C&SS), NCI at Frederick.
Are you looking forward to spring? Join Occupational Health Services (OHS) and the R&W Club Frederick for the next Take a Hike Day in April. At the fall event, about 30 employees walked or jogged the 1.3-mile course around the NCI at Frederick campus during their lunch hours.
The event is designed to encourage employees to engage in physical activity, according to Sarah Hooper, manager of OHS.
“It was so wonderful to see employees walking to wellness,” said Emily Burnett, a Werner H. Kirsten student intern in OHS who helped plan the fall event.
