Community

The lunchtime dash to a nearby eatery is a daily ritual at NCI at Frederick, but Occupational Health Services (OHS) recently showed employees a different, healthy kind of DASH—Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Employees who visited the educational lunch-hour event, called “DASH and Dine,” had the chance to speak with OHS staff about the benefits of the DASH Eating Plan, a diet developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

This year’s Protective Services Chili Cookoff was marked by blazing-hot chili and fiery competition as 15 entrants contended for the attention and adoration of approximately 150 hungry attendees. The competition is a fixture at NCI at Frederick and regularly features an array of culinary concoctions, from which the visitors rank their choices for first, second, and third place.

The 2017 holiday season brought cold temperatures and heated competition to NCI at Frederick as 14 groups faced off in the R&W Club of Frederick’s Fourth Annual Holiday Decorating Contest. Keeping with tradition, many of the competitors sought to outdo not just each other’s themed entries, but also their own decorations from previous years. Accordingly, this year’s themes ranged from childhood memories to local landscapes to the downright outlandish.

Scientists and professionals from multiple governmental agencies recently gathered at NCI at Frederick for a forum on newly emerging infectious diseases, threats to public health, and ongoing efforts to study high-risk pathogens. During the one-day event, which was sponsored by the National Interagency Confederation for Biological Research’s Scientific Interaction Subcommittee, nine speakers from four agencies shared their research and their agencies’ endeavors to address current and future biological threats.

In celebration of American Heart Month this February, Occupational Health Services is hosting multiple events to promote heart health and raise awareness about heart disease and its associated risks. American Heart Month kicks off on Monday, January 29, when staff will be sponsoring a table outside of the 15th Annual Protective Services Chili Cookoff and holding a raffle for free gym bags to encourage employees to stay active.

Why are we here? Are we alone? Can we time travel? If you have ever asked these big questions about life, the Scientific Library’s Third Annual Winter Video Series may help you find the answers.

The Frederick National Laboratory Advisory Committee recently met to discuss the future of several high-profile Frederick National Lab initiatives in a meeting that included a chance to meet the new NCI and FNLCR leaders. Here is a look at a few of the highlights from the last of the 2017 FNLAC meetings.

From December 6–8, the Advanced Technology Research Facility of the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research was abuzz with conversation and collaboration as nearly 450 scientists, academics, and industry partners gathered for the Second RAS Initiative Symposium. Attendees hailed from 14 nations, dozens of institutions, and diverse scientific backgrounds, but they shared a common purpose: to present and discuss their research on RAS genes and cancer.

The final Holiday Market of 2017 will take place on Tuesday, December 19, in Building 549. The event, which runs from 11:00 am–1:30 pm, will feature nearly two dozen local vendors and artisans. From bags and boards to meats and sweets, the market promises to have something for everyone.

Next time you walk through Building 549 at the National Cancer Institute at Frederick campus, make sure you check out the bright new mural adorning the walls outside the auditorium. A collaboration between the Office of Scientific Operations and Scientific Publications, Graphics and Media, the mural evokes the goals and efforts of the Frederick National Lab and NCI at Frederick.