AICGS receives grant to fund American, German fellows

The American Institute for Contemporary German Studies has been awarded a three-year grant worth $405,000 from the Daimler-Chrysler Foundation in Essen, Germany, in order to fund a senior fellowship program.

"It's one of the largest grants we've ever received for research fellowship purposes," said Jackson Janes, executive director of AICGS.

Each year of the grant, AICGS will invite two fellows--one American and one German--to study at AICGS in Washington. The first American fellow is Lily Gardner Feldman, who begins this year. The German fellow has not yet been chosen. Feldman and her German counterpart will take a hard look at what a post-Kosovo Europe holds for German and American interests.

Hopkins, GW joint venture to provide kidney disease services

Johns Hopkins Medicine and George Washington University have teamed up to form a new company to streamline and enhance dialysis and other kinds of care for patients living in the mid-Atlantic region and suffering from end stage renal disease and other kidney conditions.

The new company, called Integrated Renal Solutions, LLC, is built around an evidence-based program developed by JHM that detects renal problems early and closely monitors treatment. GW currently has the largest academic program for renal disease patients in the area, with more than 300 dialysis patients.

IRS anticipates better management of renal disease and treatment cost reductions of up to 20 percent, according to Paul Scheel Jr., clinical director of Hopkins' Department of Nephrology and co-medical director of IRS. Juan Bosch, chief of Renal Diseases and Hypertension and professor of medicine at George Washington, will co-direct the new company with Scheel.

PBS show on race and health to be broadcast to campuses

On Wednesday, Jan. 19, the Diversity Leadership Council will sponsor a satellite broadcast of the "Race, Class and Health" dialogue/debate presented by the Public Broadcast Service.

Community activists and leaders of higher education and public health will explore the racial legacies and social determinants shaping the health of the nation's people. This national town meeting will examine research, case studies, community action strategies and innovative learning approaches to eliminating health disparities.

The program, to be broadcast from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., will be downlinked to 218 Maryland Hall on the Homewood campus and the Tilghman Room in the Turner Building, East Baltimore.

Postdoc at SOM gets a visit from Sarah, Duchess of York

On her Jan. 12 visit to Baltimore, Sarah, Duchess of York, stopped by the Billings Administration Building, JHMI, to congratulate Jeanne M. Clark, a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Medicine, who received a $50,000 grant from Weight Watchers International. The duchess serves as spokeswoman for Weight Watchers.

Clark developed "A Curriculum for Internal Medicine Residents on the Prevention, Identification, Evaluation and Treatment of Obesity," which gives medical residents specialized training in nutrition and weight management.

Peabody Ragtime Ensemble slated for noon performance

The Peabody Ragtime Ensemble will present "Ragtime, Dixieland and All That Jazz: Vintage Jazz from 1890-1940" at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 2, in Shriver Hall, Homewood campus.

One of the area's premier "little big bands," the Peabody Ragtime Ensemble has entertained audiences for 25 years with its sounds of ragtime, big band, swing, dixieland, jazz and contemporary music. The ensemble has worked with a number of artists including Eubie Blake and Roberta Flack; toured New England and the former Soviet Union; and was honored as feature artists at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival.

The performance is part of the Wednesday Noon Series presented by the Office of Special Events. Admission is free.

Clinical depression lecture scheduled at Homewood

Carol Fox, treatment nurse and patient treatment coordinator at Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital, will give a lecture titled "When Sad Is More than the Blues: Symptoms and Treatment of Clinical Depression" at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 9, in Shriver Hall, Homewood campus.

More than 16 million Americans suffer from clinical depression and bipolar disorder. Fox will look at the causes, symptoms and latest treatments for depression.

This lecture is part of the Wednesday Noon Series presented by the Office of Special Events. Admission is free.

Charlie Byrd bequeaths scores, recordings to Peabody

World-famous guitarist Charlie Byrd, who died in December at the age of 74, bequeathed a substantial portion of his personal collection of original manuscripts, scores and recordings to Peabody. They will be available to students and the public through the Friedheim Music Library and the Peabody Archives.

Gene and Elana Byrd, his brother and sister-in-law, have set up an endowed fund for for cataloging and maintenance.