HR Office Hours -- The East Baltimore open office hours for Audrey Smith, vice president for human resources, will be held on Tues., July 18, instead of July 11. Thereafter, the office hours will be held the second Tuesday of each month from 1 to 2 p.m.

The office is located at 1830 E. Monument St., Suite 2-312.

Massages, Fitness Classes -- The Department of Occupational Health Services, in conjunction with the Office of Benefits Administration, is offering 15-minute seated massages to Hopkins faculty and staff for a reasonable fee. Massages are given by a certified massage therapist.

Muscle conditioning and toning classes are also being offered this summer on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays, 12:15 to 1 p.m., in Levering Union on the Homewood campus. The cost for the eight-week session, which begins July 18, is $20 and $40.

For more information on either of these programs, or to schedule an appointment for therapeutic massage, call Occupational Health Services at 410-516-0450.

Latin American Folkloric Group -- The Latin American Folkloric Group is currently looking for new members willing to share Latino culture with others through dance, music and poetry performances. The group meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at 317 S. Broadway. Everyone is welcome.

Molecular Imaging Grants -- Pilot project grant funds are available to support innovative projects in molecular imaging. Studies may involve basic, translational or clinical approaches to development of molecular imaging capabilities related to cancer detection, prevention, diagnosis or therapy. Cross-disciplinary approaches are encouraged. Funds for pilot projects are provided through institutional and Department of Radiology support to the NCI-funded program to establish a "Pre-In vivo Cellular Molecular Imaging Center" or Pre-ICMIC.

Awards will be made for pilot projects or feasibility studies to develop unique molecular imaging research opportunities or ideas.

All Hopkins faculty members with a cancer-related molecular imaging project, written in collaboration with a faculty member from the Department of Radiology, may apply. Grants will be awarded in the range of $7,000 to $10,000 for a period of one year with the potential for renewal for an additional year upon reapplication. Support may be requested for supplies and technical salaries. Successful applicants will be required to submit progress reports every six months.

Applications will be reviewed by members of the Pre-ICMIC program. High priority will be given to innovative molecular imaging projects that involve significant interactions between faculty members. Projects can be "high-risk" but should be based on sound reasons for succeeding.

An original and three copies of the application are due to Zaver Bhujwalla, 208C Traylor Bldg., 720 Rutland Ave., by Aug. 15. Applicants will be notified by Sept. 30, 2000.

For preadmission inquiries or other application-related information, contact the Pre-ICMIC grant administrator at 410-955-4247.

Searle, Pew, Burroughs Wellcome Award Programs -- Applications for awards in 2001 are requested for the Searle Scholars Program of the Chicago Community Trust, the Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards in the Biomedical Sciences.

The Searle Scholars Program supports the independent research of outstanding individuals in the first or second year of their tenure-track appointment at the assistant professor level. Grants are normally $60,000 a year for three years. Candidates should be pursuing research careers in pharmacology, genetics, immunology, cell biology, neuroscience, biochemistry and related areas in the fields of medicine, chemistry and the biological sciences. Applicants must have begun or will begin their first tenure-track appointment as an assistant professor in a clinical or basic science department on or after July 1, 1999.

The Pew Scholars Program supports beginning investigators of outstanding promise in basic and clinical sciences relevant to the advancement of human health by providing them with assured funds as they establish and obtain other funding for their laboratories. Awards are normally $60,000 a year for four years. Candidates must have a doctorate in medicine or other health-related professions, or biomedical sciences, and also hold a full-time assistant professor or independent researcher appointment as of Nov. 1, 2000. On July 1, 2001, they shall not have been members of the full-time faculty at any institution for more than three years (excluding time spent as a clinical intern, resident or working toward board certification), regardless of tenure status. Faculty may not hold similar private foundation awards simultaneously with the first two years of the Pew Fellowship.

Both Searle and Pew encourage research clinicians and basic scientists to apply. Johns Hopkins University may nominate up to two candidates for the Searle program and two candidates for the Pew program, one of whose research involves them directly with patients. Awards will be activated by July 1, 2001.

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards in the Biomedical Sciences provides research training support beginning in the advanced postdoctoral years through the initial years of faculty service to assist fellows in becoming independent investigators. Awards comprise salary support of $38,000 to $65,000 per year and a research allowance of $16,000 to $65,000 per year, for a possible total of $574,000 over six years. Awards specifically targeted for reproductive science are included.

Candidates must have M.D. or Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences and be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or Canada. All candidates must have completed at least one year and not more than four years of postdoctoral training at the time of nomination. Recipients must complete at least one postdoctoral year following activation of their award. Johns Hopkins University may nominate six candidates, ideally three M.D.'s and three Ph.D.'s. Individuals who hold a faculty appointment at any level are not eligible.

Last year the Hitchings-Elion Fellowships were merged with the Career Awards. Investigators seeking support for study in the U.K. or Ireland should apply for Career Awards. If there is at least one candidate in this category, or one in reproductive science, a total of seven candidates may be nominated.

Internal selection committees have been formed to choose the university's candidates. Selection of candidates will be completed by the end of August or early September in order to allow ample time for preparing the final applications.

The internal deadline for the Searle, Pew and Burroughs Wellcome Fund awards is Monday, July 24. Completed applications should be sent to Elaine Simonds at 708N Wyman Park Center, by this date.

Information on these and other programs coordinated by Research Administration Services is available on the Resource homepage at http://resource.ca.jhu.edu/ under "Funding Opportunities."