Dear colleague: 

Spero M. Manson, PhD, director of the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, has been awarded the 2021 Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health by the National Academy of Medicine. Spero is Distinguished Professor of Public Health in the Colorado School of Public Health and holds an appointment as professor of psychiatry in the School of Medicine. The Sarnat Prize honors those who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in improving mental health. The award announcement cites Spero’s role as founder of the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, which has worked to improve access to and delivery of mental health services, inform policy change for Native veterans, and mentor younger generations of American Indian and Alaska Native scientists. 

Emmy Betz, MD, MPH, professor of emergency medicine, and colleagues have been awarded a $1.7 million National Institutes of Health grant for a national study designed to improve firearm safety for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Emmy is also director the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative of the Injury and Violence Prevention Center at the Colorado School of Public Health. The grant will support testing “Safety in Dementia” in an online, nationwide trial with a diverse sample of caregivers, thereby improving our understanding of both the decision aid’s effects and how to use various methods to reach and engage caregivers. The study will be conducted in English and Spanish to connect with diverse communities, and researchers plan to use social media to reach potential participants and to share resources. 

The Anschutz Medical Campus Office of Research has launched a newsletter to announce recruitments for research studies. In the past, listings for recruits have been scattered in multiple venues. Thanks to the Office of Research for working on a solution that can serve so many campus projects. If you have a study that is actively recruiting participants, you are encouraged to submit your information for listing in subsequent issues of the newsletter. ResearchStudies.cuanschutz.edu and the study recruitment letter are topics of conversation for Clinical Research Connections monthly forum at noon Tuesday, September 21. If you plan to attend, please register. Contact ResearchStudies@cuanschutz.edu with questions. 

The CU Board of Regents has launched its search for a new president for the University. At its meeting earlier this month, the board named Regent Lesley Smith to chair the search committee. The board also has created a CU Presidential Search website for sharing updates about the process. 

The CU Medical Alumni Association has announced its 2021 alumni award recipients, who will be honored during a virtual Silver & Gold Alumni Awards Banquet on Thursday, October 28. Online registration is now open. The honorees are: 

• Barbara Arnold, MD ’68 – Silver & Gold Award;
• Deb Parsons, MD ’84 – Distinguished Achievement Award;
• Donald Crino, MD ’91 – Richard Krugman Distinguished Service Award;
• Mark Sheehan, MD (Residency ’81) and Daniel Smith, MD ’66 – Humanitarian Award;
• Tamaan Osbourne-Roberts, MD ’07 – Recent Graduate Humanitarian Award; and
• Matthew Rustici, MD ’08 – Recent Graduate Achievement Award.

The Ludeman Family Center for Women’s Health Research Annual Community Event will be virtual this year due to ongoing precautions related to gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cardiologist Jennifer Mieres, MD, senior vice president at Northwell Health Center for Equity of Care, will be presenting “Heart Smart Solutions for Improving Health” at noon Tuesday, October 5. Registration is online.

Have a good week,

John J. Reilly, Jr., MD
Richard D. Krugman Endowed Chair
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and
Dean, School of Medicine