Dr. Michael Kimmey, professor of medicine and assistant chief for clinical affairs for the Division of Gastroenterology, was named president-elect of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy at the organization’s recent annual meeting. He will assume the presidency in May of 2000. Kimmey is also director of gastrointestinal endoscopy and section chief of gastroenterology at UW Medical Center. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, he came to the UW in 1979 for an internship and residency in internal medicine and also completed a fellowship in gastroenterology before joining the faculty.

Dr. Marvin Turck, professor of medicine, has received the 1999 Distinguished Teacher Award from the American College of Physicians/American Society of Internal Medicine. The award recognizes the ennobling qualities of a great teacher and clinician, as judged by the acclaim and accomplishments of former students who have been inspired to achieve leadership positions in medical education. Turck, editor of the Journal of Infectious Diseases and a sought-after lecturer throughout the country, joined the UW in 1964 as chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases. He has served as vice chair of the Department of Medicine and as medical director of Harborview Medical Center. Past UW recipients of the award include Dr. Paul Beeson, professor emeritus of medicine, and Dr. Robert Petersdorf, distinguished professor of medicine.

Dr. Margaret Byers, research professor of anesthesiology, has been awarded honorary membership in the American Association of Endodontists for her significant contributions to advancing the field of endodontics (the branch of dentistry that treats disorders of the tooth pulp). She is widely known for her studies of dental sensory mechanisms, pain and anesthesia. From 1988 to 1992 she was a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Endodontics. At the UW, she also holds adjunct appointments in the School of Medicine’s Department of Biological Structure and the School of Dentistry’s Departments of Endodontics and Oral Biology.

Betty Lucas, nutritionist at the Center on Human Development and Disability and a lecturer in the School of Nursing, has been selected as the 1999 Outstanding Dietitian of the Year by the Washington State Dietetic Association. She has participated in both the state and Greater Seattle dietetic organizations for more than 30 years and has held several elected and appointed positions. She earned a master’s degree in public health, specializing in nutrition, as the University of California, Berkeley.

Healthy participants needed: The UW Department of Medicine is looking for healthy individuals to participate in various studies. Participation involves completing questionnaires, a blood draw for immune function tests, or nuclear medicine scans. Compensation is up to $150. Contact Jessica at (206) 521-1231 for more information.

Another opportunity for healthy subjects: The UW Department of Anesthesiology is seeking healthy subjects for a study on how brain waves and pupils change in response to minor painful stimulation of the fingertip by electricity. Subjects must be over 18 and have no major medical conditions. Test sessions last approximately three hours and subjects are paid $10 per hour. For more information, contact Dr. Lettie Flores at 616-2674 or by e-mail at lyflores@u.washington.edu.

Aging and growth hormone: The Sleep and Anabolic Supplementation Study at the UW is seeking healthy men and women, aged 60 to 85, for a study of how an experimental new drug that increases the body’s natural secretion of growth hormone influences age-related changes in body composition, memory, physical function and sleep. To learn more, contact the SASS study at 543-2845. ¶