research at howard university...drs. sandra edmonds crewe, annie brown and ruby gourdine presented a...
TRANSCRIPT
Photo by Bernadette Dare
Offi ce of Vice Provost for Research 2395 Sixth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20059
Research at Howard University
Fall 2007
Cultural Research
Mental Illness
Health Conditions in Africa
The African-American Male
FACULTY FOCUS:
Quest is published bi-yearly by the Offi ce of the Provost and the Offi ce of the Vice Provost for Research
Howard UniversityWashington, DC 20059(202) 806-6800/6156 www.rgs.howard.edu
H. Patrick SwygertPresident
Richard A. English, Ph.D.Provost and Chief Academic Offi cer
Orlando L. Taylor, Ph.D.Vice Provost for Research and Dean, Graduate [email protected]
Gwendolyn S. BetheaDirector of CommunicationQuest [email protected]
Contributing WritersWinston Anderson, Ph.D.Gwendolyn S. BetheaSandra Edmonds Crewe, Ph.D.Kebreten F. Manaye, Ph.D. William B. Lawson, Ph.D.
Graduate AssistantsAnne-Marie AdamsRikesha L. FryDennis Rogers
Bernadette [email protected]
DesignDARE & Associates, Inc.www.dareassociates.com
About the Cover The cover is a portrait of Inabel Burns Lindsay, Ph.D., the fi rst female academic dean at Howard University and the School of Social Work; and Social Work professors Annie W. Brown, Ph.D., Sandra Edmonds Crewe, Ph.D., and Ruby M. Gourdine, Ph.D., who are carrying on Dr. Lindsay's legacy of cultural research.
Cover photos by Ceasar
Refl ecting on Our Past, Celebrating Our Present, and Envisioning Our Future
Year-long discussions on doctoral education at Howard University How far have we come?Where are we now?Where do we want to be in the next 50 years?National seminars on topics of interest in doctoral education
Howard University to Celebrate 50 Years of Doctoral Education1958-2008
Watch for details in early fall to be posted on the Graduate School’s web site: www.gs.howard.edu
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Table of Contents2 President's Comments
3 A Vision for Research
4 Inabel Burns Lindsay: A Champion of Culturally Competent Research
8 Researchers Find Patients in Primary Care Medical Settings Frequently Suff er from Severe Mental Illness
12 Understanding How Plants Resist Drought Conditions
14 Examining the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disorders
16 Improving the Lives of African-American Males in the 21st Century
18 Howard Students and Faculty Conduct Collaborative Research in HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases with Universities in U.S. and Africa
24 Migration in Europe: Addressing Tolerance and De-emphasizing Sameness
26 Graduate and Undergraduate Research Symposia and Honors Day - 2007
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President’s Comments
Many events of the past year remind us of the necessity, indeed, the imperative to continue our commitment to scholarly and creative activity.
Consider the natural and weather-related disasters that have occurred recently across the nation and world – hurricanes, tornados, fl oods, earthquakes, and other events of monumental proportion and far-reaching effects. Consider the rampant proliferation of disease, especially among marginalized populations around the world. Consider the crisis in public education and the steadily declining number of Black males enrolled in higher education institutions. Finally, refl ect on the continuing national debate on access to universal health care, as well as emergent concerns about the safety of our campuses, and the resources and attention devoted to national security. When we examine our performance in addressing many of these concerns, we realize that we can measure our progress only by the distance we still must go.
It is for these reasons that this edition of Quest, focusing on our ongoing research with respect to some of these issues, is of such major signifi cance. I appreciate and applaud the scholarship of our faculty and students and pledge the university's continuing support for their research efforts.
Sincerely,
H. Patrick SwygertPresident
H. Patrick Swygert
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A Vision for Research
Orlando L. Taylor
A look at faculty research at Howard that primarily serves to create knowledge and to improve the lives of individuals wherever they live in the world, with a particular emphasis on people of color, reveals a number of widely ranging research efforts. This issue of Quest features some of this research and related efforts. For example, in the area of social welfare, there is the research by faculty and their students, particularly on displaced populations, youth and the elderly, that has provided signifi cant linkages to health, social, and economic resources for underserved populations. This research also has led to legislative and policy changes at the local and national levels.
There is also the research on mental health disease that often is undiagnosed or misdiagnosed among affected populations. And there is the continuing research of Howard faculty and students who are collaborating with other higher education institutions nationally and internationally to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases in Africa and other parts of the world. In the education discipline research of faculty continues a tradition of addressing issues pertaining to educational achievement within the African-American community, particularly the African-American male.
Arguably, much of this work can be traced to the early faculty research at Howard like that of Inabel Burns Lindsay, the fi rst female academic dean at Howard and the School of Social Work in the 1930s. Calling it "culturally competent research," Dean Lindsay's dream has expanded far beyond her original vision for the African-American community to include many parts of the world.
This issue of Quest focuses on research by several imminent researchers and research groups at Howard University. Their research is prototypic of scholarly pursuits at the University, which have the potential for creating new knowledge and improving the quality of life for humankind. Through this issue and others to follow, we hope that you will continue to gain insight into such signifi cant research at Howard University.
The Quest family welcomes Dr. Oliver G. McGee, III, the recently appointed vice president for research and compliance. We join with the entire Howard University community in pledging our commitment and support of his efforts to further enhance the research enterprise at Howard.
Richard A. English, Ph.D. Provost and Chief Academic Offi cer
and
Orlando L. Taylor, Ph.D. Vice Provost for Research and Dean, Graduate School
Richard A. English
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A Champion of Culturally Competent ResearchBy Sandra Edmonds Crewe, M.S.W., Ph.D.
The multifaceted legacy of Dr. Inabel Burns Lindsay began 70 years ago when she joined the faculty of Howard University in the Department of Sociology under the renowned
sociologist Dr. E. Franklin Frazier. Because of her proven leadership, two years after her faculty appointment, in 1939, the Board of Trustees of the University created a separate Division of Social Work in the Graduate School appointing her acting dean. Culturally competent research was a cornerstone of this new professional degree. Dr. Lindsay stated:
It is hoped that the Graduate Division of Social Work at Howard will provide studies of the infl uence of the factor of race, since little research has been done in that area. Likewise, there must be a particularization of information
relative to the status of problems of the Negro in the United States (Matthews, 1977, p. 106).
Dr. Lindsay’s research vision included using research to tackle social injustices both inside and outside the profession. As the fi rst academic female dean at Howard, she “was in the forefront of civil rights and women’s rights long before the masses of people who later carried the banner of equality” (Hawkins & Daniels, 1985). Her early publications focused on the need to place the spotlight on the conditions of persons who were victims of what she referred to as the intensifi cation of the American dilemma. Her fi rst article, “Some Unimportant People” provided a provocative essay on the need for social work as a profession to explore truths that would enhance the quality of life of persons denied access to the “American Dream.”
INABEL BURNS LINDSAY
Left to right: Dr. Annie W. Brown, associate professor, chair, Direct Services Sequence; Dr. Ruby M. Gourdine, associate professor and director of fi eld education; and Dr. Sandra Edmonds Crewe, associate professor and associate dean for student aff airs; carry on the legacy of Dr. Inabel Burns Lindsay, fi rst female academic dean at Howard University.
Photo by Ceasar
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This commitment to research, aimed at eradicating injustices and improving the quality of life, has remained constant during the school’s history. Today, faculty and student research and publications are guided by the philosophy of the “Black Perspective”, which is an outgrowth of Dr. Lindsay’s early emphasis on a socio-cultural research and practice agenda.
Born February 13, 1900 in St. Louis, Missouri, Inabel Burns understood the hardships caused by racial inequality. Despite these hardships, she attended Howard University and in 1920 earned a bachelor’s degree. It was here at Howard that she began her organized advocacy efforts, such as leading a strike to protest the University’s raising the price of board for students in the dormitories. Additionally, she was the founder of the women’s chapter of the women’s suffrage league. These experiences almost certainly contributed to her lifelong advocacy aimed at social justice.
Today, the School of Social Work engages in research that continues the rich legacy of Dr. Lindsay. Funded research studies addressing disproportionality in the child welfare system and welfare reform are examples. In February 2006, Drs. Sandra Edmonds Crewe, Annie Brown and Ruby Gourdine presented a paper at the annual Council of Social Work Education meeting in Chicago, Illinois on Dr. Lindsay’s contribution to the profession. At the urging of Howard School of Social Work alumni who were present, Professors Crewe, Brown and Gourdine are following up with a series of articles promoting her legacy. Additionally, there is an active movement to solicit contributions to the Inabel Lindsay Scholarship Fund. As an example of the continuation of Dr. Lindsay’s vision, in 2005-2006, a team of School of Social Work faculty engaged in an Asset Mapping project with the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative, Inc. (FSFSC). The FSFSC is directed by Mr. Perry Moon. This was a strategic planning
process aimed at improving the quality of life of residents of Ward 8 of the District of Columbia. Using the asset mapping approach, the strengths and resources of the Ward 8 community were identifi ed as well as unmet neighborhood needs and gaps in services. This funded community-based participatory research project included fi ve community-based focus groups, a geo mapping project and an inventory of organizational resources in the community. Master of Social Work and Ph.D. students participated in this research project, which provided experience with applied research training. Investigators for this project were Drs. Sandra Edmonds Crewe, Jacqueline Smith, and Ruby Gourdine. Lisa Rawlings, Ph.D. student, also had a major role in this research project.
The fi ndings are being used by the FSFSC to plan strategically for needed services in the community. The active memorandum of understanding with the FSFSC calls for ongoing research to support the collaborative in planning and implementing ongoing programs. Currently, newly funded projects are being planned to carry out selected recommendations that emerged from the initial research. These new projects will be coordinated by Dr. Michael Mbnanso, Director of the E. Franklin Frazier Center for Social Research.
Dr. Inabel Lindsay also directed her attention towards the improvement of public welfare services. This emphasis continues at the School of Social Work. For more than ten years, the School of Social Work partnered with the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services and conducted funded research on the impact of welfare reform on women and their children. Several investigators have worked on various aspects of welfare reform research including profi ling Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) customers, examining depression among African-American women, and exploring the relationship between housing and welfare reform. Two
SAMPLES OF ADDITIONAL RESEARCH BY SOCIAL WORK FACULTY
Dr. Soleman Abu-Bader focuses on Social Work Practice with Refugee Families and Social Work Program Evaluation for social workers in Jordan, sponsored by the United Nations Refugees and Works Agency.
Dr. Norma S.C. Jones has researched Critical Incident Stress Management: A Program To Address Issues of Secondary Traumatization Among Disaster Workers and, along with doctoral students Jeannette Mendoza and Pablo Rivera, Mental Health and Cognitive Functioning in the Caribbean: The Case of Cuba and Barbados.
Dr. Fariyal Ross-Sheriff is carrying out multi-country research to examine the contributions of women to international social work. She serves as coordinator for curriculum development for Howard University's Trans-Atlantic Graduate Program on Race, Ethnicity and Migration studies.
Dr. Cudore L. Snell, Dean of the School of Social Work, is part of a research team studying Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in Wellington, South Africa since 1997. The study is funded by the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse.
Dr. Tricia B. Bent-Goodley has conducted research including Oral Histories of Contemporary African American Social Welfare Pioneers; Domestic Violence and the Black Church: Challenging Abuse One Soul at a Time; An African Centered Approach to Domestic Violence; and Cultural and Domestic Violence: Transforming knowledge development.
Elizabeth M. Bertera has published articles including Mental Health in U.S. Adults: The Role of Positive Social Support and Social Negativity in Personal Relationships; and Cultural Competence in Health Care.
Charles E. Lewis and Ronald B. Mincy have published an article called Left Behind: Less-Educated Young Black Men in the Economic Boom of the 1990s.
Michael U. Mbanaso has conducted research on Elderly African Americans as Intragenerational Caregivers.
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students were able to complete their dissertations using data collected through this research. Several articles and one textbook have been published from the use of these data. A key fi nding of the research was the evidence of clinical depression among individuals transitioning from welfare to work. Currently, researchers are planning to complete focus groups and surveys on a cohort of individuals who have transitioned from welfare to work. The following social work faculty and former students have served as investigators for this research: Dr. Sandra Edmonds Crewe, Dr. Ruby M. Gourdine, Dr. Jacqueline Smith, Dr. Soleman Abu-Bader, Dr. Shelita Snyder, and Dr. Sheryl Nichols.
These projects are commensurate with the school’s mission to educate students for advanced professional social work practice and doctoral careers in teaching and research who will be able to assist in the solution of human, organizational and social problems, particularly those affecting the poor, oppressed and Black people.
Dr. Inabel Lindsay was committed to making known the contributions of African Americans to social welfare. To that end, she wrote her dissertation on “The Contributions of Negroes to the Establishment of Welfare Services: 1865 -1900, with Special Reference to the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.” Several faculty members have embraced writing about African-American pioneers and their contributions. This continues to be necessary as African American contributions to social welfare are not well documented. Faculty members writing from the historical perspective are Dr. Annie Brown, Dr. Tricia Bent-Goodley, and Dr. Lawrence Gary. Drs. Ruby M. Gourdine and Annie W. Brown are currently writing a book titled Howard University School of Social Work Change Agents 1970-1979 highlighting the school’s transformation immediately following the civil rights legislation,
student protests and changes, and federal policies. This research has received minimal funding but is a history that needs to be documented. Our story and contributions are important. This book uses qualitative research methods and is being analyzed by NVivo software package.
Dr. Inabel Lindsay was committed to child welfare. She wrote on the subject; she served on a number of organizations whose purpose was to improve child welfare services.
Drs. Jacqueline M. Smith, Annie W. Brown and Ruby M. Gourdine were funded research with Caliber Associates and the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a national study (involving nine states) on issues of disproportionality. This study is available online on the Administration of Children and Youth Web site and is being referenced by many in the child welfare community concerned about the over representation of children of color.
The faculty is progressing on a book titled The Context of Agency Based Practice in Child Welfare: Voices from the Field. Further, Dr. Annie W. Brown has a funded grant that supports training for potential child
welfare workers. We maintained a productive relationship with the child welfare agency in both Prince George's County and the District of Columbia. Currently, Drs. Ruby M. Gourdine and Annie W. Brown have a grant to house and administer the Citizen’s Review Panel for Child and Family Services. We are negotiating a research component to this grant to study priority issues in child welfare. Two doctoral students participated in this research, Dr. Shelita M. Snyder and Dr. Anniglo Boone. Both graduates now work in the area of child welfare. Dr. Snyder is doing research for Child and Family Services and Dr. Boone is the newly appointed director of the Child Welfare Consortium.
We recognize that our students need opportunities to participate directly in research activity. We have joined with Johns Hopkins in their RISE project, which is designed to train minority students in research. This project includes other Historically Black Colleges and Universities but also other departments at Howard, including psychology, medicine, nursing, and education. Dr. Harolyn Belcher is a two-time Howard alumnae who has spearheaded this project. Dr. Ruby M. Gourdine is the coordinator for the School of Social Work's role in the project. While this project is closely aligned with fi eld education (internships), it is not a traditional fi eld placement. These students are compensated for their training and work, spending 10 weeks in the summer learning about research and ten hours a week during the semester engaging in research with a mentor. This was a goal of Dr. Lindsay to couple fi eld experiences with research training. As an aside to these goals, Dr. Lindsay participated in a protest at Johns Hopkins Hospital to integrate the cafeterias. Thus, along with her academic goals, she promoted social justice.
Dr. Inabel Lindsay
was committed to
making known the
contributions of
African Americans
to social welfare.
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Dean Inabel Burns Lindsay was a pioneer in working with the elderly and in gerontological studies. As founding dean of Howard University’s School of Social Work, she was also the University’s fi rst female dean. Here are some facts about the life of Inabel Burns Lindsay:
Born in 1900 in St. Joseph, Missouri Parents stressed getting a quality education Entered school at the age of eight Entered Howard University at age 16 Fought poor vision and a sickly childhood to be advanced to the fourth grade, as a result of home
tutoring from her older sibling Worked as a public school teacher in Kansas City, Missouri and a social worker in St. Louis,
Missouri Research extended beyond the American borders In 1958, sent by U.S. Department of State (in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Health,
Education and Welfare and the United Nations Social Welfare Program) to Sweden and Norway to conduct a Survey of Selected Aspects of Social Welfare.
Supported the following organizations during her lifetime: the National Council on Aging, The President’s Task Force on Aging
Special Consultant to the Special Committee on Aging of the United States Senate, and the National Urban League
In 1961, received Howard University’s Distinguished Postgraduate Award In 1970, honored by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work with a Distinguished
Alumna Award In 1974, awarded the Alumni Medal by the School of Social Services Administration, University of
Chicago In 1982, honored by Howard University with the honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters Passed on September 10, 1983
SOURCES:Urban Research Review; Howard University Institute for Urban Affairs and Research, 10, 2, pp. 1-3.
Matthews, LeMonye, “Portrait of a Dean: A Biography of Inabel Burns Lindsay, First Dean of Howard University School of Social Work," University Microfi lms International, 1976.
PUBLICATIONS BY DR. INABEL BURNS LINDSAY:
“The Participation of Negroes in the Establishment of Welfare Services, 1865-1900, with Special Reference to the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.” “Welfare Agencies and the Needs of Negro Children and Youth,” in the Journal of Negro Education, 1950.
“Adapting American Social Work Education to the Needs of African Students,” and the working paper for the White House Conference on Aging, 1959.
“A History of the Howard University School of Social Work,” presented at the annual alumni luncheon of the Howard University School of Social Work, May 1962.
“Multiple Hazards of Age and Race,” 1971, U.S. Government Printing Offi ce.
“Research Issues Regarding the Black Aged,” Proceedings, Institute of the Black Family, 1973, co-author "Coping Capacities of the Black Aged – No Longer Young: The Older Woman in America," published by the Institute of Gerontology, University of Michigan and Wayne State University, 1975.
Compiled by Dennis B. Rogers
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Researchers Find Patients in Primary Care Medical Settings Frequently Suff er from
Severe Mental IllnessBy William Lawson, M.D./Ph.D.
Researchers at Howard University recently published fi ndings showing that patients in primary care medical settings often have severe mental illnesses that need specialty care. In many cases, the mental disorders
are unrecognized by the provider. In a study published in the November 2006 Journal of the National Medical Association, Dr. Tanya Alim, professor of psychiatry at the Howard University Hospital, reported that 50% of patients in primary care practices in an inner city university hospital were found to have been exposed to severe, often life-threatening trauma. Over half of these individuals developed post traumatic stress disorder, the severe anxiety disorder
seen in combat veterans. More than a third developed severe depression. In a report in the International Journal of Bipolar Disorder, Dr. Elaine Graves, professor of psychiatry, looked further at this population and found that 10% had bipolar disorder, often called manic depressive illness. Th is severe mental disorder nearly always requires treatment by psychiatrists. In nearly all cases, none of the patients received the specifi c treatment for the disorders, often because the
disorders were not recognized. Th ese fi ndings are consistent
with other reports of mental disorders in general medical settings. All of these patients were African American. African Americans in distress are far more likely to seek treatment in primary care medical settings even when they have mental disorders, but they often may not discuss their mental problems. Th ese studies underscore the importance of screening for mental disorders in primary care clinics and developing funding and referral systems that allow access to specialty mental health services. A recent study at the University of Michigan showing that African Americans have high suicide rates is very relevant. Depression and bipolar disorder are associated with the highest rates of completed suicides and suicide attempts, respectively, of all psychiatric disorders. Under recognition and under treatment puts African Americans at risk.
William B. Lawson MD, PhD, DFAPA contemplates the neurobiology of mental illness in the context of culture.
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African Americans, represent about 18% of the U.S. population (34 million). Of this number, members of this population are less likely to receive diagnosis and treatment for their mental illness have less access to and availability of mental health services often receive a poorer quality of mental health care are underrepresented in mental health research African Americans in the United States are less likely to receive diagnoses and treatments for their
mental illnesses than Caucasian Americans. Culture biases against mental health professionals and health care professionals in general prevent many
African Americans from accessing care due to prior experiences with historical misdiagnoses, inadequate treatment, and a lack of cultural understanding; only 2% of psychiatrists, 2% of psychologists and 4% of social workers in the U.S. are African American.
African Americans tend to rely on family, religious and social communities for emotional support, rather than turning to health care professionals, even though this may at times be necessary.
Mental illness is frequently stigmatized and misunderstood in the African-American community. African Americans are often at a socioeconomic disadvantage in terms of accessing both medical and
mental health care – in 2001, 20.2% of African Americans were uninsured. Social circumstances often serve as an indicator for the likelihood of developing a mental illness.
African Americans are disproportionately more likely to experience social circumstances that increase their chances of developing a mental illness.
African Americans comprise 40% of the homeless population and only 12% of the U.S. population. People experiencing homelessness are at a greater risk of developing a mental illness.
Nearly half of all prisoners in the United States are African American. Prison inmates are at a high risk of developing a mental illness.
Children in foster care and the child welfare system are more likely to develop mental illnesses. African-American children comprise 45% of the public foster care population.
Exposure to violence increases the risk of developing a mental illness; over 25% of African-American children exposed to violence meet criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder.
With the implementation of various programs and innovations, African Americans’ patronization rates for mental health services may be improved.
Programs in African-American communities sponsored by respected institutions, such as churches and local community groups, can increase awareness of mental health issues and resources and decrease the related stigma.
Programs that improve enrollment rates in safety net health care providers can result in increased mental health care due to improved mental health coverage in the African-American community.
Encouragement in the community to join mental health-related professions can increase the number of African-American mental health care providers and increase social sensitivity among the provider community.
Overall sensitivity to African-American cultural diff erences, such as diff erences in medication metabolization rates, unique views of mental illness and propensity towards experiencing certain mental illnesses, can improve African-Americans’ treatment experiences and increase patronization of mental health care services.
Decades of knowledge in the literature about how populations of African descent consume mental health services show that people of African descent
drop out of services at a signifi cantly higher rate than White populations; use fewer treatment sessions for their mental health problems than White populations; enter mental health treatment services at a later stage in the course of their illness than do White
populations; under-consume community mental health services of all kinds; over-consume inpatient psychiatric care in state hospitals at twice the rate of corresponding White
populations; are more often misdiagnosed by mental health practitioners than White populations; and are more often diagnosed as having a severe mental illness than Whites.
A Brain Disease Irrespective of Culture
Compiled by Rikesha L. Fry, Graduate Assistant, Graduate School, Offi ce of Communications and Public Relations. Resources: http://nmha.org/go/information/get-info/African-Americans, http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cre/fact1.asp, and http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/MIO/Fact_Sheets1/AA_MH_Disparities_04.pdf.
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By Dennis B. Rogers
Recently, Dr. William B. Lawson was interviewed by Graduate Student Assistant and Graduate Student Council President Dennis Rogers about his research at Howard University in the
area of mental illness. The interview follows.
Dr. William B. Lawson, MD, PhD, DFAPA,
professor and chair, Department
of Psychiatry, Howard University
College of Medicine, serves as
the principal investigator of
ground breaking research on
mental illness. He is the author
of more than 101 peer-reviewed
publications, book chapters, and
invited reviews.
He has been acknowledged
for outstanding research and
service by his peers. His awards
include the 2006 Howard
University Faculty Senate
Creativity and Research Award,
the 2006 National Alliance for
the Mentally Ill Outstanding
Psychologist Award. In 2004, he
was inducted into the American
College of Psychiatrists; in 2003,
he was named Distinguished
Fellow, American Psychiatric
Association, and he has been
named to the Scientifi c Advisory
Board, National Alliance for the
Mentally III and twice to the
Academic Advisory Board for the
Pfi zer Postdoctoral Fellowship
Grants in Clinical Psychiatry
program.
AN INSTITUTIONAL APPROACH TO MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH:
FOCUS ON CULTURE AND ETHNICITY
Interview with Dr. William B. Lawson
why they are more likely to be diagnosed as having schizophrenia. This study has been going on for over two decades but less then 1% of African Americans could be found. Since our participation, we have exceeded the number recruited in two years that were recruited over the previous decades. We suspect that psychosis means something different in African Americans. Rogers: What is the nature of the collaborations in your research that you have established thus far?We are the primary site recruiting African Americans. Again, it is important to note that there is literally no data of any kind on many of these disorders in African Americans.
The Genetics of Recurrent Early Onset Depression collaborators are the University of Pennsylvania, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, New York State Psychiatric Institute (Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene), Rush-Presbyterian Medical Center (Chicago), and the University of Iowa. This study has been going on for ten years but did not include African Americans because it was thought that suffi cient numbers
Rogers: What are some of the fi ndings of your research thus far?Lawson: We have found that previous reports about diffi culties in recruiting minorities are false. Previous reports stated that African Americans could not be found and that is why they are not in defi nitive studies. We have found, as others have suggested, that African Americans are willing to participate. They have to be asked and they need access. Other sites are asking us what "magic" we are using but we simply have a group of dedicated individuals who are willing to be available for our people.
In the area of Genetics of Early Onset Depression, we have already discovered that there are many people who are depressed and who have no treatment. Half call to ask for treatment.
On the topic of Ethnicity and the Diagnosis of Affective Illness, it is too premature to discuss fi ndings. We lead all sites in recruitment.
With the Collaborative Genomic Study of Bipolar Disorder project, African Americans are more likely to report psychotic symptoms. This is probably
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could not be recruited. We have since found that adequate numbers can be recruited. We have recruited more than 700
subjects but many could not be included in the study
because the study required a fi rst degree relative with depression. We have
found that many African Americans do not discuss depression with family members. Ten sites are participating. Howard University and Columbia University are recruiting African Americans. We are recruiting nationally using the media.
The Ethnicity and the Diagnosis of Affective Illness collaborators are the University of Cincinnati, University of Michigan, UMDNJ- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Texas Health Sciences Center San Antonio, Howard University and the University of California, Los Angeles. We are the only site recruiting African Americans. We are working with providers throughout Prince George's and Baltimore County, Maryland, as well as the District of Columbia.
Rogers: Why did you choose African Americans as your research subjects?Lawson: The community that I grew up in is African American. But the clinical literature is full of falsehoods and misconceptions. Moreover, African Americans are more likely to get substandard treatment. We are now fi nding that medications affect African Americans in different ways. We may need lower doses and have more side effects. However, the basic information about how genes interact with the environment to produce these disorders is not there.
The Surgeon General's Report showed that African Americans have about the same prevalence of mental disorders, but have far greater illness burden due to lack of access to treatments. Available treatments are often not provided because of misdiagnosis, or are inadequate because of lack of information about how to treat African Americans. [Consequently] fi ndings from studies of exclusive Caucasian populations are applied. The result is mislabeling, and selection of the wrong treatment, wrong medication, and wrong dosages. The study is timely because a recent major study showed African Americans did not respond well to antidepressant medications. If new drugs that are as effective for African Americans are to be developed, genetic basis for depression must be understood.
The Collaborative Genomic Study of Bipolar Disorder partnership consists of Howard University; Indiana University, Johns Hopkins University; NIMH Intramural Research Program; Rush University (Chicago); University
of California, Irvine; University of California, San Diego; University of Chicago; University of Iowa; University of Pennsylvania; and Washington University. In all of the studies, we are the only recruiter of African Americans. It’s not that others are not allowed to -- it’s that we have been most successful. One study had been ongoing for a decade with no African American patients recruited until we joined. Locally, we are working with Howard University Hospital, and the Virginia and the D.C. Alliance for the Mentally Ill. Our site has become crucial because of the increasing controversy about whether depression is less common but more severe in African Americans.
Rogers: Are other populations at risk? Why or Why not? Lawson: Other populations, including Native Americans and Latinos, are very much at risk for the same reasons. The disparities appear to be greater for African Americans because of the history of racism. Most studies don’t show that African Americans are not more likely to be diagnosed as schizophrenic or that bipolar disorder is rare. Rather, we are often misdiagnosed or under-diagnosed and because of lack of treatment have a greater illness burden. Only recently did the fi eld realize that young Black men have the same suicide rate as Whites.
Rogers: What has been the total dollar amount of research grant funding you have secured while at Howard University? Lawson: $11 million.
Rogers: Where do you see your research in the future?Lawson: I am hoping to have a mood and anxiety disorders center for psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, with an appreciation of the role of genetics and culture, and the latest in the neurosciences. There is simply nothing like that at present.
Rogers: What is your vision for the Department of Psychiatry?Lawson: Currently, we have more NIH funding then any other department (of psychiatry) in the District. I see the department as becoming one of the top 25 institutes in the nation, providing leadership in teaching and addressing cultural issues in mental health, having state of the art treatment, and in being a leader in the development of newer treatments. I also see the department has having a seamless connection with primary medical care, and psychology. I would like the department to have a full partnership with all student services, and be the primary site for the delivery of public mental health and substance abuse services for the District.
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UNDERSTANDING HOW PLANTS RESIST DROUGHT CONDITIONS By Ann-Marie Adams
Normal (right) and gene deleted model plants (left) were grown without any water for two weeks. Th e gene deleted plants show resiliency in withstanding the drought condition. Th e regulation of stomata (pores on the leaves through which plants transpire water) by the gene seems to be the main factor in imparting drought resistance characteristics to the modifi ed plants.
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Biology Professor Dr. Hemayet Ullah is on a quest to discover the intricate workings of one
gene in a model plant.
That gene family, Dr. Ullah says, could mitigate a perennial problem by protecting plants against drought and other environmental stress conditions. His lab uncovered this molecular evidence, protein kinase C (RACK1), in the model plant, which regulates diverse environmental stress conditions. Through several studies, his lab has developed plants that are found to withstand drought, compared to normal plants, by at least two weeks.
“We’re just trying to understand the molecular process of how the genes mitigate the effects of drought and other environmental stresses,” Dr. Ullah says.
The Bangladeshi-born assistant professor came to Howard Universityin 2004 to teach molecular biology of the cell. He continues his research here at Howard, thanks to a $175,000 National Science Foundation two-year grant. While he was a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his passion for understanding diverse signaling mechanisms plants use led him to publish two articles in the esteemed journal Science.
Through the NSF grant, Dr. Ullah's lab has demonstrated that the
gene family members interact with each other under drought conditions. In addition, other environmental stress related proteins in the cell interact with individual gene family members.
The implications of his fi ndings are far-reaching. The identical gene family is present in all crop plants, and explaining the role these genes play in mitigating drought stresses in model plant can one day lead to “designing” crop plants that will be able to withstand drought conditions, he says.
The main objective of this ground-breaking research is for people to plant crops such as corn, rice, and potato that can resist harmful environmental conditions. But, Dr. Ullah says: “It would take years to get to that level.”
Dr. Ullah was invited to present his research fi ndings at the 2007Annual Conference of the American Society of Plant Biologists. With hisgraduate students Uvetta Dozier, Nabanita Kundu, and Herman Fen-nel, Dr Ullah is aiming to develop a working model of RACK1-mediated drought resistance mechanism in plants.
__________________For more information, call Dr. Ullah on 202-806-6958 or email him at [email protected]
Biology Professor Dr. Hemayet Ullah has developed plants that are found to withstand drought, compared to normal plants, by at least two weeks. In the photo, Dr. Ullah holds a tissue culture plate on which is routinely grown the mutant and normal plants.
14
The mission of Dr. Kebreten F. Manaye’s Laboratory of Brain Aging and
Neurodegeneration is to understand the basic mechanisms that underlie changes in neurons and glial cells under conditions of normal brain aging and degeneration. Her interests include Alzheimer’s disease and depression in humans, and their associated animal models in rodents and non-human primates. Dr. Manaye is an associate professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, and has an adjunct appointment in psychiatry. She earned her M.D. degree from the University of Aristotle, School of Medicine at Thessalonica, Greece in 1984. She joined the Department of Psychiatry at University of Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Texas, as a postdoctoral fellow in 1986 and became assistant professor in 1990. She moved to the Howard University College of Medicine in 1999 as an assistant professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics. Dr. Manaye became tenured associate professor in 2005. Widely published, her most recent publication focused on the long term effects of developmental PCP administration on sensorimotor gating in male and female rats, published in Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2007 Jan; 190(1):43-9. Epub 2006 Oct 18.
Her current research is funded by NIH - National Institute of Mental Health (NIH-NIMH) for the grant “Depression, Alzheimer’s Disease and Synaptic Connectivity in a Transgenic Mouse Model.” The purpose of this project is to research the synaptic connectivity in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s pathology. She is an active member of several professional organizations including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Society for Neuroscience, Women Graduates in Science, the International Brain Research Organization, and International Stereological Society. She also serves on the Annual Brain Awareness project as the organizer. Dr. Manaye has been invited to serve on the board of directors for International Behavioral Research Press.
For more information, contact [email protected].
EXAMINING THE CELMECHANISMS OF AGNEURODEGENERATIVBy Kebreten F. Manaye, M.D.
My laboratory focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for aging and age-related neurodegenerative disorders. Human post-mortem tissue and animal
models of both Alzheimer’s disease and depression are studied to understand the mechanisms responsible for selective vulnerability of specifi c populations of neurons. We use post-mortem tissues from individuals with aff ective disorder to identify cellular and molecular alterations and to provide insight into the etiology of the disorders. Our interests include the use of animal models to develop strategies for the therapeutic management of patients with these disorders.
Our current studies in the NIH-funded Specialized Neuroscience Research Program (SNRP) involve understanding the role of the noradrenergic
system in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Loss of Locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic (NA) neurons occurs in several neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that NA infl uences several features of AD disease including infl ammation, neurodegeneration, and cognitive function. We have previously investigated the role of noradrenergic neurons in brainstem from postmortem tissue obtained from normal aged and age-related
Kebreten F. Manaye, M.D., associate professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics.
15
LLULAR AND MOLECULAR GING AND AGE-RELATED VE DISORDERS
disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Down syndrome. Design-based stereological techniques allow for testing whether aging and brain diseases are associated with loss of locus coeruleus (LC) neurons, as identifi ed by immunohistochemical staining for the tyrosine hydroxylase in human brains and animal models. Using a double transgenic APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we have found some of the pathological features of the human disease, including gliosis; a loss of noradrenergic -containing neurons in locus coeruleus; reduction of noradrenergic nerve terminals; the formation of amyloid-beta plaques in the cortex, amygdaloid complex, and hippocampus. Hormone replacement therapy with the gonadal steroid estradiol may aff ect cellular function in brains of postmenopausal women. In vitro studies suggest that 17-beta estradiol and raloxifene can alter the microglial and astrocyte expression of immuno-neuronal modulators, such as cytokines, complement factors, chemokines, and other molecules involved in neuroinfl ammation and neurodegeneration. We are currently investigating whether therapeutic interventions (estradiol) alter the course of neurodegeneration and plaque pathology in these models. Our preliminary results show that long-term 17-beta estradiol treatment in normal aged female C57Bl/6 mice and aged female dtg APP/PS1 female mice signifi cantly lowered the numbers of astrocytes and microglial cells in dentate gyrus and CA1 regions compared with placebo. Our studies of depression in humans indicate that the number of neurons in paraventricular (PVN) of the hypothalamus is signifi cantly reduced in post-mortem brains from patients with major depressive disorder
(MDD), and bi-polar disorders (BD); and, that the reduction is correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms. We found no neuronal loss in supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Th us, we fi nd a selective loss of PVN neurons in depression. Th e paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei of the hypothalamus are involved in the regulation of autonomic functions, including fl uid and electrolyte homeostasis. Among the cells in the SON and PVN are populations of arginine vasopressin (AVP) - and oxytocin (OT)-synthesizing neurons that send projections to the neurohypophysis; and, in the case of the PVN, project to other brain areas including cortex. Recent research indicates that these nuclei may also play a role in CNS functions, including social affi liation and emotional cognition, which are frequently disturbed in aging and in neuropsychiatric disease. Th is cross-species investigation using chimpanzee, gorilla, and human brains seeks to contrast and compare diff erences in the total number of neurons in SON and PVN regions of hypothalamus. We have previously reported that there was a 50% reduction in the number of PVN neurons in patients of major depression and bipolar disorders (Manaye et al., 2005). Th e greatly expanded population of PVN neurons in humans is the product of recent evolution and may be particularly vulnerable to pathology. Understanding the neuronal circuitry related to social bonding, emotions, and cognition in human and closely related primate species, which share about 98% DNA homology, may provide insight into the neurobiological basis for human’s neuropsychiatric disorders.
16
and conspiracies about Black men in the United States. It chronicles a young Black man's journey from the depths of crime, drugs and poverty in his community, to life in the academic and social elite of college life. Along the way, he battles the “demons” of American society and endures the continuous and ever present quandary of adjustment to community, college, and society.
Black Sheep also mirrors much of Toldson’s research interests related to the Black male. He states: “As an assistant professor of counseling psychology, I’m most interested in helping counselors and other mental health professionals develop practices and procedures that appreciate Black men’s common folkways and collective struggle. My writings and lectures have mostly involved helping people understand Black men’s adaptation to American society and how to connect social policy to some of the peculiarities
in Black men’s existence. For example, in the 1980’s there were three
Black men in college to every one Black man in prison.
Today, there are more Black men in prison
than in college. This change didn’t just mysteriously
happen. There are specifi c social policies (e.g., the so-called war on drugs, etc.) that explain these changes. Most of my current research deals with the impact of policy on Black male experiences, with implications for counselors and educators.”
Among a number of ongoing presentations and lectures concerning African-American youth, Dr. Toldson and Kilynda Ray, a third-year counseling psychology Ph.D. student, presented the paper, “Exploring Factors that Improve Educational Outcomes and Reduce Involvement in the Juvenile Justice System for African-American Youth” at the Leadership for Equity and Excellence: Transforming Education Conference, held in Washington, D.C., in February 2007. This presentation continued research Dr. Toldson published in the Journal of Negro Education titled “Assessing the impact of family process on rural African-American adolescents’ competence and behavior problems using latent growth curve analysis.”
As a featured panelist, he discussed the "Plight of the African-American Male in the 21st Century," along with Bill Cosby at the 26th annual conference of RAMP (Research Association of Minority Professors). He also presented with Ph.D. student and graduate teaching assistant Rikesha Fry at the workshop, “Counselors, Educators, and the Legislative Process: A Non-Traditional Strategy for Helping Professionals,” at the 24th Annual Winter Roundtable on Cultural Psychology and Education at Columbia University. Dr. Toldson’s grant from the Howard University Fund for Academic Excellence provided travel support for 11 doctoral students to attend the Winter Roundtable.
By Gwendolyn S. Bethea
Improving the Lives of AfricanMales in the 21st Century
Judging from Dr. Ivory A. Toldson’s youthful looks and effortless smile, he could easily be mistaken
for a graduate student but, in fact, he is an assistant professor of counseling psychology in the School of Education and a much sought-after lecturer and researcher on a number of serious sociological and psychological issues that have particular implications for African Americans, especially males. He recently completed a book chapter titled “Counseling Persons of Black African Ancestry,” for the Sixth Edition of Counseling Across Cultures, edited by Paul B. Pedersen, Walter J. Lonner, Juris G. Draguns, and Joseph E. Trimble, to be published by Sage Publications. A scene from Dr. Toldson’s novel, Black Sheep: When the American Dream Becomes a Black Man’s Nightmare, was selected as a critical incident for the text. Black Sheep explores questions, connections, theories
Professor Ivory Toldson, Ph.D., with his novel: Black Sheep: When the American Dream Becomes a Black Man's Nightmare
17
n-American As Senior Research Analyst for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), Dr. Toldson directed two national policy and justice symposiums this year, which were supported by the Ford Foundation. In February 2007, Dr. Toldson and the CBCF teamed up with U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY) to present “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty,” a symposium to advance a policy agenda to address poverty and criminal justice intrusions, at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan.
Dr. Toldson is also the guest editor of a special edition of the New African Journal, which was created to address the counselor’s response to Hurricane Katrina. Contributors are from Langston University, University of Georgia, Jackson State University, and Howard University. Dr. Toldson was the keynote speaker for the Urban Leadership Institute Luncheon on Friday, March 9, 2007, which addressed the theme, “Souls of Black Men: Addressing Anger and Rage Among African-American Adolescent Males.” He was invited to repeat this presentation at the 12th Annual Families In Need of Services (FINS) Conference in Baton Rouge, LA in April 2007.
On the subject of anger among Black men, Toldson recalls his high school English teacher telling him, “You could be something great, if you’d just get rid of your anger!”
He counsels that, "when dealing with Black men and anger, the fi rst thing that’s important to understand is that the VAST majority of Black males do not have problems with anger. The second
is that anger in and of itself is never a problem. Displaced, poorly managed or even suppressed anger is the problem. Traditional accounts of Black anger and rage are actually quite insulting, short-sighted and racist. Explanations that attempt to juxtapose the Black male experience with a violent subculture, internalized self-hate, and compulsive or hyper masculinity do little to help society redirect legitimate anger toward a more constructive cultural agenda. Examining social structures, including economic imparity and institutional racism, to underscore Black males' anger can provide more culturally congruent explanations of many current expressions of Black rage, including gang violence and the incensed lyrics contained in some 'hip hop' songs."
He also suggests that every person’s situation is different in dealing with so-called anger of Black males, yet there are certain principles that are signifi cant. They include understanding and appreciating Black males, contextualizing the problems with Black males, exploring the larger contexts; promoting social advocacy and justice; understanding the sociopolitical forces that create barriers for Black males; differentiating between symptoms of acute stress and stress arising from sociopolitical powerlessness; and building on their strengths.
Dr. Toldson was the fourth recipient of the W.E.B. DuBois Fellowship Program. The grant, supported by U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, funded Dr. Toldson’s project titled, “Evaluating the Predictive and Structural Validity of an Actuarial Method for Screening Civil Liabilities among Police Offi cers.” He published a policy report titled, “Poverty, Race and Policy: Strategic Advancement of a Poverty Reduction Agenda” through the CBCF with funds from the Annie E.
Casey Foundation. Recently, he was awarded the University-Sponsored Faculty Research Program in the Social Sciences, Humanities and Education grant to support his research on race, policy and justice. For information on his research, contact him at (202) 806-6410 or [email protected].
A SAMPLING OF OTHER RESEARCH INTERESTS IN THE DISCIPLINE
OF EDUCATION Faculty in the School of Education have for many decades stood at the vanguard of research that has undergirded social, political, and economic change and policies affecting U.S. citizens and other populations worldwide, particularly within marginalized communities. A sampling of some of the current research interests and training grant programs of faculty that refl ects this continued focus is listed below.
HELEN BONDBond, H. (2007). You and I, we must change the world. In Jones, A. (Ed.). Evoking genocide. Yale University Press (in preparation, expected fall 2007).
SALMAN ELBEDOURElbedour, S., Bart, W., & Hecktner, J. (2007). The Relationship between monogamous/polygamous family structure and the mental health of Bedouin Arabadolescents. Journal of Adolescence, 30, 213-230.
ANGELA FERGUSONMiville, M. L., & Ferguson, A. D. (2006). Intersections of sexism and heterosexism with racism: Therapeutic implications. Invited book chapter for M. G. Constantine & D. W. Sue, (Eds.) Racism as a barrier to cultural competence in mental health and educational settings. New York: Wiley.
FREDERICK HARPERHarper, F. D. (2006). Writing research reports and scholarly manuscripts for journal publication: Pitfalls and promises. The Journal of Negro Education, 75 , 322-340.
MARILYN IRVING Howard University's Science and Mathematics for All (SMA) program, designed to combat the shortage of highly qualifi ed science and mathematics teachers in urban, high-need areas. The SMA program utilizes Howard University professors from the School of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences to train and certify thirty graduate students (10 per year) with exceptional content knowledge in mathematics and science to become teachers in the Prince George's County Public School (PGCPS) and District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) system by the program's completion.
Students receive a $10,000 stipend toward pursuing and completing a Master of Arts of Teaching (M.A.T.) degree and full certifi cation - initial licensure. While completing their degree, students will work full-time for two years in PGCPS or DCPS under the guidance of Howard University faculty advisors.
VELMA LAPOINTLaPoint, V., Manswell Butty, J. L., Thomas, V. G., & Reid, M. D. (2006). The Talent Quest Model: Career development as supplemental education for low-income Black students in middle and high schools (pp. 87-107). In R. W. Smith (Ed.). Time for change: New visions for high school. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
VERONICA THOMAS Gatson, M.H., Porter, G.K., & Thomas, V.G. (2007). Prime Time Sister Circles: Evaluating a gender-specifi c, culturally relevant health intervention to decrease major risk factors in mid-life African American women. Journal of the National Medical Association, 99(4), 428-438.
DAWN WILLIAMSCo-author of the article, "The Legitimization of Black Subordination: The Impact of Color-Blind Ideology on African American Education" in the fall 2007 issue of the Journal of Negro Education.
Professor Ivory Toldson
18
Howard Students and Faculty Conduct Collaborative Research in HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases with Universities in U.S. and Africa By Winston Anderson, Ph.D.
As participants in the Minority Health Disparities International Research
Program (MHIRT), funded by the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD), Howard students are hoping to signifi cantly reduce the devastating effects of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and malaria in African countries, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mali and Ghana.
The MHIRT program is primarily focused on student international research training and career development to reduce health disparity gaps among racial and ethnic minorities and other medically underserved populations in these areas. Specifi cally, the new MHIRT Program is designed to offer 10 to 12- week international research training opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and/or health professional students from health disparity populations in the basic, biomedical, clinical, and behavioral health sciences. The program, originally established in 2004, is funded at $201,000 per year through 2011.
In many developing countries of the tropics and sub-tropics, the majority of people live in environments that provide suitable conditions for parasites, pathogens, and vector/intermediate host development. There is increasing evidence of the seriousness of infectious diseases (parasitic and pathogenic) due to various factors,
such as HIV/AIDS infection, water resources development, intense population movements, ever-increasing population and resulting poor nutrition that have aggravated health problems of these countries. There is increased risk of worldwide spread of these diseases due to lack of environmental sanitation, unsafe human waste disposal, low socioeconomic status, poor personal hygiene, and cultural practices. The research agenda of the Howard MHIRT is biomedical research on major infectious diseases that is geared towards contributing to the alleviation of health disparities of these countries. In this regard, our focus is on research on malaria, trypanosomiasis, tuberculosis, schistosomiasis, and on medicinal plant extracts used to combat these diseases and related physiological problems in Ghana, Mali, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.
RESEARCH IN GHANA
Ghana, a West African developing country with less than average per capita income ($2,600), is disproportionately affected by infectious diseases. Our research is designed to identify and characterize important biomolecules closely associated with malaria pathogenesis that can be utilized diagnostically or in the development of immunotherapeutic or vaccine strategies to alleviate the burden of malaria in the country.
We have established fruitful collaborations with the World Health Organization/United Nations Development Program/World Bank in Geneva, Switzerland, Scientists at Noguchi Memorial Medical Research Institute and the University of Ghana Medical School in Ghana, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta. The organizations are at the forefront of tropical diseases research.
2006 RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
“Determining a Correlation Between the Severity of Malaria and the Level of Host blood biomolecules: sFas, FasL, sTNFRI & II, & MMP-9” by Cecily Montgomery, Shanelle McIntyre, (undergraduates at Howard) and Chrystal Obi, (Rice University undergraduate). Mentors are Dr. Jonathan Stiles, Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Richard Gyasi and Dr. Andrew Adjei, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana.
19
RESEARCH IN ETHIOPIA
The Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology has existed for nearly four decades as a research institute at Addis Ababa University. The institute addresses important issues of public and veterinary health importance. Currently, there are fi ve units that are involved in major research programs at the institute, namely Human Parasitic Diseases Research, Animal Health and Zoonotic Diseases Research, Endod and Other Medicinal/Pesticidal Plants Research, Microbiological Research Program on Major Infectious Diseases, and Vector Biology and Control Research. MHIRT trainees have access to research in all these areas. Dr. Yalemtsehay Mekonnen is director of the Akilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology.
Studies include:
“Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in the genetic farm of the National Artifi cial Insemination Center, Ethiopia,” conducted by William Lambert, Dr. Kebreten Manaye, Dr. Yalemtsehay Mekonnen, and Dr. Gobena Ameni.
“Distribution of drug resistance in Staphylococci isolated from raw cattle meat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,” conducted by Vanessa Grant, Mogessie Ashenafi , Dr. Yalemtsehay Mekonnen, Dr. Kebreten Manaye.
“The Probiotic effect of acid and bile tolerant lactic acid bacteria against pathogens” conducted by David Sykes (Michigan State University), Kebreten Manaye, Mogessie Ashenafi , and Anteneh Tesfaye.
Chrystal Obi, Brice University junior; Shanelle McIntyre and Cecily Montgomery, Howard University juniors, at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana.
William Lambert, senior biology major, at work in the lab studying bovine tuberculosis.
Dr. Kebreten Manaye, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, (center) and students arriving at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Vanessa Grant, senior biology major, researching Staphylococci isolated from raw cattle meat in laboratory at Addis Ababa University.
20
RESEARCH IN NIGERIA
The research agenda of the Howard MHIRT program in Nigeria is biomedical research on major infectious diseases that is geared towards contributing to the health development of the country. In this regard, concern has been on research on the major killers of humankind related to malaria, schistosomiasis, leshimaniasis, and on medicinal plants related to these diseases. In most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the use of traditional knowledge, in particular
that of medicinal plants as a cure for malaria and other diseases, has been in practice for a long time. Even today, approximately 75% of the world populations rely on traditional medicine at primary health care levels. This research is crucial to establishing the potential toxicity of the plant before it assumes greater popularity for various ailments. These projects were sponsored and funded by the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Nigeria and executed under UNIBEN-MHIRT program. Professors Ebeigwe Nwanze, Anthony
Ebeigbe and Broderick Eribo were MHIRT sponsors.
Specifi c research studies include “Characterization of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of HIV patients in Nigeria” by Broderick Eribo, and B. Broomfi eld, K. Laughton, M. Stephnie, Howard undergraduates in a study abroad program; Chandra Sproles, Michigan State University graduate student; and T. Mirabeau of Lahor Research Laboratories and Medical Centre in Benin City.
Global Positioning Satellite images showing mosquito larval pools in Missira village
21
Dr. Aziz-Yakubu and Gimete Desta, Ph.D. biology student, and the mathematics group in the lab at Bamako
RESEARCH IN MALI
In a study titled, “Chloroquine versus Artemisinin Combination Therapy against Malaria in Missira,” research is underway on malaria in Mali. Malaria is the fourth leading cause of death of children in developing countries. In Mali, malaria is one of the principal causes of morbidity and mortality. The
most recent estimate reported over 800,000 cases and over 1,000 deaths. Chloroquine remains the primary drug therapy for uncomplicated malaria. However, chloroquine resistance is an increasing problem in many endemic areas, especially West Africa, where Plasmodium falciparum is the most common and deadliest
form. In Mali, approximately 15-20% of P. falciparum strains are not cleared via chloroquine treatment. Other studies estimate resistance in Mali to be as high as 40%. The World Health Organization currently recommends endemic areas to switch to Artemisinin Combination Therapy.
Ahmed Haidara and colleague from Mali using GPS to map mosquito larval pools in thevillage of Missira.
22
Nicole Ramsey, undergraduate biology major working in the rural village of Missira, providing health care.
play key roles in the poor health indicators in the region. As such, rural Mali is not an exception. Nonetheless, our research focuses on access to health care because it can produce signifi cant short-term improvement in the health status of the individuals of these areas. In a survey of 50 men and women between the ages of 15 to 90 years, in the rural villages of Missira and Sirakoroba, a number of factors were identifi ed as key impediments to access to health care. From the survey, age, ethnicity, and gender contributed little to disparities in the health care seeking habits of the individuals in the population. However, education was identifi ed as the single most important fact that had a correlation
Our fi ndings showed that chloroquine was more effective on Plasmodium falciparum strains than Pl. malariae. Chloroquine is not currently considered to be an effective treatment against Plasmodium malariae, since it can become dormant. Mefl oquine is considered a better alternative for treating Pl. malariae parasites.
Other research activities include "An Assessment of Access to Health Care Services in the Villages of Missira and Sirakoroba in Mali" by Nneka Egbuonu.
As with most rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, access to health care, poor sanitation, and lack of proper nutritional requirements
23
to health-care seeking habits. Nneka Egbuonu, MPH, freshman medical student, conducted research at the University of Mali, Bamako, under the direction of Professors Ousmane Koita and Traore Kassim of Johns Hopkins University.
Research on the “Correlation of the prevalence of Hemoglobin S, anemia, and Plasmodium falciparum malarial infection among children in the village Sirakoroba of Kolokani, Mali” is being conducted
Winston Anderson, Ph.D., is
the principal investigator of the
MHIRT grant. Co-principal in-
vestigators are Broderick Eribo,
Ph.D., Kebreten Manaye,
Ph.D., (Howard University);
Jonathan Stiles, Ph.D. (More-
house College of Medicine);
Anthony Ebeigbe, Ph.D. (Uni-
versity of Benin); Ousmane
Koita, Ph.D. (University of
Mali); Yalemptsehai Mekon-
nen, Ph.D. (University of Addis
Ababa).
Dr. Boubacar Diallo selecting goats at the Bamako market for the trypanosome experiments
Nneka Egbuonu, freshman medical student, studying health disparities in Missira.
by Nicole Ramsey, Moussa Cisse, biology students; Boubacar Diallo, M.D., Ousmane Koita, Ph.D.
Other research projects include:
“Mathematical Models for Studying Disease Epidemics in Strongly Fluctuating Populations” by Abdul-Aziz Yakubu, chairman of the Department of Mathematics; “Effi cacy of acrifl avin and chloroquine therapy in the treatment of trypanosomiasis in goats and other animals” by Gimite Desta.
24
The Howard University Graduate School sponsored a special lecture on migration in Europe in the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center on February 15, 2007. Professor
G.B. Dielissen from the University of Utrecht discussed the topic, "Representations of the Migrant Intellectual: The Limits of Tolerance in the Netherlands after the Murder of Theo Van Gogh." Theo Van Gogh, a descendant of the famous Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh, was a strong opponent of Islam. A Dutch fi lm director, television producer, publicist, and actor, Van Gogh was murdered in 2004 by Mohammed Bouyeri.
The lecture provided an opportunity for the Graduate School to disseminate information about its study abroad programs. One of these programs is the Trans-Atlantic Graduate Exchange Program on Race, Ethnicity, and Migration Studies (REMS) for students and faculty. The program is funded by the Directorate General for Education and Culture of the European Commission (EU), and the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education (FIPSE). In the U.S., the consortium consists of Howard, The University of Texas at El Paso,
and Vanderbilt University. In Europe, the universities are Utrecht University in the Netherlands; University of Coimbra in Portugal; University of Edinburgh in Scotland; and Central European University in Budapest, Hungary.
Dr. Richard A. English, provost and chief academic offi cer, and former dean of the School of Social Work at Howard University, delivered opening remarks, contextualizing the lecture by Professor Dielissen within the broader discussion of displaced populations. He elaborated on the defi nition of migration and what it means for people to be uprooted from a physical place, a dwelling, and a lifestyle. Dr. English also spoke about the specialized concentration on displaced populations offered for master's students in the Howard University School of Social Work. This concentration, which includes classroom instructions and internships, is unique and was developed more than two decades ago at Howard University.
Professor Dielissen's remarks fi rst included a historical context for the current expansion of migrants in the Netherlands, which saw a marked proliferation
Migration in Europe:Addressing Tolerance and De-empha
Professor G. B. Dielessen, University of Utrecht (foreground), and participants at the lecture on migration in Europe
By Gwendolyn S. Bethea
25
after World War II, beginning with individuals from Indonesia in the 1950s, guest workers in the 1960s (fi rst from Southern Europe later from Turkey and North Africa, Morocco in particular). Today, the migrant populations have expanded to include individuals from Africa, Suriname and the Dutch Antilleans, resulting in widespread social, political, and economic debate surrounding acceptance and assimilation of these groups into the Dutch society.
Professor Dielissen stated that the subject of his lecture had implications far beyond the incidence of the murder of Van Gogh and could be applied to the larger issue of whether and how immigrants could or should be integrated. A growing concern in all European societies
is the risk of political radicalization of Muslim youth, the children of the fi rst generation migrants. "I believe it the duty of scholars to study and respond to these public issues in a comparative way and engage in new, respectful and enduring solutions to them. A new appreciation of tolerance seems crucial in this process. True tolerance is grounded in the acknowledgement of difference. There is too much talk and pressure towards 'shared values' and 'conformity' nowadays and too little understanding of the sociological necessity of the uniting forces of dissent and counter forces. Too much focus on social cohesion can be harmful for society as well. We should de-emphasize sameness and encourage the participation of migrants in society beyond issues that concern them alone. It is the unity of 'force and counter-force', the fi guration of sameness and difference, that make plural and democratic societies viable," he stated.
He discussed a type of schizophrenia that he believes is common among young Muslim men in the Netherlands, who struggle to adapt from a strictly regulated society to a freer, more open society, which can lead to a disintegration of the personality. To this group a nostalgia for strict religious forms - e.g. Islamic fundamentalism, may have a strong appeal. Among
asizing Sameness
young Muslim women, a high incidence of depression is reported. They seem to face the opposite problem: confronted with many traditional constraints, they long for more freedom. He stated that the root of these problems is not to be found in the world politics or in Islamic fundamentalism, but in a lack of integration, respect and belonging. Dutch society best responds to this problem by accepting that Islam and Muslim identities are there to stay; by starting to build bridges from migrant communities to mainstream society, by acknowledging that differences exist, and by rejecting a total disconnect from them.
In his response to the lecture, Howard Economics Professor Ransford Palmer discussed the situation in Rotterdam in which immigrants comprise one-half of the population. He stated that the issue of a steadily decreasing population makes it necessary to encourage immigration to fi ll the resulting job defi cits. He compared the situation in Rotterdam to that in the U.S. in which there is the fear among the dominant populations of a "tipping point" in which society will supposedly deteriorate if the dominant group becomes outnumbered.
Altaf Husain, special assistant to the provost and a doctoral student in the Howard University School of Social Work specializing in displaced populations, also served as a respondent to the lecture by Professor Dielissen. Husain referred to theoretical constructs such as ethnic boundaries as a reference point to understand the powerful challenges facing young Muslim youth of the West. These boundaries, he said, are at once "shifting, blurred, and bright with respect to the role of religion and culture in the lives of young Muslims. The challenge is for academicians and researchers to develop further the theoretical work on integration so that it refl ects the intertwined roles of religion and culture in the process of acculturation for the young Muslims. "
Professor Dielissen stated that one major way to address the issues surrounding migration is to invest extensively in education, which he stated may be instrumental in promoting nonviolence, acceptance of the rule of law, while at the same time acknowledging differences. He stated that if the migrant intellectuals tell their own stories well, it will be of benefi t not only to their communities but to all others.
Students who are interested in participating in the exchange programs may call 202-806-6800, email [email protected], or visit www.gs.howard.edu/rems
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GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIA AND HONORS DAY 2007By Rikesha L. Fry
Chontrese M. Doswell, Ph.D., assistant dean for retention, mentoring, andStudent Service Award to Gloria Lloyd, coordinator of fi nancial support andto congratulate Lloyd and other award winners.
Vice Provost Orlando L. Taylor presents Vernon Morris, Ph.D., with the Research Productivity Award for the Division of Engineering and Physical Sciences.
Kamilah Woodson, Ph.D., director, Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate, Graduate School, and co-director for the Offi ce for Undergraduate Research; Posters on the Hilltop award winners, and Dr. Kathy Sanders-Phillips, research core director of the Howard University DC-Baltimore Center on Child Health Disparities and Posters on the Hilltop luncheon speaker.
Kelly Mack, Ph.D., director, Offi ce for Undergraduate Research; Dr. Woodson, and Beatrice Adderley-Kelly, Ph.D., interim dean, College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Health Sciences accepting plaque for nursing award recipient.
Photo by Bernadette Dare
Photo by Ceasar
Photo by Ceasar
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On Monday, April 23, 2007, the Howard University Graduate School sponsored its annual Graduate Research Symposium and
Honors Day. Dr. Brian P. Coppola, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Chemistry, Associate Chair of the Chemistry Department, University of Michigan, was the keynote speaker. This year’s celebration included oral and poster presentations from more than 75 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from varying fi elds of academic study. Awards were presented as follows:
ARTS AND HUMANITIESDoctoral Oral Presentation First Place: Truman R. Keys Second Place: Nancy T. Lee
Master's Oral Presentation First Place: Casilda R. Maxwell and Neisha-Ann Thompson
BIOLOGICAL AND LIFE SCIENCESDoctoral Oral Presentation First Place: Uvetta Dozier Second Place: Andrea C. Allen Master's Oral Presentation First Place: Deneen N. Long-White Second Place: Stephanie Ross-Hill Undergraduate Oral Presentation First Place: Andre C. McNair
ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCESDoctoral Oral Presentation First Place: Marcel J. Castro-Sitiriche Second Place: Pedro A. Capo-Lugo Master's Oral Presentation First Place: Oluwaseyi D. Kayode Second Place: Nigel E. Lloyd
SOCIAL SCIENCES Doctoral Oral Presentation First Place: Viara Quinones Santiago and Venetia Shepherd Second Place: Antonette Y. Jefferson
d support programs, Graduate School; presents the Linda R. Williams d grants management, Graduate School. Vice Provost Taylor was on hand
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Pictured above: Brian P. Coppola, Arthur P. Th urnau Professor of Chemistry, Associate Chair of the Chemistry Department, University of Michigan, gives keynote address.
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Gwendolyn S. Bethea, director of communications, Graduate School, and research symposium committee member; and Camila Pereira, Graduate School 2005-2006 U.S./Brazil exchange student and full-time master's student in the School of Education, pause to refl ect on the day's events.
Photo by Bernadette Dare
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Research Day
Participants2007Photos by Bernadette Dare
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On Thursday, March 29, 2007, the Howard University Offi ce for Undergraduate Research held the Second Annual Posters on the Hilltop Undergraduate Research Day in the Blackburn Center. More than 45 abstracts were presented for the event that included the presentations of undergraduate students from arts and humanities, biological and life sciences, business, engineering and physical sciences, nursing, and social sciences.
POSTERS ON THE HILLTOP Established in 2006, the Offi ce for Undergraduate Research seeks to institutionalize multidisciplinary undergraduate research at Howard and to enhance the critical thinking and scholarly research of undergraduate students. In addition to providing an opportunity for undergraduate students to display and present their research, the program also provided an opportunity for the students to gain valuable experience in honing their presentation skills.
Linda R. Williams Student Service Award The Linda R. Williams Award is presented to the staff member who exemplifi es all of the qualities of excellence exhibited by the late Linda R. Williams, who worked for many years in the area of admissions at Howard University. The 2007 award was presented to Gloria F. Lloyd, coordinator of fi nancial support and grants management. Dr. Aaron Stills, associate professor of counseling and guidance/counseling psychology and Dr. William Eckberg, associate dean of educational and research affairs, served as co-chairs of the symposium. A publication containing presentation abstracts was published by the Graduate School and may be obtained by contacting Gwendolyn S. Bethea, editor, at [email protected]; 202-806-6156/6800.
SOCIAL SCIENCES (continued)Masters Oral Presentation First Place: Renee P. Clarke Second Place: Aduza Gilliam and Patrice L. Lee Undergraduate Oral Presentation First Place: Heru S. Heq-M-Ta
GRADUATE POSTER PRESENTATION First Place: Pamela Clarke Biological and Life Sciences Second Place: Kenny Fournillier and Rachel Austin Biological and Life Sciences
UNDERGRADUATE POSTER PRESENTATION First Place: Alexandra Sutton Biological and Life Sciences Second Place: Terrina Price Social Sciences
Faculty also received awards for research productivity as follows:
Arts and Humanities Dr. Kay Payne Communication Sciences and Disorders
Biological and Life Sciences Dr. Robert Taylor Pharmacology
Engineering and Physical Sciences Dr. Vernon Morris Chemistry/Atmospheric Sciences
Social Sciences Dr. William Spriggs Economics
Pictured above are l. to r. Uvetta Dozier, First Place, Doctoral Oral Presentation, Biological and Life Sciences; Viara Quinones Santiago, First Place, Doctoral Oral Presentation, Social Sciences; Heru Setepenra Heq-m-Ta, Second Place, Undergraduate Oral Presentation, Social Sciences; and Venetia Sheperd, tieing for First Place, Oral Presentation, Social Sciences. Not pictured are other fi rst and second place winners as listed in the article.
Truman R. Keys, First Place Winner, Doctoral Oral Presentation, Division of Arts and Humanities; with Kellie Weiss, Doctoral Candidate, Department of English, and research symposium committee member.
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Quest is published bi-yearly by the Offi ce of the Provost and the Offi ce of the Vice Provost for Research
Howard UniversityWashington, DC 20059(202) 806-6800/6156 www.rgs.howard.edu
H. Patrick SwygertPresident
Richard A. English, Ph.D.Provost and Chief Academic Offi cer
Orlando L. Taylor, Ph.D.Vice Provost for Research and Dean, Graduate [email protected]
Gwendolyn S. BetheaDirector of CommunicationQuest [email protected]
Contributing WritersWinston Anderson, Ph.D.Gwendolyn S. BetheaSandra Edmonds Crewe, Ph.D.Kebreten F. Manaye, Ph.D. William B. Lawson, Ph.D.
Graduate AssistantsAnne-Marie AdamsRikesha L. FryDennis Rogers
Bernadette [email protected]
DesignDARE & Associates, Inc.www.dareassociates.com
About the Cover The cover is a portrait of Inabel Burns Lindsay, Ph.D., the fi rst female academic dean at Howard University and the School of Social Work; and Social Work professors Annie W. Brown, Ph.D., Sandra Edmonds Crewe, Ph.D., and Ruby M. Gourdine, Ph.D., who are carrying on Dr. Lindsay's legacy of cultural research.
Cover photos by Ceasar
Refl ecting on Our Past, Celebrating Our Present, and Envisioning Our Future
Year-long discussions on doctoral education at Howard University How far have we come?Where are we now?Where do we want to be in the next 50 years?National seminars on topics of interest in doctoral education
Howard University to Celebrate 50 Years of Doctoral Education1958-2008
Watch for details in early fall to be posted on the Graduate School’s web site: www.gs.howard.edu
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Offi ce of Vice Provost for Research 2395 Sixth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20059
Research at Howard University
Fall 2007
Cultural Research
Mental Illness
Health Conditions in Africa
The African-American Male
FACULTY FOCUS: