Category: News

 Jonathan was in kindergarten, getting used to his routine as a busy, young boy when everything changed.

His parents noticed he had some unusual bruising, so they took him to the pediatrician. They were heading home after school when the doctor called.

“He told us to go to the ER right away,” said Jonathan’s mom, Jean.

As one night in the hospital turned to four, the family’s fear grew.

“The hardest part was explaining to Jonathan what was happening,” Jean said. “Outwardly, he looked like his normal, healthy self. But inside, his blood was slowly making him sick.”

Jonathan was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia which often requires lifelong maintenance and monitoring. His current medication requires a regimented schedule that has created an entirely new daily routine for his whole family.

In the midst of this tumultuous time, Jonathan and his family received a life-changing gift through Make-A-Wish® Alaska and Washington, which helps make wishes come true for children with l critical illnesses.

Jonathan’s dream became reality through the program as he traveled to New York City, walked the city streets, spent a day with the New York Police Department and experienced the many sights of a bustling metropolis.

“Jonathan’s wish opened our eyes to the world around us,” said Jean.

Now, Jonathan looks forward to anything involving Make-A-Wish^®, where he’s surrounded by people who truly care about him and encourage him to keep dreaming. His family has stayed involved because they know how important a wish can be and how it gives a needed break to families constantly in the throes of medical procedures.

“Wishes give kids something to look forward to. They bring sense where things are confusing in their medical world,” said Jean. “Wishes bring hope, and this hope is tangible.”

Now, the UW Combined Fund Drive and Make-A-Wish^® Alaska and Washington are teaming up to make wishes come true, and you can help.

Airline travel remains Make-A-Wish^® Alaska and Washington’s single largest expense. It would take an estimated 80 million miles annually to grant all local travel wishes. Make-A-Wish^® Alaska and Washington’s goal is to raise one million miles from March 5-18 to send more kids like Jonathan on their wish trip. You can play a part in granting these wishes by donating your unused miles today and sharing the donation link so others can do the same.

Here at the University of Washington, our commitment to bettering our world knows no bounds, and this year’s UW Combined Fund Drive showed just that. The UW community came together to raise $2,167,963 for local and global nonprofits during the fall drive.

Through event participation and personal donations, UW faculty, staff, students and alumni helped fund local charities, made a significant impact on a variety of causes and continued to go above and beyond in serving our state and world.

“I want to thank everyone who generously supported their favorite causes this year,” said Kerri Fuller, development officer and campaign manager for the UW Combined Fund Drive. “It’s wonderful to know that the UW is making a difference for so many.”

Each year, the UW Combined Fund Drive selects a featured charity and this year’s pick was Special Olympics Washington, in preparation for the USA Summer Games coming to the UW in July. The organization provides athletic training and holds competitions in a variety of Olympic-style sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, teaching lessons about determination, courage and finding value in both losing and winning.

“We challenged ourselves to raise $2,018 for each Washington state athlete to train and compete for the 2018 USA Summer Games – and we succeeded,” Fuller said. “Thanks to all our generous donations, seven athletes will now see their dreams come true.”

The statewide fundraising campaign dates back to 1984, and since then, the UW community has contributed a total of more than $46 million for nonprofits, UW scholarships and UW programs.

Visit the UW Combined Fund Drive website to find volunteer opportunities as well as special events like the Make-A-Wish Washington airline miles drive in March and April’s Earth Day Forum.

If you missed this year’s drive or still want to show your support, you can still give year-round through payroll deduction.

by Hannah Myrick

Each year since 1976, the University of Washington has acknowledged outstanding creativity and scholarship by naming a faculty member to deliver the annual University Faculty Lecture. This award honors an individual whose work has made a significant impact on their profession, on the research or performance of others, and on society as a whole.

At this year’s lecture, Michael H. Gelb, the Boris and Barbara L. Weinstein Endowed Chair in Chemistry and an adjunct professor in the Department of Biochemistry, will discuss his life-saving work on newborn screening tests. In advance of the event, the globally recognized expert on enzymes and drug development talked about his research and inspiration.

Q: What inspired you to begin researching newborn screening?

MG: When my wife was pregnant with our second child, she had an amniocentesis, a prenatal procedure that checks for possible genetic disorders and other health concerns of the baby. The nurses had tested only for Down syndrome and a few other conditions. After that, I began to wonder — what other diseases weren’t being checked for in newborns?

Around 1994, I started working with my colleagues Dr. Ronald Scott, professor of pediatrics at the UW School of Medicine, and Frank Tureček, professor of chemistry, who helped us with the technology we needed to begin our research. We determined some specific diseases we could test for and began doing so with our new technology. Now, doctors and researchers across the country and around the world are using our research to provide more comprehensive newborn screenings.

Q: How does the test work? What does it measure, and who does it affect?

MG: Traditionally, when we test newborns, we test only for diseases that have good early treatments. There are about a dozen diseases called lysosomal storage diseases that our team tests for and that are treatable.

All the diseases in this test are caused by broken enzymes, which are responsible for the breakdown of metabolites in cells. The degree to which the enzyme works determines how severe the disease is. These diseases aren’t black and white, and some conditions do not develop until a child is a teenager or an adult.

For the screening test, we place a few drops of the infant’s blood onto filter paper. Then we expose the enzymes in the blood to different molecules to measure their reactions. In general, the more molecules that are made, the better the enzymes are working.

For perspective: In Washington state, about 80,000 babies are born each year. Of these, four to five kids need treatment immediately, and 10 to 15 who don’t have the disease yet are put on alert — made aware that a disease may develop later in life.

Q: Who decides which tests are implemented in different states?

MG: While there’s no federal umbrella policy, states tend to follow the Congressional Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2014. This act allocates funding for a committee of experts to add diseases to the list of conditions to test for during newborn screenings.

Q: Who are some major players involved in this project?

MG: I often work with foundations started by families with an affected child. I think it carries more weight if they — instead of professors or biotech companies — advocate for these improved newborn-screening procedures. These foundations are extremely active with their state representatives and legislatures.

Q: What does your future research for the project look like?

MG: The National Institutes of Health renewed our grant for another four years. I’m not sure where our future research goes, but we’re optimistic that diseases will continue to be added to the panel. As we learn more about new diseases that people can develop, we’ll revisit the technology and adjust it to test for those.

Q: Why is this project important to you?

MG: What these families go through is kind of a mess — going through the health care system, through the diseases. I can’t stress enough how horrific these diseases are for the families and the kids. I think this is the most important field I’ve ever worked in; it’s great to see these kids getting better.

Q: What do you like about working at the UW?

MG: I’ve been here a long time, so it feels like home. I like my colleagues, especially how closely our chemistry department works with UW Medicine. Also, the UW’s CoMotion is an excellent resource. It was instrumental in helping me obtain patents, partner with other organizations and develop technology.

About Michael H. Gelb
Professor Gelb is the Boris and Barbara L. Weinstein Endowed Chair in Chemistry and an adjunct professor in the Department of Biochemistry. His research on enzymes has led to the development of drugs to treat neglected diseases and the screening of newborns for genetic metabolism disorders. Join us for his University Faculty Lecture, “Newborn Screening for Treatable Genetic Diseases.”

University Faculty Lecture
Jan. 23, 2018
7:30 p.m. Lecture in Kane Hall, Room 130
8:30 p.m. Reception in Kane Hall, Walker-Ames Room

To celebrate the start of the UW Combined Fund Drive from Oct. 4 to Dec. 1, all UW students, staff, faculty and retirees are invited to the Charity Fair & Silent Auction on Tuesday, Oct. 10.

Stop by the HUB ballroom from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to hear from more than 80 nonprofit representatives about their work to build stronger, healthier communities. Plus, enjoy kittens and puppies, free refreshments, a stationery sale, a photo booth with Dubs and amazing door prizes.

The silent auction will benefit Special Olympics Washington. Auction items include a Hyatt Regency Bellevue bed and breakfast for two, Whidbey Island cabin stay, Agua Verde & Paddle Club package, evo gift card and skate park lessons, FareStart Guest Chef Night tickets, Hoodsport Winery wine tasting for four, and Stevens Pass lift tickets.

Participate in the book drive by bringing a new or gently used children’s book for The Center for Pediatric Dentistry at the UW.

During last year’s campaign, more than 4,000 UW community members generously donated to raise a total of $2.2 million. With your help, we are looking forward to deepening our impact this year. The campaign runs Oct. 4 through Dec. 1.

Astronomers Without Borders is collecting eclipse glasses to be redistributed to school children in South America and Asia for the 2019 solar eclipse. You can help by mailing your used glasses to UW Earth and Space Sciences (ESS) Student Services at UW Box 351310, or by dropping them off in the ESS mailroom donation box in Johnson Hall, room 062.

To learn more about the program, visit the Astronomers Without Borders website.

We refreshed the Faculty & Staff Insider content and design to help you stay connected and find the news and resources you need.

New page features include:

• Reorganized story layout to showcase news from around the UW
• Updated quick links to popular resources
• Updated list of news sources from UW units, schools and departments
• News feeds from a variety of campus partners
• Live video feed of Red Square

We will continue to make improvements to the page based on user feedback and site analytics.

Have additional suggestions? Contact uinsider@uw.edu.

A message from UW Provost and Executive Vice President Gerald J. Baldasty

As a public university, there are situations in which it is imperative that we protect the privacy and confidentiality of individuals’ information. As we pursue our academic, research, health-care and business activities, it is vital that we each understand our humanitarian, ethical and legal obligations when it comes to individuals’ privacy.

The recently established Privacy Office will develop universal privacy principles that uphold the University of Washington’s values and provide consistent reporting on privacy activities, risks and policies. In addition, the office will be aligning the UW’s overall approach to protecting privacy and creating an institution-wide structure and strategy that unifies privacy at all UW locations. This will help ensure that all units of our University are upholding our values surrounding the collection and use of identifiable data, and are doing so for the benefit of all the individuals the UW serves in the state of Washington and beyond.

The Privacy Office, formed with funds and staff from the Office of the Chief Information Security Officer, UW-IT and Academic & Student Affairs, will be led by Ann Nagel, who was recently named institutional privacy official and associate vice provost of institutional privacy. Ann was most recently director and associate chief information security officer in the Office of the Chief Information Security Officer. In her new role, Ann will report to Phil Reid, vice provost for Academic & Student Affairs.

The Privacy Office will work closely with individuals across the University on a range of vital responsibilities, including:

• Establishing a UW-wide privacy steering committee.
• Overseeing and approving privacy related policies and standards that apply to more than one organization, or involve more than one type of data, at the UW.
• Coordinating confidentiality agreements, consent forms, notice of privacy practices or related opt-in/opt-out choices.
• Providing oversight and direction for investigations and incidents involving individually identifiable data and making the final determination of notification to individuals and outside parties.
• Advising colleagues on ways to balance the broad nature of privacy risk and
• Evaluating and making recommendations for the release or sharing of identifiable information to external service providers.

Without individuals trusting us with their information, it would be impossible for us to fulfill our mission. We owe it to those we serve to ensure that their information is handled securely and appropriately.

Sincerely,

Gerald J. Baldasty
Provost and Executive Vice President
Professor, Department of Communication

A message from Jeffrey F. Scott, Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration

Dear Colleagues,

On June 27, the UW launched Workday, our new, integrated cloud-based system for managing human resources, benefits, and payroll. The implementation of Workday is the largest administrative initiative ever undertaken at the University, and has been our highest administrative priority for the last year.

Looking at the project overall, this is one of the most successful launches of a Workday system at a public university. We should be proud of this important accomplishment. However, for many of us, it has meant dealing with frustrating situations and long wait times.

The Integrated Service Center (ISC) staff is working diligently to address issues as they occur, and they deserve our gratitude for their hard work, perseverance and spirit of optimism. I also want to thank our user base across the University for your help, cooperation, flexibility and patience. A particular note of gratitude goes to those who have provided us direct feedback on how we are doing. Without this important feedback, it would be impossible to identify problems and prioritize solutions.

With a transformation of this magnitude, we anticipated that issues might arise. The ISC and program team are responding to emerging issues with multiple tactics including deploying Mobile Support Units (teams of experts who are regularly traveling to various departments and campuses to provide hands-on, dedicated help); special teams within the ISC to tackle the highest priority issues; and daily collaboration meetings between administrators and ISC leadership to develop solutions and escalate issues.

As we work to stabilize the system and our processes, I ask for your continued patience.

Once again, thank you for your hard work and support in making this launch a success.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey F. Scott
Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration
evpfa@uw.edu

A message from UW Provost and Executive Vice President Gerald J. Baldasty

Dear Colleagues:

Because of family responsibilities, Dr. Anind Dey will begin as dean of the iSchool on Jan. 1. Until then, Dr. Carole Palmer has agreed to serve as interim dean, beginning Sept. 1.

President Ana Mari Cauce and I are delighted that Carole has accepted this position. Carole has built a strong record of research, teaching and service here at the UW and will be the ideal interim leader for the school.

Carole is a professor and associate dean for research at the iSchool and serves in the dean’s leadership cabinet. Her research focuses on advancing data services, especially for interdisciplinary inquiry. She earned her Ph.D. in Library & Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her master’s is from Vanderbilt University, while her bachelor’s is from Southern Illinois University. Among her honors is the Thomson Reuters Outstanding Information Science Teacher Award, which she was awarded in 2013 by the Association for Information Science & Technology.

Anind, as you may remember, has been a professor at Carnegie Mellon since 2005. He has also held positions at Intel Research in Berkeley from 2001 to 2004, and at the University of California, Berkeley, from 2002 to 2005. Anind earned his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Simon Fraser University in Canada. He holds two master’s degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology – one in aerospace engineering and one in computer science. He received his Ph.D. in computer science, also from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

I look forward to working with Carole and with Dean-designate Dey throughout the autumn to maintain the great momentum and work of the iSchool. Thank you to Harry Bruce, who will be stepping down as dean at the end of this summer, for his years of service to the iSchool and the University.

Sincerely,

Gerald J. Baldasty
Provost and Executive Vice President
Professor, Department of Communication

Take advantage of great summer deals and availability on child care offered to UW faculty, staff and students on all of our campuses.

You can now schedule in-home backup care even when your child is not ill, at a subsidized rate of $8 per hour (4 hour minimum). You can also schedule in-center care at $20 per day.

Backup and sick child care can be especially beneficial when:

• Your child is mildly ill and can’t go back to their care center yet
• Your regular caregiver is unavailable
• Your child’s school is closed
• You are between care arrangements
• You are transitioning back to work after leave

Child-care openings are not guaranteed — advanced registration is highly recommended. Register now so you’re only a phone call or click away when the center closes, or coughs and fevers begin.