In Brief

50th Anniversary Symposium Helps Mark Milestone
Helping commemorate 50 years of biomedical research, the institute is holding a scientific symposium, "Advances in the Immunosciences: from Immunopathology to Structural Immunology to Immunochemistry," on Friday, October 7, featuring eight presentations by Scripps Research scientists. The event, to be held in the Neurosciences Institute Auditorium on the Scripps California campus, includes three sessions:

8:30 to 9:30 AM – Immunopathology (session chair: Professor Michael Oldstone)

• "Innate Sensors and Autoimmunity" by Department of Immunology and Microbial Science Chair Argyrios Theofilopoulos
• "Immune Response to Viral Infection" by Professor Francis Chisari

9:30 to 10:30 AM – Molecular and Structural Biology (session chair: Professor Gerald Joyce)

• "Structural Immunopathology of Ebola Virus" by Associate Professor Erica Ollmann Saphire
• "Structural Biology of Immune Recognition" by Professor Ian Wilson

11 AM to 1 PM – Chemistry and Chemical Biology (session chair: Department of Chemical Physiology Chair Benjamin Cravatt)

• "Invigorating Chemistry and Chemical Education" by Department of Chemistry Chair K.C. Nicolaou
• "Chemical Methods to Monitor and Manipulate the Immune System" by Professor Thomas Kodadek
• "Chemically Programmed Immunity" by Professor Carlos Barbas
• "Immunochemistry and the Synthetic Immune System" by President Richard Lerner

Sydney Brenner, a professor at the Salk Institute who is also professor of genetics and member of the Board of Scientific Governors at Scripps Research, will present the symposium's closing remarks.

Michael Marletta to Speak October 12 in Faculty Lecture Series
Scripps Research Institute President-Elect Michael Marletta will be the featured speaker at first presentation of the California campus 2011-2012 Faculty Lecture Series, scheduled for Wednesday, October 12, 5 PM, in the Timken Amphitheater at Green Hospital. Marletta will speak on "Building Selective Diatomic Gas Sensors: Nature's Way." Following the lecture, a reception will be held on the first floor of the Arnold and Beckman Building.

Open Enrollment News
Open Enrollment begins on Monday, October 24 and runs through Friday, November 4, at 5 PM, Pacific time. This is the annual opportunity for participants to make changes to their Scripps Research benefit selections and, if eligible, enroll or re-enroll in the Health Care and/or Dependent Care Spending Accounts for the 2012 plan year.

Once again, in a concerted effort to be environmentally friendly and to reduce mailing costs, all Open Enrollment communications including the new 2012 plan information are being sent via email, as well as being available for viewing on the Open Enrollment website. It is important to review the information provided in the Open Enrollment booklet regarding changes for the 2012 plan year. The booklet will be available for review by Monday, October 10 by clicking on the Open Enrollment website at http://www.scripps.edu/hr/benefits/open_enrollment/information.html.

Scripps Research will not be making any changes to the health plan designs this year. However, with the rise in healthcare costs nationwide, premiums will be increasing as follows:

• Scripps Research will institute a $15-per-month payroll deduction for the HMO Plan premium for Employee Only coverage
• PPO Employee Only coverage payroll deductions will increase to $64 per month
• All other coverage will see a small increase reflective of the annual increase in healthcare costs that Scripps Research is experiencing

Every effort has been made to keep the increases as low as possible.

Also, please note if you are eligible and participated in the Health Care and/or Dependent Care Spending Accounts in 2011, you still must log on and elect a new deferral amount to participate in 2012. Your 2011 election WILL NOT roll over to 2012.

Participants with questions regarding Open Enrollment should contact Benefits Administration at x4-8487 or at benefits@scripps.edu.

California Campus NWiS Explores "Science & the Media"
The California campus Network for Women in Science will present the first of a two-part series on "Science and the Media" at the group's Monday, October 3 Coffee Hour.

The event, scheduled at 3 PM in the Faculty Club Tennis Room, will feature two guest speakers presenting visual multimedia tools available to help researchers effectively communicate scientific ideas, knowledge, and stories within the science community and to the general public. Speakers include Graham Johnson, 3D molecular/cellular animator, medical illustrator, and Scripps Research alumnus, and Amber Kandarian, documentary film maker and founder of Docuthesis, Inc.

The series' second session, examining print media technologies, will be held at the NWiS November 7 Coffee Hour.

Peet's coffee and snacks will be provided at the event. NWiS encourages the participation of both male and female colleagues and all faculty members. For details on the Science and Media series, contact Beth Cisar, research associate in the Rosen lab and the California NWiS administrative manager. Further information on NWiS activities on the California campus can be found at the organization's webpage.

Is a Career in Academics Right for You?
A three-session Career Transitions Workshop to help California campus postdocs and graduate students explore career options within and outside academia is scheduled 3 to 4:30 PM, Thursdays, October 13, 20, and 27, in the Graduate Office Conference room (Building 3377, Room 300).

Workshop facilitators Daphne Lurie, director of the Counseling and Psychological Services, and Ryan Wheeler, manager of the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office, will lead participants in a confidential small-group environment, examining personal skills, interests, values, and goals, particularly focusing on four basic areas:

• Exploring academic career track issues
• Matching skills and personality to work functions and environment
• Identifying transferrable skills
• Evaluating personal actors in considering career next-steps

Participants must register for and commit to all three workshop session. Registration is available through http://hris.scripps.edu/training/course/11. For further details on the Career Transitions Workshop and other upcoming career-related events, contact Ryan Wheeler, rwheeler@scripps.edu or x4-9740, or visit the Career and Postdoctoral Services webpage.

Postdoc Training: Interview Practice and Feedback
A small-group workshop offering interview skills training will be held on the Scripps California campus Wednesday, October 12, from 3 to 4:30 PM in the Graduate Office conference room (Building 3377, Room 300). Presented by the Career & Postdoctoral Services Office, the workshop will help participants strengthen effective verbal and non-verbal communications through videotaped mock interviews and feedback sessions based on standard HR-screening questions.

Registration is required. Interested postdocs may sign up for the workshop at http://hris.scripps.edu/training/class/VMI2005APD#. For further information, contact Ryan Wheeler, Career & Postdoctoral Services Office manager at x 4-9740 or rwheeler@scripps.edu.

Lunch & Learn: "Updates in Women's Health"
Gynecologist Neysa Whiteman and internal medicine and endocrinology physician Margot Aiken, will speak on "Updates in Women's Health" on Thursday, October 6, from noon to 1 PM, Pacific time (3 to 4 PM, Eastern time). During this Lunch & Learn, these experts in women's medicine will share updates on health topics that affect the quality of women's lives. This will include: providing information on genetic testing for breast cancer and other hereditary conditions; sharing ways to improve reproductive health & address fertility issues; and educating attendees regarding age and testing guidelines. The presentation, arranged by the Scripps Research Counseling and Psychological Services Department and the California Network for Women in Science, will be held in the Keck Amphitheater, Beckman Building, California campus. It will be streamed to room B158 on the Scripps Florida campus, concurrently.

National Depression Screening Day
Thursday, October 6 is National Depression Screening Day, part of Mental Health Awareness Week (October 3 to 7, 2011). To find depression screening sites near you or to have an online screening assessment, go to: http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/. All inquiries are confidential.

Confidential assistance is also available to benefit-eligible California employees, students and their dependents from the TSRI Counseling and Psychological Services Department. For further information, or to schedule an appointment, please call Daphne Lurie, x4-7915 or Jan Hill, x4-2950. Administrative Assistant Holly Wheeler, x4-7297, can also schedule appointments. Depending on your medical plan, 24-hour emergency psychiatric service is available either through United Behavioral Health, (800) 888-2998, or through Aetna Behavioral Health, (800) 424-5928.

Benefits-eligible Scripps Florida employees, students and their dependents can receive psychiatric consultation and referral by calling United Behavioral Health at (800) 888-2998.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu