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THE BRUSH CREEK BULLETIN Volume 8, Issue 3 May/June/July 2006   UMKC PART OF PARKINSON’S RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH Scientists at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Biological Sciences, in collaboration with colleagues at several research centers, have found a way to reverse Parkinson’s disease symptoms in animal models. More than a million Americans suffer from Parkinson's disease alone — a number that is expected to soar over the next few decades as the population ages. No current therapies alter the fundamental clinical course of the condition. “This gives a whole new direction in the study of degenerative disorders like Parkinson’s,” said UMKC’s Antony Cooper. Cooper is a senior author on the paper, which has been accepted for publication by Science. “It may help in the development of much better treatment strategies and perhaps better drug therapies for Parkinson’s patients.” UMKC’s Antony Cooper has successfully eliminated Parkinson’s disease symptoms in the fruit fly, C. elegans (worm) and in rat neurons. His research team at the School of Biological Sciences did the work in collaboration with colleagues at several research centers across the country. The paper reported that when a Parkinson's-related protein was over-expressed in neuron cells, clumps of misshapen proteins gathered near the membrane, and in many cases the cells either became sick or died. Scientists at the Harvard Institute of Proteomics prepared an array of individual yeast genes capable of being over-expressed in cells. A research group at the Whitehead Institute of Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts, led by Susan Lindquist who is also a senior author on the paper, introduced the genes into cells that were also expressing lethal levels of alpha-synuclein. Working with colleagues at University of Pennsylvania, University of Alabama, and Purdue University, the consortium determined to increase the levels of a protein that saved the cells from dying. In every case Parkinsons’s symptoms were reversed. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health. STOWERS RESUMES EXPANSION PLANS The Stowers Institute for Medical Research has resumed preliminary planning for a slated 2009 expansion. Planned expansion will occur only if Missouri voters approve the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative to protect early stem cell research, treatments, and cures that are legal under federal law. The initiative is expected to appear on the November 2006 ballot. “Early signs of support for the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Ballot Initiative have given the institute’s Board of Directors sufficient confidence to resume the planning phase of the institute’s first expansion,” said Richard W. Brown, co-chair of the institute’s Board of Directors. “We’re moving ahead cautiously, balancing our need for additional research space in 2008 with our commitment to ensuring that future expansions of the Institute are located in jurisdictions with proactive protection for early stem cell research.” Stowers Institute for Medical Research at 1000 East 50th Street The Stowers Institute was founded by Jim and Virginia Stowers, two cancer survivors who have created combined endowments of $2 billion in support of basic research on effective means of preventing and curing disease. The institute opened its 600,000 square-foot facility in November 2000 with the expectation of adding 600,000 square-feet of research space every decade in perpetuity. Successful recruiting efforts will bring the current facility to its 550-person capacity by the end of 2008, two years ahead of schedule. The expansion is expected to occur on the institute’s current campus. Additional details about the logistics of the project will be released pending approval of the November ballot initiative. OPEN FORUMS ON TRANSFORMATION AND USE OF PLAZA BRANCH LIBRARY SPACE The Kansas City Public Library will be holding open forums to solicit input and feedback from the general public and community partners on the transformation of the Plaza branch’s empty lower floor into a prime location for public meetings and guest lectures. Two opportunities have been scheduled: Thursday, August 3, 3:30 p.m. and Saturday, August 5, 10:30 a.m. Interested individuals and organizations are invited to attend to give their comments and ask questions about the community center project. All forums will take place at the Library’s Plaza branch, located at 4801 Main Street. Refreshments will be served. PARTNER UPDATES Bruce Bubacz has been named provost at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. He had served as Interim Provost since August 1, 2005. Bubacz is a Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor of Philosophy and Law. During his 33 years at UMKC, he has served as Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; helped design Ethics in Management courses for students at the Bloch School; taught seminars for the UMKC Law School; and held the position of Interim Chair in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. For 13 years, he was Chair of the Philosophy Department and was also founding Director of Honor’s Program. Karen Vorst is the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. Vorst joined UMKC in 1980 to teach economics, and recently served as interim dean of the college. She served as Interim Chair of its English Department from 2003 through 2005 and has served as the college’s Associate Dean. She has twice been a Fulbright Scholar and has received numerous honors. She currently chairs the Search Committee seeking the next Director of UMKC’s Women’s Center. The Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration is one of the best business schools in the country, according to The Princeton Review. The Bloch School has been selected for inclusion in the 2007 edition of the book, Best 282 Business Schools. The book, which hits stores in October, will include two-page profiles of each school with write-ups on their academics, student life and admissions, plus ratings for their academics, selectivity and career placement services. The Bloch School and the Helzberg School of Management at Rockhurst University are among the fewer than ten percent of the business schools worldwide to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. The Bloch School’s Cookingham Institute of Public Administration is also accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. Melvin Tyler has been named interim vice chancellor of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Before coming to UMKC in 1993, Tyler served as assistant dean of students and director of admissions at Missouri Western State University. While there, he created a model for increasing students' ownership of the residence halls while developing leadership and other skills. He has been responsible for achieving and evaluating UMKC's strategic enrollment management plan, which has received national acclaim. Midwest Research Institute is among a team of U.S. bio-defense companies working with Boeing to modify the ScanEagle unmanned air vehicle to look for biological warfare agents as part of a program funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense. MRI will develop and design the electrostatic precipitators used in the air sampler as well as the particle counter and the electronics used to support them. Its role represents about $1.7 million of the $8.2 million two-year contract. About twelve MRI staff members from Life Sciences and Applied Engineering will be involved in the program. MRI has also been awarded a $5.74 million contract by the U.S. Army Research, Development & Engineering Command for laboratory analysis of environmental samples. Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, is one of two members of the Saint Luke’s Health System to have been named in the Top 100 Hospitals®: Performance Improvement Leaders - 2005 study. The study is presented by Solucient, an Illinois-based health care industry information company. The Solucient study identifies hospital management teams that have led their organizations to achieve the fastest rate of consistent annual organizational improvement. American Stroke Foundation Brings Care To Swope Parkway If you ask Cece Townes, a 44 year-old African American female, when she had her stroke, she can tell you the exact day – March 28, 1998. Every 45 seconds, someone in America has a stroke. The risk of stroke is higher for African Americans than any other group. In July 2005, the American Stroke Foundation (ASF) opened its second Stroke Activity Center at 5900 Swope Parkway to better serve the central section of the greater Kansas City area. Founded locally in 1997, ASF provides services and resources to adult stroke survivors, their families and caregivers. ASF is a unique non-profit agency that offers classes to stroke survivors. In an atmosphere of positive peer support, classes such as speech, reading and writing, “That Darn Arm,” music and exercise foster continued improvement. “I love being around people,” says Townes. “Using the exercise equipment strengthens my legs and my heart.” Stroke survivors thrive at the activity center where peers understand their challenges. At the Missouri site, classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays during program hours from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more information, call 816-361-4441 or visit ASF’s website at www.americanstroke.org. Stroke survivor James White, and Tracy Camerlinck, fitness facilitator, discuss his progress at the American Stroke Foundation's Swope Parkway site. MUSEUM EXPANSION OPENS NEXT JUNE The six-year, $200 million expansion of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art culminates with the June 16, 2007 opening of the Bloch Building. Opening of the 165,000 square foot Bloch Building increases the museum space by 70 percent and houses new galleries for the museum’s collections of contemporary art, African art and photography and space for the work of sculptor Isamu Noguchi. Special exhibit space increases 60 percent to over 11,600 square feet. Bloch Building amenities include the Spencer Art Reference Library, a casual café’ and an enlarged museum store. The new Bloch Building at the Nelson-Atkins Museum overlooks the reflecting pool built above the underground garage. As work has proceeded, the community has been able to take advantage of several additions and enhancements to the Nelson-Atkins Museum including the new Ford Learning Center, the reinstalled European collection, the renovated Kirkwood Hall and a new underground parking garage. Completion of the work in the Kansas City Sculpture Park and the end of the Bloch Building construction will be celebrated this fall from September 28 through October 1. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art launched the Generations capital campaign in 1997 to which more than 900 donors have pledged more than $225 million. In addition to the campus transformation project, funds are being used to grow the museum’s permanent endowment, and support enhanced exhibition, education and outreach offerings. KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION BOLSTERS ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION In its continuing efforts to see entrepreneurship education become a common and accessible campus-wide opportunity, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has announced its second Kauffman Campuses Initiative with a $35 million commitment to colleges and universities throughout the country. The Kauffman Campuses Initiative was launched in 2003, when eight schools were awarded a total of $25 million to transform the campus culture by providing entrepreneurship courses and programs within liberal arts, engineering and other disciplines outside of the business school. "Our initiative is creating a cultural change and making the entire university system more entrepreneurial," said Kauffman Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Carl Schramm. "We want all students, not just those in business schools, to see the value of thinking like entrepreneurs. We want them to be able to recognize and seize opportunity when it presents itself, no matter in what field they find themselves." Building on the success of the first round of the initiative, the second phase of Kauffman Campuses combines the Kauffman Foundation's funds with matched dollars from other funding partners - providing even greater resources to participating schools for the implementation and sustainability of entrepreneurship education programs across their campuses. For example, The Burton D. Morgan Foundation in Akron, Ohio, is matching funds with the Kauffman Foundation to provide the opportunity for liberal arts colleges in Northeast Ohio to participate in the program. With the Kauffman Foundation's investment of $35 million, combined with matching commitments from other funding partners and participating schools, more than $200 million will be directed to cross-campus entrepreneurship programs over the next five years. COOK SEES BIG CHANGES BUT FINDS COMFORT IN MOVE TO KC In the corporate communications world, Linda Cook was the spokesperson for General Motors, guided GM’s public affairs, and served on its Global Communications Leadership team. But eventually she said she wanted to be in a place that felt more comfortable. After nearly 30 years in automotive industry communications and consulting in Michigan, the Kansas native moved to Kansas City, “Family brought me here, then there was this opening with Midwest Research Institute (MRI) and it all came together.” She is now Communications Director at MRI, developing and implementing communications plans and strategies; working with the Board of Directors and senior management; and fostering relationships with media and constituents, as well as civic, business, professional and community leaders. And she serves as one of the newer Brush Creek Community Partners board members. Even though she had visited Kansas City, moving to the city just a year and a half ago gives her a fresh perspective to the area to bring to her work. Linda Cook “When you live among it, you don’t always notice all the significant changes,” she noted. “I drive up and down Volker, coming in from Highway 71, and can see the improvements are just phenomenal.” And she believes the responsibility of the city, BCCP and individuals is to keep the momentum going. “It is so exciting to see all the development moving forward and thriving, from north of the river, downtown, to south of the city. But it’s going to be a significant challenge to keep the improvements in balance so all can enjoy it.” So while funding entities have to balance the needs and improvements for the whole community, BCCP supports activity and improvements along the Corridor. And that’s where Cook shares her communications expertise. On the board’s Marketing Committee, she works to get more recognition for what BCCP is doing and to plan events and activities that will draw people to Brush Creek – from simply encouraging people to take walks along the creek to revising the logo and developing BCCP’s and the Corridor’s image. “There’s such an interesting cultural mix with MRI, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, homes, apartments, condos — it does have a neighborhood feel and BCCP helps to bring all the neighbors together.” And Cook added she enjoys bringing the families and the business entities together to provide the support and momentum to keep the development going, yet maintain the comfortable feeling she found in Kansas City. “This has a lot of the amenities of larger cities, without the complications of larger cities.” As she described, “I can look out my window and see the creek, people walking their dogs, the woman feeding the geese. You don’t always find that in the middle of the city.”