HPH NOW, Dec 8, 2006, Around the School

Board of Health Bans Trans Fats in New York Restaurants

On December 5, the Board of Health in New York passed a landmark ban on the use of heart-damaging trans fats in the city's restaurants, nearly a year after packaged foods in the U.S. began listing the fat on their labels. Both milestones resulted in part from rigorous data that show how trans fats damage cardiovascular health even more than saturated fats.

Stampfer Receives Honorary Degree

Meir Stampfer, chair of the HSPH Department of Epidemiology, was recognized in November with an honorary degree from the University of Athens. The title is the highest honor awarded by the university and honors Stampfer as a distinguished scholar in his field. Stampfer has had longstanding collaborations with the Public Health Nutrition and Nutritional Epidemiology Unit at the University of Athens Medical School.

Archived Videocast of Barmes Global Health Lecture Available

A videocast of the Barmes Global Health Lecture is available. Dean Barry Bloom delivered the lecture at the NIH on Monday, December 4. The topic was "Agendas and Architecture of Global Health Research."

Pfizer Partnership Grants Available

Pfizer is accepting applications for its Medical and Academic Partnership Grants. There are three categories. The deadline for visiting professorships is January 26. Up to 10 grants of $7,500 in this category are available in a variety of areas. The deadline for postdoctoral fellowships is January 9 for research into health disparities and health literacy/health communication. The deadline for junior faculty grants is also January 9 in the areas of health policy and public health. Up to two grants of $65,000 per year for two years are available for both of these kinds of grants.

Allston-Brighton Family Network Wins Children's Health Award

The Allston-Brighton Family Network (ABFN) was given the 2006 Mayor's Award for Excellence in Children's Health in a ceremony on November 27 at the Winship Elementary School in Brighton. The award is given jointly by the Mayor's Office, the Harvard Center for Society and Health at HSPH, and Children's Hospital Boston.

ABFN is a network of service providers, parents, and neighborhood residents who develop activities and programs free of charge that support the positive and healthy development of young children and their families in the Allston-Brighton neighborhood.

Dean Bloom shakes the hand of a child who participates in the network.