E-NEWSLETTER: UNIVERSITY NEWS
Nicotine dependence linked with gene in ethnic groups
Charlottesville journalist new director at Sorensen Institute
Singletary, Wright get All-America honorable mentions
Admission applications hit record; acceptances also up
U.Va. study links gene with nicotine dependence in two ethnic groupsSource: U.VA. TODAY
Ming Li
Photo by Kay Taylor |
University of Virginia Health System researchers have identified a gene associated with nicotine dependence in both European and African Americans. Their research adds vital new evidence to a previous study linking the neurexin 1 gene (NRXN1) with nicotine dependence.
This study is significant because it provides novel and strong evidence that NRXN1 is involved in nicotine dependence in the African-American population and it confirms previous research linking this same gene with nicotine dependence in Caucasian Americans. Further, this new research suggests that NRXN1 may be associated in American smokers of European and African descent in different ways.
A team of scientists led by Ming Li, professor and head of neurobiology in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, investigated the association of NRXN1 with nicotine dependence in two independent samples. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, involved more than 2,000 participants from 602 nuclear families of African or European American origin. Results revealed a significant association between NRXN1 and specified measures of nicotine dependence, such as smoking quantity, in both ethnic groups.
“This study is another major building block in our goal to identify and characterize the genes that cause a person to be predisposed to nicotine dependence,” Li says. “Isolating genes, such as the neurexin 1 gene, and understanding their physiological functions are key to preventing and treating nicotine dependence.”
In 2006, Li and his research team became the first group of scientists to identify a genetic link for nicotine dependence among African Americans. That study furthered widely accepted evidence that differences exist among ethnic groups in both their smoking patterns and in their risk of nicotine dependence.
Li’s findings appeared in the Feb. 11 issue of the journal Human Molecular Genetics and the Feb. 28 issue of the journal Nature.
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Bob Gibson to head Sorensen Institute
Source: Charlottesville Daily Progress
Bob Gibson |
Veteran Daily Progress journalist Bob Gibson has been named executive director of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia.
The move punctuates a newspaper career that has spanned more than three decades and will bring years of experience and contacts from the front lines of Virginia politics to the Sorensen Institute.
The non-partisan Sorensen Institute seeks to "identify, educate, and train emerging leaders," with a goal of "strengthening the quality of governance at all levels of government."
More than 1,000 have graduated from Sorensen programs, including 16 current members of the General Assembly.
In his new role, Gibson said he would focus on "helping to find and train political and civic leaders across Virginia in the spirit of the institute's founders." Charlottesville businessmen Leigh Middleditch and Michael Bills started the organization, originally called the Virginia Institute of Political Leadership, in 1993.
Gibson, a 1972 U.Va. graduate and native of Arlington County, starts the new job April 21. He succeeds Sean O'Brien, who left to become executive director of the new Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier.
Barbara Fried, chairman of the institute's state advisory board, said Gibson fits the group's mission and character.
"A lot of people said he is the face of Sorensen because he stands for integrity and objectivity, and he is well known across the state and well respected," she said.
The 58-year-old Gibson joined The Daily Progress in August 1976, starting as do many newspaper reporters by covering cops and courts. Several years later, he was promoted to the politics and government beat, followed by a stint as city editor.
In 1992, he took on a new challenge as special projects editor, leading the newspaper's in-depth reporting. Among the projects: a series of news stories that highlighted racial disparities in justice handed out by local courts.
During his career, Gibson grew into one of the most recognizable faces of the Progress, as his byline and coverage offered consistency in a paper that saw young reporters come and go.
By the mid-1990s, Gibson was considered one of the state's best veteran political reporters. His coverage included some 20 sessions of the General Assembly, the campaign of L. Douglas Wilder as the nation's first black elected governor since Reconstruction, and dozens of local, state and federal races.
During his time with the Progress, Gibson earned a reputation as a fair reporter, drawing praise from both ends of the political spectrum. U.Va. politics professor Larry J. Sabato has known Gibson since the two were undergrads together at U.Va.
He described Gibson as a perfect fit for the Sorensen Institute and said Gibson's departure from journalism will affect both the Progress and the profession in Virginia.
"It's really difficult to find someone who has good relationships on both sides of the aisle," Sabato said. "That's sad to say, but it's absolutely true. Bob will work hard to keep both sides happy without caving to either."
Gibson also extended his political expertise beyond the print newspaper. He hosted several radio shows and continues to appear regularly to discuss political issues on programs in Charlottesville and Washington.
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Singletary named to AP All-American Honorable Mention teamSource: WCAV CBS-10
Sean Singletary’s career at U.Va. is over, but his legacy is continuing to build. On Monday, the guard was named to the All-American Honorable Mention Team by the Associated Press.
This is the second consecutive year Singletary has received honorable mention honors. The "Heart and Soul" of Virginia hoops the past four years, Singletary wrapped up his U.Va. career fifth in scoring, third in assists, third in three-pointers and second in steals.
He was named to the All-ACC First Team three times, joining Ralph Sampson and Bryant Stith as the only Cavs to do so.
Singletary now prepares for the NBA draft, June 26 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Wright also named to honorable mention teamSOURCE: INSIDENOVA.COM
The Associated Press All-American women’s basketball team was released on Tuesday with U.Va. sophomore Monica Wright earning honorable mention recognition.
Wright, who led the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring with 17.6 points per game, has started every game of her college career and helped the Cavaliers return to the Top 25 and the NCAA tournament this season. She shot 47 percent from the field and was selected to the ACC’s all-defensive team after leading Virginia with 82 steals.
During the ACC tournament, Wright averaged 24 points per game and was named to the all-tournament team. The Cavaliers went 24-10 overall and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament in their first appearance since 2005.
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U.Va. sees record number of applications, accepts moreOffice extends more offers of admissions following 2006 move to end early decision
SOURCE: CAVALIER DAILY
Following the elimination of its early decision admissions program, the University saw an increase in both the number of applications for admission for the Class of 2012 and the number of acceptance letters issued.
Dean of Admission John Blackburn noted the University received a record 18,758 applications, compared with last year's 18,046. The University also, according to Associate Admissions Dean Gregory Roberts, admitted about 370 more students than last year.
"We were up in terms of applications and so we did offer acceptances to more students than we had previously due to the elimination of early decision, which in years past brought in roughly one-third of the class by January," Roberts said.
Despite the increase in the number of accepted students, Blackburn said, the Class of 2012 will be about the same size as previous years' classes.
"We're supposed to enroll the same size class as this year—3,170—and if it all works right, we should have 67 percent from Virginia," Blackburn said.
Roberts added that the incoming class will be as academically strong as previous classes, noting that the elimination of the early decision program did not appear to have an effect on the quality of prospective students.
The University's elimination of early admissions was announced last September and implemented during the most recent admissions cycle, as the University followed a number of other institutions—including Harvard University—in an attempt to increase access to higher education for applicants from low-income families. At the time, University officials claimed early admissions failed to benefit applicants from low-income households and may have even hindered them.
This year, however, "it seemed to me that there were a larger number of low-income students with strong academic records who were applying," Roberts said, adding that his office was also enthused to see "a lot of first-generation kids ... who had performed quite well."
Blackburn said the influx of lower-income students may be attributed to the Admissions Office’s strong promotion of the AccessUVa financial aid program.
In addition to an increase in lower-income and first-generation American applicants, Blackburn said the University will most likely see a higher percentage of Asian-Americans enrolled next year.
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