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MMI Monthly
The electronic newsletter of the Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
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A year's worth of thanks
A few weeks ago I looked at my calendar ... and I can't believe that I have been here for a full year. Time sure flies when you are having fun.
As you can see from our issues of MMI Monthly and our annual report, it has been an action-packed, successful year at MMI. We achieved a lot, but we are not losing sight of the things that we still have to do.
However, I wanted to take a moment to look back on the past year, and thank:
- The families, for entrusting your loved ones to our care;
- The community partners and our boards, for working with us and making our labor much easier;
- The MMI faculty and staff for their dedication and for delivering amazing patient care;
- The generous stakeholders who support our research, services and programs; and
- The UNMC leadership, for supporting us and guiding us in our growth.
Finally, on a personal note and on the behalf of Emma, Marco, Zeljka and myself, I wish to thank you for helping us with the transition to Omaha and UNMC, accepting us and developing friendships with us. You are wonderful and caring; you have enriched our lives; and we very much enjoy being a part of this community.
Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D.
Director
Munroe-Meyer Institute
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Omar Rahman, M.D., now MMI's director of genetic medicine
Omar Rahman, M.D., an internationally known clinical geneticist and researcher, has joined the Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI) as the director of the MMI Department of Genetic Medicine.
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From left, Jennifer Hansen, Sarah Swanson and Mandi Reinders.
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Parent resource coordinators now on site at MMI
The Family Care Enhancement Project has placed two parent resource coordinators at the Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI).
Jennifer Hansen and Mandi Reinders are onsite at MMI to team with clinicians to help connect families of children with disabilities or special health care needs to early intervention services and other community resources.
Read more here.
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MMI Associate Director Wayne Stuberg, Ph.D.
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MMI's UCEDD grant renewed for another five-year cycle
The Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI) recently received renewal of its federal University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDD) grant.
MMI has held the grant as the only UCEDD in Nebraska since the 1960s, which "speaks to a rich history of MMI being a leader in the state of Nebraska," said UCEDD Director Wayne Stuberg, Ph.D.
Read more here.
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MMI staff, such as interpreter Ann Goering, center, turned out to support the event.
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Project SEARCH 'farmer's market' a hit at MMI
In July, the Munroe-Meyer Institute held its first "farmer's market."
The market, a small event that was held outside of the northwest corner of the MMI building, was an effort to diversify Project SEARCH training.
Read more here.
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Reducing severe behavior relapse focus of new study
The Munroe-Meyer Institute's Brian Greer, Ph.D., will be the site principal investigator (PI) on a new grant written with PI Timothy Shahan, Ph.D., of Utah State University, that will explore ways to reduce relapse in children who engage in severe problem behavior.
Read more here.
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From left: Sarah Baird, Maggie Neujahr, Kathlene Egbers, MMI Director Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D., and Erin Brandenberg. Not pictured: Maegan Pisman.
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MMI Standouts program seeks nominations
July's MMI Standout awardees include Erin Brandenburg, recreational therapy; Maggie Neujahr, developmental medicine; Maegan Pisman, pediatric feeding; Kathlene Egbers, psychology; and Sarah Baird, education.
August Standouts are Diane Pickering, Human Genetics Laboratory; Holly Ney,
pediatric feeding; Nicole Buchholz, education and child development
; and Tyler Heath, ITS. Watch next month for their photo with Dr. Mirnics.
Nominations are being accepted for future monthly Standout Awards. Awardees will be
invited to lunch with Dr. Mirnics, receive a coffee mug or water bottle and have their picture featured in MMI Monthly.
Anyone in the MMI community may be nominated, and anyone on the UNMC campus or in the greater Omaha community may nominate. Anyone who works or volunteers at MMI is eligible, and up to five individuals will be selected monthly for this honor.
Nominations are due by 8 a.m. on the 15th of each month for the next cycle of Standouts. These nominations may be submitted
online or e-mailed to
Sandy Willett for consideration
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LEND faculty attends Autism CARES annual meeting
Members of MMI's LEND faculty participated in the Autism CARES annual meeting in Bethesda, Md., in July. MMI participants in the conference, titled "Pathways to Progress," included LEND associate Kristin Mayleben-Flott, speech therapist Jennifer Brock and behavioral training coordinator Torri Smith-Tejral, who presented the poster "Implementation of a BCBA Training Tract within a LEND Program."
Autism CARES (Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Supports Act) was passed in 2014 as a reauthorization of the Combating Autism Act. The focus of this program is to continue
research, education and training activities related to autism through various agencies.
Nebraska LEND is one of the agencies that utilizes this money to train both current and future providers in evidence-based practice related to diagnosis, care and research.
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From left, Howard Needelman, M.D., Madi Galas, Carman DeMare, D.N.P., and Holly Roberts, Ph.D., at the Sixth Annual Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Symposium.
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News in brief
MMI, Children's researchers win poster award at annual symposium
The Munroe-Meyer Institute's Holly Roberts, Ph.D., Howard Needelman, M.D., and student Madi Galas teamed with Kim Duncan, M.D., and Carman DeMare, D.N.P., of Children's Hospital & Medical Center to win the award for best research poster at the Sixth Annual Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Symposium, held in June in Ann Arbor, Mich. The winning poster was titled, "NICU Graduates with Congenital Heart Disease at Follow Up: Does Head Circumference at Birth Predict Developmental Outcomes?"
MMI's Kenny is August Silver U winner
Carrie Kenny, a speech-language pathologist at the RiteCare Clinic in Lincoln, was awarded the Silver U in August. In Kenny's nomination for the award, which recognizes professional excellence, Kenny's colleagues wrote that she "has brought new life and energy to the RiteCare Speech & Language Clinic in Lincoln. She has shown innovation by bringing new services to the clinic, including AAC evaluations, AAC preschool, the Project Impact Parent Training Program, telehealth and feeding and swallowing therapy. Despite not working from our main building in Omaha, she shows a strong sense of teamwork that connects her to those around her."
MMI's Dr. Warzak retires after 30 years at the institute
Bill Warzak, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at MMI, retired in August. A celebration of his career was held on July 28. Dr. Warzak first came to MMI in 1987.
"Bill has been a pivotal contributor over 30 years to the clinical, research, and educational productivity of the department," said Keith Allen, Ph.D., director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute Department of Psychology. "But he has also been a good friend to colleagues and wonderful mentor to students and he will be missed."
Former department director Joseph Evans, Ph.D., called Dr. Warzak
a major contributor to MMI's mission of service, research and training over the past 30 years.
"He will be missed by his colleagues, UNMC friends and, especially, his many students," Dr. Evans said.
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From left, Keith Allen, Ph.D.,MMI Director Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D., Bill Warzak, Ph.D., Joe Evans, Ph.D., at Dr. Warzak's retirement event.
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Upcoming Events
Upcoming events of interest to the MMI community:
Today: 3-4:30 p.m. Institute Meet and Greet for Omar Rahman, M.D., director of genetic medicine, MMI Room 3016. Come introduce yourself and have a cookie or two.
Aug. 23: 4-7 p.m. #IamUNMC BBQ, Ruth & Bill Scott Student Plaza. All campus faculty, staff and students are invited.
Aug. 31: 3-5 p.m. Public welcome reception for Dr. Rahman, Sorrell Center, Linder Reading Room. Light refreshments will be served.
Sept. 17: 1 p.m. PHI RHO For a Cause: Phi Rho Sigma Medical Fraternity's third Annual Charity Golf Tournament benefiting The Meyer Foundation for Disabilities (MFD). For more information contact
Connor Mulhall
or
Aidan Hoie
. Benson Champion Golf Course, 5333 N 72nd St., Omaha.
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Links of the month
News from around the internet of interest to the MMI community.
Nebraska 150 Challenge: Click
here to join the MMI team for this statewide event.
MMI License Plates: Show your MMI pride with these license plate covers, available for $5. They can be purchased in MMI Room 2013 or by contacting
Jackie Hankins.
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Send your news to MMI Monthly
Is there something exciting going on in your department? Send your news to MMI Monthly to share with your colleagues at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. MMI Monthly will be published during the first week of each month.
Send your news to us!
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Contact the Munroe-Meyer Institute
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