ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 1, 1997 TAG: 9702030022
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
Blacksburg woman will have a sharp eye on TV show
Doris Zallen of Blacksburg will be watching an upcoming episode of "Chicago Hope" with a special interest. She was consulted by one of the show's story editors, a doctor, about a segment on the Feb. 17 program concerning the human issues behind gene therapy.
The associate professor of science and technology studies and humanities at Virginia Tech will be interested to see how her advice has been implemented. The segment deals with therapy on a man with a brain tumor, involving the so-called "suicide gene," which is sometimes used to try to correct a problem such as cancer of the brain.
Zallen has been studying ethical issues related to gene therapy and has been involved in making policy about its use in the United States through a committee of the National Institutes of Health. She says that even though gene therapy treatment is an experimental procedure at the present time, the research may provide a newer, more gentle way to fight diseases such as cancer in the future.
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Flutist Carey McGilliard of Blacksburg, a first-year student at The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio, performed with the Wooster Symphony Chamber Orchestra at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on Jan. 19. McGilliard is principal flutist with the orchestra.
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The February issue of "Boys' Life" magazine features an article about Radford resident Ernst H. "Kass" Kastning III. He is shown holding his "Troop 46, Radford, Va.," flag in a photo in the four-page article. Kastning spent three months in the Antarctic in 1995 as part of the Boy Scouts of America Antarctica Scientific Program, tracking down seals and helping scientists with experiments. He is presently a student at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, where he is majoring in Integrated Science and Technology.
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Evelyn Edwards, of Elliston, was honored for outstanding leadership of young people during 1996 as director of the local Modern Woodmen of America Junior Service Club. Edwards led the group to merit status, an honor given by Modern Woodmen to recognize leaders of youth clubs for high performance.
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Michael Brown of Elliston won $10,000 in the instant game, "$10,000 Cash Match." He purchased his winning ticket at Racetrac, 2370 Roanoke St., Christiansburg. The odds of winning the $10,000 prize are 1 in 977,560.
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Sarah Landres of Blacksburg was inducted into AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, a national service program, on Nov. 14. Corpsmembers are trained in teamwork, leadership development, communication and service learning, and are certified by the American Red Cross for disaster relief.
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Members of the 1997 Farm Service Agency County Committee are: James W. Shepherd (Giles County), chairman; Robert L. Ingram (Floyd County), vice chairman; and regular members, J. Mack Baker (Pulaski County) and R. Randolph Altizer (Montgomery County).
Former committee members recognized for their help in administering farm programs in their counties are: Terry Slusher and Harold Turman, Floyd;W.B. Buchanan Jr., Carl Gusler, and William Henderson, Giles; Charles Shorter and Allen Sisson, Montgomery; and David Armbrister, Frank Brown and Elizabeth Pratt, Pulaski.
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) 1. Zallen. color. 2. McGilliard.by CNB