Indiana University’s new vice president of research will bring with him a background in neuroscience and cell biology. Jorge José, whose appointment must be approved by IU trustees, comes from a similar position at the University at Buffalo, which is part of the State University of New York system. He will seek to grow IU’s $469 million in annual revenue from research grants and awards. José will replace Robert Schnabel, dean of the IU school of informatics, who has served as interim vice president for research since July 2009. A native of Mexico City, José received his doctorate, as well as master's and bachelor's degrees, in physics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. His most recent research has been in biological physics, specifically in computational neuroscience and cell biology.

The tanning salon industry took a hit when the health reform bill was passed last week. Salon operators and makers of tanning products think the 10-percent tax on tanning equipment could cause the loss of thousands of jobs nationwide. The impact likely will be felt even harder in central Indiana, where dozens of tanning salons have popped up over the last two decades and where one of the nation’s largest makers of tanning beds and lotions made especially for tanning salons is headquartered. Indianapolis-based ETS LLC, ranked by several industry groups as the top-selling manufacturer of tanning beds and lotions, employs 200 in Indianapolis. “It’s difficult to say how badly this will hurt the tanning industry, but it’s safe to say it will hurt,” said Bill Pipp, CEO of ETS. The new tax takes effect July 1.

The Regenstrief Institute has been awarded a $350,000 stimulus bill contract to help the U.S. Social Security Administration and Indiana health care providers speed decision-making on disability cases. The Institute will begin the work immediately. Applying for physician care as part of Social Security disability benefits can take weeks or months as a patient’s medical information is gathered from numerous hospitals and doctors. This time lag has contributed for years to backlogs in the Administration’s caseload. Regenstrief hopes to tap its medical record sharing system, the Indiana Network for Patient Care, to cut down on the wait. The Social Security Administration awarded similar contracts to 14 other organizations throughout the country.

Six hospitals in Indiana were among the top 100 named this year by Thomson Reuters. Those making the list were St. Vincent’s Carmel and Indianapolis hospital, St. Francis’ Indianapolis hospital, Major Hospital in Shelbyville, Parkview Hospital in Huntington and Community Hospital in Munster. The Thomson Reuters list evaluates hospital performance in 10 areas: mortality, medical complications, patient safety, average length of stay, expenses, profitability, patient satisfaction, adherence to clinical standards of care, and post-discharge mortality and readmission rates for heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia.

The University of Indianapolis is developing a new on-site nursing degree program for Clarian Health. The goal of the $2.4 million initiative is to help hospital employees move up the career ladder and open up entry level positions for jobseekers displaced by cutbacks in manufacturing and other industries. The funding is part of a federal stimulus package provided by the U.S. Department of Labor through the Indianapolis Private Industry Council. The new Associate of Science in Nursing program, which will be based at Methodist Hospital, will accept 24 students this fall and the following two years.

Jason B. Middleton has been appointed director of product and business development for St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers. He will oversee creation of new products and services to offer to physician practices. Middleton was senior practice manager at Solutions Healthcare Management, where he provided managerial and consulting services for St. Francis Medical Group.

Joe Sagorsky has been appointed director of St. Francis Employer Health Solutions. Sagorsky oversees programs linking employers with St. Francis Health Network, which offers a variety of services to improve health plan performance and reduce medical costs. Sagorsky previously worked at Indiana Heart Physicians, which St. Francis acquired in 2009.

Brian Shockney will join Clarian Arnett Health in Lafayette as chief operating officer on May 10. Shockney had been CEO of Logansport Memorial Hospital.

Indiana University Professor Hal E. Broxmeyer, a leading researcher in blood-related diseases, has been named 2010 president of the American Society of Hematology.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is fast becoming critic-in-chief of the health reform law.

April 2-4
Lawn at White River State Park
I just checked the official Final Four Web site and, no, you cannot bring a basketball into any of the free concerts being held at the Lawn at White River State Park.
Just so you know.
The music begins Friday at 4 p.m. and features headliners Stone Temple Pilots. Saturday’s concerts start at noon with Daughtry and Darius Rucker among the acts. Ryan Seacrest hosts. On Sunday, it’s the Goo Goo Dolls with LL Cool J. More acts to be announced.
Interactive areas are promised for all events. For details (and a list of other restrictions), click here.

April 2-11
Athenaeum Theatre
Try to follow me on this: The American Cabaret Theatre, which used to produce musical revues at the Athenaeum Theatre, is now producing more traditional cabaret shows at the Columbia Club. The former head of the American Cabaret Theatre, Bob Harbin, now has his own production company, Bobdirex, which is now presenting its first musical revue … at the Athenaeum.
Got that?
Well, the background doesn’t really matter. What’s important is that the show celebrates the music of Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and more. And that its cast includes Karlton D. Turner, Joyce Licorish and other accomplished performers. More details here.
 

April 4-Aug. 1
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Remember that sculpture that your bored self once created in grade school out of pencils and glue and whatever else was lying around? Well, imagine that same impulse filtered through the sensibility of a winner of a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant.
That’s what we’ll be privy to when this exhibit featuring large-scale sculptures and drawings by Tara Donovan opens at the IMA. For a sample of what she’s done with pencils, click here. For more details on her IMA show, click here.
 

Tim Hardy stars in the one-man show “Galileo,” April 2-4 at the IndyFringe Theatre. Details here.

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra presents a program of Rachmaninoff featuring violinist Leila Josefowicz, April 8-10 at Hilbert Circle Theatre. Details here.
 
National Gallery of Art director Earl Powell III speaks with IMA CEO Maxwell Anderson in a Director’s Conversation, April 1 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Details here.

Marian University hosts The Tournees Festival, featuring free screenings of films from France, April 6-11 in the Mother Theresa Hackelmeier Memorial Library Auditorium. Details here.
 

Rama Drive Realty LLC bought a 42,187-square-foot office building at 2045 Rama Drive. The price wasn’t disclosed. The buyer was represented by Rich Forslund and Matt Langfeldt of NAI Olympia Partners.  The seller, Fifth Third Bank, was represented by Jim Shook and Jon Hardy of Coldwell Banker Commercial.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the pace of mortgage loan activity decreased 1.9 percent for the week ended March 12, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The rate for 30-year mortgages decreased to 4.91 percent from 5.01 the previous week. The rate for 15-year mortgages dropped to 4.24 percent from 4.32 percent.

-Kort Builders has completed a 1,300-square-foot expansion for Indiana State University at 101 W. Ohio St.

-Kort Builders has completed an 11,000-square-foot office space for Quinlan Marketing at 550 Congressional Blvd., Carmel.

-Community Hospitals of Indiana Inc. leased 42,187 square feet of office space at 2045 Rama Drive, Indianapolis. The tenant was represented by Rob Lukemeyer of Baseline Commercial. The landlord, Rama Drive Realty LLC, was represented by Rich Forslund and Matt Langfeldt of NAI Olympia Partners.

-Mindful Movement leased 5,700 square feet at Greenbriar Shopping Center at the corner of 86th Street and Ditch Road. The tenant was represented by Keith Fried of Sitehawk Retail Real Estate. The landlord, Greenbriar Shopping Center, was represented by Fred Frisch.

-Great Harvest Bread Co. leased 2,366 square feet at the Providence Shoppes, 12505 Old Meridian St., Suite 100, Carmel. Susannah Gershman of Thompson Thrift and Natasha Evans of Buckingham Cos. represented the landlord, Buckingham Cos. The tenant represented itself.

-Right Management has leased 3,957 square feet at 8900 Keystone Crossing. The tenant was represented by Matt Fetter of USI Real Estate Brokerage Services Inc. The landlord, Philadelphia-based BGP Properties Ltd., was represented by John R. Robinson and Abby L. Cooper of Jones Lang LaSalle.
 
-Dimond Financial Advisors and Premier Wealth Advisors leased 1,554 square feet of office space at 8888 Keystone Crossing. The tenant was represented by Darrin L. Boyd and David A. Moore of Cassidy Turley. The landlord, Philadelphia-based BGP Properties Ltd., was represented by John R. Robinson and Abby L. Cooper of Jones Lang LaSalle.

-Little Caesars leased 3,170 square feet at Post Park, 8857 Boehning Lane. The tenant was represented by Ron Mannon of Grubb & Ellis Harding Dahm & Co. The landlord, Cabot Properties LLC, was represented by Kyle Powell of Cassidy Turley.

-Subway leased 2,000 square feet at Shoppes at Southport Square, 3900 E. Southport Road. The tenant was represented by Rick Jones of Grubb & Ellis Harding Dahm & Co. The landlord, Southport Square Shoppes LLC, was represented by Scot Courtney and Bart Jackson of Grubb & Ellis Harding Dahm & Co.

-First Place Bank leased 2,850 square feet of office space at 3105 E. 98th St. The landlord, BREOF Keystone REO LLC, was represented by David A. Moore and Darrin L. Boyd of Cassidy Turley. The tenant represented itself.

-Formspring LLC leased 2,577 square feet of office space at 6525 E. 82nd St. Todd Morris of JTM Commercial represented the tenant. The landlord, BREOF Castleton Park REO LLC, was represented by David A. Moore and Darrin L. Boyd of Cassidy Turley.

One of the most agreed-upon reasons for health care reform was the expensive overuse of the emergency room by uninsured patients. But two Hoosier ER docs—one conservative, one liberal—say the implementation of ObamaCare will leave that fundamental problem unresolved.

You win some, you lose some, and you go to court again. That was the story for Eli Lilly and Co. in the past week. The Indianapolis-based drugmaker suffered the biggest theft of pharmaceuticals in history when $75 million worth of drugs were stolen from a Connecticut warehouse. The company expects its insurance to cover the losses. Meanwhile, Lilly won a court appeal against Massachusetts-based Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc., according to Bloomberg News. That decision nullified a $65.2 million verdict won by Ariad for royalties on Lilly’s osteoporosis drug Evista and sepsis medicine Xigris. But Lilly plunged into a new patent dispute, this time suing the U.S. unit of Dutch drugmaker Synthon BV to prevent it from selling a generic version Adcirca. The drug, which was approved last year, uses the same active ingredient as Lilly’s anti-impotence pill Cialis to treat lung problems.

The Fairbanks Institute for Healthy Communities has created a repository in Indianapolis for scientists to research diseases associated with aging and ideally help develop more effective medicines. The INbank stores biological samples along with the history and clinical outcome of the corresponding patient.

The Alfred Mann Institute for Biomedical Development in West Lafayette is funding work by two Purdue University professors that could allow for almost immediate readings on the concentration of a drug in a patient’s blood. The technology, being developed by Zheng Ouyang, a professor of biomedical engineering, and R. Graham Cooks, an analytical chemistry professor, could be used in hospitals, doctor's offices or as part of clinical trials. Also, by not sending the blood sample to an off-site lab, the test could cost far less.

Indianapolis-based Diversity Accords LLC and the Indiana Health Industry Forum have formed a partnership to help minority-owned suppliers identify and respond to opportunities within the health and life sciences industries. Members of the Health Industry Forum can receive a discount off Diversity Accords’ monthly association fee. Diversity Accords has been tapped by such companies as Illinois-based Hospira Inc. and California-based Kaiser-Permanente to meet their objectives on using minority-owned companies as suppliers.
 

John Lechleiter, CEO of Eli Lilly and Co., was elected treasurer of the board of PhRMA, the powerful industry association that represents large pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Lechleiter has been on the board of PhRMA for two years.

Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group Inc. named former WellPoint Inc. CEO Larry Glasscock to its board of directors. Glasscock, 61, also serves as a director at Warsaw-based Zimmer Holdings Inc. and Sprint Nextel Corp.

The Indiana Health Industry Forum elected two members to its board of directors: Mark Deuser, CEO of Techshot, a technology development company based in Greenville, and Todd Vare, an intellectual-property attorney at the Indianapolis law firm Barnes & Thornburg LLP.

Think doctors and hospitals aren’t influenced by money? Think again. Patients seen at private facilities reimbursed by Medicare were 5.5 times more likely to receive routine cataract surgery than patients at poorly funded Veterans Affairs facilities.

Through  April 11
Indiana Repertory Theatre
    The Indiana Repertory Theatre lightens things up with a production of this comedy by Steven Dietz. In it, a woman’s flirtation with a wealthy visitor to her workplace gets out of control when the very married title character leads him to believe she’s a widow. The fourth-wall-breaking comedy features Constance Macy and Robert Neal. Nicholas Hormann (Abe Lincoln in the season-opener “The Heavens Are Hung in Black”) plays the man with the money.
    This production is the first part of a potentially interesting Dietz double-header. His play “Yankee Tavern” opens at the Phoenix Theatre in April. Interested in learning more about the man, his work and the play development process? Visit the Phoenix on April 8 when I’ll be hosting a free, on-stage conversation with the playwright. Details on the Dietz talk here. Details on “Becky’s New Car” here.
 

March 27-28
Conner Prairie
    It’s understandable if you think nothing could be new at Conner Prairie, where history is meticulously re-created. But here are just some of the ways the opening weekend this year is different from those of previous years:
    --A science lab offers ways to explore how weather shaped history.
    --You can test your skills at trapping and fire-starting by playing Frontier Survivor.
    --Homemade maple cake samples are available courtesy of Mrs. Zimmerman, who will be baking them and offering cooking tips.
    --Jenny’s Party breaks out every day at 3:30 featuring games, dancing and snacks.
    --Opportunities to help with sewing and carpentry have been added.
    --Talk to the Doctors features a chance to explore how the medical world has changed.
    For details on these and more, click here.

March 25-27
Crackers Broad Ripple
    He earned cinematic respectability in “A Few Good Men” and “The Usual Suspects,” but my favorite Kevin Pollak performance was one of his first, as the tiny French-accented brownie in “Willow.” The very busy actor is also an accomplished stand-up comic and is bringing his act to Crackers this weekend. Details here.
 

March 27
Cabaret at the Columbia Club
    No matter what you are doing Saturday evening, consider capping the night at the Columbia Club, where the very talented Brent Marty will be hosting the first of what is hoped to be many installments of “That’s Brentertainment!.”
    More than an open mic night, “That’s Brentertainment!” invites talented folks who may be performing in other shows around the city to bring their songs to showcase. The evening starts at 10:30 (after the Cabaret’s performance by Shannon Forsell and Brenda Williams) and goes until the music runs out. For the first installment, Su Ours (a familiar face from such Phoenix Theatre shows as “Company”) helps get things started. I’ll be there, too, offering some Broadway trivia. The show is free (with a two-drink minimum). Details here.
 

March 27
CTI Theater
    This isn’t your father’s strip show—it may actually be closer to your great-great grandfather’s.
Michelle L’Amour and her Chicago Starlets come to town to join local talent for an evening that promises to combine satire, performance art and adult entertainment in a celebration of women of all shapes and sizes. Although pasties and g-strings will remain in place, only those 18 and over will be admitted to the event—which is held in, of all places, the theater at the Junior Achievement Center, 7435 N. Keystone Ave. Details here.
 

-Tom and Dana True purchased 11,000 square feet of space on 1.79 acres at 7984 U.S. 40 West in Knightstown. The price wasn’t disclosed. Bob Lindgren of Grubb & Ellis Harding Dahm & Co. represented the buyer and the seller, Kahlo Family Limited Partnership IV.

-MID LLC purchased a 19,100-square-foot office building on 2.3 acres at 9800 Association Court. The price wasn’t disclosed. The buyer was represented by Joe Lonnemann and Matt Jackson of Halakar Real Estate. The seller, DPI Properties, was represented by Tom Willey of Matthewson & Willey Realty and Darrell Pike of Precedent Real Estate Services.

-Bridal Superstore leased 15,540 square feet at Castleton Point Shopping Center, 82nd Street and Allisonville Road. The tenant was represented by Andrew Schrage of Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty Services. The landlord, The Broadbent Co., was represented by Broadbent’s John Beuoy.

-Lamar Advertising leased 10,000 square feet at 2200 N. Curry Pike, Bloomington. The tenant was represented by Greg Witkowski of CB Richard Ellis. The landlord, D&S Investments, represented itself.

-Tom James leased 4,139 square feet of office space at 8470 Allison Pointe Blvd. The tenant was represented by David A. Moore and Darrin L. Boyd of Cassidy Turley. The landlord, Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, was represented by Andrew D. Martin of Cassidy Turley.

-The Marion County Assessor leased 2,525 square feet in the Warren Professional Building, 7300 E. 31st St. The landlord, Robert J. Walden, was represented by Ed Troha of CB Richard Ellis. The tenant represented itself.
 
-Dr. Erin Phillips DDC leased 2,927 square feet at 8433 Harcourt Road. The tenant was represented by Bill Scott and Eric Steiner of Equis Corp. The landlord, Corvasc MDs PC, was represented by Matt Jackson and Joe Lonnemann of Halakar Real Estate.

-Global Drug Testing Labs Inc. leased 2,400 square feet of office space at Western Select, Building 30, 2525 N. Shadeland Ave. The tenant was represented by Ryan Conrad of Resource Commercial Real Estate. The landlord, Western Select Properties, was represented by Matt Langfeldt and Rich Forslund of NAI Olympia Partners.

-Hiatt Accounting Services Inc. leased 1,750 square feet at 6350 N. Shadeland Ave. The landlord, 6350 Shadeland Ave. LLC, was represented by Matt Jackson and Joe Lonnemann of Halakar Real Estate. The tenant represented itself.

-Timothy Shobe Associates subleased 2,598 square feet at 8727 Commerce Park Drive. The tenant was represented by Matt Jackson and Joe Lonnemann of Halakar Real Estate, as was the lessor, Netwise Resources Inc.  

-Ray Skillman Kia leased 1.55 acres at 1394 N. Shadeland Ave. The landlord,  Justus Companies, was represented by Joe Lonnemann and Matt Jackson of Halakar Real Estate. The tenant represented itself.

-Point Blank Nutrition leased 1,434 square feet at 2784 E. 146th St. The landlord, Thompson Thrift, was represented by Susannah Gershman of Thompson Thrift. The tenant represented itself.

-FANUC America Corp. leased 1,065 square feet at 11708 N. College Ave., Carmel. The tenant was represented by Eric Kemp of Resource Commercial Real Estate. The landlord, RF Management Group LLC, was represented by Brooke Augustin of NAI Olympia Partners.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the pace of mortgage loan activity decreased 1.9 percent for the week ended March 12, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The rate for 30-year mortgages decreased to 4.91 percent from 5.01 the previous week. The rate for 15-year mortgages dropped to 4.24 percent from 4.32 percent.

Adam Carr Crockett has formed a commercial and residential real estate brokerage firm called Innovative Real Estate Inc. Adam will manage the commercial division. His father, Dave Crockett, will manage the residential division. The new company’s Web site is www.innovative-re.net.

-Shamrock Builders-Commercial has finished a 4,660-square-foot dental office for Dr. Joe Hadley at 5406 S. Emerson Ave.

-Shamrock Builders-Commercial has started construction of an 8,000-square-foot tenant build-out for RBC Wealth Management at 8888 Keystone Crossing, Suite 200. The project is scheduled to be completed by May 31.

-Mainstay Inc. has finished an 8,500-square-foot shared senior living residence at 5510 S. Emerson Ave. for KP Partners LLC.