Dr. Mark Schuster of Harvard and Dr. Susan Newcomer of NICHD

Dr. Matthew Hoffman was a postdoc when he came to NIH in 1994 as a visiting fellow. He had already earned a dental degree and had just completed a Ph.D. in microbiology and immuno-logy. He was also openly gay. Throughout his academic and professional career, he actively sought out mentors who were both supportive about his scientific aspirations and his personal life. So when he applied for postdoc positions at NIH he looked for a boss who fostered and nurtured a diverse lab environment. He thought that being open about being gay made it less of an issue in the workplace and he could focus on science.

In 2004, he became principal investigator and chief of his own lab at NIDCR. He continues to cultivate diversity in his own lab.

The papers of pioneering NIH scientist Dr. Marshall Nirenberg (1927-2010); dolls that help tell the story of nurse-midwives (shown at right); and a mimeographed medical report of the bombing of Hiroshima are among the items featured in a new book, Hidden Treasure: The National Library of Medicine.

Dr. Michael Sappol, a curator-historian in NLM’s History of Medicine Division, edited the book, which was created to celebrate the library’s 175th anniversary (1836-2011). Two years in the making, Hidden Treasure showcases the world’s largest medical library and its unique collection.