August - The American Association of Immunologists
Transcription
August - The American Association of Immunologists
AUGUST 2004 9650 ROCKVILLE PIKE, BETHESDA, MARYLAND 20814-3994 PHONE: 301-634-7178 FAX: 301-634-7887 Web: www.aai.org The American Association of Immunologists AAI NEWSLETTER Dr. Swain Assumes AAI President’s Post Susan Swain, Ph.D. (AAI ‘77), embarked on her one-year term as AAI President effective July 1, 2004, succeeding Laurie H. Glimcher, M.D. Elected to the AAI Council in 1999, Dr. Swain is director of the Trudeau Institute in Saranac Lake, NY, and a widely recognized authority on immunological memory. A recipient of the NIH Merit Award, Dr. Swain, together with her colleagues, explores immunebased strategies to combat cancer, tuberculosis, AIDS, and other life-threatening diseases through the development of effective vaccines. Her most recent work has illuminated how memory cells, which protect against re-infection, develop and how vaccines may more effectively address the impact of aging on immunological memory generation. The Trudeau Institute has experienced significant success and growth under her leadership. Since Dr. Swain’s 1996 debut as director, the institute has more than doubled its faculty, expanded its facilities by nearly 40%, and attracted a tripling of NIH grant funding support. Dr. Swain has chaired and served as an invited scientific speaker at numerous AAI annual meeting symposia. She has chaired AAI’s Nominating, Program, and (defunct) Travel Awards Committee, and served on AAI’s Committee on the Status of Women. She is a past section editor for The Journal of Immunology and has authored over 170 leading journal articles. Swain received her B.A. in Biology from Oberlin College and her Ph.D. in Immunology from Harvard Medical School. INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2. Janeway Memorial Fund Launched at Yale University 3. Glimcher Postdoc Initiative Gains NIAID Backing 3. AAI Intro Course Succeeds Again at U Penn 6. Members in the News 8. In Memoriam: Paul H. Silverman, Ph.D., D.Sc. 9. AAI Welcomes New Members AugustPDF.pmd 1 FOCUS ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS House Committee Approves NIH Funding for FY 2005; AAI Testimony Urged Larger Increase In July, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, approved legislation providing a 2.6% increase in funding for NIH for FY 2005. If enacted into law, this belowinflation increase, which was included in the President’s FY 2005 budget for NIH, would be the lowest percentage increase that NIH has received in almost twenty years. This small funding increase, which was also approved by the full House Appropriations Committee, would bring the NIH budget to a total of $28.5 billion for the fiscal year beginning in October 2004. NIH estimates that, after adjusting for the increased cost of research (estimated at approximately 3.5%), the proposed budget would require NIH to decrease the number of new and competing grants by 640. The full House of Representatives is likely to approve this legislation in the fall. AAI is hopeful that the Senate will provide a larger increase, forcing the House to agree to a higher funding level during bicameral conference negotiations. In the spring, AAI submitted testimony to the Congress urging an increase of 10% for NIH for FY 2005. A copy of AAI’s testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies begins on page 3. see Focus: AAI Testimony, p. 4 AAI Annual Meeting Photos from EB 2004 in W ashington, D.C. Washington, begin on p. 14. 10. Photo Highlights: 2004 AAI Public Service Awards 13. State Department Launches Jefferson Science Fellowships 14. Photo Highlights: AAI Annual Meeting at EB 2004 20. Grant-Related News 22. Meeting Announcements 25. AAI Regular, Trainee Membership Applications 31. AAI 2005 Awards: Call for Nominations/Applications 11/3/2004, 2:37 PM www.aai.org The American Association of Immunologists 9650 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3994 Tel: 301-634-7178 Fax: 301-634-7887 Email: infoaai@aai.org AAI Homepage: www.aai.org Member Services Tel: 301-634-7195 Email: members@aai.org The Journal of Immunology Tel: 301-634-7197 President Susan L. Swain, PhD Vice President Paul M. Allen, PhD It is now over a year since we lost our irreplaceable friend Charles A. Janeway, Jr. Charlie, a former President of the AAI, passed away last April after a prolonged battle with brain lymphoma. His colleagues at Yale and the worldwide scientific community continue to miss him. We were moved and impressed both by his resilience and continuing contributions to the field of immunology during the course of his disease. As we reflect on his life, however, we should not have been surprised. His dedication was enormous, and his contributions incomparable. Charlie’s legacy remains, in current concepts and paradigms, in his trainees in academic and technological institutions throughout the world, and in the intellectual shape and design of his textbook, “Immunology, the Immune System in Health and Disease”. Secretary-Treasurer Steven J. Burakoff, MD Councillors Lewis L. Lanier, PhD Olivera J. Finn, PhD Arthur Weiss, MD, PhD Betty A. Diamond, MD Executive Director M. Michele Hogan, PhD Staff Senior Administrative Assistant Pamela Booth pbooth@aai.org Executive Assistant to the Director Michael W. Cuddy mwcuddy@aai.org Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs Lauren G. Gross, J.D. lgross@aai.org To honor Charlie and to help support his legacy, we created the Charles A. Janeway Jr. Memorial Fund in the Section of Immunobiology at Yale. Because of his contributions to the AAI, and his stature as a pioneering theoretician and contributor to our field, we at Yale thought that the membership of the AAI might like to join us in honoring Charlie, by giving as generously as possible to this endowment. In keeping with Charlie’s legacy and commitment to education, this fund will be used to support one or more Charles A. Janeway Jr. Scholarships for graduate students in Immunobiology at Yale. The scholarships will be awarded each year to our best students, selected as the winners of an internal competition. If this brief article inspires you to support the fund, please send your tax-deductible contribution in the form of a personal check addressed to Yale University. In either a covering letter or in the memo field of the check, please mention the Janeway Fund. Contributions should be sent to: Tommy Williams, Development Officer, Yale University School of Medicine, Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, P.O. Box 7611, New Haven, CT 06519-1714. In addition, if you have questions or need assistance in making your gift, please feel free to contact Tommy Williams at (203) 737-1116 or at tommy.williams@yale.edu. Meetings & Program Manager Michelle Horton mhorton@aai.org Director of Publications Ann M. Link alink@ji.faseb.org Director of Finance Jan C. Massey, C.P.A. jmassey@aai.org In anticipation, we’d like to thank you for your support. Peter Cresswell and Richard A. Flavell Membership Coordinator Lisa McFadden members@aai.org AugustPDF.pmd Charlie Janeway How to Remember Charlie Janeway Past President Laurie H. Glimcher, MD AAI The following letter was recently submitted by Yale immunologists Peter Cresswell, Ph.D. (AAI ‘76) and Richard A. Flavell, Ph.D. (AAI ‘90), longtime colleagues of the late Charles M. Janeway, Jr., M.D. It unveils a new Yale University scholarship fund established in memory of Dr. Janeway, to support graduate education in immunobiology at Yale. Dr. Janeway, an AAI member for nearly three decades prior to his death in the spring of 2003, served on the AAI Council from 1993 to 1999, including as AAI President in 1997-98. Council 2 Yale Colleagues Announce Memorial Fund in Memory of the Late Charlie Janeway Section of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine Newsletter 2 11/3/2004, 2:37 PM A UGUST 2004 Glimcher Initiative to Assist Primary Caregiver Postdocs Gains NIAID Backing AAI Councillor and Past President Laurie H. Glimcher, M.D., recently announced NIAID approval of her proposal to offer technical assistance to postdoctoral scientists who are primary caregivers. The announcement came during Dr. Glimcher’s April 17, 2004, Presidential Address* at the AAI Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with Experimental Biology 2004 in Washington, D.C. Through the “Hands-On: Primary Caregiver Technical Assistance Supplements (PCTAS)” program, the NIAID will offer technical assistance grants to postdoctoral trainees with primary caregiver responsibilities. The program is intended to offset the obstacles to career advancement faced by postdocs who represent primary caregivers to young children and/or elderly parents. Such trainees are especially hard-pressed to devote the long lab hours demanded of those who aspire to compete successfully for junior faculty positions. In a June press release, the NIAID outlined a two-year outlay in support of PCTAS, under which the institute will provide $500,000 annually in program funding. Under the terms of the two-year pilot program, principal investigators with NIAID research grants may apply for a non-renewable technical assistance supplement to assist a postdoc for a period of 1-2 years. To read the press release, visit <http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-AI-04-035.html>. For application details, visit <http://www.niaid. nih.gov/ncn/ training/pctas.htm>. * Dr. Glimcher’s April remarks on the primary caregiver initiative appear in her forthcoming article, “How We Can Help the Next Generation of Scientists: Introducing The ‘Hands-On’ Primary Caregiver’s Support Program,” to be published in the September 1, 2004, issue of The Journal of Immunology. Third AAI Introductory Course Surpasses Previous Attendance Marks The June 2004 Introductory Course in Immunology presented by AAI exceeded previous attendance figures for the event, and extended the program’s successful run since it was launched in 2002. For the second consecutive year, the course was hosted at the University of Pennsylvania and chaired by John G. Monroe, Ph.D. (AAI ‘84), who also lectured as a member of the course faculty. A Penn professor and vice chair of Immunobiology, Dr. Monroe is AAI’s Education Committee Chair. Nearly 200 students participated in Part I of the course, a three-day presentation on “Basic Mechanisms of the Immune System.” Part I represented a comprehensive introduction to the basic principles of immunology, suitable for students with a general biology background. More than 160 students attended Part II of the course, a three-day lecture course covering major areas of immunology, entitled “Disease and Immunotherapy.” The University of Pennsylvania campus, with its tudor-style architecture, tree-lined streets popular with walkers and bikers, and nearby shops and cafes, has proven a very attractive venue for the course. Students this year came from as far away as Germany, Japan, and the far western United States, including Washington, Utah, and New Mexico. They represented various sectors of the immunology community, including the pharmaceutical industry, academia, non-profits, government agencies, hospitals, and independent study. John Monroe Following the course, Dr. Monroe commended the efforts of AAI staff Kaylene Kenyon, Ph.D. (speakers and curriculum), Michelle Horton (course materials and logistics), and Adrienne Nichols (on-site support) in assisting with course preparations and coordination. He also praised the excellent intro course faculty that assembled in Philadelphia for the event. Monroe noted the very favorable experience described by several course faculty, reflecting the infectious enthusiasm characteristic of course participants and their eagerness to master the material. Student feedback also reflected very favorably on the course in terms of its quality and overall organization. AAI AugustPDF.pmd 3 11/3/2004, 2:37 PM Newsletter 3 www.aai.org F O C U S O N P U B L I C A F F A I R S (CONT’D) AAI Testimony on FY 2005 NIH Funding (cont’d) Statement of Jeffrey A. Frelinger, Ph.D., The American Association of Immunologists, to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, Regarding the FY 2005 Budget for the National Institutes of Health -- April 29, 2004 The American Association of Immunologists (AAI), a non-profit professional society of more than 6,500 research scientists and physicians dedicated to understanding the immune system resulting in the prevention, treatment, and cure of disease appreciates this opportunity to express its views on the FY 2005 Budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). We are very grateful to the members of this subcommittee and to its Chairman, Mr. Regula, and ranking member, Mr. Obey, for their leadership and strong support for biomedical research and the programs and scientists NIH supports. The importance of immunology The study of immunology affects a wide range of acute, infectious, and chronic diseases and conditions, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, SARS, HIV/ AIDS, influenza (flu), West Nile Virus, and tuberculosis (TB). Immunologists are working to discover new defenses, including vaccines, against emerging bacteria (e.g., the virulent Fujian flu strain that emerged in 2003), re-emerging bacteria (e.g., TB), and drug resistant bacteria (including antibiotic-resistance). Immunologists also work on a wide range of “autoimmune” challenges, including how to prevent and treat diseases that cause the body to attack itself (e.g., lupus and scleroderma), and how to prevent rejection by the body of transplanted organs and bone marrow. More recently, immunologists have been engaged in urgently needed research to protect humans and animals from natural and man-made pathogens that could be used as weapons of bioterror. AAI’s members include the nation’s - and the world’s - leading immunologists. While our members work in academia, government, and industry, many are professors and researchers at medical schools across the nation, and use grants from NIH, and in particular from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID),* to support their research and the scientists who conduct it. The funding given to NIH, and the rules governing its use, directly impact virtually every researcher at virtually every research institution, and enhance or impede the advancement of virtually all biomedical research in this nation. Given these facts and the current state of scientific opportunity, the stakes could not be higher than they are this year. The NIH budget in the post “doubling” era AAI is very grateful to the members of this subcommittee for supporting the recent successful bipartisan effort to double the NIH budget over five years (FY 1998 – FY 2003). This “doubling” represented an unprecedented commitment by the federal government to biomedical research and pushed the research enterprise into the genomic frontier. Now, with the genomic sequencing of humans and many model organisms all known, we are on the verge of what promises to be an extraordinary and unprecedented period of discovery leading to potential treatments or cures for devastating diseases. AAI considers it a moral imperative to support the research that our leading scientists believe is now ripe for investment. As the members of this subcommittee know, the President’s FY 2004 proposal for NIH included a budget of $27,893 million, a 2% increase over the FY 2003 budget. Through supplemental appropriations, Congress funded NIH programs at $28,028 million, an increase of about 2.5%. This small increase was cushioned by the conversion of approximately $1.4 billion from “one-time non-recurring costs for facilities construction and anthrax vaccine procurement” to research, resulting in an effective research budget increase estimated by the Administration to be 7.5%. Despite this “cushion”, very real and deleterious effects of imminent budget reductions are already being felt. A young AAI member who recently received his first “R01” (investigator initiated) grant wrote that NIH budget shortfalls have reduced his budget “so drastically that… [my direct costs for the grant’s 1st year are approximately] 72% of the recommended budget… My supplies and other expenses have been drastically reduced…[and] [t]his limits our ability to purchase and initiate animal breeding programs and purchase new equipment and reagents…this slow down is going to affect the momentum of our research program with long-term consequences.” Another AAI member who recently moved from a position at an academic institution to a promising position at NIH learned shortly after his arrival that intramural researchers at his institute “are having their entire 2004 budgets cut by 5%” and should expect “minimally, another 5% …cut in FY2005.” As a result, he says that “in my first 2 years here, our supply budget could very well be cut by 50% …or I will lose a full personnel position….” * Many AAI members also receive grants from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), and other NIH Institutes and Centers. 4 AugustPDF.pmd AAI Newsletter 4 11/3/2004, 2:37 PM A UGUST 2004 F O C U S O N P U B L I C A F F A I R S (CONT’D) AAI Testimony on FY 2005 NIH Funding (cont’d) The President’s proposed budget for NIH for FY 2005 For FY 2005, the President has proposed a budget for NIH of $28,757 million, an increase of $729 million (2.6%) over the FY 2004 enacted level. AAI is very concerned that this small “increase”, which fails even to keep pace with the rate of inflation projected by the Biomedical Research and Development Price Index (BRDPI)**, 3.5%, will damage the advancement of biomedical research by reducing the number or funding level of new and/or competing continuation grants*** (making establishing or maintain- ing a career as an independent investigator more difficult), decreasing NIH’s intramural budget (undermining the effort to attract excellent scientists to NIH), and damaging efforts to increase pre-and post-doctoral stipends and post-doctoral employment benefits (damaging efforts to attract bright young people to scientific careers). AAI’s recommended budget increase for NIH AAI strongly believes that now is the time to capitalize on many important research advances that have resulted from the doubling of the NIH budget, and urges this subcommittee to provide a 10% increase in funding for NIH for FY 2005. Such an increase would ensure the funding of quality basic research that will lead to more translational opportunities and swifter clinical application, and assist efforts to attract and retain young American scientists to research careers. The NIH Roadmap AAI supports the President’s FY 2005 budget request for the NIH Roadmap ($237 million). We applaud this visionary leadership by NIH Director Elias Zerhouni, and appreciate his willingness to discuss the Roadmap with the scientific community and to address any questions or concerns. We look forward to reviewing the initiative as it progresses and strongly support Dr. Zerhouni’s plan to ensure that all Roadmap funds, including the Director’s Pioneer Awards, are awarded through a rigorous peer review process. Biodefense research AAI supports the President’s request for $1.7 billion for biodefense research, an increase of $121 million (7.5%) over FY 2004. Such an increase is necessary to support ongoing research in biodefense and to ensure adequate intramural staffing for awarding grant funding and for administrative and oversight functions. Only through adequate intramural staffing can NIH ensure the expedited distribution, efficient use, and sound stewardship of federal biodefense funds. AAI strongly supports NIAID’s establishment of five Cooperative Centers for Translational Research on Human Immunology and Biodefense. Through these centers, investigators work to better understand the human immune response to potential bioterror agents and work to develop countermeasures, including vaccines and therapies. These centers are crucial in our efforts to protect people from bioterrorism because traditional research methods - animal testing**** followed by human clinical trials - cannot be used. These centers are developing new ways to get information from single immune cells, so that very small tissue and blood samples can be tested, and are working to develop non-invasive imaging technologies. AAI continues to be concerned that the budget does not provide funding for the additional security costs mandated by the Patriot Act both as one time costs and for ongoing security required at facilities which conduct research on select agents. AAI urges the Congress to provide supplementary funds to see Focus: AAI Testimony, p. 12 ** The Biomedical Research and Development Price Index (BRDPI) was developed by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Commerce Department under an agreement with NIH and is updated annually. It indicates how much the NIH budget must increase to maintain purchasing power. Projections for future years are prepared by the NIH Office of Science Policy. The NIH website reports that the BRDPI is projected to increase by 3.8% per year for FY 2004; 3.5% during FY 2005 and FY 2006; 3.7% during FY 2007; and by 3.8% for FY 2008.” *** The President’s NIH Budget will support almost 40,000 research project grants in FY 2005, “including an estimated 10,393 new and competing awards, an increase of 258 over FY 2004.” (Budget, page 35) However, for FY 2004, NIH anticipated having to reduce its new and competing awards by 258. Therefore, the projected amount for FY 2005 simply restores NIH grants to the FY 2003 level. **** Immunologists depend heavily on the use of animal models in their research. Without the use of animals, theories about immune system function and treatments that might cure or prevent disease would have to be tested first on human subjects, something our society - and our scientists - would never countenance. Despite the clear necessity for animal research, people and organizations that oppose such research are threatening scientists who use animal models. The legal and illegal methods used by these groups to further an animal-rights/anti-medical research agenda are diverting precious resources from our work, threatening the personal safety and security of scientists, and delaying the progress of important research that is underway. AAI AugustPDF.pmd 5 11/3/2004, 2:37 PM Newsletter 5 www.aai.org Members in the News Dr. Kincade Becomes 89th President of FASEB On July 1, 2004, Paul W. Kincade, Ph.D. (AAI ‘75) began his oneyear term as the 89th President of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), whose 22 member societies represent over 65,000 biomedical research scientists worldwide. Dr. Kincade is Head of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s Immunobiology and Cancer Program. He is also the William H. and Rita Bell Chair of Biomedical Research, and Adjunct Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and the University of Oklahoma. A June FASEB news release cited Dr. Kincade’s priority of continuing FASEB’s tradition of strong advocacy on issues that “affect scientists and their ability to conduct research into the understanding and treatment of disease.” It further cited his particular interest in training and career-related issues, reflected in his recent activities as chair of the Training and Careers Subcommittee of FASEB’s Science Policy Committee. On June 30th of this year, Dr. Kincade culminated his seven-year tenure on the AAI Council, during which he served as AAI President in 2002-2003. Dr. Kincade is a past member of AAI’s Program Committee and AAI’s Nominating Committee, and served as AAI Program Chair from 1995-99. He has served as a member of The Journal of Immunology editorial board and on the faculty of AAI’s Advanced Immunology Course, and received the 1998 AAI Distinguished Service Award. While on the AAI Council, Dr. Kincade represented AAI on the Council of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS). Kincade earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Mississippi State University, and Ph.D. from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. A recipient of an NIH Merit Award, Dr. Kincade’s research interests include relationships between hematopoietic stem cells and the immune system. Dr. Sonnenfeld Departs Morehouse to Accept SUNY Appointment Gerald Sonnefeld, Ph.D. (AAI ‘81), chair of AAI’s Minority Affairs Committee, recently assumed a new post at Binghampton University, State University of New York, where he serves as Vice President for Research and Professor of Biological Sciences. In assuming the appointment, Dr. Sonnenfeld departed Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, where he served as Professor and Chair, Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, and Associate Dean for Basic Sciences and Graduate Studies since 1999. 6 AugustPDF.pmd AAI In his role as AAI Minority Affairs Committee Chair, Dr. Sonnenfeld has organized annual meeting sessions and guided other AAI efforts to foster minority participation at the AAI meeting and representation in scientific careers generally. In addition, he is a past ad hoc reviewer and member of the primary reviewer pool for The Journal of Immunology. A native of New York City, Sonnenfeld received his B.S. (Biology) from the City College of New York and his Ph.D. (Microbiology/Immunology) from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Shevach, Dr. Sakaguchi Awarded Cancer Research Institute’s Coley Prize Ethan M. Shevach, M.D., (AAI ‘73) and Shimon Sakaguchi, M.D., Ph.D., (AAI ‘90) were honored recently by the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) as co-recipients of the William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Basic and Tumor Immunology. CRI grants the award to one or more scientists for outstanding achievements in the field of basic immunology and cancer immunology. Dr. Shevach and Dr. Sakaguchi were recognized for their contributions to the understanding of regulatory Tlymphocyte function in immunity, leading to the re-emergence of the idea that regulatory T cells are a central mechanism in immune regulation. Dr. Shevach is Chief, Cellular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunology, NIAID, NIH. He is a past Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Immunology (The JI), for which service he received AAI’s Distinguished Service Award in 1992. He previously served The JI as an associate and section editor. Ethan Shevach received his A.B. and M.D. degrees from Boston University. Dr. Sakaguchi is Professor and Chair, Department of Experimental Pathology, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Japan. He earned his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Kyoto University Medical School. Drs. Shevach and Sakaguchi received their Dr. Sakaguchi Coley Awards during CRI’s 18th Annual Awards Dinner in New York City in June. The Coley Award was established in 1975 in honor of Dr. William B. Coley, a pioneer of cancer immunotherapy, whose daughter Helen Coley Nauts (1907-2001) founded the Cancer Research Institute. Newsletter 6 Dr. Shevach 11/3/2004, 2:37 PM A UGUST 2004 Members in the News (cont’d) Dr. Scott and Colleagues Depart Holland Lab, Join Expanding University of Maryland Bioscience Research Program Five AAI scientists formerly affiliated with the American Red Cross’ national research program have accepted appointments with the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. The new appointments followed last year’s decision by the Red Cross to phase out the blood research and development program of its Jerome H. Holland Laboratory for the Biomedical Sciences in Rockville, Maryland. Achsah Dorsey Keegan, Ph.D. (AAI ‘90), Professor of Microbiology/Immunology and of Oncology. Dr. Keegan was Senior Scientist, Holland Lab, and Associate Professor of Immunology and Director of the Graduate Program in Immunology, George Washington University, where she remains an Adjunct Professor. Her research focuses on cytokine receptor signaling, allergic responses, and apoptosis. The five AAI members are among 23 former Holland Lab colleagues recruited to the University of Maryland medical school as part of its ongoing five-year, $100 million expansion, aimed at making the institution a leading center of collaborative bioscience research. The scientists, together with various lab technicians and staff, continue their work largely intact under the University of Maryland banner. Still occupying their Rockville lab space, the researchers will move next year to the University of Maryland’s new BioPark facility, currently under construction on Baltimore’s west side. Aimed at fostering collaboration between the university and the region’s robust biotechnology and medical community, BioPark will feature research labs, offices, a business incubator and collaboration center, and space for private life sciences and biopharmaceutical companies. Dr. Keegan has co-chaired several AAI annual meeting block symposia and served as a manuscript reviewer for The JI. She earned her B.S. (Zoology) from Duke University and Ph.D. (Immunology) from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The new University of Maryland medical school faculty appointees representing AAI include: Mark S. Williams, Ph.D. (AAI ‘97), Assistant Professor of Microbiology/Immunology – Dr. Williams was Assistant Professor of Immunology, George Washington University, and Scientist I, Holland Lab, where he focused on oxidative stress and T-cell receptor signaling. He earned his B.S. (Bio-chemistry) from S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook and Ph.D. (Pharmacology) from The University of Michigan. David W. Scott, Ph.D. (AAI ‘73), Professor of Surgery and of Microbiology/Immunology. Dr. Scott formerly served as Head, Immunology Department, Holland Lab, American Red Cross, and as Professor and Chair of Immunology, George Washington University Medical Center, where he remains an Adjunct Professor. Dr. Scott has served as an associate and section editor for The Journal of Immunology (The JI), chair of AAI’s former Travel Awards Committee, and as a member of AAI’s Education Committee, which he chaired from 1981-1984 and again in 1993. He was the primary impetus behind the establishment of AAI’s John H. Wallace High School Teachers Program, which he initiated as AAI’s High School Teacher Internship in Immunology (1989-1994) and for which he helped secure the NIAID funding that continues today. In addition, Dr. Scott was the founding organizer of AAI’s Advanced Course in Immunology, an early 80s outgrowth of AAI’s Summer Education Course of earlier years. For his efforts in science education, Dr. Scott was a 2004 corecipient of AAI’s Distinguished Service Award (along with Dr. John Schreiber) . A biology major at Antioch College, David Scott earned his M.S. (Microbiology) from the University of Chicago and his Ph.D. (Microbiology) from Yale University. Wendy F. Davidson, Ph.D. (AAI ‘80), Associate Professor of Microbiology/ Immunology and of Oncology – Dr. Davidson was Associate Professor of Immunology, George Washington University, and Scientist II, Holland Lab. Her research interests include aging, lymphomagenesis, and apoptosis. She earned her B.Sc. (Microbiology) from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, and her Ph.D. (Immunology) from the Australian National University, Canberra. Gregory B. Carey, Ph.D. (AAI ‘01), Assistant Professor of Microbiology/Immunology – Dr. Carey was a Postdoctoral Fellow, Holland Lab, and is a past recipient of an AAI Minority Scientist Award, as well as a K01 award from the National Cancer Institute. He is an expert in signal transduction pathways affecting the growth and apoptosis of normal and malignant B cells. He was a biology major and chemistry minor at the College of the Bahamas, earned his B.Sc. (Biology) from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and his Ph.D. (Biochemistry) from VCU’s Medical College of Virginia. AAI AugustPDF.pmd 7 11/3/2004, 2:37 PM Newsletter 7 www.aai.org In Memoriam Paul H. Silverman, Ph.D., D.Sc. Paul H. Silverman, an AAI member since 1964, died on July 15, 2004. The following obituary, published by The Scientist Daily News (http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20040804/01), is reprinted here with the kind permission of The Scientist. Paul Silverman dies -- U-C Irvine scientist, administrator founded first human genome research center in Berkeley / By Maria W. Anderson “He was much more appreciated after he left than when he was here,” Horan added, “because people began to realize what he had done and what he had tried to do.” He also served on the board of directors for the Hastings Center and was involved with Irvine’s interdisciplinary medical ethics program. “Paul was a ,” said former colleague Ron Miller, director emeritus of Irvine’s medical ethics program. “It was obvious that he had a wealth of knowledge, not only scientific, but also in the ethics of science and the ethics of healthcare.” Paul H. Silverman, founder of the first US human genome research center in Berkeley, Calif., and vocal advocate of stem cell research, died on July 15 due to complications following bone marrow replacement. He was 79. Colleagues also described Silverman as a humanitarian and social activist. He was awarded a doctorate of human letters from his alma mater Roosevelt University, where in his to the Fall 2003 graduating class he spoke about discrimination against women and minorities. “He was, first and foremost, a man of enormous integrity both in science and in personal life,” said Miller. “He was a warm, soft-spoken, humble man who touched many, many people.” During his five decades as a scientist and administrator, Silverman tackled issues ranging from immunotherapy to biotechnology. “His career is marked by so much diversity,” said Susan Bryant, dean of biological sciences at the University of California, Irvine, where Silverman served as a professor. “He enjoyed different challenges and different topics, but he was always focused on big picture issues.” In his later years, Silverman was “very concerned that scientists were slow in giving up the dogma of genetic determinism,” said Miller. Silverman on the subject this past May in The Scientist. The article “actually sparked a lot of correspondence,” to Silverman, according to Bryant. “It struck a sympathetic cord in a lot of scientists, and he was thinking that he’d like to have an international symposium around the topic.” In 1987, Silverman helped establish the first human genome research center as a collaboration between the University of California, Berkeley, and the Department of Defense’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In recent years, Silverman was passionate about promoting public understanding of science. “[He] really tried to understand what people’s concerns were, as well as help scientists to explain themselves better and just generally improve communication,” said Bryant. Silverman earned his PhD in parasitology and epidemiology from the University of Liverpool, UK, in 1955. Following research in Israel and Scotland, he started the first immunoparasitology center at Glaxo Ltd. in London. Before coming to Irvine, Silverman served on the faculty at the University of Illinois, Urbana, and as vice president of the University of New Mexico, provost and president of the research foundation at the State University of New York, and president of the University of Maine, Orono. He was director of the western center of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was elected to the United Nations-supported World Academy of Art and Science in 1994. He also led the Biotechnology Research and Education Program for the University of California system and served as director of scientific affairs for Beckman Instruments and on the board of directors for Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. He was appointed Irvine’s associate vice chancellor for the Center for Health Sciences in 1992. “He worked both in industry and in academia at a time when not too many people made that transition back and forth,” said Bryant. “He was a Renaissance man.” At the University of Maine, he strived to address the school’s pressing financial needs and oversaw the construction of a new performing arts center, as well as delivered lectures on topics related to his own scientific research. Despite tensions with the chancellor at that time, “he was a much admired scientist, as well as an administrator,” said Jim Horan, a retired professor of public administration who worked closely with Silverman during his presidency in Maine. 8 AugustPDF.pmd AAI He focused much of his efforts on the issue of stem cell research. “He believed so strongly in it that he undertook stem cell transplantation [from his sister] himself for... myelofibrosis,” Miller told The Scientist. “Despite the enormous risks, especially to someone of his age, he undertook stem cell transplant hoping to restore his health, which had been severely compromised by anemia, requiring weekly blood transfusions.” While the treatment did raise his white blood cell and platelet counts, related complications ultimately caused his death, said Miller. Last May, Silverman helped plan a conference on stem cell research at the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering’s Beckman Center, the proceedings of which will be published and may be dedicated to Silverman. Links for this article: P.H. Silverman, “Commerce and genetic diagnosis,” Hastings Cent Rep, 25:S15-S18, May–June 1995. [PubMed Abstract] Commencement Address for Roosevelt University by Dr. Paul H. Silverman, December 20, 2003 http://www.roosevelt.edu/graduation/2003-fall/ commencementAddre ss.htm P.H. Silverman, “Research vision: Rethinking genetic determinism,” The Scientist, 18:32-33, May 24, 2004. http://www.the-scientist.com/yr2004/may/research3_040524.html Copyright 2004, The Scientist LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Newsletter 8 11/3/2004, 2:37 PM A UGUST 2004 AAI Welcomes New Members 2nd Quarter 2004 New Members Anderson, Mark M.D., Ph.D. Anthony, Donald M.D., Ph.D. Armstrong, Todd Ph.D. Ashkar, Ali Ph.D. Atabani, Sowsan Ph.D. Baiu, Dana-Carina Ph.D. Bai, Xue-Feng Ph.D., M.D. Barton, Lance Ph.D. Bell, Jennifer Ph.D. Bigger, John Ph.D. Boes, Marianne Ph.D. Bond, Judith Ph.D. Bouvier, Marlene Ph.D. Burkhard, Mary Jo Ph.D., D.V.M. Caldwell, Charles Ph.D. Cao, Huyen M.D. Caricchio, Roberto M.D. Cheng, Genhong Ph.D. Chen, Xinjian M.D., Ph.D. Chu, Wen-Ming Ph.D., M.D. Clarke, Benjamin Ph.D. Connell, Terry Ph.D. Conner, Margaret Ph.D. Crawford, Keith M.D., Ph.D. Darville, Toni M.D. Dong, Jay M.D. Dorfman, Jeffrey Ph.D. Estabrook, Michele M.D. Fairweather, DeLisa Ph.D. Falcone, Marika M.D., Ph.D. Fan, Jinshui M.D., Ph.D. Fernandez-Sesma, Ana Ph.D. Fuller, Claudette Ph.D. Gebe, John Ph.D. Gogal, Robert D.V.M. Gommerman, Jennifer Ph.D. Gowen, Brian Ph.D. Greene, Catherine Ph.D. Hansen, Hinrich Ph.D. Haskova, Zdenka M.D., Ph.D. Heil, Matthew Ph.D. Heltemes-Harris, Lynn Ph.D. Hendershot, Linda Ph.D. Huang, Yina Hsing Ph.D. Jang, Young-Ju Ph.D. Johnston, Brent Ph.D. Jones, Olcay M.D., Ph.D. Kaech, Susan Ph.D. Kane, Kevin Ph.D. Kang, Insoo M.D. Kemper, Claudia Ph.D. Khanolkar, Aaruni Ph.D., M.D. Kim, Moon Gyo Ph.D. Klenerman, Paul Ph.D. Klug, Heather Ph.D. Kraft, Stefan M.D. Kurosu, Katsushi M.D., Ph.D. Kuklin, Nelly Ph.D. Leon, Juan Ph.D. Leung, Wing Ph.D. Levi, Ben-Zio D.Sc., M.Sc., B.Sc. Li, Jichu M.D. Lou, Yahuan Ph.D. Lovett-Racke, Amy Ph.D. Lu, Binfeng Ph.D. Mahalingam, Surendran Ph.D. Mahida, Yashwant M.D. Makar, Karen Ph.D. Berger, Marc Ph.D. Mataraza, Jennifer Ph.D. Mayer, Konstantin M.D. Ma, Xiaojing Ph.D. McCue, Jessica Ph.D. McIntosh, Joseph M.D. McKenna, Kyle Ph.D. Eisenbraun, Michael Ph.D. Mohrs, Markus Ph.D. Mothe, Bianca Ph.D. Mullins, David Ph.D. Nolt, Dawn M.D. Noorchashm, Hooman M.D., Ph.D. Norris, Philip M.D. Offermann, Margaret M.D., Ph.D. Page, Dawne Ph.D. Pakala, Syamasundar Ph.D. Jaison Paliakkara, Ph.D. Payne, Kimberly Ph.D. Peng, Satnford Lee-Yu Ph.M.D. Persidis, Aris Ph.D. Peterson, Karin Ph.D. Piccirillo, Ciriaco Ph.D. Popovic, Petar M.D., Ph.D. Powell, Jan Ph.D. Refaeli, Yosef Ph.D. Repp, Amanda Ph.D. Rodriguez, Rosalia Ph.D. Rossi, Babriela Ph.D. Russell, David Ph.D. San Mateo, Lani Ph.D. Schwarz, Martin Ph.D. Shankar, Ravi Ph.D. Shapiro, Virginia Ph.D. Shoham, Tsipi Ph.D. Singh, Ram Ph.D. Smith, Justine Ph.D. Stenger, Steffen M.D., Ph.D. Stevenson, Freda D.Phil Su, Lishan Ph.D. Sylte, Matt D.V.M.., Ph.D. Talal, Andrew M.D. Tang, Xiaolei Ph.D. Teitelbaum, Daniel M.D. Vega, Jose M.D., Ph.D. Verthelyi, Daniela M.D., Ph.D. Vigouroux, Arturo Ph.D. Vykhovanets, Yevgen Ph.D., M.D. Wang, Tian Ph.D. Wan, Hong Ph.D. Weber, Dominique Ph.D. Yel, Leman M.D. York, Ian Ph.D. Zhao, Xinyan Ph.D. Wolfraim, Lawrence Ph.D. Yang, Kuender M.D., Ph.D. Komura, Kazuhiro M.D., Ph.D. Song, Aihua Ph.D. Kusner, David M.D., Ph.D. El-Shanti, Nasser Ph.D. Taggart, Clifford Ph.D. Michon, Francis Ph.D. Burkhard, Mary Jo Ph.D., D.V.M. Shams, Homayoun Ph.D., D.V.M. Peters, Wendy Ph.D. Herbein, Georges M.D., Ph.D. Zhou, Ji-Yong D.V.M., Ph.D. Moll, Thomas Ph.D. Lee, Edwin D.Phil Li, Da-Jin M.D., Ph.D. Zhou, He Ph.D. Laximinarayana, Dama Ph.D. Cao, Tinghua M.D., Ph.D. Sheikh, Nadeem Ph.D. Jiang, Qi Ph.D. Valadon, Philippe M.D., Ph.D. Lee, Tae Ho Ph.D. Wills-Karp, Marsha Ph.D. Stranford, Sharon Ph.D. Harmsen, Allen Ph.D. AAI extends its condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of these recently deceased members: Abraham G. Osler, Ph.D. Paul H. Silverman, Ph.D., D.Sc. Sanford H. Stone, D.Sc. AAI AugustPDF.pmd 9 11/3/2004, 2:41 PM Newsletter 9 www.aai.org Kondracke, Taylor Receive AAI Public Service Awards for 2004 Journalist Mort Kondracke and Senate Staffer Bettilou Taylor were 2004 AAI Public Service Award (PSA) recipients at a reception held in their honor at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on June 17, 2004. Both were recommended for their awards by the AAI Committee on Public Affairs and approved by the AAI Council. Kondracke is a journalist and political commentator who is also executive editor of the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call and the author of a book about his late wife’s ordeal with Parkinson’s Disease [Saving Milly: Love, Politics, and Parkinson’s Disease (Thorndike Press, 2001)]. He was honored for his advocacy in support of increased funding for NIH and for biomedical research. Taylor, who is majority clerk for the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and senior staffer on NIH funding to subcommittee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA), received AAI’s first “Staff Recognition Award” for her outstanding advocacy for biomedical research and for the NIH. The awards were presented by then-AAI President Laurie H. Glimcher, M.D. Then-AAI Committee on Public Affairs Chair Jeffrey A. Frelinger introduced Dr. Glimcher to the crowd of eighty-five attendees, which included AAI members, Congressional staff, and NIH staff. AAI Awardee Mort Kondracke (second from right) appears with (from left to right) AAI representatives Hugh Auchincloss, Lauren Gross, Michele Hogan, Laurie Glimcher, and Jeff Frelinger. Former Rep. John Porter (left) and honoree Mort Kondracke (center) greet AAI President Laurie Glimcher. 10 AugustPDF.pmd AAI AAI Public Service Award honorees Bettilou Taylor (left) and Mort Kondracke greet guests prior to the the awards presentation. Newsletter 10 11/3/2004, 2:41 PM A UGUST 2004 Photo Highlights, Capitol Hill Reception Honoring AAI’s 2004 Public Service Awardees Co-honoree Bettilou Taylor (third from right) appears with (from left to right) AAI representatives Hugh Auchincloss, Michele Hogan, Lauren Gross, Laurie Glimcher, and Jeff Frelinger. National Cancer Institute Director Andrew von Eschenbach (left) greets AAI President Laurie Glimcher. AAI member Anita Weinblatt (left) visits with Henry Metzger (center, a past AAI president) and Calbert Laing. Above (left), guests gather at the Dirksen Senate Office Building reception to await the presentation of AAI’s 2004 Public Service Awards. At right, attendees extend a warm welcome to AAI awardees Mort Kondracke and Bettilou Taylor. AAI AugustPDF.pmd 11 11/3/2004, 2:41 PM Newsletter 11 www.aai.org F O C U S O N P U B L I C A F F A I R S (CONT’D) AAI Testimony on FY 2005 NIH Funding (cont’d) ensure the security of the laboratories and scientific personnel who are on the front lines against bioterrorism. Construction of new high containment (BSL3) laboratories AAI supports the President’s request for $150 million for the construction of an additional 20 “BSL3” (“biocontainment level 3”) laboratories to facilitate prompt access of investigators who have important projects requiring this standard of protection. Work on many select agents and other pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and fungi which require biological and physical containment has been constrained by the relative scarcity of physical laboratories that are equipped to allow a safe working environment for both the investigator and the community. A recent shortage of BSL4 laboratories (which provide the highest level of containment) was alleviated by the addition of several new facilities which have come “on line.” There remains a need for additional BSL3 facilities, which are used for less dangerous select agents, and which have many advantages: they can be used for experiments on many biohazardous agents; they can be housed in many different physical buildings; and they cost less to operate than BSL4 facilities. AAI also believes that ensuring adequate training in the use of new BSL4/BSL3 laboratories is as important as their construction. AAI supports ongoing efforts by NIH to address laboratory biosecurity issues and urges the Congress to support this effort and programs to train graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and senior investigators to work in biohazard labs. Such programs could be in the form of brief training periods or as supplements to existing training grants. Research, Management and Services (RM&S) budget and Government Outsourcing The President’s FY 2005 budget proposal for Research, Management and Services (RM&S), which supports the management, monitoring, and oversight of intramural and extramural research activities (including NIH’s excellent and highly regarded peer review process), includes an increase of only 3.2% ($32 million). In AAI’s view, this increase will be insufficient to enable NIH to supervise adequately a budget of increasing size and complexity. Despite the recent implementation of several advances designed to improve NIH management, additional administrative staff is still needed to ensure that the significant new funds appropriated to NIH are well and properly spent. AAI recommends, therefore, an increase in the RM&S budget of 5% for FY 2005. AAI is also very concerned about the Administration’s ongoing “outsourcing” program. While certain jobs within NIH may be appropriate for such an approach, it should not be applied to program administration staff, many of whom are highly experienced and have historical knowledge and understanding of NIH programs and policies. Outsourcing such positions will 12 AugustPDF.pmd AAI undoubtedly result in the loss of a dedicated and capable workforce, reducing efficiency in the long run. Salary Cap The President’s FY 2005 budget includes a provision which was rejected by the Congress for the last three years: to lower the existing salary cap for extramural researchers. As we understand this year’s provision, it again proposes to “roll back” current law and result in a 10% reduction in salary support for some extramural researchers. This would cause serious administrative and budgetary problems within research institutions, medical schools, and universities that are preparing or have already prepared budgets based on the higher salary cap previously permitted by the Congress. We urge this subcommittee to reject this provision and to retain current law. Attracting bright students to biomedical research and retaining young researchers AAI has long been concerned about our nation’s ability to attract bright young students to careers in biomedical research to ensure the future supply of biomedical researchers, and has worked to advance the plight of post-doctoral fellows who are significantly underpaid and under-compensated for their critical work. We support NIH’s March 2001 plan to implement recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy regarding the need for better compensation and employment benefits for post-doctoral fellows. (See NIH NOT-OD-01-027). While NIH has increased stipends for the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) for the last three years, in FY 2004 it fell short of its goal of increasing stipends for recipients by 10% per year over a five year period or until entry level post-doctoral fellows reach $45,000 per year (from the FY 2002 level of $31,092). During FY 2002 and FY 2003, NIH raised stipends by 10%; during FY 2004, it offered only a 4% increase for pre-doctoral fellows and a 4% to 1% increase, based on years of experience, for post-doctoral fellows (resulting in a $35,560 annual stipend for first year postdoctoral fellows). The President’s FY 2005 budget proposes only a 2.2% increase for institutional NRSA awards and a 0.9% increase for individual NRSA awards. This “increase”, well below the BRDPI, will force NIH to fall even further behind in its efforts to enhance the salary and employment benefits of post-doctoral scientists, many of whom are in their thirties, are married, have children, and are trying to buy homes, save for their children’s college educations, and save for their own retirement. We strongly urge this subcommittee to help NIH increase NRSA pre- and post-doctoral stipends and to further explore ways to provide important employment benefits - including health insurance, pensions and Social Security, and vacation and sick leave time - to both NRSAs and the post-doctoral fellows supported by NIH extramural grants. While we understand that Newsletter 12 11/3/2004, 2:41 PM A UGUST 2004 F O C U S O N P U B L I C A F F A I R S (CONT’D) AAI Testimony on FY 2005 NIH Funding (cont’d) this may result in the hiring of fewer post-doctoral fellows, we believe that these changes are essential if we are to attract and retain the best and brightest students who often encounter multiple job opportunities with significantly more attractive compensation packages. The politicization of science AAI is very concerned about reports that various federal scientific advisory panels have been dismantled or reorganized, and that certain federal agency reports have been changed or edited, in an effort to ensure political compatibility with specific positions of this Administration. AAI believes strongly that it is in the best interests of the public, the government which serves them, and the advancement of science that members of government scientific advisory panels be selected on the basis of the excellence of their science, and not on the basis of their political affiliations, voting history, or religious views. In short, millions of lives – as well as the prudent use of AAI Attends Launch of Jefferson Science Fellows Program; State Department, National Academies Announce Call for Nominations and Applications On May 26, AAI Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs Lauren Gross represented AAI at a U.S. State Department reception introducing the first “Jefferson Science Fellows”. Held in the remarkable Ben Franklin Room atop the State Department building in Washington, D.C., the reception was attended by leaders of the science and diplomatic communities and featured remarks by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who introduced the inaugural class of five fellows: Julian P. Adams, Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan Bruce A. Averill, Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry, University of Toledo Melba A. Crawford, Engineering Foundation Professor, University of Texas/Austin David A. Eastmond, Professor and Program Chair, Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, University of California/ Riverside Kalidas Shetty, Associate Professor of Food Biotechnology, Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts/ Amherst According to George Atkinson, Ph.D., Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State (who also addressed AAI members as our guest speaker on visa issues at EB 2004), taxpayer dollars - depend on government officials receiving – and taking – the very best and most independent scientific advice that is available. We hope that the members of this subcommittee will address this concern in report language to reassure the scientific community that the Federal Government values receiving – and expects that tax dollars pay for independent scientific advice, not advice based on conformity with specific litmus tests. Conclusion As this subcommittee continues its work on the FY 2005 appropriations for NIH, AAI stands ready to assist you on any matters involving the immune system, vaccine development, or biomedical research in general. We will continue to embrace the many familiar research areas that are open to our scientists and to work with the NIH to help educate bench scientists about the newer, urgent scientific needs - and the ever-increasing scientific opportunities - that lie before us. We appreciate having this opportunity to share our views and invite you to contact us if we can be of assistance. “the Jefferson Science Fellowship (JSF) program was inaugurated in 2003 as the most recent example of the expanding role of science and technology at the U.S. Department of State. With the support of U.S. academic institutions, the MacArthur Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation, and the U.S. Department of State, each Jefferson Science Fellow will spend one year on assignment in the Department and then will remain available to the Department as an experienced consultant for five years after returning to his or her academic position. Through their participation in policy discussions, the JSF awardees, each a tenured professor from the American academic community, will help increase the understanding among policy officials of scientific issues. They will also provide a broad view of the international implications of emerging scientific developments. The JSF program initiates a fundamentally new relationship between the U.S. academic science and technology community and the U.S. Department of State. This public recognition of the program illustrates a commitment to make science and technology a critical part of the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy.” The State Department and the National Academies have issued a call for nominations and applications for the 2005 Jefferson Science Fellows program. The nomination/application deadline is October 1, 2004. Information about the program can be accessed on the web at www.national-academies.org/jsf, by email at jsf@nas.edu, or by telephone at (202) 334-2872. AAI AugustPDF.pmd 13 11/3/2004, 2:41 PM Newsletter 13 www.aai.org Photo Highlights: AAI’s 2004 Annual Meeting at EB 2004 in Washington, D.C. Sun and summer-like temperatures greeted EB 2004 attendees, shown here outside Washington, D.C.’s beautiful new downtown Convention Center. At the opening Presidential Address, AAI President Laurie Glimcher (left) presented the 2004 Lifetime Achievement Award to past president Dick Dutton. At left, NIH Director Elias Zerhouni headlined an all-EB public affairs session exploring how NIH grantees may be impacted by future federal budget deficits, increased biodefense spending, and the NIH Roadmap. Below, over 200 participants joined the annual careers roundtable session sponsored by AAI’s Committee on the Status of Women. Below, Laurie Glimcher (right) and Ernie Huang (left) present the 2004 AAI-Huang Foundation Meritorious Career Award to Michel Nussenzweig. 14 AugustPDF.pmd AAI Newsletter 14 11/3/2004, 2:41 PM A UGUST 2004 At left, AAI Minority Affairs Committee member Vince Tsiagbe (right) confers with Adebayo Oyekan during the annual reception sponsored by BD Biosciences. At right, Lewis Lanier takes the podium to deliver one of three AAI Distinguished Lectures presented during the meeting. At left (L-R): Hannah and Katherine Janeway, daughters of longtime AAI member and past president Charles A. Janeway, acknowledge the organizers and presenters of the special innate immunity symposium in memory of Dr. Janeway, sponsored by NIAID. Below, Janeway session presenters and family members (L-R): speakers Ruslan Medzhitov, Douglas Fearon, Hugh McDevitt, and Sasha Rudensky; session co-chair Charles Hackett; session chair William Paul; Janeway daughter, Hannah; Janeway’s widow and former colleague, Kim Bottomly; speaker Ralph Steinman; Janeway daughters Megan and Katherine; and Dr. Janeway’s sister, Lee Gold, with her husband, Ron Gold. Missing from the photo is the session’s opening speaker, NIAID Director Anthony Fauci. AAI AugustPDF.pmd 15 11/3/2004, 2:41 PM Newsletter 15 www.aai.org AAI Annual Meeting 2004 Highlights (cont’d) Michele Hogan (left), Pam Fink (center), and Jonathan Sprent enjoy the President’s Reception sponsored by BD Biosciences. BD Biosciences representative Kip Millier (left) and AAI President Laurie Glimcher present the 2004 AAI-BD Biosciences Investigator Award to David Schatz. At left, AAI Program Chair Leslie Berg played a central role in organizing AAI’s 2004 plenary and block session program. Below, Frank Fitch (left) accepts his 2004 AAI Excellence in Mentoring Award from presenter and protegé Thomas McKean. Ernie Huang (left) and BD Biosciences’ Jonathan Rosenberg join in welcoming guests to the annual reception sponsored by BD Biosciences. Below, AAI members and other invitees gathered at the beautiful National Museum of Women in the Arts in downtown Washington for the annual AAI reception sponsored by BD Biosciences. 16 AugustPDF.pmd AAI Newsletter 16 11/3/2004, 2:41 PM A UGUST 2004 AAI President’s Symposium Chair Laurie Glimcher (second from left) is pictured with presenters (L-R) Kathryn Calame, Dan Littman, Gerald Crabtree, I-Cheng Ho. Kim Bottomly acknowledges her welcome as an AAI Distinguished Lecturer at EB 2004. At left, David Scott, and at right, John Schreiber, address attendees at the AAI Business Meeting as 2004 Distinguished Service Awardees. Both were recognized for their longstanding leadership in connection with AAI’s John H. Wallace High School Teachers Program. AAI Executive Director Michele Hogan (second from right) appears with 2004 AAI-Huang Foundation Trainee Achievement Travel Awardees (L-R) Yoshihiko Tanaka, Booki Min, Sherry Crowe, Colby Zaph, Jennifer J. McIntire, and Dorian McGavern. AAI AugustPDF.pmd 17 11/3/2004, 2:43 PM Newsletter 17 www.aai.org AAI Annual Meeting 2004 Highlights (cont’d) Representing AAI’s “Missouri delegation,” Ken Murphy (left) and AAI Council member Paul Allen (right) lobby AAI President Laurie Glimcher. Early-career colleagues network at the annual BD Biosciencessponsored reception. AAI’s 2004 Minority Scientist Awardees are pictured with Michele Hogan (far left), Leslie Berg (second from left), Laurie Glimcher (far right), and AAI Minority Affairs Chair Gerry Sonnenfeld (back row, far right). The 2004 AAI Junior Faculty Travel Awardees appear with Executive Director Michele Hogan (fifth from left), Program Chair Leslie Berg (second from right), and President Laurie Glimcher (far right). 18 AugustPDF.pmd AAI Newsletter 18 11/3/2004, 2:43 PM A UGUST 2004 The Journal of Immunology (The JI) staffer Adrienne Nichols extols the journal’s virtues at The JI booth in the EB 2004 exhibit hall. At right, BD Biosciences’ Jonathan Rosenberg pauses to reflect on another memorable AAI annual reception sponsored by BD. The 2004 event took place at the beautiful National Museum of Women in the Arts in downtown Washington, D.C. Jon Sprent engages a questioner after presenting his 2004 AAI Distinguished Lecture. AAI Membership Coordinator Lisa McFadden welcomes another new member recruit while staffing the AAI booth in the EB 2004 exhibit hall. Attendees compare notes outside an AAI poster session in the EB 2004 exhibit hall. At right, President Laurie Glimcher (left) appears with Vice President Suzy Swain at the annual President’s Reception. When Swain succeeded Glimcher on July 1, 2004, it marked the first transfer of AAI’s presidency between women scientists in the association’s 91-year history. AAI AugustPDF.pmd 19 11/3/2004, 2:43 PM Newsletter 19 www.aai.org Grant-Related News Abbott Scholar Applications Due September 15 Applications for the Abbott Scholar Award in Rheumatology Research, a mentored research award to help aid physicians embarking on careers in academic rheumatology, are due September 15, 2004. The Abbott Scholar award provides funding to researchers in the early stages of their careers to promote career development and encourage continued research in rheumatology. The award supports basic and translational research related to rheumatic diseases, including epidemiology, health services research in arthritis and related autoimmune diseases, and innovative clinical research. The award grants recipients a fellowship of up to three years to support their continued research. Each year, award recipients are selected by an independent advisory panel of 12 clinical and research experts in rheumatology to receive a fellowship starting at $65,000 per year for up to three years. To qualify for the award, candidates must demonstrate a commitment to a career in academic rheumatology, a plan for career development, and a commitment of support from their mentor and their institution. In addition, candidates must agree to devote at least 80 percent of their time to research and training. More information on the Abbott Scholar award is available at www.abbottscholar.com or by calling (201) 553-8859. The Abbott Bioresearch Center, founded in 1989 in Worcester, MA, is a discovery and basic research facility committed to finding new treatments for autoimmune diseases. Abbott Laboratories is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharma-ceuticals, nutritionals and medical products, including devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 70,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. September 22 is USIDNET Deadline for Travel Grants to European Immunodeficiences Meeting The US Immunodeficiency Network (USIDNET) will fund four travel grants of up to $1,750 each for U.S. residents to present their research at the European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID) XI Annual Meeting, October 21-24, 2004, in Versailles, France. Information about the ESID meeting and instructions for submitting an abstract are available at <http://www.esid2004. org/>. Information about USIDNET and applications for the travel grant are available at <http://www.usidnet.org/>. Applications must be received by September 22nd, 2004, and must be accompanied by: 20 AugustPDF.pmd AAI • An ESID abstract • Notice of abstract acceptance for the ESID meeting • Letter of support from applicant’s department head • A 500-word statement outlining career goals • Curriculum Vitae or educational resumé Selected applicants will be notified by September 27, 2004, and will receive up to $1,750 USD for travel and accommodations to the 2004 ESID Meeting. Applications should be directed to: USIDNET, Attn: Tamara Brown, Medical Programs Manager, 40 W. Chesapeake Ave., Suite 308, Towson, MD 21204; Phone: 410.321.6647, Ext. 211; Fax: 410.321.9165; E-mail: tbrown@usidnet.org. NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Program Program Cycle Opens Sept. 1 The NIH offers a loan repayment opportunity for persons with doctoral degrees who are conducting research or have the potential of doing so. The extramural loan repayment programs at the National Institutes of Health allow recipients to receive up to $35,000 per year toward paying off their education debt. In exchange, participants make a two-year commitment to allocate 50% of their time toward an emphasis on specific fields of research or populations including clinical, pediatric, clinical research for disadvantaged, contraception and infertility, and health disparties. They also have an opportunity to renew after two years. The program is designed to allow participants to be less concerned about the financial debt they are carrying and to stay in, or consider entering into, research. September 1, 2004, marks the start of a new program cycle. A complete description of each program may be found at http:// www.lrp.nih.gov/about/extramural/intro.htm and details concerning eligibility are posted at http://www.lrp.nih.gov/about/ extramural/eligibility.htm. Robert Wood Johnson Scholars Program Applications Due October 15 The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s 2004-2005 Health & Society Scholars Program will accept applications until October 15, 2004. The program is a two-year fellowship program designed to build the nation’s capacity for reserach, leadership, and action to address the broad range of factors affecting health. Outstanding individuals who have completed doctoral training in disciplines ranging from the behavioural, social, biological, and natural sciences to health professions are eligible. Up to 18 scholars will be selected to begin training in August or September 2005 at one of six nationally prominent universities, including Columbia University; Harvard University; University of California, San Newsletter 20 11/3/2004, 2:43 PM A UGUST 2004 Francisco and Berkeley; University of Michigan; University of Pennsylvania; and University of Wisconsin. The complete Call for Applications is available on the program’s Web site: <www.healthandsocietyscholars.org>. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care. The Foundation Web site can be visited at: <www.rwjf.org>. AAAS Announces 2005-2006 Science & Technology Fellowship Program Persons interested in the interaction of science, technology and government in the United States and around the world may wish to explore American Association for the Advancement of Science Science and Technology Policy Fellowship Program. Program participants work in Washington, D.C., and learn firsthand how the federal government operates and to help make decisions that result in national public policy. AAAS Science and Technology Policy fellowships have provided unique participatory public policy learning experiences for approximately 1,500 scientists and engineers in Congress and nearly a dozen executive branches in Washington, DC. Since the first group of seven Fellows was placed in Congressional offices in 1973, the success of the programs has grown tremendously, paving the way for even more Fellows to serve each year in an increasing array of offices and federal agencies. AAAS sponsors these programs to offer an opportunity for accomplished, societally-aware scientists and engineers from a wide array of disciplines to contribute scientific and technical information and external perspectives to the policy-making process, while learning how government works. Fellowships are open to AAAS members only. Applicants must have a PhD or an equivalent doctoral level degree from any physical, biological or social sciences, any field of engineering or any relevant interdisciplinary field. Individuals with a master's degree in engineering and at least three years of post-degree professional experience may apply. U.S. citizenship is required. Federal employees are not eligible. Stipends begin at $58,000. Applicants must have a PhD or an equivalent doctoral-level degree at the time of application. Individuals with a master's degree in engineering and at least three years of post-degree professional experience may also apply. Certain programs require additional experience. All applicants must be U.S. citizens. Federal employees are not eligible for the fellowships. The programs are designed to provide each Fellow with a unique public policy learning experience; to bring technical backgrounds and external perspectives to decision making in the U.S. government; and to demonstrate the value of science and technology in solving important societal problems. All Fellows participate in a rigorous orientation on the relevant congressional and executive branch operations and foreign affairs plus a yearlong seminar series on issues involving science, technology and public policy. All applications must be sent by Federal Express or another service that will guarantee delivery to AAAS by January 10, 2005. For more information, call 202/326-6700, e-mail science_policy@aaas.org or visit the AAAS Web site at http:// fellowships.aaas.org. The application booklet for the 2005-06 programs may be downloaded from the program website as of September 2004. Underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Get a GRIP: An AAI program designed to help new investigators prepare their NIH grant proposals AAI is pleased to offer a program to match new PI’s with established PI’s who have significant, successful grant writing careers. The Grant Review for Immunologists Program (GRIP) invites new PI’s to submit an outline or NIH-style abstract to the GRIP coordinator who, with the assistance of a small volunteer subcommittee, will attempt to match the topic of the proposal with the research experience of an established PI. Matches will be made as quickly as possible to allow new PI’s to meet up-coming NIH grant deadlines. Participation is strictly voluntary and is not intended to preclude internal mentoring programs. GRIP is now accepting both new PI and established PI participants. Please send your CV and a brief description of either your potential research project (new PI’s) or grant reviewing experience (established PI’s) to infoaai@aai.org (please write ‘GRIP’ in the subject line). Program details appear on our website at www.aai.org. AAI AugustPDF.pmd 21 11/3/2004, 2:43 PM Newsletter 21 www.aai.org MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS Sep. 6-13 FEBS International Summer School on Immunology -- The Immune System: Genes, Receptors, & Regulation, Ionian Village, Western Peloponese, Greece Contact: Dr. M. Papamichail, Center for Immunology, St. Savas Cancer Hospital, 171 Alexandras Ave., Athens 115-22, Greece * Tel: +30 210 640 9624/5 * Fax: +30 210 6409516 / 6420146 E-mail: papmail@hellasnet.gr * Web: http://www.ciic.gr Sep. 8-11 2004 APS Conference: Immunological and Pathophysiological Mechanisms in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Snowmass Village, CO * Web: http://www.the-aps.org Sep. 29 - Oct. 2 10th International TNF Superfamily Conference, Lausanne, Switzerland Organizer: Jurg Tschopp * Email: organizer@tnf2004.ch Web: www.tnf2004.ch Sep. 30-Oct. 3 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) 42nd Annual Meeting, Boston, MA -- Includes all-day symposium co-organized by The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) Web: http://www.idsociety.org Oct. 1-5 Molecular Targets For Cancer Therapy: Third Biennial Meeting, Don Ce Sar Beach Resort & Spa, St. Petersburg, FL Abstracts: via e-mail to GordonAC@moffitt.usf.edu or online Registration (limited to 300): via Fax (813) 745-3874 or online Web: http://www.moffitt.usf.edu/promotions/molecular_targets/ Oct. 3-7 1st International Conference on Basic and Clinical Immunogenetics, Budapest, Hungary Web: www.diamond-congress.hu/bci2004/ Oct. 10-15 3rd International Conference on Innate Immunity, Knossos Royal Village Conference Center, Crete, Greece Contact: John D. Lambris, Ph.D., Tel: +1.610.527.7630; Fax: +1.610.527.7631 * Email: Innate@aegeanconferences.org Web: http://www.aegeanconferences.org/3rdInnate Oct. 15-20 2nd International Conference on Pathways, Networks, and Systems: Theory and Experiments, Crete, Greece Tel: +1.610.527.7630; Fax: +1.610.527.7631 Web: http://www.aegeanconferences.org/ 2ndpathwaysnetworkssystems/ Oct. 21-23 The 10th Conference on Cancer Therapy with Antibodies and Immunoconjugates, Princeton, NJ Contact: h.drew@imedex.com Web: www.imedex.com/calendars/oncology.htm Oct. 21-25 Cytokines in Cancer and Immunity: Joint Conference of ICS and ISICR, San Juan, Puerto Rico Fax: (706) 228-4685 * E-mail: info@cytokines2004.org Web: www.cytokines2004.org Oct. 23-27 34th Annual Meeting, the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA Web: www.sfn.org/am2004 Oct. 26-30 American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting, Toronto, Ontario * Web: http://www.ashg.org/genetics/ashg/ ashgmenu.htm Oct. 30-Nov. 2 44th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Washington, DC Convention Center Web: http://www.icaac.org/ Nov. 3-7 4th International Congress on Autoimmunity, Budapest, Hungary Web: http://www.kenes.com/autoim2004/ Nov. 4-6 International Biology Days, CNIT, Paris La Defénse, France E-mail: comevent@wanadoo.fr Nov. 4-7 International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer: 19th Annual Meeting, The Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, CA Web: www.iSBTc.org Nov. 5-10 ThymUS '04, International Conference on Lymphopoiesis, T cell Differentiation, and Immune Reconstitution, Wyndham El San Juan Hotel & Casino, San Juan, Puerto Rico E-mail: ThymUS@thymus-conference.org Web: http://www.thymus-conference.org/ Dec. 4-8 American Society for Cell Biology 44th Annual Meeting, Washington, DC Web: http://www.ascb.org/meetings/ Oct. 20-25 2nd Gene Regulation in Lymphocyte Development Workshop Crete, Greece Tel: +1.610.527.7630; Fax: +1.610.527.7631 Web: http://www.aegeanconferences.org/2ndGeneRegulation/ 22 AugustPDF.pmd AAI continued, page 24 Newsletter 22 11/3/2004, 2:43 PM A UGUST 2004 SAVE SA VE THE DATES! AAI’s 2005 ANNUAL MEETING EB/IUPS 2005 2005 ® April 2 - 6 What: A multi-society, interdisciplinary, scientific meeting featuring plenary and award lectures, symposia, oral and poster sessions, career services, and exhibits of scientific equipment, supplies, and publications. This year the International Union of Physiological Sciences and its affiliated societies will join the EB sponsoring societies in hosting the meeting. Who: More than 16,000 independent scientists representing the sponsoring societies When: IUPS: March 31 - April 5 EB: April 2 - April 6 Where: San Diego Convention Center: San Diego, CA November 3, 2004 ◆ Abstract Submission Deadline Annual Meetings of: American Association of Anatomists (AAA) The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) The American Physiological Society (APS) American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP) American Society for Nutritional Sciences (ASNS) American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) Guest Societies and the Meeting of the: XXXV International Congress of Physiological Sciences March 31 - April 5 February 4, 2005 ◆ Early Registration Deadline February 21, 2005 ◆ Housing Deadline You can: • submit your abstract • register for the meeting • make your housing reservation by visiting the EB/IUPS 2005 Website at the following address: www.faseb.org/meetings/eb2005 Guest Societies: If you are not a member of a participating society and would like a paper copy of the Call for Abstracts, send a request either via email to eb@faseb.org or call (301) 634-7010. American Association of Veterinary Immunologists (AAVI) American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) American Federation for Medical Research (AFMR) American Society for Clinical Nutrition (ASCN) American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI) American Society for Matrix Biology (ASMB) American Society of Transplantation (AST) American Society for Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH) Association of Latin American Physiological Societies (ALACF) Association of Medical Laboratory Immunologists (AMLI) Association for Pathology Informatics (API) Behavioral Pharmacology Society (BPS) The Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Canadian Society for Immunology (CSI) Clinical Immunology Society (CIS) Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) International Society for Analytical and Molecular Morphology (ISAMM) International Society for Developmental and Comparative Immunology (ISDCI) International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research (ISICR) International Society of Neuroimmunology (ISNI) International Society for NeuroImmunoModulation (ISNIM) International Society for Stereology (ISS) International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS) and its affiliated societies Mexican Society of Immunology (MSI) The Microcirculatory Society (MCS) North American Vascular Biology Organization (NAVBO) PsychoNeuroImmunology Research Society (PNIRS) Pulmonary Pathology Society (PPS) Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (SEBM) Society for International Nutrition Research (SINR) Society for Leukocyte Biology (SLB) Society for Mucosal Immunology (SMI) Society for Natural Immunity (SNI) AAI AugustPDF.pmd 23 11/3/2004, 2:43 PM Newsletter 23 www.aai.org MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS Jan. 22-25 2005 Midwinter Conference of Immunologists at Asilomar, Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, CA, USA -- Conference limited to 650 attendees -- Registration deadline (without late fee): Friday, Nov. 19, 2004 -- Contact: Registrar: Ms. Kim Gurney, P.O. Box 642268, Los Angeles, CA 90064, Phone: (310) 390-4556; E-mail: kgurney5@aol.com * Web: www.midwconfimmunol.org Mar. 31 - Apr. 5 XXXV International Congress of Physiological Sciences: From Genomes to Functions (in conjunction with Experimental Biology 2005) -- San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA Web: http://www.iups2005.org/ Apr. 2-6 AAI Annual Meeting, in conjunction with Experimental Biology 2005 -- San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA Meeting abstract submission info. avail. Sept. 2004 Contact: EB@faseb.org Web: http://www.faseb.org/meetings/eb2005/default.htm May 12-16 5th Annual FOCIS (Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies) Meeting -- Westin Copley Place, Boston, MA Abstract deadline: January 10, 2005 Contact: FOCIS, 555 East Wells St., Ste. 1100, Milwaukee, WI 53202-3823 Web: http://www.focisnet.org June 18-22 The American Society for Virology (ASV) 24th Annual Scientific Meeting, University Park, Pennsylvania (Sponsor: Penn State University) Contact: Sidney E. Grossberg, Sec-Treas., ASV, Dept. of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 532260509 * Tel: (414) 456-8104 * Fax: (414) 456-6566 * E-mail: ASV@mcw.edu Web: www.mcw.edu/asv July 3-7 Connect 2005, the 12th National Convention of the Royal Australian Chemistry Institute (CACI), Sydney, Australia, Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour Web: www.pco.com.au/connect2005 Sep. 16-18 (2005) Ninth International Workshop on Langerhans Cells, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. Organized by Nikolaus Romani and Georg Stingl, Innsbruck and Vienna, Austria Web: www.lc2005.at IMMUNOLOGY Members in the News American Association of Immunologists (AAI) 9650 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20814 Email: mwcuddy@aai.org 24 AugustPDF.pmd AAI JOURNAL OF AAI is interested in the achievements of its members. If you have recently received an honor or award or have been elected to an honorary society or board (or know someone who has), please let us know. Send items to: THE Old copies of The JI gathering dust? Why not put them to good use? The Journal of Immunology is seeking copies of The JI from 1916 to 1969. If you have any of these journals in good condition and are willing to donate them, please contact: Kaylene Kenyon, Ph.D. Phone: 301-634-7823 E-mail: kkenyon@ji.faseb.org Newsletter 24 (cont’d) 11/3/2004, 2:43 PM A UGUST 2004 AAI AugustPDF.pmd 25 11/3/2004, 2:58 PM Newsletter 25 www.aai.org 26 AugustPDF.pmd AAI Newsletter 26 11/3/2004, 2:59 PM A UGUST 2004 Is your Directory listing correct? Update your online record anytime during the year. To update your online listing in the FASEB Directory of Members, visit www.faseb.org and click on Member Directory at the left or go directly to http://12.17.12.70/fasebdir Update your online listing Click the “Member Update” tab on the top right of the screen to make changes. Please note: There is a time delay between submitting revisions and their actual appearance online. AAI Jul-Aug-Post-Printer.pmd 27 1/26/2005, 12:37 PM Newsletter 27 www.aai.org AAI Annual Meeting 2004 Sponsors Experimental Biology (EB) 2004 -- April 17-24, W ashington, D.C. Washington, The American Association of Immunologists gratefully acknowledges the very generous support of its activities at EB 2004 through unrestricted educational grants from the following sponsors: American Association of Veterinary Immunologists (AAVI) -- Columbia, MO AAI-AAVI Symposium: Bioterrorism Threats to Animal Agriculture Amgen Inc. -- Thousand Oaks, CA The AAI President’s Address -- All’s well that ends well: cell fate decisions in lymphocytes Baker Institute for Animal Health -- College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY General meeting support BD Biosciences -- La Jolla, CA EB 2004 Meeting Bags AAI Reception AAI President’s Reception AAI-BD Biosciences Investigator Award and Lecture Bender MedSystems -- Vienna, Austria and San Bruno, CA AAI Junior Faculty Awards AAI Online Program Bristol-Myers Squibb Company -- New York, NY Distinguished Lecture -- Differential activation of subsets of CD4 T lymphocytes Cadmus Professional Communications -- Richmond, VA The Journal of Immunology Editorial Board Dinner and Meeting Centocor, Inc. -- Malvern, PA Special Symposium -- Masters of disaster: the IL12 cytokine family and its role in health and disease FASEB Career Resources/NIGMS MARC Program -- Bethesda, MD AAI Minority Scientist Travel Awards Genentech, Inc. -- San Francisco, CA The President’s Symposium -- Transcription factors that direct lineage commitment in lymphocytes Huang Foundation -- Rancho Santa Fe, CA AAI-Huang Foundation Meritorious Career Award AAI-Huang Foundation Trainee Achievement Awards The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International -- New York, NY Major Symposium B: Where tolerance goes awry Merck Research Laboratories -- Rahway, NJ General meeting support NIAID-NIH -- Bethesda, MD AAI-NIAID Symposium: Contemporary Topics in Immunology Special Symposium in Memory of Charles A. Janeway, Jr. Henry J. Showell -- Westbrook, CT Pfizer-Showell Travel Awards 28 AugustPDF.pmd AAI Newsletter 28 11/3/2004, 3:01 PM A UGUST 2004 The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) gratefully acknowledges BD Biosciences for its generous support of the 2004 AAI Annual Meeting at Experimental Biology (EB) 2004. The following were made possible through unrestricted educational grants from BD Biosciences: * EB 2004 Meeting Bags * AAI Annual Meeting Reception * AAI President’s Reception * AAI-BD Biosciences Investigator Award and Lecture AAI AugustPDF.pmd 29 11/3/2004, 3:02 PM Newsletter 29 www.aai.org Visiting Scientist Responsibilities • Visit minority institutions for periods of one or more days to present lectures and seminars of general and practical interests. • Provide advice on research, curriculum, and graduate opportunities. • Discuss career trends and opportunities in the biomedical/behavioral sciences. • Assist in the preparation and development of grant proposals. Peer Mentor Responsibilities • Attend selected scientific meetings to mentor and serve as a guide for undergraduate students attending the meetings. Activities to include but not limited to: giving advice, visiting poster and oral presentations, guided tours through the exhibit halls that will help enhance the experience of the attending student. • Give presentations on topics such as: ° Graduate school and/or postdoctoral experiences. ° Selecting the correct mentors and advisors. ° Staying motivated and committed to pursuing a career in life sciences. • Network with students to foster collaborative communications. Visits may be initiated by the Visiting Scientist, Peer Mentor or Host Institution. Follow-up visits by the scientists and peer mentors are encouraged. Visiting Scientist/Peer Mentor travel expenses and funds for necessary supplies, slides, reproduction, etc. are provided by the FASEB MARC Program. The visiting scientist or peer mentor must be an active member of one of FASEB’s Constituent Societies. Visit: http://www.faseb.org/faseb/societies.html (For Society List) Visit: http://ns2.faseb.org/vsp/vsmain.asp (For Complete Roster of Members) Visit: http://ns2.faseb.org/vsp/vspapp.asp (For an on-line application) FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT… Cheryl Wright, Program Coordinator Email: cwright@faseb.org Phone: 301-634-7109 30 AugustPDF.pmd AAI Newsletter 30 11/3/2004, 3:02 PM A UGUST 2004 The American Association of Immunologists 2005 Awards Call for Nominations/Applications AAI Excellence in Mentoring Award Established by AAI in 1997, this award recognizes the importance of the mentor-trainee relationship. A dedicated mentor can significantly influence a trainee’s successful development and career. Every year at the annual meeting, AAI honors a member’s contributions to the profession through outstanding mentoring. Deadline: 11/05/04 AAI-Huang Foundation Meritorious Career Award This award, established by the AAI in 1999 in partnership with the Huang Foundation, is intended to recognize a mid-career scientist for outstanding research contributions to the field of immunology. The awardee receives a $10,000 cash prize and travel to the AAI annual meeting for presentation of award lecture. Deadline: 11/05/04 AAI-BD Biosciences Investigator Award Since 1993, the AAI has recognized an early-career investigator who has made outstanding contributions to the field of immunology. Formerly known as the AAI-Pharmingen Investigator Award, this award has been co-sponsored since 1998 by BD Biosciences. The award includes a $3,000 cash prize and travel to the AAI annual meeting for presentation of award lecture. Deadline: 11/05/04 AAI Junior Faculty Travel Award Supported in part through an unrestricted educational grant from Bender MedSystems, this award offers a $500 cash prize to young investigators based on career promise and submission of a first-author abstract to the AAI annual meeting. AAI members and nonmembers are eligible. Awardees are notified before the meeting. Deadline: 12/06/04 Pfizer-Showell Travel Award Established in 1999 through an endowment from Henry J. Showell and Pfizer, Inc., this award recognizes the professional promise of an early career investigator (assistant professor or equivalent) by assisting the awardee with travel to the annual meeting to present immunology research. Selection is based on career progress and submission of an outstanding abstract selected for oral presentation at the meeting. Awardees are notified before the meeting. Deadline: 12/06/04 AAI Minority Scientist Travel Award Supported in part by a FASEB grant from the Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program, administered by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), NIH, this award provides eligible mentors, trainees*, and/or junior faculty members complimentary advance registration and travel support in connection with the AAI annual meeting. Two types of awards -- Faculty Mentor/Minority Trainee Award and Minority Trainee-to-JuniorFaculty Travel Award -- are available, with separate eligibility requirements for each. Awardees are notified before the meeting and must attend the meeting and award ceremony. Deadline: 12/06/04 AAI-Huang Foundation Trainee Achievement Travel Award Established in 1997 through an endowment from the Huang Foundation, this award offers promising trainees* in the field of immunology a $1,000 cash prize and support for travel to the AAI annual meeting. Selection is based on career promise and presentation of an outstanding first-author abstract at the meeting. Awardees are notified before the meeting. Deadline: 12/06/04 For complete 2005 AAI Award eligibility requirements and application instructions, visit <http://www.aai.org/Awards/default.htm>. * Requires submission of AAI Trainee Certification Form: <http://www.aai.org/Awards/PDFs/cert_form.pdf> AAI AugustPDF.pmd 31 11/3/2004, 3:02 PM Newsletter 31 www.aai.org SAVE SA VE THE DATES! AAI’s 2005 ANNUAL MEETING Experimental Biology 2005 April 2-6 • San Diego, CA www.faseb.org/meetings/eb2005 XXXV International Congress of Physiological Sciences March 31 - April 5 Look for complete meeting and abstract submission information in early September at <http://www.faseb.org/meetings/eb2005/default.htm>. THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF IMMUNOLOGISTS 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3994 32 AugustPDF.pmd AAI Newsletter 32 11/3/2004, 3:02 PM Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Bethesda, MD Permit 1126