Meeting Highlights - American Society for Cell Biology

ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
Crypts and Chaperones Star at
Celldance
Celldance and
Left to right: The
Celldance award
ceremony drew a large
crowd; CellSlam winner
Stan Cohn performed
a country-western DNA
replication love song.
Like the 1950s movie monster that ate Tokyo,
the single-celled organism Tetrahymena
thermophilia loomed above the audience.
The scanning electron
microscope image of the
CellSlam
organism garnered top
honors and $300 for
Aswati Subramanian of
Miami University, Ohio,
in the still image category
of Celldance 2009. In
Celldance video, first place
and $300 went to Angela
Stathopoulos, California
Institute of Technology,
for her film 2PEF Imaging
Captures Gastrulation in Fly
Embryos.
Celldance is the Public
Information Committee’s
cell biology film and picture
contest. The video contest
started in 2005, and the still
image category was added
in 2008. The 2009 winners’
reel is available at http://
tinyurl.com/celldance09.
Second in the Celldance
image category was Michael Shribak of the
Marine Biological Laboratory for “Sea Creature
Radiance,” a micrograph of the diatom
Arachnoidiscus. The diatom’s silicified cell wall
forms a pillbox-like shell called a frustule,
composed of overlapping halves that contain
intricate and delicate markings.
Graham Johnson of The Scripps Research
Institute won the third prize in still images for
“Protein Gymnasts,” which illustrates how the
folding pathway of a protein is altered by a
chaperone molecule. Johnson was also a winner
in the video category, taking second place for his
animation ATP Synthase.
An Honorable Mention in the still image
category went to Kaelyn Male of Duke
University Medical Center for “Cryptic
Colonic Mountainscape.” The micrograph
is a riot of colors that shows colonic crypts,
the intestinal stem cell niches that constantly
replenish the epithelial cell population, in an
adult mouse.
Third place in video recognized To
Paint a Van Gogh in 25 Minutes, by Dennis
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 ASCB NEWSLETTER
Breitsprecher of Hannover Medical School in
Hannover, Germany.
The Public Outreach Award in video went
to Duane Compton of Dartmouth Medical
School in Hanover, NH, for a humorous
short called Down the Impact Factor Ladder.
Honorable Mentions in video went to U. Serdar
Tulu of Duke University for Zipping Movie and
Emmanuel Derivery of the CNRS laboratories
in Gif-sur-Yvette, France, for Micromaindance
2009. Judging the video categories were Kip
Sluder, University of Massachusetts Medical
Center; Simon Atkinson, Indiana University
School of Medicine; David Burgess, Boston
College; Holly Goodson, Notre Dame
University; Laura Robles, California State
University, Dominguez Hills; Jean Sanger,
SUNY Upstate Medical University; and Pat
Wadsworth, University of Massachusetts.
Caroline Kane, University of California,
Berkeley; John Murray, University of
Pennsylvania; and Janet Iwasa, Harvard Medical
School, judged the still images. The three are PI
and co-PIs of the NIGMS grant for The Cell:
An Image Library, now under development.
The 2009 Celldance poster featured “The
Wizard of Arp” with singing lab mice dancing
down the yellow brick cytoskeleton. The
“Wizard” and the four previous Celldance posters
are available at http://tinyurl.com/celldance.
—John Fleischman
Stan Cohn’s Strand Cinches
CellSlam
DePaul University’s singing cell biologist Stan
Cohn stormed to his second consecutive title
as “The Winner” of CellSlam 2009, the Public
Information Committee’s juried, stand-up
science outreach slam. Wearing a floppy leather
cowboy hat and accompanying himself on the
jaw harp, Cohn brought down the house by
channeling the late country and western singer
Tammy Wynette in his version of her greatest
hit. Cohn’s “Stand by Your Strand” is so far the
world’s only love song told from the point of
view of replicating DNA.
“The Other Winner” in CellSlam 2009
was Melanie Stegman of the Federation of
American Scientists, who explained how
a doctorate in biology led to a successful
career designing video games. Joe Ramahi,
a graduate student at the University of
California, Davis, satisfied the judges with
his explanation of “What Am I Doing Here?”
23
ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
and came in third. Fourth place went to Will
Hancock of Pennsylvania State University,
who arrived in San Diego with a guitar pick
in his wallet and “The Ballad of Tom Pollard”
in his repertory.
The top winners received a CellSlam
“Charlie” award, a seven-inch-high Charles
Darwin bobblehead doll.
Once again, CellSlam was made possible by
Randy Hampton, University of California, San
Diego. Serving as emcee for the fourth straight
year, Hampton wowed the crowd with his banjo
playing and running patter.
Judging the contestants on their ability
to make science compelling for a theoretical
general audience were Tina Saey, who covers
biology for Science News, and Lauren Gravitz,
on assignment at the ASCB Annual Meeting
for Technology Review. Judging for the Public
Information Committee were members Rex
Chisholm, Holly Goodson, and Lee Ligon.
—John Fleischman
Education Minisymposium
U.S. changes in teaching undergraduate biology
were the focus of the first ever Education
Why the ASCB Annual
Meeting Schedule Changed
Did you attend the ASCB Annual Meeting in San Diego? If it wasn’t your
first, you likely noted some format changes along with the exciting science.
Many attendees enjoyed starting their day later, at 8:30 am instead of
8:00…with Minisymposia. Symposia, which formerly started the day, ran
concurrently in the afternoon. That made for tough choices, but a shorter
meeting day.
Why the changes? They were in response to past Annual Meeting survey
complaints about long days, early starts, and late closings. In 2009 some
attendees complained about the “gap” between Minisymposia and Symposia.
This interval was intended to allow for more time to visit posters and exhibits
and grab lunch, a common survey request. In response, in 2010, ASCB will
shorten the “gap” by 30 minutes; working groups, workshops, translational
sessions, and educational and career-focused sessions will also continue to be
featured then. A slightly later start for Symposia will provide more time for
transit, also requested by respondents.
2010’s format, like 2009’s but with minor tweaks, will ensure adequate
time to test the ASCB “experiment.” So continue to respond to ASCB
surveys. And ASCB will continue to respond to your suggestions. You can
also share concerns, compliments, and questions by writing ascbinfo@ascb.
org. The Society is your Society, focused on meeting your needs. n
24
Minisymposium, “Undergraduate Biology
Curriculum in the 21st Century,” organized by
Mark Rose, Princeton University, and Caroline
Kane, University of California, Berkeley. In
keeping with the recommendations of the
Bio2010 report (published by the National
Academies), integration and the maxim of
“teaching science the way we do science” were
overarching themes.
The underlying connection among the
many different approaches presented by the
Minisymposium speakers was a curriculum
that immerses students in the problemsolving done by research scientists daily. This
exploration and problem-solving require
application of math, chemistry, and physics
(traditionally taught as separate courses) to
biological questions in a biology curriculum.
While Bio2010 is the guide, each speaker’s
institution—ranging in size from 1,800 total
enrollees in all majors to 1,000 students in a
single class in a single quarter or semester—
has taken a novel approach. All speakers
expressed interest in having students “do”
science, not just learn vocabulary. The
different approaches generated a good deal
of discussion after each talk and after the
minisymposium itself.
Robert Lue of Harvard University reported
on a reorganized biology curriculum that
emphasizes “the porosity between majors” in
biology and the other sciences as well as math.
This major undertaking at Harvard engaged
senior faculty from several distinct departments.
They also developed, implemented, and
are now evaluating outcomes from a crossdepartment course series. The courses are
required for biological sciences majors (there
is an overlapping but distinct course series for
physical sciences majors). They also prepare
students for careers in the sciences, in or out of
research.
David Botstein from Princeton University,
along with senior faculty colleagues, has taken
an Honors approach to engage the subset of
students who are already interested in a research
career. These students also wish to pursue an
intensely integrated introductory math and
science program. In a quantitatively rigorous
curriculum from the start, mathematics and
statistics are integrated with physics, chemistry,
and biology. Students self-select into this
curriculum. As Botstein noted, “[Mere] coverage
is never a goal. We make scientists.”
ASCB NEWSLETTER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010
ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
In contrast, Malcolm Campbell from
Davidson College has developed a Systems
Biology/Bioengineering curriculum specifically
intended to capture the imaginations of
students from different backgrounds. In revising
the curriculum at Davidson, Campbell and
colleagues focused on five “big” ideas in biology:
information, evolution, cells, homeostasis, and
emerging properties. Mathematics is infused
within the curriculum rather than offered as
stand-alone courses for biology majors.
Sarah Elgin from Washington University
in St. Louis presented a genomics immersion
curriculum for freshmen and sophomores.
Students make original discoveries as a team
that completes the sequencing and mapping of
the fourth chromosome from many Drosophila
species. This approach again allows students
to apply quantitative science to a real research
problem. Even as they are learning to navigate
genetics, genomics, and biology, students have
the satisfaction of completing work of value to
the scientific research community.
Jennifer Roecklein-Canfield from the
Chemistry Department at Simmons College
has developed a research-integrated curriculum
that allows students to have “the pursuit of
knowledge through conceptualization.” Starting
in their sophomore year, students enter faculty
research laboratories in chemistry and biology
at the same time they take classroom courses.
Being engaged in research rather than cookbook
laboratories not only provides students context,
it also teaches the science as science is actually
done. Data are being collected to determine if
this approach leads to more students entering
and staying in scientific careers.
The final speaker was Lourdes Aleman
from the Office of Educational Innovation
and Technology at Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (MIT). Using the STAR
curriculum, Aleman employs virtual laboratory
exercises to bring research tools and thinking
into very large classes. The Star curricula are
designed to have students use the information
they are learning. Students also design and carry
out experiments as if they were in the laboratory
themselves. Genetics, structural biology, and
microarray analyses software are open access
and available through the MIT website. A cell
biology curriculum is also under development.
This inaugural Education Minisymposium
only touched on the new approaches to teaching
and learning biology at the college level. That
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 ASCB NEWSLETTER
Denise Drane (standing) chatted with attendees at the
Education Workshop.
an Education Minisymposium was part of
the ASCB Annual Meeting emphasizes the
importance that the ASCB puts on teaching.
The field clearly has a responsibility to prepare
future scientists and nonscientists to create and
use scientific information with imagination and
responsibility.
—Caroline Kane for the Education Committee
Education Workshop
Large “gateway” undergraduate science courses
play a critical role in the curriculum of many
colleges and universities. The large size of
these courses, however, can pose a challenge in
fostering personalized and effective learning.
Similarly, developing students’ critical thinking
skills may prove difficult in these settings.
Retention of students can also be problematic,
depressing the number of students majoring in
science, engineering, and mathematics.
At the Education Workshop, Gregory Light
and Denise Drane described the Gateway
Science Workshop (GSW), an effective adjunct
to these courses. Slides from their presentation
are available at www.northwestern.edu/searle/
research/publications-and-presentations/
presentations.html#tab6. The GSW program,
coordinated by the Searle Center for Teaching
Excellence at Northwestern University,
was developed with several goals in mind.
Among these were fostering the retention of
underrepresented students; advancing cuttingedge learning; increasing the number of science,
technology, engineering, and math majors;
and engaging students in conceptual problemsolving and collaborative group work.
Students in several gateway science,
engineering, and mathematics courses, including
introductory biology, introductory and organic
chemistry, and physics, have the option of
participating in the GSW program. About
Annual
Meeting
Lost &
Found
ASCB has a few unclaimed
items from the Annual
Meeting. If you misplaced
an item during the
meeting, please contact
Director of Meetings
Trina Armstrong at 301347-9325 or via email at
tarmstrong@ascb.org. n
25
ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
20% of students in the courses participate—
ASCB members interested in learning
approximately 1,600 individual students to date more about the GSW model can visit www.
in about 10,000 GSW “seats” (the same students northwestern.edu/searle.
may participate in the program as an adjunct
—Linda Silveira, Redlands University
to multiple courses). Students in the workshop
meet with trained peer facilitators to work
Education Initiative Forums
collaboratively on rich, conceptual scientific
This year’s two forums, slotted between
problems. Students also participate in a Science
afternoon Symposia at the ASCB Annual
Café, in which faculty discuss their research
Meeting, were standing room only. The
interests with students. In the Science Research
Education Committee selects speakers annually
Workshop, students are encouraged to propose
for these sessions to highlight teaching
research questions and approaches. They submit innovations.
a proposal that, if successful, can be pursued as a
summer research project.
An “X-Treme Makeover” of Intro Biology
Drane explained the rigorous assessment
Courses
conducted to measure the GSW program’s
How can we help students retain what they learn
effectiveness. They found that GPA-adjusted
from one semester to the next…and gain some
course grades were higher for workshop
understanding of what biologists do? David
participants than they were for nonparticipants.
Matthes described how his collaborative team
Retention for both underrepresented and
at the University of Minnesota did just that. He
majority students was significantly improved
addressed the team’s “X-treme Makeover” of
among participating students. Students and
their introductory biology courses for majors in
peer facilitators in the GSW program reported
the College of Biological Sciences in “Stepping
they were satisfied or highly satisfied with the
Away from the Podium: Transforming Biology
program. Students responded that they had
Majors’ Introduction to the Foundations of
become more confident and valued reviewing
Biology by Engaging Them as Colleagues.”
the course material, seeing how others thought,
Matthes and colleagues realized that
and gaining insight into relationships between
although their program used leading biology
different aspects of the course material.
educators, good textbooks, and useful laboratory
During the presentation at the Education
experiences, the students seemed not to retain
Workshop, attendees had the
opportunity not only to learn
Exhibit Hall
about the key features of the GSW,
but to consider the application of
those features to their own teaching
challenges. Each table group shared
their learning goals for their own
students and identified barriers to
achieving these goals. Light then
explained the pedagogical features
that the GSW developers had found
to be critical in overcoming learning
barriers: small collaborative groups,
peer leaders, a focus on solving
problems, and concentration on
advanced conceptual material. Table
groups worked to identify important
aspects of problem construction,
peer learning, and collaborative
learning. They also brainstormed
about how these approaches could be
implemented in a variety of settings.
Settings ranged from large lectures, to
labs, to homework assignments.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 ASCB NEWSLETTER
2009 ASCB
Annual Meeting
attendees visited
hundreds of
exhibitors and
posters in the
Exhibit Hall.
27
ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
Eva Gluenz discussed virtual labs at
the Education Initiative Forum.
28
any of the “learning” from one semester to the
next. Nor did the students appear to understand
anything about what a biologist does. The group
investigated some of the current scholarship of
teaching and learning to get ideas for improving
the students’ experience. In particular they
focused on two aspects:
n The first, Bloom’s taxonomy of learning
(remembering/understanding/applying/
analyzing/evaluating/ creating), describes
a progression of levels of mastery, each
qualitatively more intellectually important
than the one before. The traditional
classroom experience seldom evoked more
than the second level from the students.
n The second was the “scale-up” classroom
developed in the Physics Department at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology for its
“Workshop Physics” model. When adapted
to “Workshop Biology,” students learn in a
physical and intellectual context that elicits
the kind of engagement found in a research
laboratory.
Using evolution as the overarching context,
students develop foundational skills needed in
all their future courses. At the same time they fit
the new knowledge into an overarching concept
map that stays with them in future courses. The
two-semester sequence includes four hours of
“concept laboratory” each week as well as several
hours of “research laboratory.” In concept lab
students work both individually and in teams
of nine; the renovated classroom has 13 round
tables equipped to facilitate computer use and
discussion. The subject matter during the first
semester centers around evolution and genetics.
For a project, the teams each propose the
genetic modification of an organism to solve a
significant problem. In the second semester the
course introduces central concepts in ecology,
cell biology, and biochemistry.
Each week in concept lab the students take
a short quiz to be sure that they completed
the assigned reading. While the quiz is being
corrected, teams take the quiz together. The
students engage in discussion about answers
where they disagree. The rest of the two-hour
session is spent on brief periods of lecture
(adapted to address areas of confusion), activities
among the teams, and a summary debriefing.
The other concept laboratory meeting each
week involves more open-ended team activities
and work on a semester-long project. With
only 13 teams, the two instructors and one
teaching assistant can easily circulate and offer
meaningful feedback.
During the first semester research lab is
in two three-hour blocks per week, and the
activities progress from introduction to the
various tools and methods of experimental
design to more open-ended problems designed
to reinforce concepts in that week’s concept
laboratory. In the second semester authentic
research projects linked to research in faculty
labs are designed and carried out; here most of
the in-lab time is self-scheduled by students in
an open lab staffed by undergraduates who have
previously taken the course.
Clearly this model depends on effective
group dynamics. To that end the teams are
assigned by faculty and constructed to be
permanent for the entire semester and diverse.
Each team member is tasked with evaluating the
others as part of the final grading. The goal is
for the instructors to serve as “guide on the side”
rather than “sage on the stage,” helping students
become responsible for constructing their own
understanding. To convince the students that
they are making progress, they are asked at the
end of each week to reflect on “What did I
do this week that increased my knowledge of
biology?” These ungraded entries help students
articulate ideas, while giving useful, ongoing
feedback to the instructor team.
The University of Minnesota has been able
to deliver this program to a maximum of about
230 students in each course each semester, but
has plans to expand capacity to meet demand.
Preliminary results indicate that students
completing this course are well prepared for
their subsequent upper-division course work.
—Mary Lee Ledbetter for the Education
Committee
Using “Virtual Labs” in African Workshops
Are your resources for wet labs limited? Are you
looking for alternatives to using case studies for
teaching, particularly for undergraduates? You
may be intrigued by a method of teaching cell
biology presented by Eva Gluenz, a postdoctoral
fellow at Oxford University.
Gluenz was a member of a team of cell
biologists who traveled to Ghana to conduct
an ASCB workshop on the “Cell Biology of
Protozoan Pathogens” (see November 2009
ASCB Newsletter). This workshop was part
of an ongoing ASCB international initiative,
funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New
ASCB NEWSLETTER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010
ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
questions of the four-member panel
for two hours. This was followed by
one-on-one networking for those
remaining after the session.
The workshop panelists, all of
whom began their careers as research
scientists, represented a wide array of
career choices. They included Jennifer
ASCB Annual
Waters, Harvard University; Amy
Meeting
attendees at a
Greenwood, The Boston Consulting
variety of events
Group; Anthony Pelletier, The Bishop’s
in San Diego
School; and Connie Yarian, QIAGEN.
Speakers first discussed how
they made the transition to a career
outside of academic research. Then
they addressed what their day-today activities now encompass. Many
questions from the audience centered
on how to transition to nonacademic
careers, especially considering that
many companies have frozen hiring.
Highlights of the panel’s
recommendations included:
n Make sure to talk to people who represent
York. The initiative, spearheaded by the ASCB
the careers you’re interested in. All panelists
International Affairs Committee and under the
stressed that learning more about a possible
leadership of Dick McIntosh, seeks to provide
career can’t hurt and may even lead to a job
students and faculty in sub-Saharan Africa with
offer!
new methodologies in learning and teaching cell
n Don’t be afraid to change your career
biology. The intent is for them to incorporate
dramatically. Pelletier spoke about his
the new methodologies and knowledge in their
transition from industry science at
own research and educational activities.
Genentech to teaching secondary students
Gluenz’s presentation, entitled “Teaching in
at The Bishop’s School. Though the two
Africa: Interactive Teaching of Experimental
positions are near polar opposites, he is just
Design and Data Anaylsis,” provided an
as happy in his new position as he was in his
overview of how the group used “virtual labs” to
old one.
teach cell biology. These virtual labs were used
n As soon as you identify a target career,
in lieu of wet labs. They allowed the group to
start tailoring your experiences to match
introduce techniques, such as two-dimensional
the requirements. Yarian indicated that
electrophoresis, and provide the students with
jobs are available even in this challenging
actual data to analyze. The use of these virtual
environment, and those jobs will be more
labs allowed participants to work through
accessible to those with a résumé that sells
complex research questions and analyze real data
itself.
to which they would otherwise not have access.
—Shawn Galdeen for the Education Committee
—Triscia W. Hendrickson for the Education
Committee
30
Postdoc Workshop
K–12 Science Education Workshop
The diversity of career options available to
young scientists is daunting without some
guidance. For the third consecutive year, the
ASCB Subcommittee on Postdoctoral Training
presented a workshop to provide information
about various career options: “Getting Out of
the Box: Transitioning to a Career outside of
Academic Research.” Over 300 attendees asked
What could be more frustrating? Your
laboratory lesson plan is ready. There are
exciting organisms, tissues, or cells for your
students to examine. But much lab time is lost
because students can’t find the specimens on
their slides. Or maybe you are frantically trying
to keep each microscope and all its lenses as one,
unscratched unit. Yet a few overly eager students
ASCB NEWSLETTER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010
ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
with a hand on the coarse adjustment knob send
the high-magnification lens directly into the
coverslip and slide. Glass shards fly all around
the lab bench.
There simply are not enough clones of you
to provide each student the tutoring needed for
successful operation of a compound microscope
before class ends. Because the experience leaves
both students and instructors frustrated, the
microscopes don’t get used very often. Thus,
many students miss becoming awestruck by
the beauty and intricacy of microscopic living
organisms. By the time selective amnesia has
taken over and you are willing to bring the
microscopes out of the cupboard once more, it
is the same story all over again.
The VirtualUrchin project is just what
is needed. These open-access, interactive
tutorial videos (http://virtualurchin.stanford.
edu/index.html) are being developed by
Stanford University’s David Epel and Pam
Miller. The National Science Foundation–
funded tutorials are designed primarily for
use in high school laboratories. A selection of
tutorials was demonstrated at the K–12 Science
Education Workshop “No More Eyelashes and
Air Bubbles…New Ways to Use Microscopes
in High School Labs.” Many college-level
instructors were in attendance.
The VirtualUrchin series includes modules
on basic microscope parts and set-up,
measurements using microscopes, specimen
comparison, and comparison of images
obtained with various modes of microscopy.
In the tutorials students have control of the
microscope; they are provided immediate audio
and visual feedback on whether their actions
indicate understanding of correct usage, or
would result in not being able to see the image,
or would damage the instrument. Students
are not allowed to move on to the next frame
until all necessary actions have been completed
correctly. Added menu features include pop-up
information on the concept behind the material
on the page, misconceptions, and history. To get
more consistent student proficiency and make
more efficient use of precious lab time, (and
protect teacher sanity), students can be given
a homework assignment. The assignment can
require completion of one or more tutorials with
the virtual microscopes before a class period
where they handle the real thing.
Epel and Miller invited workshop attendees
to work through Microscope Measurement as a
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 ASCB NEWSLETTER
group to get a feel for the tutorial. Preliminary
assessment of the effectiveness of the modules
indicates that students who learn the material
with the virtual microscope do significantly
better on an in-class test than students who
have learned the material in a live class. The
test involves measuring and estimating the size
of specimens in the microscope. Students using
virtual microscopes are able to do this faster.
Other modules, such as Lab Bench and
Virtual
Ocean, allow
students to
learn correct
wet lab skills
and do virtual
experiments
around
a model
of ocean
acidification.
While
Undergraduates who took part in the Undergraduate Poster Session gathered
the target
beforehand for a group photograph.
audience is
high school
students, several in attendance at the workshop
noted that the modules would be a useful review
for some introductory biology lab students as
well.
—Sue Wick for the Education Committee
Undergraduate Program and Poster
Session
The audience was enthralled by the lecture
on “Worming Out Functions of Septins in
Neurons,” given by Fern Finger, Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute. Now in its third year, the
Undergraduate Program attracted more than
200 undergraduate presenters and faculty, and
other ASCB attendees, to its featured seminar
and undergraduate poster session.
Finger introduced why septin proteins
are of immense medical interest: because of
their established links to both cancer and
neurodegenerative diseases. She then explained
why Caenorhabditis elegans and its nervous
system serve as a powerful model organism in
which to study septin biology and pathobiology.
She also provided several examples of how
work from her lab is providing clues to how
septins help neurons carry out their normal
function. Her work also offers suggestions on
why mutations can contribute to pathology in
human disease.
31
New Trends in Microscopy & Immunohistochemistry
61st Annual Meeting
The Histochemical Society
AND
HCS Annual Course in
Immunohistochemistry
March 23-26, 2010
March 21-23, 2010
The Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA
3D Imaging Technologies:
Bridging the Gap
Between Light and Electron Microscopies
Breakthroughs in new 3D imaging technologies and the tools
(i.e. reagents as well as preservation and instrumentation
methodologies for subcellular and molecular level studies) required to achieve their full potential and advance cell biology.
Organized by
Eduardo Rosa-Molinar, Ph.D., Univ of Puerto Rico.
Mark A. Sanders, Ph.D., Univ of Minnesota.
Plenary Sessions:
Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry Plenary lecture:
Live cell imaging of insulin secretion mechanisms.
David Piston, Vanderbilt Univ.
Tailoring Fluorescent Dyes for Imaging.
Luke Lavis, HHMI Janelia Farms.
Nanoparticle labels for co-localization at high
spatial resolution.
Ralph Albrecht, Univ of Wisconsin.
Imaging Modalities & Techniques - Meeting Sessions:
� Imaging Modalities & Techniques (IMT) 1: Confocal &
�
�
�
Interference Microscopies
IMT 2: Non-Linear Microscopies
IMT 3: Transmission Electron Microscopies
IMT 4: Scanning Electron Microscopies
Sessions include invited speakers and those chosen from
submitted abstracts. Abstracts for posters related to the
general theme of the meeting or general topics of histochemistry and cytochemistry are welcome.
Immunohistochemistry & Microscopy:
A Hands-on Short Course
An integrated intensive course emphasizing the basic understanding of the principles and methods with practical
information on using IHC in the laboratory. Intended for scientists working in research laboratories looking to expand
their techniques and knowledge of IHC.
Organized by
William L. Stahl, Ph.D., Univ of Washington.
Eduardo Rosa-Molinar, Ph.D., Univ of Puerto Rico.
Denis G. Baskin, Ph.D., VA Puget Sound Med. Ctr. and
Univ of Washington.
Course Topics
� Acquiring and validating image authenticity
� Amplication methods
� Controls
� Double labeling and co-localization strategies
� Visualization techniques by light and
uorescent microscopy
� Overview of electron microscopy IHC
� Antigen retrieval
� Troubleshooting
Laboratory Topics
� Labeling
� Antigen retrieval
� Direct & indirect staining
� Visualization techniques
Short Course registration fee includes three
nights accommodations, meals and refreshments.
� One full registration scholarship available from HCS
�
Meeting registration fee includes three nights accommodations, meals, refreshment breaks and banquet.
� One day registration is available.
� Travel and achievement awards available.
�
Abstract Deadline: January 22, 2010
Early Registration Deadline: February 26, 2010
For information about meeting and course, please visit
website or contact:
William L. Stahl, wlstahl@u.washington.edu
Meg McGough, mmcgough@histochemicalsociety.org
Awards Deadline: January 8, 2010
For award information, please visit website or contact:
Tanda Jaipean, tjaipean@histochemicalsociety.org
www.histochemistry2010.org
http://immunohistochem.com
ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
Finger’s simple, elegant, and clear talk
produced a long and lively question-andanswer session that was cut short by time,
not interest. Finger won high praise from the
undergraduates, exemplified by this student
comment: “This was a really excellent, welldone presentation. Dr. Finger was well spoken,
well organized, and she dealt with the topic at a
level to give background to the unfamiliar while
not boring students, like me, with a background
in the organism.”
Following the lecture, about 60
undergraduates from around the world presented
their posters to each other and to other ASCB
attendees. Most were first-time presenters at a
national or international meeting; many planned
to pursue graduate school. This session offered
them an outstanding opportunity to practice
their posters before the main meeting. Ahmad
Suhain Khazali, a senior undergraduate presenter
from Rochester Institute of Technology, noted,
“It allowed me to get some comments about
my research from the experts and get some
suggestions to improve my research. It was also
interesting to meet other undergraduate students
and see what they were doing at their schools.
Also, some people were trying to recruit me for
graduate school during the poster session.”
Keith Solvang, a junior undergraduate from
Lake Forest College, added, “Attending ASCB
allowed students, like myself, who are planning
on a career in medicine, to see the true potential
of research. The diversity of topics sparked
my interest, and it has made me think about
applying to an MD/PhD program so that I
can help with patient care and truly be at the
forefront of medicine, helping find the newest
treatments for human disease.”
—Shubhik DebBurman for the Education
Committee
Bruce Alberts Award for Excellence
in Science Education
“We totally made the right decision this year,”
commented Education Committee Chair
Caroline Kane after presenting the 2009 award
to both Manuel Berriozábal of University of
Texas at San Antonio and Toby Horn of the
Carnegie Institution for Science. Both awardees
gave short talks highlighting their impressive
educational accomplishments.
Berriozábal presented “Advancing Science
Literacy among Underrepresented Minorities.”
He described the Prefreshman Engineering
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 ASCB NEWSLETTER
Program (PREP) that he founded in 1979 to
disprove a comment from a local newspaper
article: “The Mexican-American Community
Is Not Where Engineers Come from Anyway.”
PREP is a six- to-eight week summer
enrichment program for middle and high school
students who are underrepresented in college
engineering programs. It focuses on abstract
reasoning and mathematical
learning skills as well as offers
a career awareness component,
Berriozábal explained. Now
a statewide program, PREP
has enrolled 28,000 students
who have completed between
one and three summers of
the program. Berriozábal
concluded his remarks by
detailing related success
measures for the program.
Left to right: Toby Horn, Caroline Kane, and Manuel
These included participants’
Berriozábal at the Alberts Award presentation
99.9% high school graduation
and 84% college graduation
rates.
Horn discussed “A Creative, Rewarding
Career Pathway for Scientists: Teaching Precollege Science.” She began by stating, “I am
here because of mentoring.” Her motivation for
promoting a passion for science among students
derives from her mentoring. And in describing
her career path, she urged the scientific
community to take the “Alternative” out of
“Careers for Science Graduates” to expand the
options for those interested in science.
Horn went on to address the question of
why scientists should become involved in
teaching: to offer not only a deep understanding
of scientific concepts, but also of scientific
processes—like analyzing data. Whether in the
classroom, or in larger program development,
scientists can be effective and influential
educators, Horn demonstrated. As co-director
of the Carnegie Academy for Science Education,
Horn has been involved in various educational
programs in partnership with Washington, DC,
public schools. She discussed in detail the goals
for one of those programs: DCBiotech. The
program opened the wonderful world of science
to DC kids through professional development
opportunities for teachers, biotech industry
intern experiences for students, and loaner lab
equipment and materials for the high school
classroom.
—Elisa Stone, University of California, Berkeley
33
ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
High school students listened intently to Sandra
Schmid’s presentation.
High School Program
Aspiring young scientists who attended the
ASCB High School Program were treated to
a spirited presentation by ASCB PresidentElect Sandra Schmid, The Scripps Research
Institute. This year’s program was informative,
understandable, and challenging all at once.
Although students in the audience had varied
scientific backgrounds, they were all able to
understand the research that Schmid presented.
That’s because she delivered her message
with humor, understandable language, and
excellent images. Schmid’s CSI (Cell Science
Investigations) team continues to elucidate
how clatherin-mediated endocytosis (CME)
functions to determine which molecules enter
cells. Schmid was able to relay the scientific
story of her lab’s investigation in a way that had
great personal interest for the students.
Schools like mine—Sidwell Friends School
in Washington, DC—are especially grateful for
ASCB’s continued support of education and
Minorities Affairs Committee Events
Top left: 2010 MAC Chair Renato Aguilera
congratulated MAC Poster Competition
Winner Victoria Tate; top right: MAC member
Michael J. Leibowitz with Ghislaine Mayer
at the poster session; bottom left: 2009
MAC members and ASCB staff with MAC
Mentoring Keynote Speaker and past MAC
Chair Lydia Villa-Komaroff (with plaque)
34
education outreach. The High School Program
is always a highlight for my students who travel
annually to the ASCB Annual Meeting. The
fact that so many teachers and students attend
on a Sunday afternoon speaks to the success of
this offering. Not only are the scientific talks
fascinating, but the dialogues during and after
these sessions are eye-openers for students. After
the presentation, my students always enjoy
spending time in the Exhibit Hall. Invariably,
the exhibitors are friendly and welcome the
students. They are also willing to spend time
answering questions about product development
and career paths.
—Melanie Fields, Sidwell Friends School
MAC Activities
Just do it over, over, and over—until you get
it, Lydia Villa-Komaroff urged attendees at
the ASCB Annual Meeting Minorities Affairs
Committee (MAC) Mentoring Symposium’s
Opening Plenary. Nearly 200 participants,
including 65 ASCB MAC Travel Awardees,
attended the Symposium. Villa-Komaroff, of
Cytonome/ST, encouraged her audience and
shared several moving anecdotes and quotes.
Two that were particularly meaningful for
scientists and scientists-in-training were “you
have to think for yourself,” and “there are no
failures—just lessons repeated until you get it.”
In keeping with a traditional mode of
training and focus on encouragement, the
MAC sponsored two stimulating, educational
sessions during the afternoon portion of the
Symposium. “Welcome to the Land of Muckity
Muckdom, or What You Don’t Know Will Hurt
You!” was geared toward undergraduate and
graduate students. Presented by MAC member
Deborah Harmon Hines for a second year, the
session focused on two important subjects:
professionalism and manners. Attendees
again raved about the presentation; several
commented that Harmon Hines’s delivery
was both very funny and serious. She is at the
University of Massachusetts Medical School.
“Case Study Teaching: From the Bench to
the Classroom?” was the topic of the other
session. It was held concurrently with the
Harmon Hines presentation and cosponsored
by the ASCB Education Committee. This
session was designed to help postdocs and
junior faculty place cell biology in context
and learn how using case studies of real-world
problems could enhance interdisciplinary
ASCB NEWSLETTER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010
Microscope Automation Systems
More than 60 different motorized stages
12 different programmable filter wheels
33 focus drives
Hundreds of specimen holders
High stability piezo focus
Industry standard MAC 6000 controller
=
The best solution for your
automation requirements
“Achieve results with accuracy and precision that you may have never thought possible with a conventional microscope.”
Ludl
Electronic
Products Ltd.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 ASCB NEWSLETTER
171 Brady Avenue • Hawthorne, NY 10532 USA
888-769-6111 • www.ludl.com • sales@ludl.com
35
ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
2009 MAC Poster
Winners
Undergraduates
First Place: Victoria
Tate, National Institute
of Arthritis and
Musculoskeletal and Skin
Diseases, NIH
Second Place: Danjuma
Quarles, Whitworth
University
Third Place: LaQuinte
Brinson, Clayton State
University
Graduate Students
First Place: Timothy Raines,
North Carolina A&T State
University
Second Place: Joy Agee,
University of Alabama,
Huntsville
Third Place: Maisel Caliva,
University of Hawaii,
Manoa
Postdoctoral Fellows
First Place: Carmelo Carmona
Rivera, National Human
Genome Research Institute,
NIH
Second Place: Raquel Raices,
City of Hope
Third Place: Roslyn Crowder,
University of Pennsylvania
Faculty
First Place: Shanta Hinton,
Hampton University
Second Place: Ghislaine
Mayer, Virginia
Commonwealth University
Third Place: Selwyn Williams,
New York City College of
Technology, CUNY
36
learning. Experts in case study development
provided relevant examples that could be used
in large lectures, small seminars, and lab classes
for both biology majors and nonmajors. MAC
member Wilfred F. Denetclaw, Jr., organized
and introduced workshop leaders, Katayoun
Chamany, Eugene Lang College, The New
School for Liberal Arts; Jonathan Knight,
San Francisco State University; and Kimberly
Tanner, San Francisco State University.
A poster session followed the workshop,
where over 55 posters were reviewed by a
distinguished panel of judges. Poster winners
were notified of their winning status during
the annual MAC Awards Luncheon. Extensive
interaction and networking was enjoyed by
MAC Poster Competition presenters, judges,
the MAC, MAC Visiting Professors, Linkage
Fellows, and other attendees.
This year’s E.E. Just Lecture was presented
by Jerrel Louis Yakel, National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences, National
Institutes of Health (NIH). Yakel’s talk, entitled
“Nicotinic ACh Receptors in the Brain;
Structure, Function and Role in Disease,” was
well received. Yakel—who was selected by
the MAC—also attended the MAC Awards
Luncheon and encouraged students with words
of inspiration.
The Educational Resources/MAC Booth was
busy as usual, with networking, presentations,
and information dissemination. The Booth
featured several informal presentations with
topics such as, “Obtaining Research Funding
at a Small Undergraduate Institution,” and
“Activities that Enhance Career and Graduate
School Opportunities for Undergraduates.”
The MAC-sponsored Welcome Suite, in its
third year, was again a big hit among attendees.
It was the place for networking, opportunitysharing, making dinner connections, and for old
friends to meet and new friendships to begin.
—Deborah McCall
2009 ASCB Public Service Award
“Larry is my model for the scientist-advocate.”
Even before introducing himself, ASCB Public
Policy Chair Tom Pollard let everyone know
how he felt about longtime ASCB member
and Public Policy Committee member Larry
Goldstein, the recipient of the 2009 ASCB
Public Policy Service Award.
The Society recognized Goldstein for his
“longstanding influence on public policies
Public Service Award
Left to right: Larry Goldstein received the
2009 ASCB Public Service Award from
Public Policy Committee Chair Tom Pollard
for his longstanding influence on public
policies affecting biomedical research.
affecting biomedical research, advocacy
for strong support for basic research free
from political intervention, and articulate
communication of the value of science.”
Calling the ASCB his intellectual home,
Goldstein began by thanking the ASCB, its
founders, and leaders and praising it for being
what a professional society should be. Goldstein
said the ASCB “defines the role a society can
have” both in the lives of scientists and their
community. He challenged all members of the
biomedical research community to become
involved in science advocacy. Goldstein said the
most important lesson he had learned is that all
members of the scientific community need to be
involved.
“Every single one of us has a responsibility
to actively interact with the public and the
government,” Goldstein continued. “If you
think about it, in order for us to practice our
science, we require funding, from the public;
we require public acceptance; [and] we require
thoughtful regulation that doesn’t put us out
of business. And the only way to insure those
things is to be sure that we all as a community
engage actively.”
Goldstein went on to talk about some of
the lessons he has learned as a science advocate.
Most importantly, he said, “one can be a serious
academic, cell biologist or [other] scientist and
still interact with, gasp, politicians.”
Goldstein highlighted four important things
that he had learned as a science advocate:
1. Long-term interaction with the public and
Congress is critical.
2. Relationships with the staff of elected officials
ASCB NEWSLETTER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010
ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
are sometimes more important than with the
elected official.
3. You don’t have to have gray hair to make an
impact as an advocate.
4. Every bit of contact with government leaders
helps.
Goldstein closed his remarks by reminding
the audience that winning the award would not
mark the end of his career as an advocate for
science.
To view Goldstein’s entire remarks, go to
www.ascb.org/files/2009/Public%20Service%20
Award.wmv.
—Kevin M. Wilson
WICB Workshop on Negotiation
Strategies
How strong negotiation skills can build
relationships and create value was one of
the messages of the ASCB Annual Meeting
Women in Cell Biology Committee (WICB)
Workshop. As Professor and Chair of Cell
Biology at The Scripps Research Institute, I
shared what I learned in a 90-minute workshop
on “Negotiation Strategies.” The session was
attended by about 80 graduate students,
postdocs, and faculty members. Participants
learned how to create win-win outcomes from
negotiation strategies.
The most effective approach to negotiation
is a collaborative one, participants learned.
In this approach, parties work together to
identify underlying issues and find creative
solutions. However, under different situations
and with different purposes, it’s best either to
accommodate, avoid, compromise, or even to
compete rather than to win. Diagnosing the
situation and when to use which approach
is important. Discussion focused on how to
match approach to situation. Finally, the group
paired up, taking the role of either a newly hired
faculty member or her or his department chair
to negotiate a start-up package.
—Sandra Schmid for the WICB Committee
WICB Network Reception
Once again, the Women in Cell Biology
(WICB) Committee hosted a reception for
those interested in supporting the goals of the
WICB Committee. 2009 WICB Chair Ursula
Goodenough outlined WICB’s current activities
to the group and asked attendees to voice their
ideas and areas of interest. To learn more about
the WICB Network, go to www.ascb.org, click
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 ASCB NEWSLETTER
on “Committees,” “Women in Cell Biology,”
then “WICB Network.”
—Cheryl Lehr
WICB Career Discussion and
Mentoring Roundtables
The WICB Career Discussion and Mentoring
Roundtables (formerly the Career Lunch)
continued to be a highlight of the ASCB
Annual Meeting. For the first time, there
were over 700 people registered, reflecting the
continuing enthusiasm and growing response
of both attendees and table leaders. Some of
the increased attendance may also have been
related to moving the time slot from Noon to
2:00 so as not to conflict with poster sessions,
and allowing participants to attend for free, with
WICB Programs
Left to right: Sandy Schmid at the WICB Workshop, and participants in the
Career Discussion and Mentoring Roundtables
no lunch costs. (The quality of the box lunches
was always a problem, and their cost was an
impediment to some potential attendees.)
Table leaders included outstanding ASCB
scientists as well as generous representatives
from biotech, patent law, and scientific writing/
editing, heading a total of 70 roundtables. The
most popular topics continue to be Biotech and
Pharmaceuticals, Obtaining an Appropriate
Postdoc Position, Developing Your Career,
Job Application Strategies for Academic
Positions, Teaching and Research in Primarily
Undergraduate Institutions, and Scientific Writing
or Editing. International Postdocs Coming to the
U.S. was a very popular new topic this year.
In addition to the animated discussions
(“That’s a great idea” and “I didn’t realize you
could do that” were overheard more than once),
email addresses were exchanged by participants
for continued networking and mentoring. An
unofficial exit poll indicated that this year’s
Career Discussion and Mentoring Roundtables
37
ANNUAL MEETING Highlights
was the best yet. It was certainly a memorable
event for both table leaders and registrants.
—Sandra Masur for the WICB Committee
WICB Mentoring Theater
Learning to be an effective mentor can be a
messy and sometimes painful business. This
year’s Women in Cell Biology Committee
(WICB) Mentoring Theater (formerly the
Evening Program) featured three skits wherein
ASCB thespians Janet Rossant, Wallace
Marshall, Stephen Doxsey, Peter Jackson, and
Sandy Schmid amused attendees with some
delightfully “messed up” mentoring.
Caricature and a pinch of slapstick were used
to illustrate three challenging scenarios. “The
Nobel Prize Is Mine” portrayed a departmental
chair lacking the skills to convey constructive
criticism and an overly confident junior faculty
member who did not hear advice when it was
offered. In “I Am So Busy,” a graduate student
in need of improved time management skills
has become disruptive in the lab. A frustrated
PI bans her from outside activities. The final
short piece, “Millie’s Data,” presented a
stressed assistant professor concerned about
productivity for his grant renewal and tenure
decision. Attendees learned that he is counting
on the upcoming experiments of a bright and
productive postdoc named Millie. The anxious
professor is not prepared for the exciting news of
Millie’s pregnancy.
Following the skits, the diverse group of
thespian/mentors commented on issues raised
and fielded questions from the audience.
The central theme that emerged was the
importance of developing long-term mentoring
relationships, ideally several. Attendees learned
of the longstanding mentoring relationships
that have supported some highly successful
members of the scientific community. It
became clear that skillful behavior is important
on both sides of the mentoring relationship.
Moreover, the key role of the mentee in seeking
out and cultivating these relationships was
highlighted.
Other lessons learned: The cornerstone of a
good mentoring relationship is the ability to give
and receive constructive criticism. So mentors
and mentees alike should learn to listen well.
Mentors should focus on hearing what their
mentee needs; and mentees need to concentrate
on hearing what their mentor is trying to tell
them. The conclusion: There are many ways to
be skillful; do it your way and do it well. n
—Lynne Quarmby for the WICB Committee
The ASCB Appreciates Its
2009 Corporate Members
Gold
Roche Applied Science
Silver
Biogen/Idec
ChemoMetec A/S
Chroma Technology Corporation
DualSystems Biotech AG
EBioscience
Leica Microsystems, Inc.
Millipore Corporation
Thermo Scientific - Part of Thermo Fisher Scientific
Bronze
Corning Incorporated
Nikon Instruments, Inc.
Olympus America, Inc.
Veeco Instruments
38
ASCB NEWSLETTER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010
The ASCB Gratefully Acknowledges the Following 2009 Annual Meeting Supporters
Bristol-Myers Squibb
General Support
The Burroughs Wellcome Fund MAC Mentoring Symposium,
Poster Competition, and
Awards Lunch
Cadmus Communications, A Cenveo Company
MBoC Editorial Board Dinner
The Company of Biologists/ Predoctoral Student Travel Awards
Development, Disease Models &
Mechanisms, Journal of Cell Science
Chroma Technology Corporation Undergraduate Student Travel Awards
Cytoskeleton, Inc. Minisymposium 19: Cell Migration
Minisymposium 21: Mitosis and
Meiosis
Ellison Medical Foundation
Minisymposium 27: Cell
Senescence and Cell Death
Symposium 6: Movers and Shapers:
Nuclear Dynamics and Gene
Regulation
Elsevier
Childcare Awards
Garland Sciences-
Taylor & Francis Group
General Support
Leica Microsystems, Inc.
Symposium 7: Breaking the
Diffraction Barrier
Millipore Internet Kiosk Stations
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 ASCB NEWSLETTER
National Center for Research
Minisymposium 11: HostResources, NIH
Pathogen Interactions
Minisymposium 13: Nuclear Structure
National Institute of General
Minorities Affairs Committee
Medical Sciences, NIH
Activities
Nature Communications and
The EMBO Journal
Monday Morning Refreshment Break
Nature Communications and EMBO reports
Tuesday Morning Refreshment Break
Nature Communications and Molecular Systems Biology
Sunday Morning Refreshment Break
Office of Research on Women’s Workshop Offered by the WICB
Health, OD, NIH Committee
Olympus America, Inc.
Lanyards
Park Systems
Hanging Banner Aisle Sign
PerkinElmer
Hanging Banner Aisle Signs
Roche Applied Science
Celldance 2009, Notepads, and
Hotel Room Keys
The Rockefeller University Press/ Norton B. Gilula Memorial Award
The Journal of Cell Biology
The Scientist
Hanging Banner Aisle Sign
Veeco Instruments
Hanging Banner Aisle Sign
W.H. Freeman
CBE-LSE Reception and Book Signing
Worthington Biochemical
Corporation
Predoctoral Student Travel Awards
39