Attila Tárnok

Attila Tárnok studied biology at the University of Hamburg, Germany, and graduated in biophysics in 1983; he achieved PhD in 1988 at the Institute for Biophysics and Radiation Biology (Horst Jung, Heinz Baisch, Thesis: Quantitative histology of the immune response to radiation therapy), of the University Hamburg.

Attila set up his first flow cytometry and cell sorting facility in 1988 at the Bernhardt-Nocht Institute for Tropical Diseases, Hamburg. In 1989 Attila moved to the GSF research center in Neuherberg, Munich (Michael Nüsse). He established the cell sorting facility and focused his research on irradiation induced micronuclei formation and chromosome analysis. In 1990 Attila was appointed to establish the independent cell sorting group at the Centre for Molecular Neurobiology, Hamburg. In 1995 he moved to the Medical Research Council, Hammersmith Hospital, London to set up and head the cell sorting and flow cytometry group, focusing research on thymal immunology and T-cell and endothelial cell function.

Since 1995 Attila is head of the research facility of the Pediatric Cardiology Department (Cardiac Centre, University of Leipzig, Germany). In 2001 he was appointed as Associate Professor, Privatdozent, for Immunology and in 2005 as extraordinary Professor at the University of Leipzig.

His present research is focused on multiplexed high-content analysis with flow and image cytometry. He is developing novel assays and concepts for cytometry in systems biology and cytomics and transfers technical achievements into the use in the clinical environment. Clinical and biological research areas include immunology of congenital heart disease, sepsis and shock responses, regenerative medicine and neuroscience. His additional activities include: collaborations with and councilor for biotechnology and instrument development companies.

Leadership experience

Since 1995, Attila is heading the Research Laboratory (8 coworkers and 4 MD students), Dept. of Pediatric Cardiology, Cardiac Center, University of Leipzig. He is president of the German Society for Cytometry, DGfZ, and was before that for six years board member as vice-president and secretary. Attila is since four years member of the council and in different working groups of the medical faculty, University Leipzig. Attila is organizing international workshops on in the field of cytometry and is member of organizing committees of international and national congresses (e.g. Photonics West of the SPIE).

Contributions to ISAC and/or the field of Cytometry

Since 1984, Attila is active in the field of flow and image cytometry. He is Associate Editor of Cytometry. Furthermore, he has been appointed reviewer and guest editor for Cytometry and other international technical and clinical journals. He is editor of a textbook on Clinical Cytometry appearing in 2006 with over 50 technical papers. He has published 70 papers in peer-reviewed journals, 41 as first or senior author (21 in Cytometry) . He published over 50 papers in proceedings and textbooks, among others in Current Protocols in Cytometry.

Ever since 1990, Attila has regularly attended the ISAC International congresses. Attila is long standing member of ISAC with more than 40 scientific presentations at ISAC congresses and served as tutor and session chair. Since 2003 he is Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of ISAC. Attila is very active in teaching and organizing tutorials in cytometry and organizes interdisciplinary workshops (11 Leipziger Workshops, 4 International Workshops on Slide Based Cytometry, two annual meetings of the DGfZ with 200-300 scientists) and summerschools (European Summerschool 2003) on state of the art cytometry techniques, several of them under the patronage of ISAC.

Skills Attila can bring to the Council

In depth knowledge in the field of technical and application aspect of flow and image cytometry in clinical and research applications; secretarial and financial management capabilities; project management capabilities.

Campaign Statement

The International Society for Analytical Cytometry (ISAC) should fulfill its role as interface between established scientists and professionals, and students for analytical cytometry.

ISAC is the ideal inter- and trans-disciplinary society, harboring scientists from many disciplines ranging from engineering, mathematics, computer sciences, over physics, biotechnology, biology to medical sciences. In the post-genomic era with the emerging fields of systems biology and cytomics, cytometry as a technology is becoming increasingly important in basic and in applied sciences, industry research and diagnosis. This underlines the important role of ISAC in the future.

The major methodological focus of ISAC includes both flow and image cytometry. They are the key to cytometry and, as scientist who has moved to image and slide based cytometry without losing flow cytometry, I am standing for both directions. This includes also the methodological basis for present and future application areas from basic science to routine applications.

Although ISAC is based in the United States of America many groups dedicated to cytometry and to innovative developments in cytometry are active in other countries. As a person who has lived and worked in different countries I strongly support exchange and collaborations of the ISAC with national societies. The eastern European nations, but also young nations in other continents need to be paid particular attention to.

ISAC is the society that is dedicated to cytometry technologies. The transfer of technological knowledge between all disciplines is crucial for mutual understanding of the specialists. As technical councilor I will further support interdisciplinary exchanges. Activities that encourage cross-disciplinary communication are necessary. Improving communication is one key aspect to position the society as a central player and the reference organization for cytometry. This can be achieved by further promoting interdisciplinary workshops, courses and tutorials on technology transfer in but also outside the United States of America.

The influx of new students into the society who are dedicated to the technology and the concepts of cytometry is of crucial importance for the future of our society. This can be achieved by a strong educational program where novices can learn from the experienced, training courses and exchange trans-continental programs