ISAC E-News - Summer 1999

From the President
The State of the Society

Jim Watson
e-mail: jimbo@sanger.ac.uk 

The International Society for Analytical Cytology faces a number of potential crises as it approaches the next millennium. First, there is a financial problem with the annual running costs as you can see from the report in this issue by treasurer, Maria Pallavicini. Second, the projected costs of the International Congress in Montpellier, ISAC XX, exceed the projected income by a substantial margin. Although the projected costs for running the Society and for the next biennial Congress have probably been overestimated, ISAC is, nevertheless, facing a budget deficit. This must be corrected if the Society is to return to sound fiscal management.

Clearly, there are only two ways that sound fiscal management can be restored namely, reducing financial overheads and increasing income. We have been taking steps to reduce the leadership costs to the Society. Traditionally, some of the most important business of the Society has been conducted by face-to-face committee meetings, the most important of which for this year was to have been that of the Future Focus Group. In virtually all areas, this work is now carried out electronically. The Executive Committee also considered conducting the interim Council Meeting, held on 5 June 1999, by e-mail and via conference calls. This idea, quite rightly in my opinion, was rejected and the interim Council Meeting was held on June 5^th 1999, at a Chicago Airport hotel. However, costs were kept to a minimum by conducting the business of most of the standing committees by detailed written reports rather than by the traditional attendance of the Chairs of the Committees.

During the past eighteen months, ISAC has provided some financial support for Associated Society meetings in Hungary, India and Poland. The Society also has underwritten the second Samuel A. Latt conference in Australia. Our policies here are being reviewed and will be discussed at the ISAC XX Council Meetings.

A number of steps have been, and are being, taken to increase our income. First, an increase in the annual dues from $110 to $125 is being considered for the Year 2000. We have not had an increase in the dues for over 5 years and during this time inflation has eroded our income from this source by an amount greater than this increase of $15. Second, an ad hoc fund-raising committee, chaired by Vincent Shankey, has been convened. This committee is charged with closing the sponsorship gap that became apparent at ISAC XIX in Colorado Springs where there was a decrease of about $60,000 in sponsorship moneys compared to earlier congresses of comparable size. This was largely due to industrial consolidation e.g., Beckman/Coulter/Immunotech and Beckton Dickinson/Pharmingen. Traditionally, the Society has relied upon relatively large donations from a small number of companies, but we are now investigating a change of marketing strategy to obtain relatively small contributions from a large number of vendors.

However, this fund-raising committee should only be regarded as a short-term expedient and more substantive measures must be taken. The latter were considered by the Future Focus Group which made a number of recommendations. The most important of these is the recognition that our Society, fundamentally, has a technological base. Over the past decade or so our efforts have been becoming increasingly diffused in the cell biology and clinical arenas. As a Society we cannot compete with the best in these areas and we should not try to do so; we cannot be all things to all people all the time. A number of suggestions, all based on broadening the technological base, were made which included incorporating and strengthening the following areas within the Society, (a) Array technologies, (b) Image cytometry, (c) Bio-informatics including very large scale data handling and analysis, (d) Laser capture micro-dissection and (e) Interfacing between pure technology and cell biology applications.

We are also taking steps to increase the overall general appeal of our lead journal Cytometry. It is particularly important to increase the number of institutional subscriptions from which ISAC derive substantial royalties. To this end, the Society has completed the purchase of the journal Bioimaging which is being incorporated into Cytometry to increase the appeal of the journal to the image analysis research community.

ISAC is also exploring the possibility of obtaining income from (a) teleconferencing of "hot topics", (b) interim technical focus meetings to be held in conjunction with vendors who will be equal partners, (c) holding laboratory management courses (there is always money for management) and (d) improving the web-site with commercial advertising.

These various initiatives are designed to increase the overall activity in the Society and hence, to increase our long-term renewable income which, in turn, will decrease our dependence on sponsorship from commercial organisations.

Important to our activities in returning to a sound fiscal basis is the ability of the Finance Committee and the ISAC Office to prepare realistic budget projections for several years into the future. These budgets will model various scenarios related to Society income and expenditure using data from the detailed accounting procedures put in place for the Society by The Sherwood Group.

Finally, on a happier and more encouraging note, ISAC President-Elect, Lisa Staiano-Coico, is forging ahead with the scientific program for Montpellier 2000. This is already well advanced and, as you can see from her report, is promising to be as outstanding and as stimulating as usual. The electronic abstract submission process, which caused many problems prior to ISAC XIX is, I believe, now solved. I'm absolutely sure you will all enjoy the science in the meeting, the venue, French hospitality and the city of Montpellier and its environs.

Call For Nominations

The ISAC Nominating Committee, chaired by ISAC Past-president Joe Gray, is inviting ISAC members to suggest names of individuals to be considered for nomination to serve on the ISAC Council for the upcoming term 2000-2000. The deadline for submission of names is 1 October 1999. Send your suggestions via e-mail, fax, or postal service to executive director Rick Koepke at ISAC headquarters: ISAC, 60 Revere Dr., Suite 500, Northbrook, IL 60062, Fax: 847/480-9282.

There are eight positions to be filled in the upcoming election:

• President-elect
• Secretary
• Councilor: Biological Cytometry (3)
• Councilor: Clinical Cytometry (2)
• Councilor: Cytometric Technology (1)

Details regarding the duties of these roles is available online in the ISAC manual http://ISAC.sanger.ac.uk/Manual/index.shtml.

Nominations by petition may also occur. According to ISAC bylaws, nominations by petition from the Membership require the signature of 27 General Members of the Society. The deadline for nomination by petition is 1 October 1999. Send your petitions to ISAC Executive Director Rick Koepke at ISAC headquarters.

The Nominating Committee will compile a slate of candidates including at least two nominees for each position. These may include nominees by petition. Unslated nominees by petition will also be included on the ballot. Ballots will be mailed by 1 February 2000 with a 1 April 2000 return deadline.

If you have any questions, contact ISAC Headquarters.

From the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee
The Scientific Advisory Committee
Cees J. Cornelisse
e-mail:  C.J.Cornelisse@Pathology.MedFac.LeidenUniv.NL

The purpose of the Scientific Advisory Committee is to advise council on matters concerning the scientific activities of ISAC, in particular the sponsoring of off-congress year meetings organized by affiliated societies or specialized groups. The meetings should be aimed at stimulating and improving the quality of analytical cytology research in the regions that are covered by the organizing societies as well as explore new directions for ISAC’s scientific mission. 

Since the last congress, the SAC has evaluated the following requests for ISAC sponsorship of meetings:

2nd International School of Flow and Image Cytometry
9-12 June 1998
Krakow, Poland 
Organizer: Dr. J. Dobrucki
Type of support: Endorsement, Grant $4000, Loan $2500

7th Annual Flowdown Meeting, 
2-4 October 1998 
Detroit
Organizer: Dr. Carlton Stewart 
Society: The Great Lakes International Imaging and 
Flow Cytometry Association
Type of support: Endorsement

Future Trends in Quantitative Cytology for 
Clinical and Research Applications
13-16 May 1999
Debrecen, Hungary 
Organizers: Drs. F. Mandy and J. Szöllõsi 
Society: Hungarian Biophysical Society
Type of support: Endorsement, Grant $5000

3rd ADNAT Convention, Symposium and Training Course
23 February-7 March 1999
Hyderabad, India 
Organizer: Dr. Gopal Pande 
Society: ADNAT Convention/Indian Cytometry Users Group
Type of support: Endorsement, Grant: $5000

4th Conference of the Polish Society of Cytometry
18-21 October 1998 
Gdansk, Poland
Organizer: Dr. J. Bigda
Type of support: Request not granted because of late submission

From the President-Elect
ISAC XX, Montpellier
20-25 May 2000

Lisa Staiano-Coico
e-mail: lisasc@mail.med.cornell.edu

I am very pleased and excited to report that planning for ISAC XX in Montpellier is in full swing. The meeting will be planned along three themes, namely, Biology, Clinical Sciences and Cytometric Technology. We have had a wonderful response from invited speakers. Meeting highlights will include:

Keynote Address by Sir John Walker, Nobel Laureate in chemistry for 1997. His address will be entitled, "The Proton Pumping ATP Synthase."

Hooke Lecture by Sir John Maddox on "Where Science is Heading."

Frontiers in Oncology - Hsing-Jien Kung
University of California Davis Cancer Center
"Tyrosine Kinase Display - Discovery and Application in Cancer"

Frontiers in Cell Cycle Regulation - Andrew Koff
Sloan-Kettering Institute
"To Go or Not to Go - Postcards from the Cell Cycle"

Frontiers in Plant Biology - Steve A. Kay
The Scripps Research Institute
"Visualizing Clock Gene Function – Understanding What Makes Us Tick"

Frontiers in Marine Science - Louis Legendre
Laval University
"Flow Cytometry in Oceanography: Two Decades of Discoveries and Progress"

Plenary Sessions

Technical Plenary I and II - Microarray and Chip  Technology
Co-Chairs, Dan Pinkel, Jeff Trent and Ted Young

Biological Plenary - Cell Cycle Regulation and Analysis
Co-Chairs, Andrew Koff and James Jacobberger

Clinical Plenary - Hematology
Co-Chairs, Martine Raphael, Hélène Merle-Béral and Francis Lacombe

New Investigator/Student Plenary
Chair: Alex Nakeff

A highlight of ISAC XX promises to be the New Investigator/Student plenary session. ISAC has established this exclusive session to be devoted to the oral presentations of finalists (chosen by the Membership Services Committee from submitted abstracts) who are competing for the Exceptional Student Award and the President's Award for Excellence. The quality of the science presented should be excellent and the membership at large is encouraged to attend.

Tutorials

Saturday May 20, 2000

1. Cell Cycle Proteins
   Tutors: James Jacobberger and Frank N. Traganos
   
2. Detection of Minimal Residual Disease
   Tutor: James F. Leary
   
3. Cell Death
   Tutors: Zbigniew Darzynkiewicz, Michael G. Ormerod and Patrice X. Petit
   
4. Bugs in the Beam - Cytometric Measurement of Microorganisms
   Tutor: Susann Müller, Phillipe Lebaron and Gerhard Nebe-von Caron
   
5. Live Cell Cytometry: Intracellular Environments, Functional Assays and Cell Signaling
   Tutor: Paul J. Smith
   
6. Multiparameter Flow Cytometry of Clinical Samples, including 4 color immunofluorescence
   Tutor: Carleton C. Stewart and Sigrid J. Stewart
   
7. Multicolor FISH and Comparative Genomic Hybridization
   Tutor: TBA
   
8. Multiparameter DNA Measurements of Clinical Samples
   Tutors: W.E. Corver, Alberto Orfao de Matos and Michael G. Ormerod
   
9. Measuring Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms
   Tutor: John Nolan
   
10. Cell Sorting
    Tutor: Gers Van Den Engh
    
11. High Density Array Technology
    Tutor: TBA
    
12. Green Fluorescent Protein
    Tutor: David Galbraith
    
13. Practical Confocal Microcopy
    Tutors: Robert M. Zucker and Nicholas Terry
    
14. Flow Cytometry - the Basics
    Tutor: David M. Coder and Gers Van Den Engh
    
15. Image Cytometry - the Basics
    Tutor: TBA

ISAC XX promises to be an extremely exciting meeting! We will keep you posted as plans progress. Please feel free to contact me with any suggestions you may have.

We look forward to seeing you in Montpellier.

Electronic Access to Cytometry and
Communications in Clinical Cytometry

ISAC is pleased to announce the introduction of electronic access to Cytometry and Communications in Clinical Cytometry. This service is provided in partnership with Wiley InterScience, an Internet-based service recently launched by Cytometry’s publisher, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Access will be provided to full-text editions of the 1997-1999 volumes of ISAC’s journals, as well as to abstracts of articles published in 1996. The ability to browse and search the tables of contents and abstracts of all Wiley journals is an additional feature of this new service.

Electronic access to Cytometry is being made available to all ISAC members at no additional charge in 1999 as a benefit of membership in the Society. ISAC members who have purchased an optional subscription to Communications in Clinical Cytometry will also be able to access this publication online in 1999 for the current subscription rate.

ISAC members will be able to link to the online journals from the ISAC Web site, using a unique registration key provided to all eligible subscribers. Access will be controlled by means of unique usernames and passwords to be established by eligible individuals upon registering with the system. The system will be monitored to insure that only current ISAC members are accessing the online journals.

Within the next few weeks, ISAC members for whom valid e-mail addresses are on file will be receiving instructions via e-mail regarding the process required to access Cytometry online. If you have any questions about this new membership and subscription benefit, please contact Julie Theander at ISAC headquarters (jtheander@isac-net.org) or 847/205-4722, ext. 275.

Future Trends in Quantitative Cytology for Clinical and Research Applications

May 13-16, 1999, Hortobágy, Hungary
An ISAC-Sponsored International Conference

By János Szöllõsi (szollo@jaguar.dote.hu) and Ferenc Mándy
Co-Chairs of the Conference

The conference, the first international meeting of this type organized in Eastern Europe, consisted of 33 concise lectures (30 minutes each) covering three major topics:

• Image Analysis at the Molecular Level
• Biotechnology at the Cellular Level
• Advances in Quantitative Flow Cytometry

LIST OF INVITED SPEAKERS

In addition to the plenary lectures, the Organizing Committee received 44 posters/abstracts: Of the 44 posters, 10 were chosen to be given as short oral presentations. Therefore, the conference provided opportunities for 258 scientists to present their data as authors or co-authors. The quality of the posters was impressive; the committee (Attila Tárnok, Jerzy Dobruczki, Gregor Rothe, Stefano Papa) had a difficult job awarding prizes for the best posters. The three chosen were: Marian Bobovcak from Slovakia, Gero Brockhoff from Germany and Timea Berki from Hungary. Detailed information about the scientific program of the conference along with the abstracts can be found on the web site: www.isac99.dote.hu. The abstracts of the lectures and posters will be published in CYTOMETRY (Communications in Clinical Cytometry).

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF POSTER/ABSTRACTS

A total of 145 delegates from 22 countries attended the conference. Thanks to the help of European Biophysical Societies Association (EBSA), and that of our corporate sponsors (Becton Dickinson, DAKO), 10 individuals from former East Block countries were awarded conference scholarships. Furthermore, young scientists were offered significant reduction in their registration costs. Since travel support was limited, for understandable geographical reasons a larger number of young scientists from Hungary took advantage of this offer. All participants received a Certificate of Attendance signed by the Hungarian chairman (János Szöllõsi) and Conference Secretary (László Mátyus).

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF DELEGATES

The venue for the conference was the Hortobágy–Epona Hotel complex, 35 km from the city of Debrecen in Hungary. Transportation within Hungary was provided for the invited speakers. Attendees were able to take advantage of special transport buses between the hotel and the airport in Budapest as well as between the hotel and the railway station in Debrecen. Most of the guests were accommodated in the Epona Hotel; less expensive accommodations in a motel in the village of Hortobágy were provided for young scientists. The village of Hortobágy and the Epona Hotel are located in the middle of the First National Park of Hungary (also named Hortobágy). One afternoon, the conference guests were offered the opportunity to visit the puszta (flatland of Hungary) in the Hortobágy National Park and to attend a horse and riders show. As well, the night sessions (dancing) were also popular with a number of attendees.

Lodging and domestic travel costs of the invited speakers were covered by the conference, European Working Group for Clinical Cell Analysis (EWGCCA), and by corporate sponsors as Becton Dickinson, Coulter Beckman, Flow Cytometry Standards Corporation. Due to budgetary constraints, transportation costs outside of Hungary were not covered for the invited speakers. The Conference organizers would like to express their deepest appreciation for the supplementary collaboration in this domain.

We should mention that the most generous sponsor of the conference was the Becton Dickinson Corporation. Their financial help and other contributions during the organizational period were essential to the success of the Conference. Special thanks also go to ISAC for their financial contribution and support. In addition to these two major sponsors, other corporations and scientific/academic institutions lent their support to the conference. With their financial help, we were able to invite excellent speakers from Europe, Canada, and the USA; and we also were able to support the participation of young scientists from former East Block countries. These corporations and institutions include: Beckman-Coulter, Biomarker, DAKO, Diatec, EAST PORT, EBSA, ELMEDCO Kft., Flow Cytometric Standards Corporation, Frank Diagnosztika, the Hungarian Ministry of Health, LUMINEX, Miltenyi Biotec, OTKA, OMFB, PARTEC, SCINTILA, Soft Flow Hungary, US-Hungary Science & Technology Program (TéT), and the University Medical School of Debrecen.

From the Executive Director
News from Headquarters

Rick Koepke
e-mail: rkoepke@isac-net.org

I have passed my one-year anniversary as executive director of ISAC. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank President Jim Watson, the members of the ISAC executive committee and council, and the many other ISAC members who have shared with me their time and wisdom. They have helped me come to appreciate what a dynamic and important organization ISAC is in the scientific community and what bright and committed individuals ISAC members are.

Staffing
ISAC’s administrator at headquarters since September 1, 1998 has been Julie Theander. As administrator, Julie is responsible for the day-to-day operations of ISAC headquarters, including maintaining member records and processing member payments. She is also coordinating a variety of matters related to the XX Congress, including communication with presenters.

Prior to joining ISAC, Julie provided administrative support for a variety of organizations including municipal and federal government agencies, a professional association, a computer consulting firm, and a fund-raising firm. She served as foundation administrator for the Marine Scholarship Foundation and has an extensive background working with and supporting volunteer boards and non-profit organizations. Julie, a graduate of Kendall College, Evanston, IL, USA, has an associate of arts degree in human services. Members can reach Julie at 847/205-4722 (ISAC), ext. 275, or via e-mail at jtheander@isac-net.org.

CLIA Compliance Manual
Copies of the CLIA Compliance Manual prepared by Anne Hurley, PhD, MT (ASCP)SC and Denise Zito, B.S., MT(ASCP)SI for the ISAC Regulatory Affairs Committee are still available from ISAC headquarters for $10 plus shipping and handling. Contact Julie Theander at ISAC Headquarters if you are interested in receiving a copy.

At the recent Council Meeting in Chicago, June 1999, there was considerable discussion concerning ways in which the ISAC Congresses could be made more enjoyable and cost-effective. Three important features for the biennial Congress emerged :

1. the Congress should be a meeting of the whole Society and should reflect its wide scientific interests
2. for many members, time has become increasingly precious and attending a meeting which requires 8 or more days away (including satellites and traveling) has become more difficult 
3. easy access to the Congress location (use of airline hub cities) and use of less lavish but more cost-effective venues

Council agreed to recommend the following to the membership for discussion at the next General Business Meeting in Montpellier 2000.

1. retain the biennial frequency of the Congress
2. reduce the length of the Congress to three days of academic sessions plus one day for satellite meetings, tutorials and commercial tutorials
3. identify and use easy-access, cost-effective venues

If you have any comments or suggestions concerning these recommendations please drop me an e-mail.

ISAC Associated Societies
ISAC Welcomes the River Plate
Cytometry Society

Dr. Mariano Scolnik, President
e-mail: mscolnik@interlink.com.ar

Dr. Sandra Sapia, Secretary
e-mail: sapias@fibertel.com.ar

The River Plate Flow Cytometry Society was formed in 1997 from a flow cytometry forum that had been running since 1993. The society now has 75 members from Argentine and Uruguay who include medical doctors, biologists, biochemists and technicians from medical and research institutions. All members have a common interest: the use of flow cytometry for developing research and clinical diagnosis. 

We have meetings about the different topics on the utility of flow cytometry hold an annual symposium. The society has five subcommissions with particular areas of interests: immunology, solid tumours and oncohaematological neoplasia, bone marrow transplantation and CD34 quantification, HIV and quality control. These subcommissions organize specialized meetings during the year. 

Great emphasis is given to the quality control subcommission that carries out two quality control exercises of lymphocyte subpopulations each year. The majority of centers in Argentine and Uruguay participate in these quality control exercises. During 1999, we will include a quality control exercise for leukemias and lymphoproliferative disorders.

In 2000 the society will hold the first River Plate Congress of Flow Cytometry in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with oral and poster presentations. It is the society’s aim to invite international experts in clinical and research flow cytometry. Preliminary programs and abstract submission forms will be prepared within the next few months. 

Finally we would like to thank ISAC for allowing the River Plate Cytometry Society to incorporate as an ISAC Associated Society and for its cooperation with developing countries.

From the Treasurer
ISAC Finances

Maria Pallavicini
e-mail: pallavicini@cc.ucsf.edu

Audited year-end figures for ISAC show that the Society ended 1998 with total assets and liabilities of $1,147,997 and $227,368, respectively. The Society's net assets of $920,609 include a reserve fund of $547,000 designated for unforeseen catastrophes, unrestricted assets of $367,238 and council designated funds of $6,371.

While ISAC's current financial situation appears very positive, there is reason for concern. Audited year-end figures show that ISAC experienced an operating deficit in 1998 of $69,724, against a budgeted surplus of $142. In addition, we project a further deterioration of ISAC's financial performance in 1999. The table below summarizes the financial status as of December 31, 1998.

Although the 1998 budget was projected to break even, ISAC incurred a substantial deficit ($69,724). The deficit is due to several factors. The interest/dividend income from the investments was $26,000 worse than projected by end of the year. The XIX congress was budgeted to net $7,000 income; instead the Congress ran a $1,600 deficit. Administrative expenses including bank fees, postage, printing, and travel for conference attendance were $20,000 more than anticipated. The Society will need to make major changes to increase future revenue and/or decrease expenditures.

Based on the current plans for ISAC in 1999, the Society is projecting an operating loss during the year of approximately $80,000. Of this amount, $30,000 is due to a change in accounting procedures related to the reporting of capital gains and losses. The balance is due to the anticipation of no substantial growth in revenue, a projected loss on the Samuel A. Latt conference, and increased expenses during 1999 for Council and committee activities.

Early projections for 2000 also are of concern. Although the Society has traditionally profited at some congresses, the XX Congress in Montpellier is anticipated to run a loss of $55,000 (based on 800 registrants), primarily due to costs associated with the rental of meeting and exhibit space in the conference center. ISAC President Jim Watson has established a fund-raising committee to pursue funds to offset the meeting costs.

The Finance Committee and I have reviewed monthly financial statements, obtained justification for expenditures, and have pared the budgets to the minimum needed to maintain Council-designated activities and Society operations. The Finance Committee and I have taken an in-depth look at the investment portfolio to recommend long-term and short-term investment strategies that would meet the Society's operational cash needs and ensure long-term growth. These recommendations were approved at the recent Council meeting. The financial situation of the Society was one of the factors considered by the Future Focus Committee, chaired by Jim Watson, during 1999, with recommendations presented to the Council at its 1999 meeting.

From the Editor, ISAC Web site
What's New on the ISAC Web Site

Dave Coder
e-mail: dcoder@u.washington.edu

In order to provide timely and higher level online information for members, many changes to the Web site are in the works. Near the end of 1998, ISAC obtained an Internet domain name (isac-net.org), which gave us a new Internet address: http://www.isac-net.org .The server changed at the same time and is now near the ISAC office. These developments will help consolidate all on-line ISAC business at a single Web site and will allow us to take advantage of interactive features on the new server. Among other changes will be a new Web design to better organize and distribute information. While one goal of the ISAC Web site has always been speed of access, the new design will include an option for a more graphics intensive version that takes advantage of Web technologies.

Several of the new features will be seen in pages devoted to ISAC Congress XX in April of 2000. (See the Congress pages at http://www.isac-net.org/Meetings/2000/2000.htm.) Submission of abstracts will take place via the web site, and viewing of all papers to be presented will be available on-line as well. For the first time, a limited number of figures and images can be included with abstracts. This will give you the opportunity to preview abstracts with their illustrations on-line prior to the meeting.

Recent content additions include a page of the Biosafety Committee. The page provides links to the committee chair, members, important documents, as well as links of interest. This is the first page for an ISAC committee and others will be added especially where the Internet is the best medium for the rapid distribution of complex or graphically rich information.

Note that the directory of worldwide cytometry Web sites was updated recently. Many links were updated or corrected. Despite the use of some automated tools, keeping it current is time consuming. Please send me any changes and additions as you see them.

It is important that the ISAC web page serve the membership. As always, we welcome your comments and requests regarding contents, services, and Society-related activities that might be done effectively on-line. Simply click on my e-mail address above and send me your thoughts.