ISAC E-News Fall 2000

From the President

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

As I begin my term as president, I am honored to be able to serve ISAC. Two years ago, at the Colorado Springs meeting, the membership challenged us to organize the 20th Congress to provide great scientific content while maintaining a neutral budget. Thanks to the organizing committee, the speakers and your participation, ISAC XX was a resounding success! We had more than 1,000 attendees at Le Corum in Montpellier, the largest ISAC meeting in recent years. A large range of scientific interest was represented including marine biology, cell cycle regulation, cancer biology, emerging technologies in cytometry, and microarrays technology. Our sincerest appreciation goes to the French Cytometry Society which was instrumental in making this meeting successful, and in particular to the four successive presidents of the AFC who worked with us so effectively (Francis Lacombe, Pierre Carayon, Jean-Luc D'Hautcourt, Dominique Ploton). As you will see from the Treasurer's report in this E-news, the success was financial as well as scientific. In recognition of the role that the French Cytometry Society played, ISAC will be sharing $12,500 of Congress revenue with them.

ISAC XXI

ISAC XXI in sunny San Diego, California, is already in the planning stages. Thanks to all of you who filled out the congress evaluation forms. Paul Smith, chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee, has summarized and shared your comments and concerns with the Executive Committee. We will be very responsive to your needs and will use your evaluations to help plan ISAC XXI. We hope to continue our to join with other societies that have similar and complementing interests so that the Congress will remain diverse and will attract new members to ISAC. Harry Crissman who chairs the Congress Organizing Committee will keep you posted as the plans proceed. His update on ISAC XXI is included in this issue of E-News.

Strategic Planning

ISAC faces a great challenge in the future. We must keep the society vital and forward-looking to meet the changing needs of you, our members, and of the scientific community at large. During the next several months we will begin a long- range strategic planning process which will produce a series of recommendations for the scientific direction of ISAC. Your participation in this process is crucial. I urge you to take the time to fill out the membership survey form that will be sent to you in the near future.

QMC 2001

The Second Euroconference on Quantitative Molecular Cytogenetics
Announcement and Call for Abstracts

The Second Euroconference on Quantitative Molecular Cytogenetics will be held April 26-28, 2001, in Salamanca, Spain. The aim of this series of conferences is to facilitate and encourage interaction among clinicians, bioscientists, engineers and computer scientists from clinical, academic and commercial organizations with an interest in all aspects of cytogenetics.

The Euroconferences are sponsored by the European Union, and particularly seek to encourage participation of young researchers from European institutions. Up to 100 percent refund of travel, accommodation and registration costs are available for participants under 35 years of age from nonprofit organizations in EU member or associated states and from Eastern Europe.

We also welcome participation from researchers based outside the EU and from industry.

After a successful first conference in Italy in 2000, the second conference will take place in the Hotel Regio, near Salamanca, Spain.

Topics include:

• Novel techniques in molecular cytogenetics leading to quantitative analysis:
  FISH, Multiple-labelling techniques, CGH, interphase cytogenetics, DNA techniques Fluorescence PCR.
• Novel instrumentation, image and signal analysis for cytogenetics:
  Microscopy, Spectral Imaging, DNA microarrays, time-resolved studies, flow cytometry.
• Scientific and clinical applications:
  Oncology, pre- and postnatal cytogenetics, pathology chromosome organization, nuclear organization, genomics, genotoxicity, rare event detection.

Keynote Speakers: To be announced on the web site

Timetable:

Abstracts should be one page, 300-500 words, and no more than one figure. Please send abstracts as e-mail attachments (Word6/97) to Jim.Graham@man.ac.uk.

If this is not possible, send paper copies to:
Dr. J. Graham
University of Manchester
Imaging Science and Biomedical Engineering
Stopford Building, Oxford Road,
Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom

More information is available on our web site at http://www.isbe.man.ac.uk/QMC

7th Congress of the European Society for
Analytical Cellular Pathology

April 1-5, 2001
University of Caen, France (Campus 1)
Supported by the International Society for Diagnostic Quantitative Pathology

Second Announcement and Call For Abstracts

The organizing committee of the 7th Congress of the European Society for Analytical Cellular Pathology is pleased to invite you to an exciting meeting in Caen, in April 2001. The Congress will be hosted by the "Pole Traitement et Analyse d'Images de Basse-Normandie" and the "Groupe Regional d'Etudes sur le Cancer."

What's New at the 7th ESACP Congress?

The 7th ESACP Congress will cover the various aspects of analytical cellular pathology, from new developments in molecular and cell biology to clinical applications. Particular attention will be drawn to new methods and technologies, focusing on new opportunities offered, and applications will concern human pathology as well as veterinary pathology and toxicology.

Preliminary Program

1. Preliminary list of topics
   
   • New Concepts, Methods and Technologies
   • DNA Organization and Chromatin Structure
   • Cancer Molecular Biology and Cytogenetics
   • Advances in Clinical Cytometry
   • Color Quantification and its Applications
   • Cell Differentiation and Cell Death
   • Telepathology
   • 3D/ Dynamic 3D Cell and Tissue Imaging
   • Automation and Sampling in Pathology and Toxicology
   • Cytometry in Veterinary Pathology
2. Tutorials
   • Automation in Genetic Toxicology
   • Telepathology, Telecytometry, Telelearning
   • Quantitative Immunohistochemistry
   • Sampling and Cell Sorting
   • Image Processing and Mathematical Morphology
   • Modern Technics : Laser Microdissection and Tissue Preparation, Microarrays
3. Workshops
   • Diagnostic DNA Image Cytometry
   • Interphase Cytogenetics in Diagnosis

Industrial Exhibition

The industrial exhibition will constitute an important part of this Congress. Industrial exhibition and scientific poster communications will take place in the same hall, close to the main lecture auditorium. Industrial exhibits will be included in workshops and tutorials, allowing hands-on tutoring by the producers of devices and reagents.

Social Program

Local entertainment and tours will offer the opportunity to discover an historical area also well known for its countryside and its gastronomy. The congress dinner will be held in a charming place and a concert will be offered by young musicians, together with a "Haute Ecole" horse show.

Call For Abstracts and Registration

The registration leaflet and request for papers will be exhibited on the ESACP Web site in September 2000.

The deadline for receipt of abstracts is November 20, 2000.

Special efforts will be made for student fees (50 students will benefit from a bursary, which will cover registration fees and accommodation). We also wish to facilitate the participation of our colleagues from Eastern Europe.

Proceedings

Accepted abstracts and text of the plenary lectures will appear in a special issue of Analytical Cellular Pathology (IOS Press).

For more information, contact Conference Secretary Heather Costil, Centre Francois Baclesse, Route de Lion/Mer, BP 5026, 14076 Caen - Cedex 05 - France.
Phone : +33 (0) 2 31 45 50 01
E-mail: h.costil@baclesse.fr Web site: http://rex.iutcaen.unicaen.fr/7esacp

Upcoming ISAC Events

May 2 - 6, 2001
3rd Samuel A. Latt Conference (Motown Microarray Symposium: Genomics/Proteomics in Cancer)
Detroit, Michigan, USA
http://www.samlatt.org

May 4 - 9, 2002
ISAC Congress XXI
San Diego, California, USA
More information will be available in early 2001.

Treasurer's Report

ISAC is in great financial shape!

Other areas of the operating budget are also meeting expectations. Membership dues are close to budgeted levels for the entire year and operation expenditures are within the projected limits. Legg Mason is now managing our investments according to the ISAC investment policy guidelines. Gains at the end of July were $7,248. Interest and dividend income is $23,633 for seven months, which is a reasonable fraction of the $42,000 budgeted for the year.

During the next few months I will be working with the Finance Committee to review and determine whether incentive-based contracts with Sherwood, our management firm, are desirable for the coming year. In addition, a budget for 2001 will be generated and submitted to Council for approval.

As always, if you would like more information about financial details of the Society, please contact us.

Council Meeting I Minutes
Council Meeting II Minutes
Council Meeting III Minutes
General Business Meeting Minutes

Council Meeting I Minutes

Present at the meeting were

Officers:
Jim Watson (President)
Nigel Carter (Secretary)
Jim Watson (President)
Lisa Staiano-Coico (President-Elect)
Maria Pallavicini (Treasurer)

Councilors:
Jim Jacobberger
Francis Lacombe
Hiromitsu Nakauchi
Alberto Orfao
Paul Robinson
Vince Shankey
Paul Smith
Hans Tanke
Frank Traganos

Other Officials:
Joe Gray, Past President
Chuck Goolsby, Editor of CCC
Rick Koepke, Executive Director
Jan Visser, Editor-in-Chief

Apologies for absence:
Grace Chojnowski

Also present:
Scott Cram
Harry Crissman
David Galbraith
Peter Lansdorp
Jorgen Larsen
Frank Mandy
Robert Murphy
Alexander Nakeff
Peter Rabinovitch
Fred Waldman

1. Call to Order (Jim Watson)

   Jim Watson called the meeting to order at 16:04. He thanked the retiring Councilors for all of their work and welcomed the new members joining Council.

2. Minutes (Nigel Carter)

   The minutes of the Council Meeting held on the 5th June 1999, Chicago, USA were approved.

   There were no matters arising that were not on the agenda.

3. President's Report (Jim Watson)

   Jim Watson read the President's Report (will open in new window.)

   Jim stressed the need for ISAC to be managed by a professional management company. There followed a discussion of the costs of management. Maria presented an analysis of management costs for ISAC compared to other national/interntional societies showing that our current management costs are below the mean for other associations.

   Jim thanked Vince Shankey and the ISAC XX Fund raising committee on behalf of Council for securing in order of $50,000 in sponsorship. Jim thanked Maria Pallivicini for her successful grant application to the NIH securing $20,000 support for ISAC meetings.

   Jim reported Dave Coder had requested to step down as ISAC WWW Editor and thanked him for all his work in establishing the ISAC WWW site.

   Council asked the Scientific Communications Committee to make a recommendation for a new ISAC WWW Editor for appointment by 1st July 2000. Jim thanked Paul Robinson for publishing the abstracts for ISAC XX in CDRom format.

   Jim thanked Bruce Milthorpe, Margaret Cooley and Grace Chojnowski for organising the successful Samuel A. Latt meeting on Signalling for Life and Death.

4. President-Elect's Report (Lisa Staiano-Coico)

   Lisa Staiano-Coico thanked all the members of Council for their contributions to the organisation of ISAC XX particularly with the abstract review process. Lisa thanked all the staff of the Sherwood Group for all their work in organising ISAC XX.

5. Treasurer's Report (Maria Pallavicini)

   Maria Pallivicini read the report of the ISAC Treasurer (will open in a new window.) She reported that due to the better than expected attendance at ISAC XX, the expected meeting budget deficit should be reduced and could even provide a surplus.

6. Finance Committee Report (Maria Pallavicini)

   Maria Pallivicini read the report of the Finance Committee (will open in a new window.) Maria presented budgets projected for the next three years based on the assumptions that

   1. ISAC XXI at San Diego would be a viable meeting
   2. membership numbers will remain constant
   3. management fees to the Sherwood Group would increase by 10% in 2000 and then subsequently at 4% per year
   4. the Samuel A. Latt Meeting in 2001 would be budget neutral
   5. ISAC would continue to be managed by the Sherwood Group

   The projected budgets predicted moderate surplusses in each accountin year. Council thanked Maria and the Finance Committee for the significant contribution they had made in addressing and solving the financial problems the Society had experienced.

   Council asked the Finance Committee to make the minutes of their meetings and any reports available so that Council could better understand and follow the decision making process leading to recommendations from the Finance Committee to Council.

7. Membership Services Committee Report (Alex Nakeff)

   Alex Nakeff read the report of the Membership Services Committee (will open in a new window.)

8. Scientific Advisory Committee

   In the absence of Cess Cornelisse, Jim Watson read the report of the Scientific Advisory Committee (will open in a new window.)

   Council agreed to suspend all grant monies administered by the Scientific Advisory Committee and asked the Committee to make recommendations for stimulating scientific activities within the Society utilising commercial sponsorship.

9. Requests from Special Committees for Action by Council.

   Discussion of the various requests from Special Committees was deferred until a later Council Meeting.

10. Nominating Committee Report (Joe Gray)

    Joe Gray read the report of the Nominating Committee (will open in a new window.)

11. Future Focus Committee Report (Jim Watson)

    Jim Watson read the report of the Future Focus Committee (will open in a new window.) Further discussion of this report was deferred until a later Council Meeting.

12. Headquarters' Report (Rick Koepke)

    Rick Koepke read the report from the ISAC Headquarters. There was discussion of appointing a task force to review and renegotiate the management agreement with Sherwood, possibly to include an incentive arrangement for Sherwood.

13. Management Review Committee Report (Jim Watson)

    Jim Watson read the report of the Management Review Committee. Jim Watson discussed the recommendation of the Management Review Committee that ISAC should continue to retain the services of the Sherwood Group for management of the Society.

    Council agreed, with one abstention, to continue to retain the services of the Sherwood Group for management of the Society.

    There being no further business on the agenda, the meeting adjourned at 18:45 p.m.

    Resolutions and Action Items

    1. The minutes of the Council Meeting held on the 5th June 1999, Chicago, USA were approved.
    2. Council asked the Scientific Communications Committee to make a recommendation for a new ISAC WWW Editor for appointment by 1st July 2000.
    3. Council asked the Finance Committee to make the minutes of their meetings and any reports available so that Council could better understand and follow the decision making process leading to recommendations from the Finance Committee to Council.
    4. Council agreed to suspend all grant monies administered by the Scientific Advisory Committee and asked the Committee to make recommendations for stimulating scientific activities within the Society utilising commercial sponsorship.
    5. Council agreed, with one abstention, to continue to retain the services of the Sherwood Group for management of the Society.

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Council Meeting II Minutes

Present at the meeting were

Officers:
Lisa Staiano-Coico (President)
Harry Crissman (President-elect)
Maria Pallavicini (Treasurer)
Peter Rabinovitch (Secretary)

Councilors:

Carolyn Dive
David Galbraith
Peter Lansdorp
Frank Mandy
Paul Robinson
 T. Vincent Shankey
Hans Tanke
Frank Traganos
Fred Waldman
Jim Jacobberger (outgoing)
Francis Lacombe (outgoing)
Hiromitsu Nakauchi (outgoing)
Alberto Orfao DeMatos (outgoing)
Paul Smith (outgoing)

Other Officials:
Jim Watson (Past-President)
Joe Gray, (Outgoing Past President)
Nigel Carter (outgoing Secretary)
David Coder (Web Editor)
Phil Dean (Historian)
Chuck Goolsby,  CCC Editor-in-Chief
Rick Koepke, Executive Director
Jan Visser,  Cytometry Editor-in-Chief

Apologies for absence:
Anne Hurley

Also present:
Cees Cornelisse (Scientific Advisory Committee)
Scott Cram (Scientific Communications Committee)
Brian Crawford (Wiley)
Bruce K. Davis (CCS)
Jill Hronek (Sherwood)
Jorgen K. Larsen (Membership Services Committee)
Robert F. Murphy (Data Standards Committee)
Alexander Nakeff (outgoing chair, Membership Services Committee)
Carleton Stewart (Scientific Communications Committee)
Joe Ingram (Wiley)

1. Call to Order.

   The meeting was called to order by the President at 18:00.

2. President's Remarks. The president opened with welcoming remarks and anticipation for the challenges and rewards of the coming year.

3. Standing Committee Appointments.

   Council approved the President's nominations to Standing Committees (Finance, Membership Services, Nominating, Scientific Advisory, Scientific Communications) as proposed, excepting that Paul Smith's nomination was withdrawn from the Nominating Committee.

4. Special Committee Appointments

   Council approved the President's nominations to special committees "Council of ISAC Associated Societies" and "Robert Hooke Distinguished Lecture and Awards Committee" as proposed.

5. Biological Safety Committee.

   Council discussed the name and charge of the Biological Safety Committee. The need for a crisis management role of this committee was discussed. Sorting safety issues and the question of potential legal liabilities to the Society were addressed.

   Council approved the reconstitution of the Biological Safety Committee with membership as proposed and with the name "Biosafety Issues Surveillance Committee," to be chaired by David Coder.
   
   

6. Data Presentation Standards Task Force. 

   Council discussed the charter of the Data Presentation Standards Task Force (will open a new window), the considerable need for such a task force and the suitability that ISAC lead in setting standards for data presentation.

   Council approved the formation of the Task Force on Data Presentation Standards with James Jacobberger added to the task force membership.

7. Meeting Evaluation Committee.

   Council resolved to disband the Meeting Evaluation Committee.

8. Reagent Evaluation Committee.

   The report of the Evaluation Committee (will open in a new window.) was discussed. As recommended in the committee report, Council resolved to disband the Reagent Evaluation Committee and reconstitute it as a Task force on Reagent Evaluations, chaired by James Jacobberger, and directed it to proceed to write a proposal for U.S. government funding of its activities.

9. Regulatory Affairs Committee.

   This report and discussion was deferred until the next session of council.

10. Data File Standards Committee.

    The report of the Data File Standards Committee (will open in a new window) and the future agenda of this committee was discussed. The need for continued support of the work of this committee was widely acknowledged, with a discussion about soliciting volunteers from the image community to serve.

    Council resolved to renew the Data File Standards Committee, now renamed the Data Standard Committee, with charges to include the pursuit of image file standardization, inclusion of XML objects and common cytometry keywords in data file standards, and to show progress in these activities by the next ISAC Congress. Members will be recommended by the Chairman, Robert Murphy, with the expectation that the committee will include several members from the imaging community.

11. The Scientific Communications Committee and Joint Oversight Committee. L. Scott Cram presented the report of the Scientific Communications Committee (SCC) and Joint Oversight Committee (JOC) report (will open in a new window) Council was reminded that the membership of the JOC has been Scott Cram (chair), Joe Gray, Vince Shankey, Jim Watson, Paul Hurtubise, Bruce Davis and Carl Stewart. Scott reported on the Committee's meeting of this same day, with the recommendation from the committee that there be no increase in institutional subscription rates for Cytometry and Communications in Clinical Cytometry (CCC) in 2001. Brian Crawford reported expectations of subscription numbers and the willingness of Wiley to agree not to ask for an increase in institutional subscription rates. On this basis Wiley projects an approximate $22,000 decline in the journals' royalty stream, this decline being borne by both Wiley and ISAC in proportion to their royalty shares. In return for this agreement, Wiley anticipates that ISAC will work with Wiley to improve the impact factor of Cytometry. Council discussed ways in which the impact factor might be improved. Jan Visser discussed how to move with the prediction of future areas of growth in the focus of interest of Society members. Paul Robinson suggested that there be a 50% discount in the cost of new subscriptions to institutions. Brian Crawford agreed that this was the kind of marketing plan that Wiley would favor, and that Wiley would work with the SCC to pursue such plans.

    Council resolved with one abstention to accept the Scientific Communications Committee's recommendation that here be no increase in institutional subscription rates for Cytometry in 2001.

    Scott presented the SCC's action items:

    1. The need for a multi-year algorithm for increases in institutional subscription rates.
    2. The need to partner with Wiley to implement electronic subscriptions and renewals
    3. The need for study and review of editorial office costs
    4. The need for the SCC to interview applications for the position of ISAC Web Editors and to make a recommendation to Council as soon as possible (hopefully within a few weeks).
    5. The need to evaluate the relative balance of the ISAC/Clinical Cytometry Society split of CCC royalties.
    6. The need to study options for the future of Cytometry and CCC, whether to consolidate these journals or not and contract issues involved.
    7. The desirability that subscribers have early viewing on the web of the Table of Contents and text of articles of upcoming issue(s) of Cytometry/CCC.
    8. The need to expand advertising
    9. Evaluate whether to publish databases
    10. Evaluate the possibility of publishing detailed methods and protocols in support of Cytometry articles on the web.
    11. Evaluate the possibility of publishing cytometry tutorials on the web, perhaps at a charge to non-society members.
    12. Work with Wiley to study the implications of an "enhanced access" license for institutional access to Cytometry.

    Council discussed the potential complications and interactions with Current Protocols in Cytometry (CPC) of publication on the web of detailed Cytometry protocols, with the general consensus that there was room for constructive synergy in this area.

12. Cytometry Journal Report.

    Jan Visser presented the Cytometry Journal Report (will open in a new window.) Jan reported that Donna Albertson and Paul Meltzer had agreed to serve on the Cytometry Editorial Board. Jan reiterated that he sees Cytometry and CCC as serving separate markets and that this argued against consolidation of the two publications. Council discussed the turn-around time of Cytometry articles and the journal's impact factor of and how they might be improved.

    Council discussed appointing task forces specifically to 1) address the journal impact factor, 2) explore the one versus two journals question and 3) look at the royalty stream split between ISAC and CCS.

    Council discussed the issue of reducing journal mailing costs to members, with agreement that the SCC would make further evaluation.

13. Communications in Clinical Cytometry Journal Report.

    Chuck Goolsby presented the Communications in Clinical Cytometry (CCC) Journal Report (will open in a new window.) Bruce Davis expressed the concern of the Clinical Cytometry Society (CCS) that their share of royalty income from the CCC was disproportionately low. Lisa suggested that a task force might be assembled quickly to evaluate this issue.

14. Current Protocols in Cytometry Annual Report.

    Paul Robinson presented the Current Protocols in Cytometry (CPC) Annual Report. Paul reported on the continued expansion of CPC Units and areas of coverage, with the expressed desire of adding further imaging applications. Paul asked for help from the SCC in identifying associate editors in support of imaging applications. Paul reported that the CPC was healthy and that a small amount of royalties had already been paid to ISAC, which was ahead of the previously anticipated schedule.

15. Publisher's report for Cytometry.

    Brian Crawford presented the Publisher's report for Cytometry. Paul Smith pointed out that Council had made a previous resolution to allow rotating subtitles or subheadings on the Journal banner in order to accent issues and areas of relevance to the Society, and that this had not yet been implemented. Brian Crawford agreed to expedite the implementation of this resolution. Vince Shankey inquired as to implementation of software to allow web-based manuscript submission and review, and Brian Crawford reported that negotiations remain underway. Brian Crawford presented the benefits of Wiley policy changes, as described in his report, to ISAC and further discussion of the publishers report followed.

16. Adjournment.

    Council adjourned at 20:05.

1. Council approved the President's nominations to Standing Committees (Finance, Membership Services, Nominating, Scientific Advisory, Scientific Communications) as proposed, excepting that Paul Smith's nomination was withdrawn from the Nominating Committee.
2. Council approved the President's nominations to special committees "Council of ISAC Associated Societies" and "Robert Hooke Distinguished Lecture and Awards Committee."
3. Council approved the reconstitution of the Biological Safety Committee with membership as proposed, with the name "Biosafety Issues Surveillance Committee", to be chaired by David Coder.
4. Council approved the formation of the Task Force on Data Presentation Standards", with James Jacobberger added to the task force membership.
5. Council resolved to disband the Meeting Evaluation Committee.
6. Council resolved to disband the Reagent Evaluation Committee and reconstitute it as a Task force on Reagent Evaluations, chaired by James Jacobberger, and directed it to proceed to write a proposal for U.S. Government funding of its activities.
7. Council resolved to renew the Data File Standards Committee, now renamed the Data Standard Committee, with charges to include the pursuit of image file standardization, inclusion of XML objects and common cytometry keywords in data file standards, and to show progress in these activities by the next ISAC Congress. Members will be recommended by the Chairman, Robert Murphy, with the expectation that the committee will include several members from the imaging community.
8. Council resolved to accept the Scientific Communications Committee's recommendation that here be no increase in institutional subscription rates for Cytometry in 2001.

Action Items:

1. The SCC will make further evaluation of the issue of reducing journal mailing costs to members.

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Council Meeting III Minutes Wednesday, May 24, 2000
Montpellier, France

Present at the meeting were

Officers:
Lisa Staiano-Coico (President)
Harry Crissman (President-elect)
Maria Pallavicini (Treasurer)
Peter Rabinovitch (Secretary)

Councilors:

Carolyn Dive
David Galbraith
Peter Lansdorp
Frank Mandy
Paul Robinson
 T. Vincent Shankey
Hans Tanke
Frank Traganos
Fred Waldman
Jim Jacobberger (outgoing)
Francis Lacombe (outgoing)
Hiromitsu Nakauchi (outgoing)
Alberto Orfao DeMatos (outgoing)
Paul Smith (outgoing)
Anne Hurley (by telephone)

Other Officials:
Jim Watson (Past-President)
Joe Gray, (Outgoing Past President)
Nigel Carter (outgoing Secretary)
David Coder (Web Editor)
Phil Dean (Historian)
Chuck Goolsby,  CCC Editor-in-Chief
Rick Koepke, Executive Director
Jan Visser,  Cytometry Editor-in-Chief

Also present:
Cees Cornelisse (Scientific Advisory Committee)
Scott Cram (Scientific Communications Committee)
Bruce K. Davis (CCS)
Jill Hronek (Sherwood)
Jorgen K. Larsen (Membership Services Committee)
Lyn Maddox (Sherwood)
Alexander Nakeff (outgoing chair, Membership Services Committee)
Carleton Stewart (Scientific Communications Committee)

1. Call to Order.

   The meeting was called to order by the President at 18:05

2. ISAC Web Site Report.

   David Coder presented the ISAC Web Site Report, with a report from Jill Hronek on the improved interactions between the web editor and Sherwood management. Council discussed the potential utility of having a student section and a discussion section on the web site, although it was acknowledged that there is little usage of the active components of the web site at present. A survey is presently being made of what features members desire on the web. Adam Treister is conducting a survey of members interests and needs, which he will share with ISAC; Council expressed their thanks for his help. Council recognized the future need for online voting, and the desire to implement web-based tutorials in cytometric techniques.

3. Scientific Advisory Committee Report.

   Cees Cornelisse presented the Scientific Advisory Committee Report (will open in a new window) and the results of the SAC meeting today. The Scientific Advisory Committee acknowledged that it was not fulfilling its desired role, having not been active in proposing satellite meetings and having had little input in the main Congress. The SAC questioned what role it should play in other scientific programs and activities, and asked for help from Council in reaffirming and/or redefining its role. Jim Watson voiced the importance of retaining the SAC and agreed that he and Joe Gray should have made better use of the SAC in organizing society meetings. The bylaws of the Society were recalled, in which the SAC is charged with being an "...advisory body for the International Congress and organizes other meetings... and advises on themes, chairs, content, etc...". Harry Crissman agreed to reaffirm the role of the SAC in future meetings. There was a consensus that the SAC was needed to provide scientific advice and input on interim/satellite meetings as well as the Congress. Paul Smith pointed out that the SAC was a conduit for members to input ideas and transmit than to Council and the Executive Committee, and should report regularly to Council.

   Council resolved to reaffirm the operating principles of the Scientific Advisory Committee, and the dedication of Council to utilize its input.

4. Regulatory Affairs Committee Report.

   Anne Hurley joined the meeting by telephone and made the report of the Regulatory Affairs Committee (will open in a new window.) Committee membership consists of Anne Hurley (Chair), Denise Zito, Louise McGruder, Gunther Valet, Frank Mandy and other international members as Anne shall recruit. There was a discussion of the need for joint action between ISAC and the CCS on regulatory matters; Anne Hurley and Bruce Davis will talk with each other on how to work together effectively. Affiliation with the American Society of Clinical Pathology and its Board of Registry was discussed, with the budgetary need for airfare and 1-2 nights accommodation, approximately $1,500.

   Council resolved with one abstention to renew the Regulatory Affairs Committee and retain a global perspective in its mandate, with addition of a $1500 budget for the Committee.

5. Reagent Evaluation Committee.

   The report of the Evaluation Committee (will open in a new window.) was discussed. As recommended in the committee report, Council resolved to disband the Reagent Evaluation Committee and reconstitute it as a Task force on Reagent Evaluations, chaired by James Jacobberger, and directed it to proceed to write a proposal for U.S. government funding of its activities.

6. ISAC Meeting Reports
   1. Alex Nakeff presented the proposal to hold a May 2001 meeting in Detroit on genomics and proteomics in cancer. It was agreed that Alex and the organizers would take input from the SAC on the meeting organization.
   2. Preliminary assessment of the XX Congress was presented by Lisa.

      It was agreed that there would be a thorough review of the XX Congress after the meeting, using input from the evaluation form and from person-to-person evaluations by word.

      Hans Tanke mentioned input by exhibitors that booth rental costs and food costs were high.

      Sherwood agreed to evaluate and make a recommendation of whether ISAC should in the future provide partial support for food and refreshments during exhibit breaks.

   3. Lyn Maddox (Sherwood) presented a report on plans for the XXI Congress in San Diego. Lyn reported that the Town and Country resort operators had verbally agreed not to charge ISAC a penalty if the number of room reservations did not reach 850 (as specified in the original contract). There was an extensive discussion of the adequacy of facilities and the room rates. A need was expressed by Council members to send a strong positive signal to members on the plans for this Congress, to remain informed of space, rooms rates and exhibitor costs and to insure the largest possible positive balance in meeting revenue.

      There was a sense of Council to proceed with the San Diego meeting and to bargain as well as possible in order to optimize the meeting facilities while reducing expenses.

   4. Siting of the XXII Congress was discussed by Council. Hans Tanke was not optimistic of feasibility of a site in the Netherlands. There was a variety of input attesting to the good facilities and favorable interactions that had been had with Le Corum, the advantages of Montpellier as a known quantity, and the need to move soon on a decision. Francis Lacombe felt that the French Society would be favorably disposed to a coordinated return in 2004. Paul Robinson pointed out that the French Society had effectively utilized a French organization for managing its meetings in the past, and suggested that a future Congress in Montpellier might benefit from involving this organization in some manner. Council resolved with one abstention to direct Sherwood to contract an arrangement for the XXII Congress at Montpellier within 4 weeks unless a better venue becomes evident before that time.

   5. Jim Watson presented possibilities for Other Meetings, such as bead-based and lab management themes, but noted that their feasibility was not certain.

      It was the sense of Council that plans for Other Meetings be placed before the SAC for their advice.

   6. Anne Hurley presented the possibilities of ISAC sponsored teleconferences, and this was discussed. It was the sense of Council that plans for Audio-conferences and other activities be rapidly placed before the SAC to evaluate their scientific impact and before the Finance Committee to evaluate their costs.

7. Future Focus of ISAC.

   A vigorous discussion led to a consensus that the focus of the Society was in analytical approaches to cell and tissue function, using a diversity of technologies. There was a discussion of the need to emphasize new developments and novel technologies at Congresses. The discussion was summarized by the President by the following statement: "The focus of the Society should be to serve the membership as a window on developments at the forefront of technology and new quantitative analytical approaches to measure molecular, cellular and tissue function. This includes basic research in structure/function and clinical applications and molecular medicine."

   There was a consensus that the Society should serve the membership by working within this framework as a focus for the Society's journals, Congresses and meetings.

8. Other Business
   1. Name of the Society. There was a discussion, without a consensus being reached, of the question of renaming the Society by substituting "Cytometry" for "Cytology". As any change would require altering the Constitution of the Society, further consideration will be needed before possibly bringing the issue before the next business meeting of the Society.
   2. The Council reminded organizers of Sam Latt meetings to invite Mrs. Latt to attend.
   3. Executive Committee and Communication with Council. Council was reminded of the need to reaffirm the delegation of authority by Council to the Executive Committee. There was also discussion by Nigel Carter, Paul Robinson, Fred Waldman, Vince Shankey and others that there was need to maintain lines of communication between the Executive Committee and council, between the committees involved in the Congress site selection process and membership, and that the web might be an effective means to facilitate such communication.

      Council resolved that the continued operation of the Executive Committee would be reauthorized and that the Executive Committee will post an agenda to Council in advance of its meetings and allow Council members the opportunity to comment and, if desired, to participate.

9. . Adjournment. There being no further business, Council adjourned at 20:05.

1. Council reaffirmed the operating principles of the Scientific Advisory Committee, and the dedication to utilize its input.
2. Council renewed the Regulatory Affairs Committee with the mandate to retain a global perspective, and added a $1500 budget for the Committee.
3. Council directed Sherwood to contract an arrangement for the XXII Congress at Montpellier within 4 weeks unless a better venue becomes evident before that time.
4. Council resolved that the continued operation of the Executive Committee would be reauthorized and that the Executive Committee will post an agenda to Council in advance of its meetings and allow Council members the opportunity to comment and, if desired, to participate.

Action Items:

1. Council recognized the future need for online voting, and the desire to implement web-based tutorials in cytometric techniques.
2. Council directed Alex Nakeff and the organizers of the May 2001 meeting in Detroit on genomics and proteomics in cancer to take input from the SAC on the meeting organization.
3. There will be a thorough review of the XX Congress after the meeting, using input from the evaluation form and from person-to-person evaluations by word.
4. Sherwood agreed to evaluate and make a recommendation of whether ISAC should in the future provide partial support for food and refreshments during Congress exhibit breaks.
5. There was a sense of Council to proceed with the San Diego meeting and to bargain as well as possible in order to optimize the meeting facilities while reducing expenses.
6. It was the sense of Council that plans for Other Meetings be placed before the SAC for their advice.
7. It was the sense of Council that plans for Audio-conferences and other activities be rapidly placed before the SAC to evaluate their scientific impact and before the Finance Committee to evaluate their costs.
8. There was general agreement that "The focus of the Society should be to serve the membership as a window on developments at the forefront of technology and new quantitative analytical approaches to measure molecular, cellular and tissue function. This includes basic research in structure/function and clinical applications and molecular medicine" and that Society representatives serve the membership by working within this framework as a focus for the Society's journals, Congresses and meetings.
9. The Council reminded organizers of Sam Latt meetings to invite Mrs. Latt to attend.

General Business Meeting Minutes

Present on the podium were:

Officers:
Jim Watson (President)
Lisa Staiano-Coico (President-Elect)
Maria Pallavicini (Treasurer)
Nigel Carter (Secretary)

ISAC Office:
Rick Koepke (Executive Director)

1. Call to Order (Jim Watson)

   Jim Watson called the meeting to order at 16:00 pm.
   Jim thanked the Association Francaise de Cytometrie, the Executive Committee and Lisa Staiano-Coico for their efforts in making ISAC XX a success.

2. Minutes (Nigel Carter)

   The minutes of the General Business Meeting held on the 2nd march 1998, Colorado Springs, USA were approved.
   There were no matters arising.

3. President's Report (Jim Watson)

   Jim Waston read the President's Report (will open in a new window.)

   Jim reported that in November 1998, ISAC was running a projected budget deficit of $340,000 up to ISAC XX which was clearly unsustainable. Using the line item budgeting introduced by Maria Pallavicini and the Finance Committee and the Sherwood Group, all budgets were reduced to produce a near neutral budget for the year 2000.
   Jim reminded the members that the Society's Journals and their impact factors are essential to the operation of ISAC and asked Members to publish their key papers in Cytometry and Communication in Clinical Cytometry.
   Jim reported that the third Samuel A. Latt meeting would be held in Detroit (May 2001) on the topic of genomics and proteomics in cancer and that ISAC XXI would be held in San Diego, USA in the Spring of 2002.
   Jim reported the possibility of using Le Corum, Montpellier, France as the venue for ISAC XXII in 2004. There followed a general discussion from the floor regarding venues for ISAC XXII.
   Jim reported that Council had agreed to regard the ISAC WWW site as a publication of ISAC in a similar way to the other publications such as Cytometry and CCC and therefore would be placed in the responsibility of the Scientific Communications Committee. Subsequent to the resignation of Dave Coder as WWW Editor, a new editor would be appointed. Jim thanked Dave Coder for all his work setting up the ISAC WWW site with the Sherwood Group.

   Lisa read the report of the President-Elect.
   She thanked the members of the Association Francaise de Cytometrie for their help in making ISAC XX a success.
   Lisa was thanked by Paul Robinson and the Members of the Society from the floor for her organisation of ISAC XX.

4. Treasurer's Report (Maria Pallavicini)

   Maria read the report of the Treasurer.

   She reported the final accounts and budget predictions for the years 1998 to 2003. Years 2001 to 2003 showed predicted small surpluses. Maria thanked the Finance Committee for their help and Rick Koepke and the Sherwood Group for implementing line item budgeting which has made it possible to track all of the Society's income and expenses.

5. Standing Committees

   Finance Committee

   Maria Pallavicini reported that ISAC XX is projected to make a surplus but that the extent of the surplus would not be known for some weeks.

   Membership Services Committee

   Alex Nakeff reported that while the ISAC membership had remained relatively constant over the last 10 years, the percentage of members from North America had been steadily declining from 74% in 1990 to 52% in 2000.

   Alex reported that the Membership Services Committee budget had been spent on supporting travel costs for 13 students to attend ISAC XX and for the student awards.

   Scientific Advisory Committee

   In the absence of the chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee no report was read.

   Scientific Communications Committee

   Scott Cram first asked the Members to publish in Cytometry and CCC so as to raise the quality of the Journal and with it the Journal's impact factor.

   He reported that it had been agreed not to raise the Institutional Subscription rates to the Society's Journals for 2001 and that colour page charges had been reduced by almost one half for ISAC Members. Scott reported that neutral budgeting of the Cytometry Office, Jan Visser had been able to reduce administration costs by 17%.

6. Special Committees

   There were no reports from Special Committees.

7. Headquarters Report

   Rick Koepke thanked the staff of the Sherwood Group who had worked hard to make ISAC XX and enjoyable meeting for the Membership.

   He reported that ISAC Headquarters had helped organise the second Samuel A. Latt meeting and that Headquarters staff, lead by Julie Theander had introduced new electronic services of an online membership directory, a redesign of the ISAC WWW site (with Dave Coder) and introduced the electronic Newsletter, ISAC E-News. A discussion of the use of the ISAC Membership list by commercial concerns followed. It was agreed to ask Council to discuss the unauthorised use of the ISAC Membership list.

8. Retiring Officers and Councilors

   Jim Watson thanked and presented plaques to Nigel Carter, Jim Jacobberger, Francis Lacombe, Hiromitsu Nakauchi, Alberto Orfeo and Paul Smith.

   At this point, Lisa Staiano-Coico took office as President and thanked the retiring President, Jim Watson for all his services to the Society.

9. Election Results (Joe Gray)

   Joe Gray read the election results:

   Harry Crissman	President-Elect
   Peter Rabinovitch	Secretary
   Caroline Dive	Biological Councilor
   Anne Hurley	Biological Councilor
   Peter Lansdorp	Biological Councilor
   Frank Mandy	Clinical Councilor
   Fred Waldman	Clinical Councilor
   David Galbraith	Cytometric Technology Councilor

10. President's Remarks (Lisa Staiano-Coico)

    Lisa thanked the Society for the honour of serving as President. She commented that she would do her best to maintain and expand the global and interdisciplinary strengths of the Society.

11. Old Business

    There was no old business.

12. New Business
    1. Ted Young commented that the membership needed to see Committee reports and in particular the Finance Report well before the General Business Meeting.
    2. Lisa Staiano-Coico reported that the new chair of the Scientific Communications Committee is Carlton Stewart.
       
       

13. Adjourn

    There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 19:38 pm.

TOP

Third Annual Samuel A. Latt Conference to Be Held in Detroit

The conference will be held May 2-4, 2000, at the Holiday Inn Detroit/Hotel St. Regis in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.

Topics to be discussed by invited speakers will be:

• Technology Updates in Genomics
• Proteomics and Bioinformatics
• Molecular Classification of Tumors
• Oncopharmacogenomics/Epidemiology
• Anticancer Drug Development

Program, registration and exhibit information can be obtained from Conference Chair Alexander Nakeff, Ph.D., JFCC, Henry Ford Health System, One Ford Place, Detroit, MI 48202, U.S.A.; phone, 313/874-4879; fax: 313/874-6824; e-mail: anakeff1@hfhs.org or by accessing the conference web site at www.samlatt.org.

Update on Plans for ISAC Congress XXI

San Diego, here we come!

Well not just yet, but we have already begun some of the preliminary planning for ISAC Congress XXI May 4-9, 2002, in sunny San Diego, California. The location for the meeting is particularly convenient for many of our Asian and Australian colleagues, and we do welcome your attendance and participation in the Congress. As you will see in the report in this issue of E-News, ISAC Congress XX in Montpellier was a great success, thanks to the hard work by Lisa Staiano-Coico, the Sherwood group, our French hosts, and many other ISAC members who so generously contributed their time. We expect to put together any equally successful meeting in San Diego.

In addition to being a great place to hold a meeting, San Diego offers many attractions for the entire family, including the famous San Diego Zoo, Sea World, beautiful beaches and more. The Town and Country Resort and Conference Center is close to many of those attractions.

The scientific content and the overall structure of the meeting are major aspects of planning, and I look forward to receiving your input. Please feel free to e-mail me your comments and suggestions at hacrissman@lanl.gov.

ISAC Web Site Redesign Progressing

After many years developing and maintaining the ISAC web site, Dave Coder has stepped down as ISAC web editor and the baton has been passed to me. One of the last things initiated by Dave, together with the communications team at the Sherwood Group led by Jill Hronek, is a complete redesign of the ISAC web site. Some of you may have seen the first draft of this new design at the ISAC booth at ISAC XX in Montpellier. It has now fallen to me to bring this new design through to an active web site. I hope that the new site will become active within the next couple of months.

The new web design will have many new features including what we hope you will see as a more modern and aesthetically pleasing design. The initial home page is aimed at potential members and casual browsers and is intended to generate interest in ISAC with lively graphics and informative links to specialist pages written by ISAC members. These pages will provide overviews of how cytometry is applied to areas of research and medicine. I will be contacting some of you soon to help with the content of these pages.

A link from the home page will take members to a main page from where all of the current society information can be found. In addition, we intend to add a password-protected members-only area from which the searchable membership directory can be accessed and where in the future we can place other pages related to the specific benefits of membership in ISAC. Other enhancements will include online renewal of membership, an ISAC listserv discussion forum along the lines of the Purdue list but restricted to society issues, useful links and downloadable ISAC promotional PowerPoint slides which I hope you will use to promote ISAC in your lectures and seminars.

Above all, I want the ISAC web site to be useful to all of you and I would really appreciate any comments or ideas that you might have. Please contact me by e-mail at npc@sanger.ac.uk.

ISAC Awards Presented at ISAC XX

Distinguished Service Award

This year's winners are:

Honorary Fellow Award

Student Involvement and Awards

Outstanding Student Poster Award

Winners:
Louise Affleck
Targeting Antigens to B Cells for Improved Adjuvancy: The Binding of Recombinant Murine C3D2-CYX to CR2+ Cells Detected by Flow Cytometry
Co-authors: Pamela Rowling, Rodney Oldroyd, Geoffrey Smith, Vivienne Cox, Richard Smith

Cristina Prudencio
FCM Functional Assay of Multiple Resistance of the Yeast Debaryomyces Hansenii to Fluconazole, 5-Fluorocytosine and Amphotericin B. Evalustion of its Reversion
Co-authors: Filipe Sansonetty, Maria Joao Sousa, Manuela Corte-Real, Cecilia Leao

Exceptional Student Award

Winner:
Stephanie Sincock
Title of Presentation: Characteristics and Dynamics of Bacterial Populations Within Poloxamer-Hydrogel Biofilm-Constructs
Co-authors: Bartek Rajwa, J. Paul Robinson, Advisor

President's Award for Excellence

Winner:
Graeme Hodgson
Title of Presentation: High-Resolution Assessment of DNA Loss in Rip-Tag Mouse Pancreatic Tumors Using Comparative Genomic Hybridization to DNA Microarrays
Co-authors: Jeff Hager, Colin Collins, Meredith Wernick, Heather Werhane, Donna Albertson, Daniel Pinkel, Hanahan, Joe Gray

ISAC XX INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS

The curtain has just closed on the inspiring Sydney 2000 Olympiad, and the planning process is once again underway for the next great multi-nation event, the ISAC XXI Congress in San Diego, California, in 2002. It will come as no surprise that ISAC needs to know what you thought of the Montpellier 2000 Congress so that we can keep pace with members expectations and interests. The information will be very useful in the planning of the XXI Congress. The ISAC Scientific Advisory Committee has attempted to evaluate the opinions of the Montpellier attendees. SAC has reviewed the comments on the meeting evaluation forms, reflected on their own personal opinions and experience, and canvassed the views of attendees during and after the meeting. The evaluation of the commercial exhibitor responses is being carried out separately.

In general, the overall opinion is that the Congress was a success. The organizing committee should be thanked for their superb efforts while realizing that the success of the meeting was due, in no small part, to the cooperation of our French colleagues. The ISAC congresses rely upon the continued support of commercial sponsors and attendees were generally pleased with the access to exhibits and company representatives.

But why do people go the Congress? Well, there were three main reasons given for people deciding to attend the Montpellier meeting, namely:

• the opportunity of networking with colleagues,
  
• quality of the plenary and parallel speakers,
  
• session topics.

The meeting location of Montpellier and venue operation by Le Corum were highly rated, although some details could have been better. Attempts to change meeting room allocations mid-Congress resulted in some confusion but it was done to cope with the unexpected interest in some sessions. Clearly, cytometrists do not like surprises. Most participants found the hotel arrangements satisfactory although there were clear problems for a significant minority in terms of quality of accommodation and distance from Le Corum.

Lunch boxes were generally rated as poor but they were obviously inspiring in that they gave rise to the most creative comments on the evaluation forms! Fortunately, the final evening event was deemed a success. There was the feeling that the sessions were rather long although this was at variance with the requests for additional space in the program for some subjects. The organizers are looking into ways to streamline future Congresses with time off for relaxation and networking.

The Frontier Lecture Series received a very positive response and became a principal focus of the congress. It is likely that this format will be repeated at Congress XXI despite the costs involved. The workshop sessions were welcomed but with the suggestion that they should focus on recent and future projections and not just review the literature. There was a significant divergence of opinion on the quality of workshops. There is a clear problem in that experts want high quality new information, while people new to the field need to be brought up-to-date. ISAC is thinking of ways to indicate the likely level at which a particular session is pitched.

All plenary and symposium sessions (including microarray and chip technology) gained high positive responses with good attendance. However, despite the overall good rating for the microarray and chip technology sessions there were comments that the theme was overplayed. It is likely that similar technology sessions will be incorporated into Congress XXI. There have been suggestions of a plenary parallel sessions on molecular genetics of solid tumors/hematological/malignancies and the organizers are considering these possibilities for San Diego.

The Robert Hooke Distinguished Lecture gained the highest positive response but it is likely that in future the lecture will be linked in some way with a super-theme of the Congress whenever possible.

There were substantial criticisms of the organization of the poster sessions both in location and in viewing opportunities. SAC has suggested that the posters are raised in terms of meeting importance by the way they are displayed and reported upon. The poster sessions should also be seen as a major networking opportunity and the organizers of the XXI Congress will address this need.

The Scientific Tutorials met with an overall positive response but could clearly improve. The tutorials remain popular but must deliver value for money. Importantly the negative comments were similar to those voiced at the Colorado Springs meeting. Indications are that the tutorials were too variable in format, quality, in some cases too basic. There were also concerns over the extent to which information was presented twice at the conference. The criticism that some tutorials were too basic was countered by the views that tutorials should also address the "uninitiated." It is likely that the tutorials will be offered again at the next congress with better guidance for the volunteer presenters that reflects the importance placed on the education role of ISAC by our president elect.

Looking towards the next Congress the overall feeling, in view of the Montpellier evaluation, is that the meeting should be balanced and deliver on several themes. It should offer both the expert and the novice outlets for the presentation of their work, networking and the receiving of new information and ideas. The timbre of the congress is clearly determined by the quality of the peaks and the opportunity to exchange ideas in an attractive setting. ISAC Congress XXI organizers are currently working on a new format that suits the San Diego location and they thank the Montpellier attendees for their constructive comments on ISAC's showcase activity.