Paul Smith - candidate for President of ISAC

I have been active in the fields of DNA repair, drug development, cytometry and imaging technologies for more than 25 years. I have served the Society at multiple levels since Congress XII held at Cambridge in 1987 and I am an associate editor for Cytometry.

I am honored to be nominated but seek office under the principle of service. In a leadership role I believe in change through consensus, the value of strategic planning, informed decision making by the executive and an ambition of vision. I bring to my candidacy:

• my experience of an active senior biomedical researcher
• long-standing ISAC membership
• varied ISAC service as Analytical Councilor, Biological Sciences Councilor, Clinical Councillor, Tutor and former chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee
• the skills required of an organiser of ISAC conferences
• the knowledge base as the former leader of the Strategic Issues Task Force that initiated the re-shaping of ISAC and Council operations
• an interdisciplinary perspective and expertise
• an understanding of the role of leadership in enterprises at different levels
• experience of the commercial challenges in our field
• a strategic view of our Society’s future potential
• energy and creativity
• an undertaking to continue to add value to ISAC membership
• a commitment to advance cytometry

Background

I received my BSc in Medical Microbiology, studying under the cellular pathologist and co-discoverer of EBV Michael Epstein. In 1977 I gained my PhD in Cellular Radiobiology (Victoria University of Manchester) as a Medical Research Council (MRC) student in the Paterson Laboratories, under the influence of Alma Howard the co-discoverer of the cell cycle. Postdoctoral fellowship studies into genetic abnormalities in DNA repair were undertaken in Canada at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories - supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and later by the US National Cancer Institute. I returned to the UK in 1982 becoming a senior non-clinical scientist at the MRC Centre, Cambridge. In Cambridge I participated in the early applications of multiparameter flow cytometry in experimental oncology in collaboration with James Watson. In 1995 I was appointed to the Chair of Cancer Biology at Cardiff University establishing an imaging and flow cytometry centre. My last five year research portfolio has attracted a total grant funding support of $8.8 million, with current applications addressing microtechnologies. In the area of novel therapeutics I have acted as a consultant to the biopharmaceutical industry - having recently co-edited, with Eddy Yue, the book ‘Inhibitors of Cyclin-dependent Kinases as Anti-tumor Agents’ (CRC Press; 2006). My current research addresses the cell cycle and anticancer drugs, cytometric technologies and the modeling of complex biological systems.

Skills

My leadership and cross-discipline strategic thinking skills have been recognized and called upon by national organizations. I have been an advisor to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the National Radiological Protection Board and the Health Protection Agency. Unusually, my interdisciplinary credentials have been recognized by 3 separate UK research councils. The activities relevant to cytometry are: deputy chair of the Tools and Resources Strategy Panel for the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) - the UK’s principal funder of basic and strategic biological research; member of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Expert Panel; BBSRC Research Equipment panel member; member of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Review College; EPSRC Basic Technology Mentor for bioacoustics; co-chair of the Wales Cancer Trials Unit (WCTU) Translational Working Group; foundation member of the Wales Cancer Trials Network; leader of the UK Optical Biochips Consortium; panel chair for Research Councils UK. Paul also contributes to Cardiff University nanomedicines, business and enterprise, high end computing and cancer imaging initiatives.

I have a patenting track-record in cytometric technologies and anticancer drugs. I am a co-founder and director of Biostatus Ltd – a spin-out company,set up to exploit fluorescent probe technology from two UK Universities in the biotechnology, drug screening and healthcare market sectors. I am also a director of MediWales Ltd – a national forum for commercial exploitation of medical devices.

I consider myself to be a creative individual and I have enjoyed representing UK bioscience in missions to Japan and the USA, promoting the public understanding of science in open lectures, BBC radio and television interviews and programmes.

Campaign Statement

If chosen as the 2008 President-elect, I will continue the process of revitalization of the Society - initiated under the past president Maria Pallavicini, energetically pursued under the current Presidency of Paul Robinson and being consolidated by the outstanding activities of our President-elect Robert Murphy. My main aims are to enhance the value of membership and to advance ISAC’s leadership role in cytometry.

In ISAC we have great talent and good-will but it behooves us not to squander that fragile resource. The Society cannot be effective, in a world of changing technology and membership expectations, if it is based on the activities of volunteer member’s alone. I gave active support, underpinned by a strategic review process, to the case for the appointment of an Executive Director. I will continue to strengthen the value of that essential role and the efforts of the Council in critical areas:

• Enhancing the efficiency for the selection, mounting and operation of the Congress to allow for an increased value and frequency of events for members.
• Engaging with a wider set of societies with complementary interests.
• Strategic planning and review with a focus on how to contend with the expanding science and technology areas within the field of cytometry and those not yet adequately served by ISAC.
• To engage the membership in visioning activities for ISAC’s future course.
• To provide opportunities for our junior members to expand their training and assume leadership positions
• To constantly review whether we are sufficiently nimble as a Society to take advantage of opportunities in education and regulatory issues.
• To continue to promote ISAC as an information hub for the community.

Over the last 5 years I have witnessed and contributed to a change in ISAC operations and thinking as an organization. The currently leadership is dedicated to delivering change. I am aware of the international credentials of the Society. I believe the Society is now more fit for purpose and should bring into its thinking how to address the opportunities being presented by a widening Europe, the desire for training and education in the Indian subcontinent and the technology hungry economy of China.

I ask for your support in continuing the process of change in the Society and the improving ability to recognize the sweep of new opportunities.