Teratology Society
Members' Section
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Teratology Society Members' Section |
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Teratology Society Newsletter Volume
9, Number 1 Table of Contents
Submitted by George Daston Plans are set for the 1999 Annual Meeting, June 29 through July 4. The scientific program contains four major symposia, two poster sessions and a number of platform sessions on the range of interdisciplinary subjects that make our Teratology Society meetings unique. We will also have several special sessions to discuss significant scientific issues. The Neurobehavioral Teratology Society and Organization of Teratogen Information Services will meet in conjunction with our meeting and joint sessions have been scheduled. Of course, you will also want to attend the Banquet on Friday evening. Additional tickets for guests can be purchased on-site at the registration desk. All of this will take place amid the awe-inspiring beauty of the Colorado Rockies at Keystone. The Program Committee has put together a full meeting agenda with four major symposia, contributed papers and poster sessions. Here's a glance of the sessions that are planned for the 39th Annual Meeting: This will be the twentieth annual meeting that I have attended. I look forward to the Annual Meeting all year, not only because of the top-notch scientific programs, but also because of the opportunity to get together with colleagues and friends from all over the world. It's an invaluable opportunity to catch up, get new ideas, strike up new collaborations, and unwind in a relaxed, idyllic atmosphere. I know that my experience is not unique. Please consider the good times and good science that happen at our Annual Meeting and make every effort to come early and stay to the end. Symposia HIV in Pregnancy
Oxidative Stress, Apoptosis and Abnormal Development
Skeletal Development
Post-Marketing Surveillance
Warkany Lecture
MARTA/MTA Workshop
Hot Topics
Continuing Education Course
The Teratology Society is a society in transition. Some years ago, this observation bothered us, because it implied that we had lost our way, that members were abandoning the organization because it no longer served their needs. We worried that some deficiency was preventing us from being the effective group we used to be. We set about studying how we had strayed, and what we needed to do to get back on course. The answer is now in. . .We are a Society in transition because we are supposed to be in transition. The happiest duty of the President of this Society is talking to members. Whether by phone, fax, or E-mail, I have been in touch with hundreds of members, and have learned a great deal about the role the Society plays in their professional careers and in their intellectual lives. I have learned how changes in the disciplines that comprise teratology have caused shifts in scientific interests, shifts in funding priorities, and shifts in educational needs. I have seen how the Society has responded, sometimes quickly, sometimes sluggishly, to these changes in science, policy, and education. I have been impressed at how nimble, on balance, the Society has become in making changes. What is responsible for us being such a flexible organization that we can adapt so quickly to enormous upheavals in the landscape? One obvious answer is that electronic technology has enabled us to stay in touch with one another more effectively. Council and committee members contact one another quickly and easily, and work simply gets done more expediently. Society members are being E-mailed more regularly about issues of importance and visitors to the Web site can stay up to the minute. This year, for example, minutes of Council meetings have been electronically approved by Council members, electronically signed by the President, and posted on the Web site within one or two days of the meeting, inviting members to stay in the know about the Society's business. A second answer to the flexibility question is less obvious, although arguably more important. The answer is the same as the answer to the question, what is the Teratology Society? Is the Society a suite of offices in Reston, Virginia? Is the Society a Constitution and Bylaws or Articles of Incorporation sitting in a law office somewhere? Of course not. The Society is simply people‹people who get together to advance the common goals of understanding and eliminating birth defects. Because we are the Society, the Society can change as quickly as we do. I have had the fortune to work with a number of Councilors, committee chairs, and individual members who share the belief that there are no rules in the fight against birth defects. Our traditions are important, but new ideas in the Society never get shelved because they challenge those traditions. It is because we have maintained the Society as a collection of people rather than as an institution of rules that we have been able to change quickly with the times. We are, then, a Society in transition. May it always be so.
Anthony
R. Scialli, M.D.
Submitted by B. Hales and A. Scialli
What is teratology? How
can we identify chemical or physical agents Is
there a "threshold" dose or exposure for Do teratogenic exposures mediate their actions through common pathways or mechanisms of action? Why do individuals respond differently to exposure to a chemical or physical agent? This is just a taste of some of the questions that some members of our Society address in the Primer of Teratology. The goal of the Primer is to introduce the field of teratology to undergraduate students in the biomedical sciences, and in medicine and veterinary medicine. Council has approved and supported this project with the goal of conveying to trainees our enthusiasm about our science. The Scientific American-style chapters will be illustrated and published both on our Web site and, thanks to the support of Pfizer, as a handbook that we will provide free of charge to students in universities across North America. The emphasis of the Primer is on topics of everyday concern. Additional questions that will be addressed include: Are there foods, or food supplements, that are toxic during development? What about over-the-counter products that we purchase in the drug store? What is meant when a regulatory agency establishes a "safe" level of exposure to a teratogenic agent? What do lawyers look for as "proof" that an agent has caused a malformation? Does this differ from what a scientist requires? How can we prevent birth defects? What sources of information are available to determine the risk of maternal exposure to drugs and chemicals during pregnancy? We will need all of you to help us distribute the hard copies of the Primer to students at your institution. Please look for the sign up sheets at our next Annual Meeting.
The editorial office has been very pleased to have received responses from several members and non-members of the Teratology Society. We had written to many people to solicit either a manuscript that would reflect the findings in a published abstract or a "Letter to the Editor." The Teratology journal is now being published on time and contains more articles and letters. We need the help of all members to increase the quality and quantity of the articles. Please send us your best manuscripts for publication and help the journal reach its goal of publishing the exciting new findings in the study of normal and abnormal development. We appreciate your help, comments and suggestions.
Teratology Editorial Genetics and Teratology Unit Massachusetts General Hospital Warren 801 55 Fruit Street Boston, MA 02114-2696 Tel: (617) 726-1742 Email: holmes.lewis@mgh.harvard.edu
The James
G. Wilson Publication Award is initiated by the Teratology Society and
presented for the best paper published in Teratology on an annual
basis. The dual purpose of the award is to provide recognition to the
authors of the best paper and to encourage authors trained in various
disciplines to submit high-quality papers to Teratology. The primary
focus of the publication must be on mechanisms of dysmorphogenesis and
developmental susceptibility and will be judged on originality, approach
and impact. At the time of submission, authors must indicate their desire
to be considered for the award in a cover letter to the Journal Editor.
The Publication Committee will select the best paper from articles published
in Teratology in 1999Ë2000. The award amount is $1,500. The winner
will also be invited to present the paper at the Annual Meeting of the
Teratology Society. Travel costs, registration fee and funding for a one-year
membership in the Society will be included for the winner.
Submitted by John Krayer Greetings from the Web Site Committee! A lot has transpired since the Winter Newsletter, and we hope that many of you have taken time to keep up-to-date on Teratology Society news by surfing the Web site. For those of you who haven't, we encourage you to get on-line and take a first-hand look (http://teratology.org). With the Annual Meeting fast approaching, all are encouraged to visit the site for new or updated information on the Annual Meeting in Keystone, Colorado. Already, you can find the preliminary program, presentation/poster instructions, transportation, housing, and exhibit space information. Visit often for updates. Check out the WebBoard too, its new. What's a WebBoard, you ask? Well, check out the links on the home page and find out. Here is your discussion, debate, and comment forum for topics in such areas as general interest, regulatory issues, societal issues, and techniques and procedures. How do you join? It's simple. Click on one of the two "WebBoard" links on the home page [or click here]. First time users need to register and then read the first message called "README 1st." To read messages in other "hidden" conferences, you must send an E-mail and be recognized as a member of Teratology Society, MARTA, MTA, or SOT. Register to receive access to all applicable conferences. Once access has been granted, log-in with your user name and password. Interaction doesn't have to stop at the end of the Annual Meeting. With the WebBoard, it can begin at the meeting and continue throughout the year. MARTA and MTA members, great news! All new hotlines are posted on the WebBoard for members to read along with responses. It's very easy to post a new message (the WebBoard even has a spellchecker). Some might ask how they will be notified of new WebBoard information, including MARTA/MTA hotlines (E-mail is to be replaced by the WebBoard at some point this year) or Teratology Society information. Here's what you do. Once in the WebBoard, click on "MORE€" on the black WebBoard toolbar, then click on "Email Notify." Select the conferences for which you would like notification, which include all the Teratology Society conferences and MARTA/MTA hotlines. When new information is posted, you will automatically receive a notice via E-mail. Other items of general interest include new logo designs for viewing and comment. Please take a look. This is your chance to voice your opinions on the logo design that will communicate the identity of the Teratology Society for some time to come. Also, new to the Web site are database and literature resource links to toxicology and teratology information. A wealth of information is just a click away. View the charges of the various standing committees in the Members' Section, review current and past newsletters, and Council and Business meeting minutes. Need a new job‹check out the placement service. Employers‹please consider the Web site as another forum for advertising your job. In the future, look for on-line membership applications and more. Last, but not least, the Teratology Society would like to develop a section of our Web site for students‹the "Just For Students Web Pages." We want to design these pages for students and generate students' interest in the field of teratology. Who better to ask for help than students? But they always seem to be too busy with studies and other activities. So to get them interested, we are offering them money for this project‹$700! We are soliciting proposals from students (at any level) and post-docs for the design, content, and implementation of these student-oriented web pages. The proposals do not have to be completed web pages, but must be detailed in order to visualize the final product. Only one proposal will be selected and that student(s) will be given the money to complete the web pages. We will provide some assistance in the actual implementation of the web pages (i.e., provide contacts in the field, resources and HTML coding) but the student will be required to complete the project. The proposals are due May 15 and the winning proposal will be announced at the Annual Meeting. The guidelines and rules for entry are posted on the Teratology Web site. The "Just For Students Web Pages" is sponsored by Merck Research Laboratories. So, we hope we have encouraged you to visit http://teratology.org often. Try the WebBoard. Strike up a discussion. Let any one of us on the Web Site Committee know what we can do to better serve your needs.
(As of April 1, 1999)
American Petroleum Institute Elsevier Science March of Dimes Merck Research Laboratories NIEHS Parke-Davis SmithKline Beecham Wiley-Liss
Submitted by John Rogers Well, I have certainly learned a bit about spreadsheets, accounting and finance during the past few months. I welcome this opportunity to share with you a finance report and our 1999 budget. The Council has reached a level of familiarity and comfort with ADG as our business office and, working together, we have formulated an approach to budgeting that I hope will be fairly straightforward for everyone to understand and that will also keep us on track financially. Much credit goes to Elaine Francis and Nancy Dieter for getting the transition under way, and to Tonia Masson, our current manager at ADG, for patiently helping me understand the financial operation of the Society and helping a great deal in advising us on our budgetary structure. The best way to tell you about the budget is just to show you. In this article, you will find a breakdown of estimated revenues and expenses for 1999 (see below). Most, but not all, of the expense categories are self-explanatory. Please realize that within these cost categories there are subcategories that we track, but I think this level of lumping/splitting of costs is reasonable to convey to you what we are receiving and spending. Categories with zeros have been omitted to save space. It's not very easy to present you a comparison to the 1998 budget because the categories have changed quite a bit, but our expense budget in 1998 was $329,400, compared to $338,320 this year. At 1998 year end, we actually spent $313,819, and our net income over expenses for 1998 was $10,653. For 1999, notable new expenses include $4,000 for electronic abstracts (which we certainly took advantage of here at EPA), $3,000 for a Teratology Primer, $3,000 for a new logo (see the Web site for lots more on this) and $10,000 for an Interim Council Meeting (we've always had these, but they were not specifically budgeted). The cost for the business office is held at the same level as last year. In revenue, the first category of contributions is for expected additional contributions, with the number picked primarily to balance the budget. Since this budget was drawn up, we have already received additional sponsors for meeting events and other functions, and I am optimistic that we will exceed the contributions necessary to balance the budget and be in the black again this year. Please also remember that member dues and the Annual Meeting are our main sources of income. So get those dues paid and plan to attend the meeting! I also want to report that I am working with a representative from Legg Mason in Baltimore to structure an investment program for the Society. They have a program designed specifically for investing Association reserves and they currently have over 300 not-for-profit clients, including many medical and scientific associations. The first step will be a no-cost analysis of our financial status and cash flow, followed by an evaluation of our financial goals and comfort level in terms of risk. My goal is to go through this with our representative and come up with several options for presentation to Council and the members at the Annual Meeting. An important outcome of this process, in my view, will be to formulate financial goals for the Society. This can focus our fund-raising efforts as well as help structure investment of our cash reserves. Well, that's the gist of what has been going on with the budget in the past few months. Please feel free to E-mail me with any questions, suggestions or comments at rogers.john@epamail.epa.gov.
The Proceedings of the 5th Scientific Meeting of the International Federation of Teratology Societies are available to Teratology Society members. If you would like a copy of the Proceedings, please send your request along with a self-addressed, stamped 9" x 12" envelope. The postage required is as follows: United States .99 International 3.40 Mexico 1.66 Canada 1.14 The Proceedings
will also be available without charge at the Annual Meeting.
Please return your election ballots to the Teratology Society Headquarters before June 14, 1999. Be sure to sign and print your name on the return envelope to validate your vote. Unsigned envelopes cannot be counted. The results of the election will be announced at the 1999 Annual Meeting in Keystone, Colorado.
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