ASPET Division for Toxicology Executive Committee and Business Meeting Minutes
April 24, 2012, San Diego, CA
Attendees: Patti Ganey (Chair), John Schuetz (Past Chair), Jack Hinson (Chair-elect), Todd Porter (Secretary/Treasurer), Monica Valentovic (Secretary/Treasurer elect), Laura James, Xinxin Ding, Mary Vore (ASPET Executive Committee liason)
Dr. Ganey called the meeting to order and introductions were made. The Committee welcomed Dr. Laura James (Secretary/Treasurer-elect for 2013).
Dr. Ganey reported that the Toxicology Division sponsored or co-sponsored 9 symposia at the 2012 meeting:
1) The Role of Pharmacogenetics in Oncology
2) Role of Nuclear Receptors in Lipid Dysregulation and Obesity-related Diseases
3) Cognitive Enhancement to Improve Treatment Outcome and Quality of Life Associated with Neuropathologies
4) From Structure to Knockout: Common Themes Between CYPs and ABC Transporters
5) Toxicology Division Symposium: The Utilization of Genetically Modified Mice to Determine Mechanisms of Toxicity
6) Protein-protein Interaction (PPI) Interfaces as Therapeutic Targets: Promises and Challenges
7) NADPH-Cytochrome P450 Oxidoreductase: Roles in Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology
8) Opioid-induced Bowel Dysfunction
9) Steroid Signaling Via G Protein-coupled Receptors
Dr. Ganey reported that 3 symposia proposals are under consideration for funding for the 2014 meeting, and two are likely to be funded. The preliminary program for the 2013 meeting is being prepared.
Financial Report (Todd Porter): The division is anticipated to start the 2012 year with $8,313 carryover from 2011 and has a budget allocation of $9,905, for a total of $18,218. The current budget allocation is based in part on a primary membership of 268 scientists and 758 secondary members. Expenses for the past year, including the 2012 meeting, came to $10,426, largely for hospitality and speaker expenses.
New Business: The policy of awarding travel reimbursement to our poster winners to attend the annual meeting in the following year was discussed. Due to confusion on the part of the students, Division officers, and ASPET staff, and the possibility of duplication of awards with ASPET Travel awards, it was decided that this policy of “advance awards” would be discontinued this year. It was noted that poster winners should be encouraged to include on their ASPET Travel Awards that they had won our poster competition in the previous year, and it was suggested that this should be a consideration in funding decisions by ASPET.
Student Poster Competition Results: The division had 7 student poster entries and 3 postdoc entries. Three students and one postdoc did not attend the session. Awards were given to the top 3 student posters ($500, $300, $200) and top postdoc poster ($500). The student winners were Jessica Morgan (Univ. of Tennessee), Stephanie Ondovcik (Univ. of Toronto) and Chris Kuhlman (Univ. of Arizona); the postdoc winner was Smita Ghare (Univ. of Louisville). The limited participation of students and postdocs was considered, and the benefit of recruiting more judges, including student judges, was discussed. One possibility considered was sending an email prior to the meeting to all Division members asking them to join us at the reception/session. With sufficient judges each would have to judge fewer posters (three?) and the judges would have more time to interact with presenters and fellow attendees.
Other Business: The possibility of instituting a Toxicology Award was considered. This award might be given in alternate years and would be part of a symposium; the awardee could be either a senior or accomplished toxicologist or a promising new investigator. Other divisions have had some success with this approach to stimulating attendance. Funding would be a problem and the ASPET requirement of establishing an endowment was noted. ASPET requires a $20,000 endowment for a yearly $1000 award; $15,000 would be sufficient for a biennial $1000 award. The possibility of decreasing student poster awards to generate funds was not favored, but the possibility of collaborating with a regional society to establish this award was considered.
Lectures on Demand: There are 8 Lectures on Demand on the Toxicology Division website; it is not known if these are being accessed. Dr. Ganey asked everyone to take a look at these audio/visual presentations and let her or Dr. Hinson know if they are valuable and should be retained on the website.
The meeting concluded and everyone adjourned to the Drug Metabolism/Toxicology Mixer where the student awards were announced.
Respectfully submitted by Todd Porter