ASCB Newsletter - April 1997

House For Rent Near MBL
WOODS HOLE furnished house for rent 9/97-9/98. LR/DR, 3BR, 2baths, garage, screen porch, greenhouse. 2 mi to MBL/WHOI/NOAA. 1/4mi to Racing Beach. Contact Linda Lebach Real Estate.
Phone (508) 548-0635;
FAX (508) 540-7849.

Research Associate/Postdoctoral Fellow positions available to study the role of cell surface proteoglycans in regulating tumor cell behavior. Research Associate position offers opportunity for advancement as an independent investigator. Contact Ralph D. Sanderson, PhD, Department of Pathology, Univ. Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham St., Little Rock AR 72205. EOE/AA.

Postdoc to study cytoplasmic organelle partitioning during cell division. Vacuole inheritance in yeast is being investigated through genetic, molecular and cellular techniques. Recent publications include Hill et al., JCB 135:1535 (1996), Wang et al. MBC 7:1375 (1996). Contact: Lois Weisman, Department of Biochemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City IA 52242. 319-335-8581. EOE/AA.

Postdoc to conduct research in the cell biology of exocrine cells. Lab interests include protein sorting, secretion, and pancreatic diseases. Experience in cell biology, biochemistry or molecular biology required. US citizen or permanent resident sought. Position available 7/1/97. Contact: Anson Lowe, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305-5487. EOE/AA.

Situated close to Sydney University and 5 km from the Opera House, the Heart Research Institute has an open position for a group leader. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. Experience with endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, growth factors, signal transduction or any other cell biology discipline with relevance to atherosclerosis considered. Inquiries

Research laboratory near Nice, France (Marine Station of Villefranche-sur-mer) looking for a post-doc interested in differentiation of muscle cells and myogenic factors in embryos. Experience in molecular biology required. Position available immediately; 10,000 FF per month for one year; extension possible. Contact Christian Sardet or Janet Chenevert Phone: 493763771, Fax:493763792 EOE/AA.

Postdoctoral position available immediately to study the role of lymphocyte adhesion and migration on HIV activation and replication. Experience in molecular or cell biology preferred. Send CV and names of three references to: Dr. Lynn Schnapp, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Box 1232, One Gustave Levy Place, New York NY 10029. Fax: (212) 831-3560 EOE/AA.

Postdoctoral position in the area of cell cycle research and vascular biology. Study of the control of cell cycle transit by the E2F1 transcription factor, involvement of E2F1 in the S phase checkpoint and its effect on cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Contact: Dr. David Hall, Dept. of Biochemistry. Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia PA 19107. EOE/AA.

Postdoctoral position in cellular and molecular neurobiology. Studies include: analysis of factors controlling transcription of adhesion molecule genes in vivo and in vitro, identification of signal pathways and the gene programs activated by adhesion molecule binding. Contact: Gerald M. Edelman, Department of Neurobiology, Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Rd., SBR14, La Jolla CA 92037. EOE/AA.

First Schilling Research Conference on Breast and Prostate Cancer
September 18–21, 1997

Chaminade Conference Center
Santa Cruz, California

Sponsored by the American Cancer Society in honor of the Schilling Family

The organizers encourage junior scientists who are actively involved in breast and prostate cancer research to present their data at the meeting. Attendance will be restricted to approximately 100 participants who will compete for places. Travel stipends will be available for MD's in scientific training, Ph.D. students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty. Abstracts are invited for poster presentation only.
Deadline Friday, May 30, 1997.
A limited number of posters from scientists in industry will be accepted.

For registration and abstract information please contact:
Ms. Cecilia Olkowski
American Cancer Society, California Division
P.O. Box 2061
Oakland, CA 94684
Phone: (510) 893-7900
Fax: (510) 835-8406

The ASCB Education Committee has appointed a Subcommittee (Joan Brugge, Gerald Fischbach, Elizabeth Gavis, Arthur Lander, Dick McIntosh, and Frank Solomon) with the charge of determining the career progression of cell biologists and how that progression compares to a priori expectations. To that end, the Society has commissioned a professional survey firm, Belden & Russonello, to measure career progress, expectations and satisfaction within the ASCB membership.

The survey is being mailed to a random sample of 3,000 members (about 30%) of the ASCB. Designed for busy researchers, it is expected to take 10 minutes to answer. Members are urged to look for a survey in the mail and to answer and return it promptly to Belden & Russonello. All data will be aggregated; no responses will be reported, even to the Society, individually. A high yield is critical to producing robust data that will allow the Society to contribute to national policy with confidence on behalf of the membership.

Fifth Joint American Society for Cell Biology/European Molecular Biology Organization/H. Dudley Wright Conference

Centrosomes and Spindle Pole Bodies
University of California, Santa Cruz
August 23-27, 1997

Organizers: John Kilmartin, Medical Research Council, Cambridge, England
Robert Palazzo, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

The ASCB Education Committee calls attention each month to several Web sites of educational interest to the cell biology community. The Committee does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information at any of the listed sites. If you wish to comment on the selections or suggest future inclusions please send a message to Robert V. Blystone

1. The Sheep Brain Dissection Guide
   This page represents an NSF-funded project performed as part of the Neuroscience Program at the University of Scranton. The name is descriptive; this is a 36 window program that takes the viewer through a dissection of a sheep brain. The sheep brain is seen in whole, in sagital plane, and in transverse view. A grid is place on the brain and the viewer can maneuver to various cross sectional views. Descriptive text accompanies each screen and a direction finder gives the user some control over the data set. The images are clear and this URL provides a very competitive alternative to the "old fashion" lab atlas of the brain. The Java script did hang on several occasions necessitating a reboot of the computer. The guide is authored by R. Wheeler et al. and T. Cannon is responsible for the site. One of my students remarked while using the site: "good pictures, no smell."
2. The Center for In Vivo Microscopy - Duke University Medical Center
   The Center represents an NIH-funded project dealing with Magnetic Resonance Microscopy of a variety of interesting biological subjects. The initial homepage provides a path to an image gallery which contains picture files of lung, liver, embryos, and plants. The copyrighted pictures include views of corn kernels, pine roots, and an especially dramatic volume rendered lemon. Magnetic Resonance Microscopy of Embryos
   The Center provides a path to a related site at Duke which is maintained by faculty member Bradley Smith. On this page paths to a multidimensional human embryo is given as well as other animal embryos. Smith’s site describes how the images were produced and gives instructions in how to acquire CD-ROMs of the collected embryo images.
3. Welcome to Howard Hughes Medical Institute
   This site continues to grow and add features of interest to undergraduate instructors. Of particular interest is the new posting on this site entitled "Beyond Bio 101". To quote the page: "‘Beyond Bio 101’ is based on the experiences of many of the 220 colleges and universities that have been awarded more than $335 million in grants since 1988 from the Undergraduate Biological Sciences Education Program of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute." The report continues by saying: "‘Beyond Bio 101’ describes the remarkable changes taking place in how American college students learn biology—a story of tremendous importance not only to scientists and students but also to a society facing difficult choices about health care, the environment, and other issues involving biology." It is worth browsing the report. Thanks to ASCB member and former Education Committee Chair Bob Bloodgood for calling attention to this new HHMI feature. The URLs listed here were checked on March 6, 1997.

Robert V. Blystone for the ASCB Education Committee

Benefits of Membership:

• Subscription to Molecular Biology of the Cell
• Reduced rates for purchase of other publications
  • Annual Review of Cell Biology (save 30%)
  • Chromosoma (save 84%)
  • Current Opinion in Cell Biology (save 21%)
  • FASEB Publications (save 50-90%)
  • Journal of Cell Biology (save 27%)
  • Methods in Cell Biology (save 30%)
• Reduced registration fee for ASCB Annual Meeting
• Award Opportunities
• Free advance copy of the Annual Meeting Abstracts Issue
• Annual Directory of Members (not available to non-members)
• ASCB Newsletter (monthly) including: grant and award opportunities, public policy briefings, meeting announcements, news of interest to basic scientists, placement announcements
• Advance notice of ASCB activities such as regional meetings, summer conferences, workshops, etc.
• Access to ASCB videotape and resource library
• Free subscription to The Scientist - U.S. members only
• The privilege to sponsor your own (student member) or any (regular member) abstract for the ASCB Annual Meeting

• No charge for ASCB Placement Service

• Ongoing public policy and public information activities to educate the public and members of Congress on the importance of supporting basic biomedical research
• ASCB/EMBO/H. Dudley Wright Conferences in the U.S. and Europe
• Predoctoral student travel awards to attend the ASCB Annual Meeting
• Minorities travel awards to attend the ASCB Annual Meetings
• Opportunities in Cell Biology distributed upon request
• Special programs for high school, college, and graduate students at each Annual Meeting
• Undergraduate Laboratory Manual
• Minorities student awards for Marine Biological Laboratory (Woods Hole, MA) Courses
• Hands-on Minorities workshops
  Annual Meeting Minorities Forum

• How to Get A Research Job in Academia and Industry
• How to Get A Teaching Job at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution

ASCB Placement Service

Many other activities

NAS/NRC Twinning Program 1997–1999 with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania
The Office for Central Europe and Eurasia of the National Research Council (NRC), operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine, is accepting proposals for collaborative research programs that link individual U.S. scientists with their counterparts in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. As funding for the Twinning Program is provided by the National Science Foundation, only proposals in fields normally supported by NSF will be considered. No proposals involving agricultural production; drug testing or development; research on the diagnosis, etiology or treatment of physical or mental diseases or disorders; or the use of animal models of human diseases or conditions will be considered. Proposals should have the strong support of the scientists' home institutions and should lead to significant publications and long-term sustained linkages. Application Deadline: May 16, 1997.

For details: Fax: (202) 334-2614, Email, Website

AAAS Award for International Scientific Cooperation
The American Association for the Advancement of Science seeks to recognize an individual or small group working together in the scientific or engineering community for making outstanding contributions to further international cooperation in science or engineering. Through the Award for International Scientific Cooperation (ISC), AAAS acknowledges the contributions of those scientists and engineers who seek to conduct research and develop programs of international nature. For information regarding the Nomination Procedures contact: AAAS Office of Development 1200 New York Ave., NW Washington, DC 20005 USA, Tel: (202) 326 6764, Fax: (202) 789-2008

NSF LExEn Interdisciplinary Research Program
The LExEn research program will explore the relationships between organisms and the environments within which they exist, with a strong emphasis upon those life-supporting environments that exist near the extremes of planetary conditions. In addition, the LExEn program will explore planetary environments in our own solar system and beyond to help identify possible sites for life elsewhere.

Research is required to enhance understanding of the microbial systems on Earth, particularly with respect to their diversity and the mechanisms that allow microbes to survive and alter extreme environments.

Research projects of 2–5 years duration are appropriate. Funds available to support projects under this Special Competition are expected to total approximately $6 million. NSF anticipates making approximately 20 awards in fiscal year 1997 depending on the quality of the proposals received and availability of funds. Neither submitting to the present competition nor receiving an award from this competition will be a prerequisite for research proposals to future LExEn announcements.

Proposals submitted in response to this Announcement of Opportunity will be accepted from colleges, universities, and other not-for-profit institutions in the United States. Proposals should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the guidelines provided in the NSF brochure, Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) NSF 95-27. Single copies of this brochure are available at no cost from:Forms and Publications Unit National Science Foundation 4201 Wilson Blvd., Room P15 Arlington, VA 22230 Phone: (703) 306-1130 Email.