ASCB Newsletter - May 2002

Alexander Varshavsky of the California Institute of Technology and Avram Hershko of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology will share the E.B. Wilson Medal at the 42nd ASCB Annual Meeting this December.

The Medal conveys the Society’s highest recognition for science, and is awarded each year for significant and far-reaching contributions to cell biology over the course of a career.

While known for many outstanding scientific discoveries throughout their careers, Varshavsky and Hershko are best known for their groundbreaking and long-standing research on the ubiquitin system of regulated protein degradation. Their research has elucidated the molecular mechanism and significance of this fundamental process that influences vital cellular events, including the cell cycle, malignant transformation, and responses to inflammation and immunity.

The Award Lecture and Medal Presentation will take place on Sunday, December 15, at 6:00 PM in the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco.

Dictionary.com defines pedagogy as “the art or profession of teaching.” With the debut next month of Cell Biology Education, the new online journal published by the American Society for Cell Biology, the Society hopes to enhance the effectiveness of the teaching profession in science.

Cell Biology Education will be freely available and will be hosted through the CBE website and through PubMed Central, the online journal aggregator of the National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine.

Biology Education is a quarterly journal publishing peer-reviewed articles on science education, book reviews and columns on educational assessment, helpful video resources, and other relevant topics. The target audience includes high school, college and graduate teachers of science. The journal is complemented by the CBE website, which features links to educational resources and an interactive discussion forum as well as instructions to authors and the CBE editorial board. In offering a scholarly journal coupled with an interactive website, the Society hopes to facilitate dialogue among science educators.

The ASCB is grateful to the following members who have given gifts to support Society activities:

Douglas Hanahan
Mary Rundell
Susan Strome
Lydia Villa-Komaroff

Friends, family and colleagues of former ASCB officer Merton Bernfield contributed over $50,000 to the ASCB to rename the ASCB-Member Memorial Award the ASCB-Merton Bernfield Award. The endowment will fund the Annual Meeting attendance of an outstanding student or post-doc each year. A Selection Committee will name the first Bernfield Award from among member submissions this Fall.

The Society is grateful to Bernfield Award donors below:

$2,000 or More
Adeline A. Bernfield, on behalf of herself & her family
Audrey, Mark, James, Susan Bernfield, Claude Millman and Camilla Enders
Hallam Hurt & Stephen
Roth Phyllis & Marc Kirschner
Neose Tech

$1,000-$1,999
Glen R. & Sondra Bernfield
Mina Bissell
Boston Childrens Heart Foundation, Inc.
William R. Brinkley
Lewis Cantley & Vicki Sato
Guido & Mieke David-Flour
Elizabeth Hay
International Federation for Cell Biology
Harvey & Pamela Lodish Family Fund
Elizabeth & Franco Marincola
Marshall Nirenberg
Robert D. Simoni
Mary & George Stark
Philip Sunshine
Daniel Tosteson
Barbara & Robert Trelstad
Harold Varmus

$500-$999
Dr. & Mrs. Ronald Arky
Spyros Artavanis-Tsakonas
Paul & Mildred Berg
Nancy L.R. Bucher
Sheldon Buckler Fund
Max Burger
Russell & Frances Doolittle
Gerald D. Fischbach
Gloria & Marvin Fishman
Mary & Michael Gimbrone
Vincent & Vanja Hascall
Alan F. Horwitz
Richard & Fleur Hynes
Don Ingber
Klaus Kratochwil
Dr. & Mrs. James
B.D. Mark
Nick & Joan Moogenraad
Allen Rosenberg & Margareta Svensson-Rosenberg
Rebecca Simonds & Bjorn R. Olsen
J.P. & Madeleine Trinkhaus
Mary Williams

$200-$499
Perry E. Bickel & Sarah E. Barlow
Donald Brown
CHMC Cardiovascular Surgical Foundation, Inc.
Daniel Finley & Chinfei Chen
Dan Friend
Alfred L. Goldberg
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School
Jane Kamine & David Holtzman
Jeanne D. Kennedy & Allan J. Rosenberg
Frederick Lovejoy
Samuel E. Lux
Mary & Anthony Mahowald
J. Richard & Marjorie K. McIntosh
Norine Noonan
Lyman Page
Suzanne Pfeffer
Tom & Iris Rapoport
Janet Rossant
Randy Schekman & Nancy Walls
Emma Shelton
Mary Ann Stepp
Kazayuki Sugahara
Lydia Villa-Komaroff
Peter Walter & Patricia Caldera
Joseph & Cynthia Warshaw
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas R. Weber

$100-$199
Anonymous
Nancy Andrews
Anthony Atala
Philip & Roberta Ballard
Marcia Barinaga & Corey Goodman
Robert Barnes
Diana W. Bianchi
John Blenis
Joan Brugge
Eric Buehrens
Children’s Hospital Department of Neurology
CHMC Surgical Foundation
Don W. Cleveland
Leon & Bernice Cohen
Gregory Curfman & Jane Neill
Patricia D’Amore
Michael Epstein
Deborah Franklin
Richard Gallo
Melvin J. Glimcher
Paul & Monique Goetinck
Olga A. Goldberger
Daniel & Carol Goodenough
Ursula Goodenough
Michael Gottesman
Maggie & Bob Greenberg
Sandy, Aryn & John Harris
Dolph Hatfield
Ira Herskowitz
Agnet & Magnus Hook
H. Robert Horvitz
Donald E. Humphries
Governing Council and Members of IHME
Dan & Stefanie Kaufman
Robert Kokenyesi
Stella Kourembanas
George M. Langford
Mary Lee S. Ledbetter
Wayne Lencer
John Lyons
Pekka H. Maenpaa
James Maguire
Joseph & Kathy Majzoub
Linda Manning
Kenneth McIntosh
Mark Mercola
Anders M. Naar
W. James Nelson
William & Linda Northway
Thoru Pederson
Marlene Rabinovitch
Robin Reed
Renovis, Inc.
Fritz & Carol Rottman
David Rowitch
Judy & Harry Schachter
Gerald & Heather Schatten
Dennis Selkoe
Kai Simons
J. Spring & M. Susa
Bryan Toole
Linda Udall & Christine Aguilar
Linda J.Van Marter
David L. Van Vactor, Jr.
Denisa Wagner
W. Allan Walker
Malcolm Whitman
Kenneth Yamada
Bruce Yankner

Up to $99
Babs Balson
Tara & Patrick Bastek
Biomedic Science Careers Program
Yolanda Bauer
Seymour & Rita Bayuk
Robert & Kelly Bellin
Andrew Copp
John Denney
Joyce Dobson
David & Lynn Doskow
Leonore Doskow
Shelly & Eva Ellman
Sydney Ann & Jim Fingold
John Fleischman
Fern & Donald Grauer
Anna & Gerald Greenhouse
Valerie Greenwood & G. Bradford Holland
Stephen C. Harrison
T. Howard Howell
Randy King & Suzanne Bender
Tim Leshan
Paul Letourneau
Robert & Kathryn Linhardt
Daniel Lowenstein & Virginia Schaaf
Gerald Meyers
Danesh Moazed
David Nathan
Office of Diversity and Community Partnership at the Harvard Medical School
P. W. Park Laurie
Raymond Judi & Ron Sharlach
Elisa & Toby Simon & Family
Carolyn & Brad Skinner
Peter S. Taback
Susan Webber
Leonard Zon & Lynda Schneider

A Saturday Afternoon Workshop to be Held at the 2002 Annual Meeting
During the past two years, a National Research Council committee chaired by Lubert Stryer has been reviewing the undergraduate biology major. The committee of eleven scientists, including ASCB members Sharon Long, Edward Penhoet, Joan Steitz and Samuel Ward, examined skills and concepts of mathematics, chemistry, physics, computer science and engineering that will assist biology students in making interdisciplinary connections. Their report, ‘Bio 2010: Undergraduate Biology Education to Prepare Research Scientists for the 21st Century,’ due out in the Fall, draws on many educational innovations, and will include case studies and suggestions for implementing reforms at both universities and four-year colleges.

“ ‘Bio 2010’ will help focus attention on the changing nature of the biological sciences, on the new approaches and new tools becoming available, and on the implications for curriculum,” remarked Sarah Elgin, ASCB Education Committee. “We will use ‘Bio 2010’ as the focus of our workshop, ‘New Paradigms in Teaching Introductory and Cell Biology’ in San Francisco. We are delighted that committee member Joan Steitz will be our keynote speaker.”

“My thinking both on current problems with undergraduate biology education and on how to solve them has definitely been shaped by my experiences on the committee,” Steitz remarked. “The Bio 2010 Report is an excellent focus for discussion.” Steitz will be joined on the program by Louis Gross of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, professor of mathematics and of ecology & evolutionary biology, speaking on “Quantitative Life Science Education: Preparing Fearless Biologists,” and by Betsey Dyer, from Wheaton College, Massachusetts, addressing “Collaborations in Genomics: Connecting Courses in Genetics and Computer Science.” Their talks will be followed by 3-4 presentations selected from the abstracts submitted for the Education poster session. Time will be provided for a break-out session, allowing informal discussion in small groups with the workshop presenters.

“ASCB members include many who are creating innovative courses and materials in biology education; this year, in keeping with Bio 2010, we are particularly interested in interdisciplinary approaches, and programs that engage students in data acquisition and analysis,” noted Malcolm Campbell, from the organizing subcommittee, with Robert Blystone. ASCB members may submit an abstract for the Education poster session in addition to an abstract on their laboratory research. The workshop will be Saturday, December 14, from 1:00 5:30 pm. Prior registration is recommended (on the ASCB meeting registration form); attendance will be limited to 120 to facilitate discussion.

K-12 Partnership Workshop Readying for Return Engagement
The lunch-time workshop on science education partnerships between ASCB members and K-12 teachers and students, inaugurated by 2001 ASCB President Elaine Fuchs, was very successful, so will be held again this year. The keynote speaker for the 2002 session, “K-12 Partnerships: Educating Future Citizens and Scientists,” will be Liesl Chatman, Executive Director of the Science & Health Education Partnership at UCSF.

SEP, initiated by Bruce Alberts in 1987 and under the directorship of Chatman since 1994, has developed a network of over a dozen structured programs of varied duration, intensity, venues, and entry points, bringing together students and teachers of the San Francisco Unified School District with volunteer scientists from UCSF. Yearly participation now involves 80% of the 120 San Francisco public schools, engaging 300 scientists and 450 teachers. Chatman believes that “in a true partnership, both the scientist and the teacher are learning from each other … ultimately and most importantly, students will benefit.” Central to her work has been an exploration of the similarities and differences between the two professional cultures of science and education. Chatman will discuss the SEP program, sharing insights on getting started, generating institutional support, and developing meaningful partnerships.

The Education subcommittee planning the event, Elisa Stone and Robert Bloodgood, are also planning to share a workshop activity with participants this year, centered on teaching the concept of the cell to 4th-8th grade students.

“The notion of ‘the cell’ as the building block of life is a bit abstract, especially for a youngster who has never had a chance to work with a decent microscope,” notes Education Committee Chair Sarah Elgin. “Nonetheless, many state standards now require children to ‘master’ this concept. We’re looking for good materials to bring to the Workshop.” The Lunch and workshop are scheduled for 12:00 noon on Sunday, December 15, to facilitate participation by K-12 teachers. Time is scheduled for discussion and networking among teachers, ASCB participants new to K12 outreach, and those with prior experience with K-12 education.

The ASCB booklet, “K-12 Science: Educating Our Cell Biologists of the Future” will be updated and distributed at the Workshop. Members who are participating in an outreach program not yet listed in the booklet should send information to Dot Doyle.

“We would like to encourage members currently active in this area to submit a poster to the Education session, scheduled for Monday this year,” urges Elgin. A “sharing” table will be available at the Workshop; members are invited to bring a brochure or description of a current program for distribution.

Phineas Gage was a Vermont railroad construction worker who in 1848 had a 13-pound iron bar shot through his frontal cortex and lived to become a legend in neuroscience. His story is the subject of a new non-fiction book for children aged 9 and up by ASCB Science Writer John Fleischman. Lavishly illustrated, Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science was published this spring by Houghton-Mifflin Children’s Books.

Fleischman says, “I knew that kids of a certain age were fascinated by this kind of thing. I call them kids with ‘healthy morbid interests’.”

1990 ASCB President Günter Blobel of the Rockefeller University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, an ASCB member since 1973, was named Academician of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences by Pope John Paul II.

Kevin Campbell of the University of Iowa College of Medicine and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, an ASCB member since 1978, received the 2001 Elsevier Science Award at the 6th International Congress of the World Muscle Society.

Stephen Elledge of the Baylor College of Medicine and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, an ASCB member since 1993, is one of three recipients of the first Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research.

Joachim Frank of the Wadsworth Center and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, an ASCB member since 1997, received a Scientific Merit Award from the New York State Department of Health.

Brigid Hogan of Vanderbilt University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, an ASCB member since 1994, has been appointed Chair of the Department of Cell Biology at Duke University.

Francesco Marincola of the National Institutes of Health, an ASCB member since 1994, has been elected to membership in the American Surgical Association.

Joseph S. Takahashi of Northwestern University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, an ASCB member since 2000, and Marc TessierLavigne of Stanford University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, an ASCB member since 1995, have been elected 2002 fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dennis Selkoe of Harvard Medical School, an ASCB member since 1997, and Roger Y. Tsien of the University of California, San Diego and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, an ASCB member since 1987, were awarded the 2002 Dr. A.H. Heineken Prize from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Three ASCB members were among those elected to membership in the National Academy of Sciences at its Annual Meeting last month.

Joshua R. Sanes Washington University Medical School
Bruce M. Spiegelman Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Craig Venter

AAAS WISC Research Program and Grants. The American Association for the Advancement of Science seeks applicants with recent doctoral degrees for its Women’s International Science Collaboration Program 2001-2003. Application deadline is July 15.

Tenure-track Faculty Position. Assistant Life Sciences Librarian/Molecular Biosciences Specialist. Master’s degree in Library Science (ALA accredited). Advanced degree in molecular biology, biochemistry, or related field, or demonstrated knowledge of biosciences research at the molecular level through combination of educational background and experience as a research assistant. Develops and delivers user-centered programs in biosciences at the molecular level across the university. Promotes use of electronic and print resources. Develops interactive instructional and consultation services. Provides reference service for students and faculty in biosciences as part of information literacy program. Liaison with teaching and research faculty in Department of Biological Sciences. Develops digital and print collections. Contributes to operation of Life Sciences Library by assisting in adopting new technologies and implementing new services and procedures. Liaison responsibilities for programs in Schools of Agriculture, Pharmacy, Science and Veterinary Medicine. Planning and management through committee and team structures. Flexible benefits. $36,000 and up depending upon qualifications. Send statement of interest, resume, list of references to: Thomas L. Haworth, Personnel Administrator, Purdue University Libraries, 1530 Stewart Center, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1530. Review of applications commences May 31, 2002 and continues until position is filled.