ASR News Letter

April 2008

 

Summary of the 21st Meeting
September 8-11, 2007, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

Meeting Summary-

The 21st meeting of the ASR took place at the Colorado Springs Marriott, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.  The conference site was located near the majestic Rocky Mountains and Pike’s Peak.  The organizing committee, together with the Veterinary Medical Continuing Education (KSU VMCE) group at Kansas State University, worked hard to ensure a scientifically stimulating and enjoyable meeting.

The conference was kicked off on September 8, 2007 with a welcome reception and keynote address by Dr. Craig Roy, Yale University.  The conference included 8 oral presentation sessions.  They were 1) Genetic Manipulation; 2) Clinical Aspects, Diagnosis and Treatment; 3) Host Vector Pathogen Interactions; 4) Genetics, Physiology and Metabolism; 5) Genomics and Proteomics; 6) Ecology, Epidemiology and Infection in Animals; 7) Immunity and Vaccine Development; and 8) Pathogenesis.  In addition, two poster sessions were organized.   Together a total of 52 oral presentations and 99 poster presentations were given in two and a half days.  

The meeting was attended by 191 participants representing 14 different countries.  It was indeed an excellent forum for exchange of the most recent scientific developments on all topics related to Rickettsial research.  The meeting received generous support from the National Institutes of Health in the form of a conference grant supporting the Genetic Manipulation session held on the first full day of the conference.  The funding aided considerably in bringing together rickettsial scientists to share their progress and to engage in a detailed discussion on establishing genetic methods for introducing mutations.  The Rocky Mountain Regional Center for Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Disease Research (RMRCE) also provided support, which was used to fund some of the students and young scholars in the form of ASR travel awards to attend the meeting.  The NIH grant and RMRCE sponsorship funds were primarily utilized to provide partial support for 41 scientists.  They included graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members.  The scientists who received the ASR travel grants represented 9 different countries from around the globe.  The ASR is especially grateful to the members of the planning committee, to Marci Ritter and Linda Johnson of the KSU VMCE for all of their hard work in organizing the meeting and to the KSU business office.

Minutes of the Business Meeting-

1. An introduction was made by the president, Mike Minnick.
2. A finance report* was given by the Secretary/Treasurer, Roman Ganta.
3. Roman Ganta presented ASR Travel awards.
4. Four scientists were nominated for the ASR Honorary member status and all four were approved by the society as the honorary members**.
5. Six ASR officer nominees were brought forth by Abdu Azad on behalf of the nominating committee.  The ASR members elected the new Executive Committee by secret ballot***. 
6. The newly elected President, Jim Samuel addressed the society and thanked the outgoing Executive Committee and the Planning committee for organizing an excellent meeting.  The outgoing President, Mike Minnick and Jim Samuel opened the forum for discussion for the upcoming international and national meetings. 
7. Philippe Brouqui, President of the 5th International Conference on Rickettsiae and Rickettsial Diseases shared few a details about the France meeting.  The ASR is enthusiastic in holding the 22nd ASR meeting by co-hosting with the 5th International Conference on Rickettsiae and Rickettsial Diseases, Marseille, France. 
8. The ASR Executive Committee agreed to work in collaboration with the KSU VMCE group in identifying a suitable site for holding the 23rd ASR meeting.
9. The meeting was adjourned. 

 

*FINANCE REPORT (As of April 3, 2008)
Deposits
Balance Forward (as of January 19, 07)                                $  31,404.35

Unused funds at KSU beyond January 07                             $ 659.00

Unclaimed checks                                                                $    1,546.75

NIH conference grant award (2007)                                    $  20,000.00

RMRCE grant support                                                         $ 5,000.00

MERIAL sponsorship                                                          $  3,000.00

21st ASR conference registration income                              $  68,536.94

ASR membership dues                                                         $ 4,100.00

Interest income                                                                     $ 1,001.43

Total funds                                                                            $135,248.38

Expenses

21st ASR meeting organization expenses                              $  63,983.77
(Note: It included the NIH supported Genetic Manipulation session expenses)

ASR travel awards (31 awards)                                             $  15,520,76

ASR Genetic Manipulation Session speaker awards (10)     $    5,000.00

Total expenses                                                                        $  84,504.53

Available balance (as of April 3, 2008)                               $  50,743.85

 

**New Honorary Members

Teik-Chye Chan, Sidney A. Ewing, David Silverman and Herbert Winkler

 
***Results of the election:
President:                              James Samuel
Vice-President:                     Roman R. Ganta
Secretary /Treasurer:           Robert Heinzen
Councilor-at-Large:              Kevin Macaluso