Meetings		News		Committee Highlights		Members in the News		NIH Opportunities & Grant Information		Calendar of Events

Welcome to the March Edition of ASBMR e-news! There are exciting details about Society offerings and the meeting to share with you, so please click on the links to the left and below for the latest news.

Call for Nominations

ASBMR Call for Councilor and Committee Nominations—Deadlines Approaching!

Want to get more involved? Then please consider nominating yourself or other ASBMR members for one or more ASBMR leadership opportunities! This is a great opportunity to take on a more active role in supporting the bone and mineral field.

NEW THIS YEAR! ASBMR members who wish to nominate another ASBMR member should submit their nomination to the ASBMR Business Office by Wednesday, March 26, 2008.

Open positions on the Council are for President-Elect and three Councilor positions. There are also new openings on many committees, including the following:

• Advocacy (four positions)
• Ancillary Program (one position)
• Ethics Advisory (three positions)
• Membership Development (two positions)
• Professional Practice (three positions)
• Publications (three positions)
• Science Policy (three positions: Chair, one committee member, and one young investigator member)
• Women in Bone and Mineral Research (six positions: Chair and five committee members)

Council and Committee members all serve three-year terms. Charges for all committees can be found on the ASBMR website.  

All nomination materials (from nominees and self-nominees) must be received in the ASBMR Business office by Wednesday, April 9, 2008. For more information on how to apply or support a nomination, please visit the ASBMR website at www.asbmr.org.

Meetings

Share Your Science—Submit Your Abstract Today!

Submit your abstract online today to gain the recognition your research deserves! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to present your abstract before a captive audience of internationally recognized scientists. The abstract submission deadline for the ASBMR 30th Annual Meeting is Wednesday, April 16, 2008, 5:00 pm, Central Daylight Time. Before you submit your abstract, please read the Call for Abstracts Instructions carefully. The ASBMR Annual Meeting Online Abstract Submission and Invitation System (OASIS) is accessible directly through the ASBMR website. 

The ASBMR 30^th Annual Meeting will be held September 12-16, 2008 in Montréal, Québec, Canada. This year’s Official Scientific Program will be as rigorous as ever and will feature exciting plenary lectures and symposia on current topics on interest in the field, as well as abstracts-based oral presentations, poster presentations, and Meet-the-Professor sessions.

For all the latest Annual Meeting information, including the official program and registration and hotel details, visit the ASBMR website at www.asbmr.org.

Passport Notice to U.S. Citizens

With the ASBMR 30th Annual Meeting taking place outside the United States this year, the ASBMR would like to remind all U.S. citizens that they are required to have a valid U.S. Department of State–issued passport to enter Canada. With the U.S. government’s new, stricter requirements, the ASBMR encourages U.S. members without a passport to begin their application process early. For more information, including specific details and how to apply for a passport, please visit the Department of State passport website at http://travel.state.gov. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to attend the premiere meeting in bone and mineral science!

Important Information for Foreign Nationals Residing in the United States

To ensure that foreign nationals residing in the United States do not encounter difficulties re-entering the United States from Canada after attending this year’s 30th Annual Meeting in Montréal, we recommend that you consult the U.S. State Department website or an immigration attorney to verify the current U.S. re-entry requirements for your specific visa (i.e., H-1, J, F, etc.). Depending on your country of origin, some individuals may also need to obtain a visa to enter Canada. Individuals should consult their home country’s foreign office for specific information regarding requirements for entry into Canada. We do not anticipate most will experience difficulty traveling between the United States and Canada. However, each individual’s situation is unique and may require additional vigilance.

ASBMR Co-Sponsors Meeting on Osteoimmunology

The ASBMR is pleased to partner with Aegean Conferences to co-sponsor and provide young investigator grant support for the 2nd International Conference on Osteoimmunology:Interactions of the Immune and Skeletal Systems. This six-day meeting will be held June 8-13, 2008, at the Aldemar Paradise Village in Rhodes, Greece.

ASBMR is providing financial support for 20 travel grants for young investigators to attend this meeting. The deadline for early registration and the submission of abstracts is March 15, 2008. Complete information about the conference, including travel award criteria, a list of invited speakers and instructions for registering and submitting abstracts is available at http://www.aegeanconferences.org/2ndOsteoimmunology/index.asp.

News

Harold M. Frost Young Investigator Awards—Deadline: Tuesday, April 1st

ASBMR is pleased to continue its co-sponsorship of the ASBMR Harold M. Frost Young Investigator Awards with the International Sun Valley Hard Tissue Workshop. These awards of $1,500 each allow six young investigators to participate in the 38th International Sun Valley Workshop on Skeletal Tissue Biology, August 3-6, 2008, in Sun Valley, Idaho, USA.

The 2008 ASBMR Harold M. Frost Young Investigator Awards application deadline is Tuesday, April 1, 2008. For more information about these awards, including eligibility requirements, or to obtain a nomination form, please visit the ASBMR website or the Sun Valley Workshop website.

Testimonial from a 2007 Harold M. Frost Award Winner

“It was an honor to present my research at last year’s Sun Valley Workshop as a Harold M. Frost Young Investigator Award recipient. Winning such an award from the ASBMR/Sun Valley Workshop meant recognition of my research and has helped my career development. The workshop is very small and focused, which allowed me to learn about other areas in bone and mineral research that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to learn about at larger meetings. The Workshop wasn’t only about science; many social events were coordinated to bring young investigators together with more established researchers. I took advantage of these opportunities to meet experts in the field. The setting for the workshop couldn’t be better, Sun Valley is located in beautiful mountains in Idaho and attending the workshop was a wonderful experience.” - Shoji Ichikawa, Ph.D.

ASBMR Awards—Deadline: May 1st!

Nominations are now being accepted for the following ASBMR Annual Meeting Awards:

	The William F. Neuman Award recognizes an ASBMR member for outstanding and major scientific contributions in the area of bone and mineral research and for contributions to associates and trainees in teaching, research, and administration.		The Fuller Albright Award is ASBMR's oldest award and is given in recognition of meritorious scientific accomplishment in the bone and mineral field.
	The Frederic C. Bartter Award is given to an ASBMR member in recognition of outstanding clinical investigation in disorders of bone and mineral metabolism.		The Louis V. Avioli Founders Award honors a member for fundamental contributions to bone and mineral basic research. There is also a memorial lecture named in his honor at the ASBMR Annual Meeting.
	The Shirley Hohl Service Award is given to an individual whose activities best represent the dedicated and unselfish devotion in service to the Society and its mission and goals as exemplified by Shirley Hohl, the ASBMR's founding Executive Secretary.		The Gideon A. Rodan Excellence in Mentorship Award is given annually in recognition of outstanding support provided by a senior scientist who has helped promote the independent careers of young investigators in bone and mineral metabolism.

The ASBMR Early Career Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes an individual in the early stage of his or her career who displays a strong commitment to teaching and learning in the classroom, the clinic, and/or research laboratory setting.

All ASBMR members are eligible for the awards, except as restricted by specific award criteria. We encourage you to submit a nomination for one of your deserving colleagues. Please read the nomination instructions and award descriptions carefully because they have been updated for 2008. Please visit the ASBMR Website for more information. Nominations must be received in the ASBMR Business Office by Tuesday, May 1, 2008. The ASBMR Awardees will be announced and honored at the ASBMR 30th Annual Meeting in Montréal, Québec, Canada, September 12-16, 2008.

Association of American Medical Colleges Awards (AAMC)

Nominations are being sought for the Association of American Medical Colleges’ (AAMC) major awards which honor individuals and programs making significant contributions to the fields of medical education, research and community service.

Deadlines for the numerous AAMC awards are throughout April and May 2008. For more information about the awards, including specific deadlines, please visit the AAMC website. The ASBMR is a member of the AAMC Council of Academic Specialties.

Make a Donation

Earlier this year, ASBMR received a $20,000 contribution from an anonymous donor to support the AIMM/ ASBMR John Haddad Young Investigator Awards. Similarly, in 2007, ASBMR received $15,000 in funds from a variety of donors to support the creation of new Young Investigator Awards in honor of the late Shun-ichi Harada.

In choosing to donate to ASBMR, you are contributing to furthering ASBMR’s mission of promoting, fostering and facilitating excellence in bone and mineral research. All donations will be used to support ASBMR-related research and educational activities.

If you would like to make a donation to ASBMR, whether it is in your own name or in memory or in honor of someone, please contact Deb Kroll, Director of Development at +1 (312) 673-5494 or dkroll@asbmr.org.

Committee Highlights

“Improving Patient Care” — Professional Practice Committee Session at ASBMR Annual Meeting

The ASBMR Professional Practice Committee is planning a special session at the upcoming ASBMR 30th Annual Meeting: “Improving Patient Care: Implementing Clinical Practice Quality Measures for Osteoporosis.” Despite advances in osteoporosis detection and treatment, osteoporosis continues to be poorly managed, under-treated and under-diagnosed. Several organizations have taken the lead to develop quality measures, including the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Joint Commission [formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)], but neither set of measures has been tested and implementation of each remains uncertain. The goal of this session is to consider both the AMA and Joint Commission quality measures and explore the options for implementation currently under consideration. Don’t miss out on this exciting session! For more information on this session or other Committee sponsored events at the Annual Meeting, please visit the ASBMR website at www.asbmr.org.

ASBMR Advocacy Committee Appoints a New Chair

In January, Mark Johnson, Ph.D., University of Missouri, Kansas City Dental School, became the new chair of the ASBMR Advocacy Committee. Lynda Bonewald stepped down as chair but will remain on the Committee as a member until her term expires in September 2008.

ASBMR Women in Bone and Mineral Research Committee Appoints a New Chair

Janine Danks, Ph.D., School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University, became the new chair of the ASBMR Women in Bone and Mineral Research Committee in January, but will continue to serve on the committee.

Members in the News

Paula Stern, Ph.D.

ASBMR Member Receives Distinguished Award

ASBMR would like to congratulate Paula H. Stern, Ph.D. for being selected by the Medical Women Faculty Organization as the 12th Annual Distinguished Women in Medicine and Science Lecturer. The award was established in 1997 in memory of Carolyn Wilkinson Brent, M.D., Founder of Northwestern University Medical Women Faculty Organization. Dr. Stern’s lecture on February 19th was entitled, “From Ulna to Actin: an Osteo-odyssey.”

NIH Grant Opportunities and Notices

The ASBMR is pleased to highlight the following announcements and grant opportunities from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH):

News

Researchers develop sustained-release drug carrier for treatment of osteoarthritis
http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2008/Sust_Rel_Drug_for_OA.asp

The report for the Meeting on Skeletal Muscle Magnetic Resonance Outcome Measures for Muscular Dystrophy Clinical Trials is available on the NIAMS Web site
http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Meetings_and_Events/Reports/2007/skeletal_muscle_MR_for_MD.asp

Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA for Individual Predoctoral Dental Scientist Fellowship (F30)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-05-034.html

Announcing the FY 2008 NIH Director’s Bridge Awards (NOT-OD-08-037)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-037.html

Osteoporosis Overview
http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/default.asp

Notice

Notice of Public Meeting: Seeking Comments on Implementation of the NIH Public Access Policy (NOT-OD-08-057)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-057.html

Request for Applications

Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award (U54) (RFA-RM-08-002)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-08-002.html
Letters of Intent Receipt Dates: May 17, 2008
Application Receipt Dates: June 17, 2008

For more information on how to apply for a grant or where to apply, please visit the ASBMR Website.

The Melorheostosis Association Research Grant

The Melorheostosis Association has a new funding opportunity for study with relevance to the rare bone disease melorheostosis. A seed grant of $30,000 is offered by the Melorheostosis Association, which has the world’s largest database of melorheostosis patients and a tissue repository at the NIH. Grant applications and further instructions are available on their website at www.melorheostosis.com.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist Program

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) has announced a new award aimed at researchers who are early in their careers and are at a critical point in establishing their own independent research programs. The HHMI will select up to 70 scientists who will receive six-year, non-renewable appointments to HHMI and substantial research support necessary to move their research in creative, new directions. For more information and application details, please visit www.hhmi.org.

Calendar of Events

The ASBMR is pleased to highlight the following meetings of bone and mineral-related organizations. Information regarding any of the listed events may be obtained directly from the meeting organizers using the contact information provided below. For a complete list of upcoming events, please visit the ASBMR events page. Event listings are posted as a courtesy to our sister organizations. If you know of, or are organizing, a scientific bone and mineral-related meeting that you would like included on the ASBMR Events Calendar, please e-mail the meeting details to ASBMR for consideration at asbmr@asbmr.org.

March 2008

March 12-15, 2008
International Society for Clinical Densitometry
14th Annual Meeting
San Francisco , California, USA
For more information, contact:
Phone: (860) 586-7563
Fax: (860) 586-7550
E-mail: info@iscd.org
Website: www.iscd.org

April 2008

April 2-5, 2008
International Association for Dental Research
Annual Meeting
Hilton Anatole Hotel
Dallas, Texas, USA
For more information, contact:
E-Mail: jflemming@iadr.org
Website: www.aadronline.org

April 4-5, 2008
The Ninth Biennial
Biomedical Science Careers Student Conference
The Boston Park Plaza Hotel
Boston, Massachusetts
For more information, contact:
Lise D. Kaye, Executive Director, Biomedical Science Careers Program
E-Mail: lise_kaye@hms.harvard.edu

April 5-9, 2008
Experimental Biology Annual Meeting
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, California, USA
For more information, contact:
E-Mail: jlash@faseb.org
Website: www.eb2008.org

April 6, 2008
New England Science Symposium
The Conference Center at Harvard Medical
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
For more information, contact:
Lise D. Kaye, Executive Director, Biomedical Science Careers Program
E-Mail: lise_kaye@hms.harvard.edu

April 7-10, 2008
Society for Endocrinology
BES Meeting
Harrogate International Centre
Harrogate, United Kingdom
For more information, contact:
Website: www.endocrinology.org

April 9-12, 2008
EECEO8 Meeting
Grand Cevahir Hotel and Convention Center
Istanbul, Turkey
For more information, contact:
Website: www.ecceo8.org

May

May 24-28, 2008
European Calcified Tissue Society
35th European Symposium on Calcified Tissues
Barcelona, Spain
For more information, contact:
Website: www.ectsoc.org

June

June 8-13, 2008
2nd International Conference on Osteoimmunology:
Interactions of the Immune and Skeletal Systems
Co-Sponsored by the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Aldemar Paradise Village
Rhodes, Greece
For more information, contact:
Website: www.aegeanconferences.org

September

September 12-16, 2008
ASBMR 30th Annual Meeting
Palais des congrès de Montréal
Montréal, Québec, Canada
For more information, contact:
E-mail: asbmr@asbmr.org
Website: www.asbmr.org

For a complete listing of upcoming events, please visit the ASBMR Events Calendar.