Letter from the President		Meetings		News		Committee Highlights		Members in the News

Welcome to the Annual Meeting Edition of the September ASBMR e-news. There are exciting details about ASBMR offerings and the upcoming meeting to share with you, so please read below for the latest Annual Meeting news.

This special Edition of the ASBMR e-newsletter is meant to serve as your Annual Meeting guide as you prepare to join your colleagues in Montréal next week.

Letter from the President

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

As we look forward to this year’s Annual Meeting in Montréal, I would like to share with you some of the recent accomplishments of the Society and what we have to look forward to in the coming months.

 ASBMR 30th Annual Meeting in Montréal, Québec, Canada
First and foremost, I would like to thank the 2008 Program Co-Chairs Drs. Rajesh Thakker and Phillip Osdoby for all their dedication and outstanding efforts in developing a superb scientific program for this year’s 30th Annual Meeting. I would also like to thank the ASBMR Staff because without their organization, dedication and hard work, this meeting would never occur. I am looking forward to what will surely be an exciting meeting. Be sure to read about this year’s Annual Meeting highlights.

ASBMR Bridge Funding Research Grants and Career Enhancement Awards
I am pleased that ASBMR’s two grant programs, the Career Enhancement Awards and Bridge Funding Research Grants, are still very successful. They are both great opportunities to assist our members in various career stages. In 2007, ASBMR provided over $1 million in research funding through these grant programs.

The Career Enhancement Awards (CEAs) support investigators early in their careers to help advance their training. The four recipients of this year’s $50,000 awards will be announced this month. The deadline for next year is February 28, 2009.

The ASBMR Bridge Funding Research Grants assist mid-level and senior investigators, with a history of research productivity and external research funding, who have encountered an interruption in funding. Successful applicants are eligible for up to $50,000 each. This year we have provided funding for ten grants. The next deadline for applications is Tuesday, September 30, 2008.

We encourage each of you to look into these programs to assist you in your careers.

ASBMR Co-Sponsorship of International and National Meetings
ASBMR continues to develop relationships with other societies, national and international, to expand awareness of the ASBMR in the United States and abroad. We are co-sponsoring presentations and symposia at the following meetings this year:

• American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), Workshop in the Management of Asymptomatic Primary Hyperparathyroidism
• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Bone and Osteoporosis Network Exchange (B.O.N.E.) Interest Group, Muscle Forces or Gravity – What Predominates Mechanical Loading on Bone?
• Endocrine Fellows Foundation, ASBMR/EFF Third Annual Fellows Forum in Metabolic Bone Diseases
• The Endocrine Society, Sister Societies Meeting
• The Endocrine Society and the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society, Workshop on Regulatory Burdens Facing U.S. Clinical Researchers
• European Calcified Tissue Society (ECTS), ECTS/ ASBMR Debate:The Case forVitamin D Insufficiency; ASBMR/ECTS Debate: Monitoring the Effects of Treatment of Osteoporosis – Is It Worthwhile?
• U.S. Bone and Joint Decade and Rare Bone Disease Patient Network, A dvances in Rare Bone Diseases
• 2nd International Conference on Osteoimmunology: Interactions of the Immune and Skeletal Systems
• 5th International Conference on Ethical Issues in Biomedical Engineering

Publications
The Publications Office has been experiencing an exciting period of growth and development this year, integrating a variety of innovative ideas with a new team of editors headed by Thomas L. Clemens, Ph.D., JBMR Editor-in-Chief. The July issue of the JBMR showcased many changes including stunning artwork on the cover, new perspectives articles and a number of other content changes. In addition, work on the 7th Edition of the Primer on Metabolic Bone Diseases and Disorders of Mineral Metabolism is nearly complete and on track for a fall release.

Topical Meeting
Preparations are underway for ASBMR’s next topical meeting on New Frontiers in Skeletal Research: Bone, Fat and Brain Connections, which will take place April 27-28, 2009, at the North Bethesda Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Bethesda, MD, USA. Many thanks to the Co-chairs, ASBMR Past-President Clifford Rosen, M.D., and Gerard Karsenty, M.D., Ph.D., and Joel Elmquist, D.V.M., Ph.D., Ann Kilbanski, M.D. and Beata Lecka-Czernik, Ph.D., of the Organizing Committee for all their hard work in developing an exceptional multidisciplinary meeting. The Committee has already identified session topics, speakers and session chairs. The Call for Abstracts will be distributed at the Annual Meeting, with the abstract submission deadline Monday, January 5th. Awards will be available for top-ranked abstracts submitted by Young Investigators. Mark your calendars for this terrific meeting!

Website Redesign
An exciting project this year has been the long-awaited redesign of the ASBMR website. We need your help to make it the best it can be. At this year’s Annual Meeting in Montréal you have the unique opportunity to participate in an ASBMR Website Redesign Usability Study and to take a look at new web designs and functions under consideration.  I encourage you to participate in this opportunity to offer input into the new site. For your effort, you will receive a special 1-GB ASBMR USB flash drive. I am excited about this process and for the final outcome of the new website projected to occur in early 2009.

Looking Ahead
It is hard to believe that my tenure as President is coming to an end and will culminate very shortly with the 30th Annual Meeting in Montreal, Canada. As I step down, I know that President-Elect Marc Drezner, with his experience, vision and creativity, will continue to advance the mission of the ASBMR in new and innovative ways, and I look forward to working with him. Plans for the 31st Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, are already well underway. I would like to thank the Executive Committee members, Past-President Steve Goldring, President-Elect Marc Drezner, and Secretary-Treasurer Keith Hruska, for their support and advice throughout the year. Many thanks and appreciation to the other members of the Council for their insights and commitment: Outgoing Councilors Michael Econs, Mark Horowitz and Janet Rubin; and Continuing Councilors René St. Arnaud, Maria Luisa Brandi, Roberto Civitelli, Tom Clemens, Meryl LeBoff, Laurie McCauley, and Stuart Ralston. I would like to give special thanks to Ann Elderkin, our superb Executive Director, and our wonderful ASBMR staff for their tireless efforts and commitment during this year. We have an incredibly dedicated team, all of whom work extremely hard to maintain an outstanding level of support to our Society.

And finally, I would like to thank each of you for your support during the past year. Your input, advice and kind words been very much appreciated. You the members are the critical ingredient in the success of the annual meeting. Your efforts during the past year have led to the exciting basic and clinical science that will be presented in Montreal. I sincerely hope that key programs of the ASBMR including the annual meeting, publications and the grants program have met your needs and expectations as members. It has been a pleasure and an honor serving you as ASBMR President.

Sincerely,

Barbara E. Kream, Ph.D.

ASBMR President

ASBMR 2007-2008 Council

Meetings

Still Time to Register for the Annual Meeting

It's not too late to register for this month’s 30th Annual Meeting. Online registration will remain available through the duration of the Annual Meeting. To register or for information regarding this year's meeting, visit www.asbmr.org.

Abstracts Available Online for the 2008 Annual Meeting

Username: Canada
Password: Hockey

For more information regarding the Annual Meeting, please visit the ASBMR website at www.asbmr.org.

"Can’t Miss" Sessions at This Year’s Meeting

The ASBMR Scientific Program features 300 oral presentations, 1,500 poster presentations, 49 Meet-the-Professor sessions, and fun and energizing networking events. Sixteen Working Groups and seven Industry-Supported Symposia (ISS) will supplement the ASBMR Official Program. The meeting's highlights include the following:

• Mina Bissell, Ph.D., will deliver this year’s Gerald D. Aurbach Memorial Lecture, “The Architectural Basis of Tissue Specificity: The Relationship Between the Genome and 3D Structure”—Sunday, September 14th, 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., Room 517 ABC
• Clifford Rosen, M.D. will present the Louis V. Avioli Memorial Lecture on “Bone Marrow Fat: Neighbor or Nemesis”—Tuesday, September 16th, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Room 517 ABC
• ASBMR /ECTS Co-Sponsored Clinical Debate: Monitoring the Effects of Treatment of Osteoporosis – Is It Worthwhile?—Friday, September 12th, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Room 517 ABC
• A 30th Annual Meeting Anniversary Plenary: Bone and Mineral Research: Past, Present and Future—Saturday, September 13th, 8:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., Room 517 ABC
• A Special Forum on the National Action Plan for Bone Health—Monday, September 15th, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Room 517 D
• ASBMR Clinical Debate: WHO Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX)—Should it be Used on Patients with Low Bone Mass?—Monday, September 15th, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Room 517 ABC

Help Design the NEW ASBMR Website

ASBMR is redesigning its website and by attending this year's Annual Meeting in Montréal you have the unique opportunity to participate in a Website Redesign Usability Study and to take a look at new web designs and functions under consideration.

Any information you provide will be kept confidential and will be reviewed without disclosure of your identity. To make an appointment to participate in the Website Redesign Usability Study, please visit http://html.meetings.asbmr.n4m.net/ and select an available time slot. This appointment will last no longer than 30 minutes.

All participants will receive a special ASBMR 1-GB USB Drive as a thank you for their effort.

NIH Lounge

CIHR IMHA Lounge

Questions about submitting grants to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)? Stop by the CIHR Institute of Muscles Health and Arthritis (IMHA) Lounge! For the first time this year, staff from CIHR IMHA will be available to discuss your ideas.

Young Investigator Lounge

All young investigator attendees are invited to drop by the Young Investigator Lounge in the Exhibit Hall. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your network of colleagues and make new friends. Representatives from the Membership Development Committee will be on hand to answer your questions on how you can get more involved in the ASBMR.

Renew Your 2009 Membership in Montréal

Renew your 2009 ASBMR Membership Dues while attending the 30th Annual Meeting in Montréal! Renew early and continue to receive valuable benefits of membership including reduced registration rates to attend the ASBMR Topical Meeting: New Frontiers in Skeletal Research: Bone, Fat and Brain Connections and avoid interruption of your JBMR subscription.

Stop by the ASBMR Onsite Job Placement Site

All job announcements will be prominently displayed in the registration area throughout the meeting. Attendees will be able to obtain copies of any job announcement and leave messages for employers who are onsite. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to meet with a future employer or find the perfect candidate for an open position! Employers interested in posting positions onsite should visit the ASBMR website prior to the Annual Meeting.

ASBMR Social Program

We hope you have a chance to check out some of these events that are a part of the social program:

• Welcome Reception and Plenary Poster Session, Friday, September 12th, 5:15 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.—Kick off the Annual Meeting on Friday night with a wine and cheese reception and take a look at the plenary posters in the Exhibit Hall.
• Young Investigator Happy Hour, Friday, September 12th, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.—All Young Investigators are invited to the Fourquet Fourchette restaurant in the Palais des congrès de Montréal on Friday, immediately following the Welcome Reception. Cash bar will be available. This is a great networking opportunity and a chance to make new friends.
• The Women in Bone and Mineral Research Committee Event, Monday, September 15th, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.—The WBMRC invites you to join them to hear Harold L. Paz, M.D., to discuss Gender Equity and the Future of Academic Medicine. Dinner and wine will be served with ample time for networking with peers.
• ASBMR Social Event, Monday, September 15th, 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.—Join your colleagues at this year’s social event at the Medley Club. Enjoy dinner at one of Montréal’s fabulous restaurants
  and then join us for dessert, drinks and a live band. Tickets are $30.
• ASBMR Fun/Run Walk, Tuesday, September 16th, 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.—Participate in a 5K Fun Run/Walk in
  scenic old Montréal.

Past Annual Meeting Highlights

As we embark on another Annual Meeting, let's take a look at highlights from last year's meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

A 2007 plenary presenter Aisha Shaikh discusses her research findings during the plenary poster session at the 29th Annual Meeting.	At least year's Annual Meeting, attendees were able to actively participate in the “Debate: Excessive Suppression of Bone Remodeling by Antiresorptive Agents – Fact or Fiction?”

National Space Biomedical Research Institute Informational Meeting

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) is a NASA-funded non-profit research organization that aims to develop countermeasures to the health-related problems and physical and psychological challenges men and women will face on long-duration space missions. The NSBRI's primary objective is to ensure safe and productive human spaceflight.  The impact of spaceflight on musculoskeletal health is a major focus of NSBRI research.  To this end, you are invited to attend an informational meeting about NSBRI research, including the structure of the organization, frequency of funding opportunities, some presentations of NSBRI-funded research projects, and a question and answer session.

Time: 7:00 – 8:00 a.m.
Date: September 14, 2008
Place: The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Hochelaga 6
Refreshments will be provided

News

ASBMR Bridge Funding Research Grants Program—NEXT DEADLINE: September 30, 2008

With research funding continuing to be a challenge in the United States and abroad, ASBMR is proud to offer the ASBMR Bridge Funding Research Grants Program. The program assists mid-level and senior investigators, with a history of research productivity and external research funding, who have encountered an interruption in funding. Successful applicants are eligible for up to $50,000 each. (Awardees will be notified within 8 – 10 weeks of application deadline.)

Don’t wait! The last application deadline for 2008 is Tuesday, September 30, 2008. For more information and to apply, please go to ASBMR’s website: http://www.asbmr.org/awards/bridgefunding.cfm.

ASBMR John Haddad Young Investigator Awards—Deadline October 23, 2008

ASBMR is proud to continue its co-sponsorship of the ASBMR John Haddad, Jr., Young Investigator Awards. The ASBMR offers financial support to attend the Advances in Mineral Metabolism (AIMM) Meeting in Snowmass, Colorado, USA, April, 2009. The deadline to apply is Thursday, October 23, 2008. To apply, visit the ASBMR website.

Committee Highlights

Committee Hopes to Increase Advocacy Awareness at the 30th Annual Meeting

At this month’s Annual Meeting, attendees will notice an increased emphasis on the importance of advocacy for science. The ASBMR Advocacy Committee invites all U.S.-based attendees to visit the Advocacy Centre located in the Exhibit Hall to send a quick pre-populated e-mail to their U.S. representatives and the presidential candidates. At this lounge we encourage you all to let Congress know how important Federal funding is to the life-saving work you do! Now more than ever, it’s imperative that each of us becomes effective research advocates in our own communities. Let your local leaders know the significant role scientific research plays in your area—the importance of research, possibilities of discovery, economic value to the region/country, etc. Your chosen profession and livelihood depend on effective advocacy. A large majority of the public supports increased research funding. It’s our responsibility as scientists to remind them why scientific research is important and should be a priority. Please visit ASBMR booth 608 to learn more about how you can become an advocate and obtain your “Bone Research: Don't Wait, Advocate!  Be an Advocate!” button.

Don't Miss These ASBMR Committee-Sponsored Sessions at the ASBMR 30th Annual Meeting

• New Investigator/New Member Breakfast—This Membership Development Committee sponsored session is a great way to network with colleagues, senior scientists, and NIH and CIHR representatives with similar scientific interests—Saturday, September 13th, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., Room 510
• A Meet-the-Professor Session: Growing Your Career and Balancing Life, sponsored by the Women in Bone and Mineral Research Committee—Sunday, September 14th, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Room 520 A
• A Membership Development Committee Meet-the-Professor Session: Obtaining Your First Faculty Position—Monday, September 15th, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Room 520 A
• Writing a Winning Grant—U.S. and international investigators at all career levels are urged to attend this interactive forum that will include grant writing fundamentals, grant resubmission strategies and an “insider’s perspective” on winning NIH grants—Monday, September 15th, 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Room 513 ABC
• Improving Patient Care: Implementing Clinical Practice Quality Measures for Osteoporosis —This session is to consider both AMA and JCAHO quality measures and explore the options for implementation currently under consideration —Sunday, September 14th 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Room 517D
• ASBMR Clinical Debate: WHO Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) – Should it be Used on Patients with Low Bone Mass?—The Professional Practice Committee hosts an engaging and interactive debate with Robert Lindsay, M.D., MBChB, Ph.D., FRCP and Steven R. Cummings, M.D. on this extremely timely and important issue—Monday, September 15th 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Room 517 ABC

Members in the News

Annual Meeting Award Winners

	The William F. Neuman Award recognizes a member for outstanding and major scientific contributions in the area of bone and mineral research and for contributions to associates and trainees. This year's recipient is David Baylink, M.D., FACB, Loma Linda University.
	The Louis V. Avioli Founders Award honors a member for fundamental contributions to bone and mineral basic research. This year's recipient is Rajiv Kumar, M.D., Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
	The Gideon A. Rodan Excellence in Mentorship Award recognizes the outstanding support of a senior scientist who has helped promote the independent careers of young investigators in bone and mineral metabolism. This year's recipient is Laurence Raisz, M.D., University of Connecticut Health Center.
	The 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. This year's recipient is Rachel Davey, Ph.D., University of Melbourne.

	The Fuller Albright Award is ASBMR's oldest award and is given in recognition of meritorious scientific accomplishment in the bone and mineral field. This year's recipient is Kurt Hankenson, D.V.M., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania.
	The Frederic C. Bartter Award is given to an ASBMR member in recognition of outstanding clinical investigation in disorders of bone and mineral metabolism. This year's recipient is Steven Cummings, M.D., FACP, San Francisco Coordinating Center.
	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. This year's recipient is Elizabeth Shane, M.D., Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.

2008 Career Enhancement Award Winners

Congratulations to the 2008 Career Enhancement Award Winners

• Tamim Diab, Ph.D., Indiana University School of Medicine, USA (General Research Award)
  Title: Effects of the Combination Treatment of Alendronate and Raloxifene on the Biomechanical Properties of Bone
  
• Ivo Kalajzic, M.D., Ph.D., Connecticut Health Center, USA (General Research Award)
  Title: Mechanotranscriptome: Gene Response of Osteocytes to Mechanical Loading
  
• Tatsuya Kobayashi, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital, USA (General Research Award)
  Title: Role of the Chondrocyte-Specific MicroRNA Gene, Mirn140, in Skeletogenesis
  
• Jie Song, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, USA, (General Research Award)
  Title: A New Therapeutic Strategy towards the Repair of Hard-to-Heal Skeletal Lesions

FASEB MARC Awardees

The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), Minority Access to Research Career (MARC) awards program is pleased to offer nine awards to recipients to attend the ASBMR Annual Meeting. These awards are meant to promote the entry of underrepresented minority students, postdoctorates and scientists into the mainstream of the basic science community and to encourage the participation of young scientists at the 2008 ASBMR Annual Meeting. ASBMR would like to congratulate the following MARC award recipients:

POSTER/ORAL PRESENTERS (FASEB MARC PROGRAM)
Dare V. Ajibade, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
Dr. Israel Arango-Hisijara, Temple University
Andreia Bates, Vanderbilt University
Dr. Mona Connerney, Maine Medical Center Research Institute
Joel Jules, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Dr. Flavia Queiroz Pirih, University of Michigan School of Dentistry
Dr. Norman Pollock, The University of Georgia

FACULTY/MENTORS AND STUDENTS/MENTEES (FASEB MARC PROGRAM)
Lucy Kibe, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
LeeCole Legette, Purdue University

ASBMR Council Approves Candidates for 2009 Ballot

At the Summer Council Meeting, the ASBMR Council approved the 2008 Nominating Committee's recommendations for ASBMR Officer and Councilor candidates for the 2009 ballot as follows:

The 2009 ASBMR ballot will be mailed in November 2008, with ballots due in January 2009. Elected nominees will begin their terms in the fall of 2009.