ASBMR e-News Weekly: February 11, 2021 Edition

Letter from ASBMR President Suzanne Jan De Beur, M.D.
February 11, 2021
 

Dear Colleagues:
 
2021 is in full swing so I want to highlight the numerous opportunities available to members to get involved with your Society in meaningful ways this year and the invaluable benefits the Society provides members.
 
First, the Nominating Committee will start accepting applications for volunteer leadership positions on February 17. I encourage each member to nominate a colleague or to self-nominate for an opportunity to actively contribute to moving ASBMR’s strategic goals forward. Volunteering has numerous benefits, including the ability to develop crucial leadership skills and making meaningful career connections with colleagues. Several improvements have been made to the nominations process in order to create more transparency and rigor around the volunteer leadership selection process. I encourage you to visit the volunteer leadership nominations page on the ASBMR website for more information, which includes the webinar: Navigate the ASBMR 2020 Volunteer Leadership Application Selection Process. The deadline to submit an applications is Friday, March 19.
 
Typically held in conjunction with the in-person Winter Council Meeting in Washington, DC, USA, the ASBMR Capitol Hill Day would give Society volunteer leaders the opportunity to meet with U.S. elected representatives and their staff to stress the importance of federal support for biomedical research. Due to the pandemic – this year we are not able to come together in-person so instead we have decided to implement a virtual Capitol Hill Day and open up participation to the entire U.S. based membership. The ASBMR Hill Day will be held April 13-14. Our goal is for members to meet with elected officials from each state which the Society has members (40+) to communicate the importance of federal biomedical research funding, especially to the local community. This is a great “micro volunteer” opportunity that I encourage you participate. Please visit the ASBMR website by Friday, March 12 to learn more and to sign-up. 
 
One of the greatest benefits of ASBMR membership is the ability to apply for the dozen plus award programs the Society offers each year. Did you know that in 2020 ASBMR provided over $500,000 in funding to over 200 members through these programs? As the application period for many of these programs is open or opening later this month, I want to utilize this letter to highlight them.
 
ASBMR Esteemed Awards are the most visible of Society award programs as the recipients are recognized at our Annual Meeting. The Society offers 10 esteemed award programs that recognize the contribution and impact that members have had in our field. I encourage you to review the criteria for the ASBMR Esteemed Awards and nominate a deserving colleague prior to the Friday, May 7 deadline.
 
Rising Star Award provides promising young scientists and physician-scientists that have been recognized by individual U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) “K awards” or other similar international professional development programs with funding to successfully implement their programs, to progress beyond the current specific aims in order to renew their project, and stay in the field and transition to independent investigators. Six awards of $50,000 each will be given in 2021. Further information about this award is available on the ASBMR website. The 2021 deadline to apply for this award is Friday, March 19.
 
Phoebe Leboy Professional Development Award provides the resources needed for a female recipient that resides outside the United States to attend the ASBMR Annual Meeting and matches them with female member mentors in related areas of research. Preference is given to applicants from emerging or developing countries. The application for this year’s award will open on February 15. Complete information about this award is available on the ASBMR website. The 2021 deadline to apply for this award is Friday, March 19.
 
NEW – Underrepresented Minority Mentorship Award is a program being launched in 2021 and aimed at increasing representation and participation from individuals identifying as underrepresented minorities (URMs) at the ASBMR Annual Meeting. Up to 10 selected applicants will receive $1,000 USD in funding to help offset costs associated with traveling to the Annual Meeting and receive one-on-one mentorship from an ASBMR member. Further information about this award is available on the ASBMR website. Recipients must submit an abstract to this year’s Annual Meeting and complete an application affirming their eligibility to receive this award by Friday, March 19.
 
Finally, I want to remind you that applications for the 2021 class of Fellows of the ASBMR will open on February 22. The fellows program recognizes long-term ASBMR members (10+ years) who have made outstanding contributions to the field of bone and mineral science. Complete details about this program are available on the ASBMR website. Nominations are due by Friday, April 16.
 
I encourage all of you to consider being a member volunteer for the Society, take advantage of all the benefits of your membership and make the most of your scientific home!
 
Sincerely,
Suzanne Jan De Beur, M.D.
ASBMR President
 

Application Deadline for the New ASBMR Student Cohort Program is
Friday, February 19
 

ASBMR is piloting a new cohort program designed for undergraduate, graduate, and medical professional students. The program provides accepted applicants with monthly educational and networking activities, and member benefits.
 
Interested applicants can find out more information about eligibility and the application process here. Applications are due next Friday, February 19, 2021.

Don’t Miss Tuesday’s Clinical Case Workshop on
Glucocorticoid Induced Osteoporosis
 

Registration is open for the next ASBMR Early-Stage Investigator Clinical Case Workshop, taking place on Tuesday, February 16 at 1:00 PM EST. Kenneth Saag, M.D., M.Sc and Lesley Jackson, M.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) will cover the topic Glucocorticoid Induced Osteoporosis.
 
The clinical case workshop series aims to engage clinical fellows/trainees in stimulating discussion around musculoskeletal topics, and attendees are encouraged to ask written questions (via a chat function) to allow for a more interactive style. Click here to register!

Join Dr. Karyn Esser for a Webinar on
“Emerging Areas in Basic Science: The Skeletal Muscle Clock”
 

Join us on Tuesday, February 23 at 11:00 AM EST as Dr. Karyn Esser, Ph.D. presents the ASBMR Webinar: “Emerging Areas in Basic Science: The Skeletal Muscle Clock.” This webinar will provide an overview of the circadian clock with a specific focus on its role in skeletal muscle. Dr. Esser will discuss the clock, the muscle clock transcriptional output, changes with age and the influence of exercise. Please click here to read more about the webinar, speaker and to register.
 
Did you miss Tuesday’s webinar with Dr. Alison Boyce? The recording is now available in the ASBMR Education Resource Center.

 The ASBMR Spotlight Series is back for 2021!
 

The ASBMR Member Spotlight Series is back for 2021! Occurring monthly, on the last Wednesday of each month at 1 PM EST, the first Spotlight of the year will take place on February 24. Brought to you by the ASBMR Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, this series aims to highlight the research of ASBMR members in a collaborative setting, and aims in particular to shine a light on the research being done by ASBMR members belonging to groups underrepresented in biomedical research (i.e., Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders), but ALL members are invited to participate in these sessions. This series will allow participants the opportunity to:
 
- Learn about the latest research from ASBMR members all around the world
- Form collaborations
- Expand your network
- Gain experience presenting an invited talk to an audience
- And so much more- all outside of the ASBMR Annual Meeting!
 
ASBMR members at all career levels are welcome to present, attend, and/or provide scientific and technical advice during the sessions. Each Spotlight will feature 1-2 members presenting on a current research project over 15-20 minutes each. Following each short presentation, there is an opportunity for Q&A and discussion with the audience. Sign up to present, nominate a colleague to present or register to attend on the ASBMR website!

Registration is now open for the ASBMR 2021 Virtual Hill Day which will occur over two days on Tuesday, April 13, 2021 and Wednesday, April 14, 2021. Typically held in-person each winter in Washington, DC, USA, this year’s Capitol Hill Day will be held virtually and is open to all US-based members. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to speak with your elected members of Congress and their staff to discuss musculoskeletal research priorities.
 
For more information about this year’s Virtual Hill Day and to register, please visit the ASBMR website. The deadline to register is Friday, March 12, 2021.

Application Open for 2021 Rising Star Awards
 

ASBMR is now accepting applications for the 2021 ASBMR Rising Star Awards! These awards provide $50,000 in funding to up to six promising young scientists and physician-scientists in the bone field who have already been recognized by individual U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) “K awards” or other similar international professional development programs. The award funding will go towards the recipient to successfully implement their programs, to progress beyond the current specific aims in order to renew their project, and stay in the field and transition to independent investigators. This award is open to all ASBMR members. Click here for further details on the ASBMR Rising Star Awards. The application deadline is Friday, March 19, 2021.
 

ASBMR Seeks the Next Editor-in-Chief of JBMR® Plus
 

The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) is now accepting applications for the position of Editor-in-Chief for JBMR® Plus. Please click here to read the entire position description and to apply. The deadline to submit all application materials is Monday, March 29, 2021.