E-Board No. 82

July 14th, 2009, Congress reports, positions open, meeting announcement

11th International Congress of ISDCI- a brief report

The Congress was held at the Diplomat Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic from 28th June to 4th July 2009. Some 360 delegates from 31 countries attended the meeting, together giving 353 presentations (233 talks and 120 posters) in 16 sessions. Sadly a few delegates were unable to obtain visas to visit Central Europe in time to make the Congress. Their presence and participation was missed but it is hoped they will be able to make the next meeting in 2012.

There were five excellent plenary speakers: Richard Flavell (Yale, USA) spoke on the inflammasome in health and disease, Elena Levashina (Strasburg, France) delivered a talk on the role of a complement-like system in the mosquito anti-malarial response; Shizuo Akira (Osaka, Japan) gave a lecture on negative regulation in TLR responses; Dietmar Schmucker (Boston, USA) discussed diverse immune receptors in arthropods; and Chris Secombes (Aberdeen, Scotland) spoke about the evolution of immune regulation in vertebrates from his perspective as a fish cytokine biologist.

The standard of student presentations was very high and the following students received prizes or honourable mentions. Congratulations to all recipients.

BEST TALK AWARD
WINNER:
Caitlin Doremus (University of Maryland, USA)

RUNNERS UP:
Maria Forlenza (Wageningen University, The Netherlands)
Christina Lange (University of Kiel, Germany)
Xiong-hui Lin (Uppsala University, Sweden)

HONOURABLE MENTION:
Anders Oestergaard (University of Aberdeen, UK)
Cheng Man Lun (University New Mexico, USA)
Natapong Jupatanakul (Mahidol University, Thailand)
Naoko Fujito (University of Tokyo, Japan)
Muriel Tahtouh (University of Lille, France)
Barbara Katzenback (University of Alberta, Canada)
Lieke van der Aa (INRA, France)

POSTER AWARD
WINNER:
Fumihiko Katakura (Nihon University, Japan)

RUNNERS UP:
Veronika Buresova (Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic)
Y.A Zhang (University of Pennsylvania, USA)
Fernand Fagutao (University of Tokyo, Japan)

During the Congress the Editorial Advisory Board met to discuss matters related to DCI with representatives from Elsevier. Kenneth Soderhall will circulate a separate report on this.

The ISDCI Executive also met and discussed a number of issues relating to membership numbers, election of younger member representatives to act as observers at the Executive meetings and to decide the venue for the next Congress in 2012. The deliberations of the Executive were put to the members at the General Business meeting for approval. Again further information about these matters will be circulated later but it can be announced now that the next meeting will be held in Fukuoka, Japan in July 2012, hosted by Miki Nakao and his team. Two very strong bids were presented to hold the 2012 Congress and thanks are due to the competitors, Rob Miller and his colleagues (Albuquerque), for their hard work in putting together such a comprehensive package for Santa Fe. Perhaps ISDCI might go there sometime in the future.

Delegates were welcomed to the Congress by an evening at Brevnov Benedictine Monastery where a delightful buffet was provided in a series of elegant Baroque rooms, with the accompaniment of a String Quartet. The closing banquet was held in the magnificent Zofin Palace, located on a small island on the river Vltava near the city centre, with delegates transported to the Palace in veteran trams and entertained before and after the dinner by a solo pianist and Czech folk dancers and musicians. After the speeches, presentation of awards and the formal handover of the Presidential chain of office, a band played for those with enough energy left for dancing.

The accommodation and food at the Diplomat were excellent and the proximity of the venue to the city centre allowed delegates to enjoy the sights of Prague, for example the famous Stare Mesto (Old Town), St Vitus Cathedral, Hradcany (Prague Castle) and the beautiful Charles Bridge, in their spare time. Prague city is famous for its abundance of Baroque, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and more recent buildings, as well as for its superb (and inexpensive) beer, trams, Dark Light theatre, music and lively nightlife! Huge thanks are due to Martin Bilej, the local organiser, for putting on such a fantastic event and planning such a good conference.


****************************************

From the new ISDCI President, Val Smith

It was a great honour to receive the ISDCI chain of office from Kenneth at the banquet during the Prague Congress and it was particularly wonderful start to my presidency to be inaugurated at such a magnificent venue and at the end of such a superb meeting. So I would first and foremost like to thank Kenneth for all his hard work and dedication to the Society over the last three years, and to acknowledge the outgoing officers (Norman Miller, Chris Secombes and Martin Flajnik), for their work in supporting him and ISDCI. I also congratulate Martin Bilej for organising an excellent Congress, in my view the best ever, and making us all so welcome in Prague.

A big thank you, too, to everyone who came to the meeting and contributed to the scientific programme. Many travelled long distances at no small expense. It was also good to have such a robust number of students and young post docs present and I would like to warmly welcome all new members for whom this was their first ISDCI meeting. Do come to the next one in Fukuoka, Japan in 2012!

The presence of around 360 delegates from 31 countries shows that we are a truly international community. I am very proud to act as your President and I will do all I can to promote ISDCI and its interests over the next three years. I will be pleased to receive any messages from any member who wishes to make suggestions, comments or even criticisms about the Society, so please do not hesitate to contact me. I expect that most of you know my e-mail address but in case you do not, it is: vjs1@st-andrews.ac.uk
In the coming months I will be implementing some new initiatives that were discussed and agreed at the Executive and Business meetings in Prague, amongst them will be elections for new representatives on the Executive Board. Information will be circulated via the e-Board after the summer. In the meantime, please remember that the e-Board is a useful way of circulating information to fellow members, for recruiting students, post docs and faculty staff and for sharing news. Do send any items for posting on the mailings to Courtney Smith (csmith@gwu.edu). e-Boards go out approximately at the beginning of each month.

I wish you all a good summer and every success with your research.

Kind regards,
Val


*****************************************


Positions Open:

Assistant Professor at Uppsala University.

Uppsala University hereby declares the following position to be open for application:
Assistant professor/Research Associate in Comparative Physiology

at the Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology, at the Department of Comparative Physiology where structural and functional studies on the innate immune system of invertebrates are being studied with molecular and biochemical methods. For more information see www.fu.uu.se/jamfys/index.html .

Appointment period: The position can be held for a maximum of 4 years.

Nature of duties: This is a principally a research appointment but will also involve teaching postgraduate level and supervision of doctoral students.

Qualifications required: To qualify for appointment as Assistant Professor/Research Associate you must have a PhD. Priority is given to applicants who have completed their PhD within 5 years of the application deadline. Furthermore, according to Uppsala University 's general employment regulations, it is also a requirement that teachers possess the necessary skills and qualifications to carry out their duties proficiently.

The ability to teach in Swedish or English is a requirement.

Criteria for ranking: In ranking qualified applicants particular importance will be attached to scientific excellence. Applicants with research experience within cell and molecular biology,molecular genetics and proteomics will be given first priority. The ability to cooperate, good communication skills (both oral and written) and teaching proficiency are required.

In filling this position, the university aims to recruit the person who, in a combined evaluation of competence, skills and documented qualifications, is judged most suitable to carry out and develop the work-in-hand and to contribute to a positive development of the department and programme.

Personal circumstances that may be of positive relevance to the application, for example parental leave, should be mentioned in the list of qualifications (CV).

Uppsala University is striving to achieve a more even gender balance in its research and teaching staff and women are especially invited to apply for this position.

How to apply: The application must be written in English and the applicant is required to submit two copies of documents together with one copy of reprints of scientific publications according to instructions found on the web site http://www.teknat.uu.se/cms/en//node388 or available from Jenny Lundström, phone+46 18 471 1798, e-mail Jenny.Lundstrom@uadm.uu.se

For further information about the position, please contact Kenneth Söderhäl phone +46 18 471 2818, e-mail Kenneth.Soderhall@ebc.uu.se.

The trade union representatives are Anders Grundström, SACO (the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations), phone +46 18 471 5380 and Carin Söderhäll, TCO/ST (the Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees), phone +46 18 471 1996, Stefan Djurström, SEKO (the Union of Service and Communication Employees), phone +46 18 471 3315.

Applications should be directed to the Vice-chancellor and mailed so as to arrive at Uppsala University, Registrar´s Office UFV-PA 2009/1092 Box 256, S-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden, e-mail registrator@uu.se or fax +46 18 471 2000, no later than September 25, 2009 . An e-mail or fax should be followed by a signed original of the application sent within a week of the deadline.


*****************************************

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Department Head, Veterinary Pathobiology
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Texas A&M University

The Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/) invites applications/nominations for the position of Head of the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology (http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/vtpb/). We seek an individual with strong leadership skills, an internationally recognized record of scholarship and the ability to guide a department of 54 faculty members in their continued development of excellence in teaching, diagnostics, and research. The successful candidate must have a DVM (or equivalent) and/or PhD degree, qualify for appointment as a tenured full professor and have a record of extramurally funded research and teaching excellence - experience in diagnostic services is desirable. Candidates must possess outstanding communication and interpersonal skills; administrative experience is desired. The position description may be found at (http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/JobDescription/VTPB/DeptHead/index.shtml)
along with information on the college, department and community. The department head must be dedicated to promoting the career development of others and to promoting an atmosphere of cultural diversity. The department head serves on the Executive Committee of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Board.

The review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applications, including a statement of professional goals, curriculum vitae, and names and addresses of four references, should be sent as .pdf files to dpthdsearch@cvm.tamu.edu. Nominations should be forwarded to the same email address.

*****************************************

Faculty position available in the UK

Lecturer in Cell Biology
Department of Biology and Biochemistry

Appointment level and salary will be on the lecturer scale £36,532 - £43,622 per annum
Ref: 09148JK

Applications are invited from outstanding and highly motivated individuals for a Lectureship in Cell Biology. You should have demonstrated excellence in original research and achievement in Cell Biology, and the potential to develop and sustain a productive research programme at Bath. You will be expected to contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be directed to the Head of Department, Dr Richard Hooley email: bssrah@bath.ac.uk

Information about the Department is available at http://www.bath.ac.uk/bio-sci/

To find out more about us and apply online go to www.bath.ac.uk/jobs Alternatively, please email: jobs@bath.ac.uk or call 01225 386924 quoting the reference number.

Closing date for applications: 10 September 2009.

This recruiter would like you to apply via their website. Follow the link below for further instructions. When applying for this position please quote the following requisition number: Ref: 09148JK

Science jobs from University of Bath: job description http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/jobs/102514


******************************************

Meeting Announcement

I would like to announce to the membership of ISDCI that there will be the 8th International Sea Lice Conference May 9-12, 2010 in Victoria BC Canada. This meeting will feature the interactions between sea lice and fish which will of course involve a major immune system component.

Thank you

Ben Koop
bkoop@uvic.ca
Member ISDCI

E-Board Archive

Zoology Building · University of Aberdeen · Aberdeen · AB24 2TZ Tel: +44 (0)1224 272872 · Fax: +44 (0)1224 272396 · Email: info@isdci.org