American Society for Neurochemistry
Encyclopedia
The American Society for Neurochemistry (ASN) is a professional society
for neurochemists and neuroscientists from North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean, whose research concerns the role and interactions of small molecules (proteins, peptides, nucleic acid
s, lipids, sugars) in the development, growth, function, and pathology of the nervous system
.
, Guy McKhann, Francis LeBaron, Bernard Agranoff, Donald B. Tower, E. Martin Gal, Semour S. Kety, Abel Lajtha, Henry S. Mahler, Eugene Roberts, Wallace W. Tourtellotte, and Frederick J. Wolfgram. The first President of ASN was Dr Tower; Dr Folch-Pi was the 2nd President. The current president (2011–2013) is Steve Levison (UMDNJ-NJMS in Newark, New Jersey). The current president elect (2013-2015) is Tika Benveniste at University of Alabama
in Birmingham.
The ASN was incorporated August 5, 1969 , and is guided by a set of Bylaws and Standing Rules which incorporate amendments to the bylaws . These guidelines, and other aspects of running and maintaining the society are carried out by the officers and council members ; who are assisted by a number of Standing Committees . The history and archives of ASN have been organized by several current and former ASN members, as well as the list of past and current officers and council members
The roots of neurochemistry are being documented by several current ASN members. A brief biography of Nicolas-Louis Vauquelin
was recently published in the newsletter of the International Society for Neurochemistry
, a sister society of ASN; future articles will cover the lives of the founders of neurochemistry, including Thudicum, Magendie, and others.
Substantial time is allotted throughout the meeting for scientific discussions both formally and informally. Short oral presentations are selected from the submitted abstracts, along with daily poster sessions. Special efforts are taken to encourage young investigator participation. For instance, the Society sponsors a dinner for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral students to enable them to establish stronger relationships with their peers. The Society also subsidizes lunches with the plenary
speakers. Numerous travel awards are available for fellows and junior faculty, and young investigators are encouraged to submit and chair or co-chair scientific sessions for the annual meeting.
The first annual ASN meeting was held March 16–18, 1970 in Albuquerque, NM. The 42nd meeting took place in St Louis, MO March 19-23rd 2011. Future meetings are scheduled for Baltimore, MD in 2012
In addition to the scientific contect, there are several events were that reach out to local students and public. This includes a visit from local high school students to introduce them to neuroscience research; and a Public Forum that is open to the general public and addresses a current health concern. The ASN also hosts an image competition "Science in Nature" where attendees can submit representative art of their research interests. Images are judged for scientific as well as artistic merit, and winning images incorporated into a yearly calendar.
Every 6 years the ASN helps organize a joint meeting with the International Society for Neurochemistry
; in 2007 the joint meeting was scheduled to take place in Cancun, Mexico but was canceled due to Hurricane Dean
. However, Cancun has been selected again to be the venue for the 2013 joint meeting but will take place at an earlier time of year (from April 20th to 24th) to avoid the hurricane season.
The ASN launched a new Open Access online journal titled ASN NEURO at the 40th annual meeting which took place in March of 2009. ASN NEURO is published by Portland Press
, and will further the ASN missions to advance, promote, support, encourage and facilitate communication among cellular and molecular neuroscientists. The founding editor is Anthony Campagnoni, currently at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA). After 2 years the journal has done extremely well having been accepted for indexing into PubMed
after 2 issues, and with several papers receiving special recognition in Faculty1000 as well as in local and national news reports. ASN NEURO received an impact factor
from the Institute for Scientific Information
(ISI) of 3.8 in June 2011 which reflects citations in 2009 and 2010 to papers published in 2009.
The Marian Kies Memorial Award is given to a junior scientist for outstanding research conducted during graduate training. Dr Kies devoted energy and enthusiasm to the development of young scientists, and is known for her work on myelin basic protein
and studies in animal models of multiple sclerosis
. A full list of past awardees can be found here
The Bernard Haber Award recognizes an individual whose leadership skills have fostered collaborations among the world's neuroscientists. Dr Haber was editor-in-chief of the Journal of Neuroscience Research, and developed strong relationships between ASN and the International Society for Neurochemistry
.
The ASN offers Young Investigator Educational Enhancement (YIEE) awards for graduate students in their last year of studies and who reside in the Americas to travel to the annual meeting. Beginning at the 2010 meeting, one YIEE awardee will be selected to receive the new ASN NEURO travel award.
ASN also offers Young Latin American Award scholarships for young neuroscientists from Latin American countries. These awards subsidize travel expenses to attend the Annual Meeting, along with a short visit to an established neuroscience laboratory in North America
.
Learned society
A learned society is an organization that exists to promote an academic discipline/profession, as well a group of disciplines. Membership may be open to all, may require possession of some qualification, or may be an honor conferred by election, as is the case with the oldest learned societies,...
for neurochemists and neuroscientists from North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean, whose research concerns the role and interactions of small molecules (proteins, peptides, nucleic acid
Nucleic acid
Nucleic acids are biological molecules essential for life, and include DNA and RNA . Together with proteins, nucleic acids make up the most important macromolecules; each is found in abundance in all living things, where they function in encoding, transmitting and expressing genetic information...
s, lipids, sugars) in the development, growth, function, and pathology of the nervous system
Nervous system
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
.
History
The ASN was founded in 1969. The organizing committee that founded the ASN consisted of 12 scientists, namely Jordi Folch-PiJordi Folch Pi
Jordi Folch Pi was a Catalan biochemist at Harvard University who is recognized universally as one of the founders of the field of structural chemistry of complex lipids and as a leader in the development of Neurochemistry as a distinct discipline within the Neurosciences...
, Guy McKhann, Francis LeBaron, Bernard Agranoff, Donald B. Tower, E. Martin Gal, Semour S. Kety, Abel Lajtha, Henry S. Mahler, Eugene Roberts, Wallace W. Tourtellotte, and Frederick J. Wolfgram. The first President of ASN was Dr Tower; Dr Folch-Pi was the 2nd President. The current president (2011–2013) is Steve Levison (UMDNJ-NJMS in Newark, New Jersey). The current president elect (2013-2015) is Tika Benveniste at University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
in Birmingham.
The ASN was incorporated August 5, 1969 , and is guided by a set of Bylaws and Standing Rules which incorporate amendments to the bylaws . These guidelines, and other aspects of running and maintaining the society are carried out by the officers and council members ; who are assisted by a number of Standing Committees . The history and archives of ASN have been organized by several current and former ASN members, as well as the list of past and current officers and council members
The roots of neurochemistry are being documented by several current ASN members. A brief biography of Nicolas-Louis Vauquelin
Louis Nicolas Vauquelin
Nicolas Louis Vauquelin , was a French pharmacist and chemist.-Early life:Vauquelin was born at Saint-André-d'Hébertot in Normandy, France. His first acquaintance with chemistry was gained as laboratory assistant to an apothecary in Rouen , and after various vicissitudes he obtained an introduction...
was recently published in the newsletter of the International Society for Neurochemistry
International Society for Neurochemistry
The International Society for Neurochemistry is a professional society for neurochemists and neuroscientists throughout the world.-History:...
, a sister society of ASN; future articles will cover the lives of the founders of neurochemistry, including Thudicum, Magendie, and others.
Mission statement
- To advance and promote cellular and molecular neuroscienceMolecular neuroscienceMolecular neuroscience is a branch of neuroscience that examines the biology of the nervous system with molecular biology, molecular genetics, protein chemistry and related methodologies. Molecular biology studies how deoxyribonucleic acid forms ribonucleic acid which makes protein...
knowledge. - To advance, promote, support, encourage and facilitate communication among investigators in neurochemistryNeurochemistryNeurochemistry is the specific study of neurochemicals, which include neurotransmitters and other molecules such as neuro-active drugs that influence neuron function. This principle closely examines the manner in which these neurochemicals influence the network of neural operation...
and related neurosciences. - To promote, support, encourage and facilitate the dissemination of information concerning neurochemical research through scientific meetings, seminars, publications and related activities.
- To promote, support and encourage the research of individual cellular and molecular neuroscientists and to engage in any and all other activities for the advancement of the science of neurochemistry which may be deemed advisable.
- To insure that all of its activities remain open to the full participation of scholars of all backgrounds and nationalities.
Annual meeting
Annual meetings include plenary lectures, symposia, colloquia and workshops over the course of 4 days. The scientific program of the meetings are designed to address the four major themes of the Society:- Building the Nervous SystemNervous systemThe nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
. - Glial Cell Biology.
- MetabolismMetabolismMetabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
and Cell & Molecular Neurobiology - NeurodegenerationNeurodegenerationNeurodegeneration is the umbrella term for the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including death of neurons. Many neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s occur as a result of neurodegenerative processes. As research progresses, many...
and Disease.
Substantial time is allotted throughout the meeting for scientific discussions both formally and informally. Short oral presentations are selected from the submitted abstracts, along with daily poster sessions. Special efforts are taken to encourage young investigator participation. For instance, the Society sponsors a dinner for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral students to enable them to establish stronger relationships with their peers. The Society also subsidizes lunches with the plenary
Plenary
Plenary is an adjective related to the noun plenum carrying a general connotation of fullness.Plenary may refer to:*Plenary session or meeting, the part of a conference when all members of all parties are in attendance,...
speakers. Numerous travel awards are available for fellows and junior faculty, and young investigators are encouraged to submit and chair or co-chair scientific sessions for the annual meeting.
The first annual ASN meeting was held March 16–18, 1970 in Albuquerque, NM. The 42nd meeting took place in St Louis, MO March 19-23rd 2011. Future meetings are scheduled for Baltimore, MD in 2012
In addition to the scientific contect, there are several events were that reach out to local students and public. This includes a visit from local high school students to introduce them to neuroscience research; and a Public Forum that is open to the general public and addresses a current health concern. The ASN also hosts an image competition "Science in Nature" where attendees can submit representative art of their research interests. Images are judged for scientific as well as artistic merit, and winning images incorporated into a yearly calendar.
Every 6 years the ASN helps organize a joint meeting with the International Society for Neurochemistry
International Society for Neurochemistry
The International Society for Neurochemistry is a professional society for neurochemists and neuroscientists throughout the world.-History:...
; in 2007 the joint meeting was scheduled to take place in Cancun, Mexico but was canceled due to Hurricane Dean
Hurricane Dean
The name Dean was used for five tropical cyclones in the Northern Atlantic Ocean:*1983's Tropical Storm Dean, which struck the coast of Virginia, causing minor erosion and flooding...
. However, Cancun has been selected again to be the venue for the 2013 joint meeting but will take place at an earlier time of year (from April 20th to 24th) to avoid the hurricane season.
Publications
The ASN publishes the textbook Basic Neurochemistry used worldwide by undergraduate, graduate, and post graduate students and instructors. The founding editor was George Siegel, and the current chief editor is Scott Brady. Basic Neurochemistry in currently in its 7th edition, and the 8th edition is scheduled for release in November of 2011.The ASN launched a new Open Access online journal titled ASN NEURO at the 40th annual meeting which took place in March of 2009. ASN NEURO is published by Portland Press
Portland Press
Portland Press Limited is the wholly owned publishing subsidiary of The Biochemical Society. It is a not-for-profit publisher of journals and books in the cellular and molecular life sciences...
, and will further the ASN missions to advance, promote, support, encourage and facilitate communication among cellular and molecular neuroscientists. The founding editor is Anthony Campagnoni, currently at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA). After 2 years the journal has done extremely well having been accepted for indexing into PubMed
PubMed
PubMed is a free database accessing primarily the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics. The United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health maintains the database as part of the Entrez information retrieval system...
after 2 issues, and with several papers receiving special recognition in Faculty1000 as well as in local and national news reports. ASN NEURO received an impact factor
Impact factor
The impact factor, often abbreviated IF, is a measure reflecting the average number of citations to articles published in science and social science journals. It is frequently used as a proxy for the relative importance of a journal within its field, with journals with higher impact factors deemed...
from the Institute for Scientific Information
Institute for Scientific Information
The Institute for Scientific Information was founded by Eugene Garfield in 1960. It was acquired by Thomson Scientific & Healthcare in 1992, became known as Thomson ISI and now is part of the Healthcare & Science business of the multi-billion dollar Thomson Reuters Corporation.ISI offered...
(ISI) of 3.8 in June 2011 which reflects citations in 2009 and 2010 to papers published in 2009.
Awards
The Jordi Folch-Pi Award is given to an outstanding young investigator who has demonstrated a high level of research competence and originality, who has significantly advanced our knowledge of neurochemistry and who shows a high degree of potential for future accomplishments. Dr Jordi Folch-Pi, one of the founders of ASN, is known for his discovery of mild methods to extract biological lipids and for the discovery of myelin proteolipid protein. A full list of past awardees can be found hereThe Marian Kies Memorial Award is given to a junior scientist for outstanding research conducted during graduate training. Dr Kies devoted energy and enthusiasm to the development of young scientists, and is known for her work on myelin basic protein
Myelin basic protein
Myelin basic protein is a protein believed to be important in the process of myelination of nerves in the central nervous system .MBP was initially sequenced in 1971 after isolation from myelin membranes...
and studies in animal models of multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
. A full list of past awardees can be found here
The Bernard Haber Award recognizes an individual whose leadership skills have fostered collaborations among the world's neuroscientists. Dr Haber was editor-in-chief of the Journal of Neuroscience Research, and developed strong relationships between ASN and the International Society for Neurochemistry
International Society for Neurochemistry
The International Society for Neurochemistry is a professional society for neurochemists and neuroscientists throughout the world.-History:...
.
The ASN offers Young Investigator Educational Enhancement (YIEE) awards for graduate students in their last year of studies and who reside in the Americas to travel to the annual meeting. Beginning at the 2010 meeting, one YIEE awardee will be selected to receive the new ASN NEURO travel award.
ASN also offers Young Latin American Award scholarships for young neuroscientists from Latin American countries. These awards subsidize travel expenses to attend the Annual Meeting, along with a short visit to an established neuroscience laboratory in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
See also
- Society for NeuroscienceSociety for NeuroscienceThe Society for Neuroscience is a professional society, headquartered in Washington, D.C., for basic scientists and physicians around the world whose research is focused on the study of the brain and nervous system.-History:...
- International Society for NeurochemistryInternational Society for NeurochemistryThe International Society for Neurochemistry is a professional society for neurochemists and neuroscientists throughout the world.-History:...
- European Society for NeurochemistryEuropean Society for NeurochemistryThe European Society for Neurochemistry is a professional society for neurochemists and neuroscientists from Europe whose research concerns the role and interactions of small molecules in the function, and pathology of the nervous system.-History:...
- NIH homepage
- Everything MyelinMyelinMyelin is a dielectric material that forms a layer, the myelin sheath, usually around only the axon of a neuron. It is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system. Myelin is an outgrowth of a type of glial cell. The production of the myelin sheath is called myelination...
- Journal of NeurochemistryJournal of NeurochemistryThe Journal of Neurochemistry is a peer-reviewed scientific journal established by the International Society for Neurochemistry in 1956. The journal covers a variety of subjects within the field of neuroscience, but focuses in particular on the "molecular and cellular aspects of the nervous system,...
External links
- Other Neurochemistry Societies
- Agencies and Funding Sites for Neurochemistry