GEMS 2009 Fall Meeting

Call for Abstracts

Abstracts for presentations (poster and/or short-talk) at the GEMS Fall Meeting to be held at the William and Ida Friday Center, UNC-CH October 5, 2009 may be submitted no later than 11:59 AM Saturday September 26, 2009. Abstracts of your research in genetics and/or environmental mutagenesis, which do not have to be directly related to the meeting theme, should follow the instructions provided in the abstract template.

You may email your completed abstract as an attachment to the Program Chair, GEMS at french@niehs.nih.gov. Please add "GEMS Abstract" to the subject line and indicate in the body of your email whether you are a student, technician, or post-doctoral student and if you are submitting your abstract for consideration for the oral "short-talk" presentations.

Four to six abstracts will be selected for short-talk (15 min including questions/discussion). Selections for short-talk and the awards for the best short-talk and best posters (by category) will be selected by judges. Awards will be presented following the final plenary speaker prior to the Reception.

Meeting Information

For the registration information and the proposed agenda go to our 2009 Meeting Page

Monday October 5, 2009

UNC-CH Friday Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

"Dissecting genome structure, genetic traits,
and basis for complex diseases"

Plenary lectures by

Professor Timothy A. Graubert (Washington University in St. Louis)

“The impact of copy number variation on local gene expression in mouse hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells”

Professor Alexandre Reymond (University of Lausanne)

"The Influence of Genome Structure on Gene Expression"

Professor James P. Evans (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

“Robust Genomic Analysis; Promises and Problems”

Four to six student/post-doctoral trainees will be selected from submitted abstracts to speak. A travel award will be presented to the Best Student Speaker, for use by the winner to attend another conference.

A Poster Session (open to all scientists and college level students) will be held with awards presented for the best poster in each of the following presenter categories:

Technicians
Students
Post-doctoral research fellows

Our Corporate Sponsors will present their products and services.

GEMS 2009 Spring Meeting

Dear GEMS Members,

It is my pleasure to invite you to the GEMS Spring Meeting for 2009. The topic of the meeting is “Genome Architecture: The Role for Copy Number and Structural Variation.” A major goal of genetic and genomic research is to understand how the genetic differences between individuals (genotypes) at the sequence and structural levels translate into variation in disease susceptibility, behavior, and many other organism-level characteristics (phenotypes). To understand the role that sporadic and induced mutations may play in the evolution of genome architecture and the inheritance of differences in behavioral, disease susceptibility, etc., we must understand the consequence of sequence and structural variants at both the population and molecular (systems genetics and biology) level. This year GEMS will devote both of its meetings to this topic. The two programs presented in sequence (Spring and Fall 2009) will build upon: 1) the present knowledge base on genome architecture of 2 critical research model organisms and the human and 2) the role that environmental toxicant interaction with individual genome structural variants play in heritable behavior and disease through mutation, evolution, and population genetics.

The meeting will be in the Auditorium at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park main campus on April 13, 2009. The meeting will begin with lunch available at 11:15 (included in registration fee), and the program beginning at 12:45. We will conclude the meeting with a reception at 4:30. A complete agenda andregistration form may be found on the GEMS website at:

http://gems-nc.org/Spring_meeting09.html.

Early registration for members is only $25.00 this year, a decrease from last year's cost. Please note that early registration ends on April 3, after which the fees increase by $5.00. Also, as a reminder, the membership year for GEMS is the same as the calendar year. That means if you have not renewed your membership, since January 1, 2009, your membership dues for 2009 are due now (unless you paid for multiple years, or if you are a lifetime member). The Board has worked to keep meeting costs as low as possible; your continued timely support of GEMS enables us to do so.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Spring Meeting on April 13.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Ross
President, GEMS

GEMS Fall Meeting and Call for Abstracts

The Genetics and Environmental Mutagenesis Society will hold its Fall
2008 Meeting on INFLAMMATION IN CANCER on Monday October 6, 2008.
Early Registration and Abstracts are due on Friday September 5, 2008.
The Call for Abstracts, Instructions for Preparing Abstracts along with the Preliminary Meeting Schedule and Registration Form can be found at http://www.gems-nc.org/Fall_08.html.

Call for Nominations

To: GEMS Members

Date: Wed, May 7, 2008

From: RoseAnne McGee, GEMS President

GEMS has a long and successful history. Our 26th Annual Fall Meeting will be held on October 6, 2008. The success and popularity of GEMS two annual meetings can be attributed in part to the Board of Councilors, a close-knit group of people who are dedicated to the ongoing success of this organization.
I would like to call on your continued support, with this CALL FOR NOMINATIONS.
This fall, the GEMS Board will have vacancies for the following positions:

President-Elect (1-year term; transitions to President in 2nd year)
Three Councilors (3-year terms; GEMS has a total of 9 Councilors, whose terms overlap by 1-year in blocks of three Councilors)

I would like to ask that you seriously consider offering your services, or nominating a colleague, for one of the above vacancies! GEMS could certainly use your assistance.
There are numerous benefits associated with service to GEMS, not the least of which are the contribution to the health of the Society, the camaraderie shared among Board members, and the networking opportunities provided via the Board and the membership at large. Additionally, for the younger members of our Society, service on the GEMS Board provides an invaluable opportunity to gain experience with the activities associated with a scientific society, while providing a notable addition to your Curriculum Vitae. Also, service on the Board of Councilors provides the opportunity to actively and positively impact the regional scientific community.
Please email me directly with your comments and nominations. Also, please feel free to self-nominate for the positions listed above.
Thanking you in advance!
RoseAnne M. McGee
Associate Scientific ReviewOfficer
NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Division of Extramural Research and Training
Scientific Review Branch
P.O. Box 12233, MD EC 30
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Telephone: 919/541-0752
Fax: 919/541-2503
Email:McGee1@NIEHS.NIH.Gov

- GEMS Presidents Travel Award 2007

This year, in addition to our usual awards, we are offering a special "Presidents' Award." Please note that the deadline for nominations is TUESDAY OCTOBER 09, 2007. Also, please note that the details associated with this award are somewhat different from those for the Best Talk and Best Poster Awards, as fully explained at our web link,

http://gems-nc.org/resources/TravelAward-Criteria.pdf

with significant points highlighted below.

Who is eligible for the Award?

To be eligible, each nominee must be: a technician, an undergraduate or graduate student or a 1st year post-doctoral fellow who is engaged in or has completed studies, or a research undergraduate who has excelled in science, who wants to have an opportunity to learn about the goals of the Genetics and Environmental Mutagenesis Society.

Who can nominate?

Professors, mentors, supervisors can nominate technicians, students and 1st year postdoctoral fellows.

What does the recipient of the Award receive?

Support for travel to the Environmental Mutagens Society Annual Meeting in 2008. The recipient has honor of presenting a brief talk regarding the benefits of the award at the Annual GEMS Fall Meeting in 2008.

Please be sure to share/forward this information to your colleagues!

Sincerely,

RoseAnne McGee
GEMS President-Elect
GEMS 2007 Meeting Coordinator

From: Greg Stuart, GEMS President
To: GEMS Members
Date: Tuesday May 08, 2007

Dear GEMS Members:

GEMS has had a long and successful history, reflected by the fact that the Fall Meeting this year will be our 25th Annual Meeting! Financially, GEMS is very sound, and we continue to host two very successful scientific meetings annually - all of which are topical and well-attended. We are very fortunate to have a diverse yet close-knit group of people who are dedicated to the ongoing success of GEMS.

I would like to call on your continued support, with this CALL FOR NOMINATIONS. Each Fall, GEMS Board has vacancies for the following positions:

** President-Elect (1-year term; transitions to President in 2nd year)
** Secretary (2-year term)
** Treasurer (2-year term)
** Three (3) Councilors (3-year terms; GEMS has a total of 9 Councilors, whose terms overlap by 1-year in blocks of three Councilors)

I would ask that each of you seriously consider offering your services - or convince a colleague, including non-Members - for one of the above vacancies! GEMS could really use your help; moreover, it is vital to the continued health and success of the Society!

There are numerous benefits associated with this service, not the least of which are the contribution to the health of the Society itself (as mentioned), the camaraderie shared among our Board members, and the networking opportunities provided via the Board and the membership at large. Additionally, for the younger members of our Society, service on the GEMS Board provides an invaluable opportunity to gain experience with the activities associated with a scientific society, while providing a notable addition to your curriculum vitae! Last, but not least, service on the Board provides the opportunity to actively and positively impact the local scientific community.

IPlease email me directly with your comments, nominations, etc. Please, also feel free to self-nominate for any of the positions listed above!

Thanking you in advance!

Sincerely yours,

Greg Stuart :-)

Dr. Gregory R. Stuart, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
111 T.W. Alexander Drive
Building 101, Room E-326
P.O. Box 12233, MD E3-01
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA

Tel: (919) 541-5424; Fax: (919) 541-7613
Email: stuart@niehs.nih.gov