Assemble Plus Marine Funding Call

Assemble Plus has opened its second call for access to infrastructure in Marine labs in Europe. 

Assemble Plus funds acess, travel and living expenses for researchers to carry out experiments using marine organisms or equipment available in the marine stations within its member network.

View the Funding Call, check out the FAQ, and visit the Assemble Plus website to find out more information. 

Research Associate in Cryopreservation

An exciting job opportunity as a Postdoctoral Research Associate is available at Newcastle University, between the Institute of Genetic Medicine (IGM) and the School of Computing (CS). The RA will conduct experimental work in a multidisciplinary team, comprising Dr Roman Bauer (CS), Prof. Majlinda Lako (IGM) and Prof. Evelyne Sernagor (Institute of Neuroscience).

You will work on a project studying the impact of cryopreservation on different kinds of biological tissues. Cryogenic processing protocols will be tested and assessed using a wide range of experimental methods, taking into account anatomy, gene expression and electrical activity. The goal of the project led by Dr Roman Bauer, in collaboration with GE Healthcare and CERN, is to model and improve tissue cryopreservation to yield high-quality post-thaw tissue.

You will hold a PhD in a bioscience discipline and have experience in several experimental techniques, which can be for instance immunohistochemistry, primary cell/tissue culture, qPCR and/or pluripotent stem cell differentiation. Ideally, you will also have experience in at least one electrophysiology method, e.g. in patch clamp or multi-electrode array (MEA) recording.

You will be highly ambitious, have excellent written and spoken English language skills, the ability to present clearly your work, supervise students and collaborate efficiently in a multidisciplinary team. You will have the opportunity to learn new experimental techniques (e.g. organoid growth or MEA recordings from retina), develop leadership skills or quantitative or computational skills if you wish.

The post is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and tenable for 32 months on a full-time basis. As part of your application, please provide a CV and covering letter which details your prior experience in experimental work.

CRYO2018 Report 

CRYO2018, which took place July 10-13 at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in Madrid, Spain, was one of the Society's largest meetings in recent memory, attracting 300 abstract submissions and 250 delegates from 35 countries worldwide.

For full details of the program download the electronic copy of the program book and abstract supplement. You can also view all the photos from CRYO2018. 

Program
The meeting featured 175 oral presentations and over 100 poster presentations, across 5 plenary sessions, 10 symposia, 17 sessions and 2 poster sessions. Alongside traditional sessions exploring cell and tissue preservation, ice formation, tools and technologies, and plant cryopreservation, there were several sessions which stood out as sessions of note. These included three sessions organized jointly with the Organ Preservation Alliance on the current situation and future research required for organ preservation, and cryopreservation of reproductive tissue for cancer survivors. Additionally, due to the expertise of the local organizing committee, the meeting also included sessions on Cryobiology in Food Science and Technology and Challenges in Cryobiology for Microorganisms. 

Election 2018

Nominations are now open for the 2018 election for 3 governors 2019-2021

The nominations committee is now inviting nominations from all Society members in good standing for the position of Governor 2019-2021. There are 3 posts available. 

Please register your interest in standing for election with Nicole Evans by June 1, 2018. A detailed biography and candidate statement outlining your vision for the Society will be requested thereafter. 

The 2018 nominating committee is: 
Adam Higgins (Chair; President-Elect)
Dayong Gao (President)
Greg Fahy (Governor)
Erik Woods (Governor)
Ido Braslavsky (Governor)

Please note all nominations are subject to approval by the nominations committee. This does not affect your right to nomination by petition as outlined in the society's bylaws. 

Volunteers Required! 

In Memoriam - Alan P. MacKenzie 

The Society for Cryobiology was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Dr. Alan P. MacKenzie, President of the Society for Cryobiology 1977-1978. Dr. MacKenzie was a lifelong supporter and member of the Society, joining in the Society's founding year - 1964, and continuing his affiliation with the Society throughout his lifetime. 

Alan trained in chemistry at the University of London and enjoyed a long career in freeze-drying from 1959. He published more than 60 papers and a number of book chapters on lyophilization, and lectured and taught the subject in both the US and Europe for more than 25 years. He enjoyed a close relationship with the Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research (CPPR), acting in a number of capacities during their annual meetings, including as keynote speaker on several occasions. 

During his career Alan held posts at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and from 1976 - 1990 was based at the University of Washington in the School of Medicine, Faculty of Bioengineering. From 1990 onward he consulted full time for the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries. 

Alan's research interests included aqueous and other solution chemistries, product formulations, freeze-drying cycle development and validation, process scale-up and technology transfer.

Please send remembrances and condolences to Executive Director, Nicole Evans and she will pass them on to Alan's daughter, Sarah, to share with the family.  

Royan Institute Cryobiology and Biobanking Symposium 

The Royan Institute held their second cryobiology and biobanking symposium on Feb. 14, 2018, in Tehran, Iran.

The Royan Institute was established in 1991 as a public non-profit research institute for reproductive biomedicine and infertility treatments. Today Royan consists of three research institutes: 

Society for Cryobiology Profiled in Cold Facts

Fellow Nominations Open 

CALL FOR CRYOFELLOW NOMINATIONS - DEADLINE APRIL 30


President, Jason Acker, presents President-Elect, Dayong Gao with the CryoFellow Medal at CRYO2017. 

The 2018 CryoFellows Nominations Committee is now soliciting nominations for the appointment of new CryoFellows. This Committee, consisting of three members of the Board of Governors and two CryoFellows, evaluates the nominations and makes recommendations to the Board for approval of new Fellows.

Jan 30: Nominations Open 
April 30: Nominations Close
Week of April 30: Board to vote on nominations at Q2 meeting
July 12: Presentation of Fellow medal at CRYO2018 (dependent on Fellow availability) 

The Society for Cryobiology established an award and medal of CryoFellow just over a decade ago in recognition of members of the society and individuals from the cryobiology community at large who have had an outstanding impact on the field.

CryoFellows are awarded this prestigious status in recognition of: scientific impact of their research on cryobiology (50%); sustained nature of that impact (20%); generation of scientific offspring (20%); and service to the Society (10%).

There is no formal application form on which to make the nomination, but the documents you provide the committee should be of sufficient depth to support the candidate's contributions to the categories mentioned above in a clear and demonstrable way. Usually this will mean inclusion with the nomination:

(1) Supporting letters from members of the Society or other major contributors to cryobiology (including one from the nominator); and 

(2) a detailed resume for the nominee. I suggest you contact the proposed CryoFellow to discuss their nomination before proceeding and to obtain the resume from the nominee.

Please note the nominated individual must be living at the time that he or she is nominated.

If there is someone you would like to nominate, or you would like to have an informal discussion before proceeding with nomination, please email me at [email protected]. 

ISBER Best Practices Fourth Edition Launch

The International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) is pleased to announce the release of the ISBER Best Practices, Fourth Edition.

Cryobiology and Biobanking Symposium in Tehran

The Royan Institute is a non-profit research institute for reproductive biomedicine and infertility treatments in Tehran, Iran. On February 14, 2018 they are holding their second Cryobiology and Biobanking Symposium. 

Dr. Jason Acker, immediate Past President of the Society for Cryobiology will be speaking, along with a number of local cryobiology and biobanking experts.  

For more information please contact: 

Vahid Asgari, PhD
Intl' Business Affairs
Consultant and Instructor
[email protected]
+98-9123007955

Dayong Gao Assumes Presidency

As cryobiologists, we are entering a new era when cryobiology has a unique and significant contribution and impact on almost every major biomedical research and application area. A once opaque science shrouded in mystery (and liquid nitrogen vapors!) has captured the attention of the public through mainstream news articles on tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, artificial organs, and tissue-organ transplantation. With this diverse range of applications and growing public acknowledgement, this is an exciting time for the field, its scientists and end users, and the Society for Cryobiology.

I inherit a Society whose productivity has flourished during the previous two years under the guidance of my predecessor, Dr. Jason Acker. I could not ask for a better springboard from which to begin my term as President.

Bylaws Revision Complete

A guest post by Jason Acker  
 
I would like to thank all of you for taking time to participate in the discussions and for voting on the proposed revisions to our Society’s bylaws.  As one of the important documents which guides who we are as a Society and how we choose to operate as an organization, our bylaws need to be up to date and reflect current best practices and laws governing not for profit corporations. The proposed changes were the culmination of more than a decade of discussion, debate and consultation with subject matter experts.

I am happy to report that the motion to ratify the revisions to the Society’s bylaws was carried. The final voter turnout was 59% (153/260 members), with 149 of the voters in favour of adopting the revised bylaws (57% of the membership as a whole). 

I would like to personally thank Jens Karlsson, John Armitage, Art Rowe, John Baust, the members of the Bylaws and Policies Working group (Greg Fahy, Steve Mullen, Andy Picken, Elena Salvaterra), Ed Kordoski, Nicole Evans, our advisors at Maryland NonProfits and all current and past members of the board who have contributed to making this outcome a reality.

I would like to acknowledge that throughout this process there were members who felt strongly that some of the proposed changes were not in the best interest of the Society.  I would like to assure you that your feedback was heard and that it was carefully considered.  Some of the feedback that was received that is not reflected in the revised bylaws will be included in the policies and procedures that are now a focus of the Working Group. 

Now that the Society has established a mechanism for reviewing and updating our bylaws, we should undertake a process to regularly review them and update and adapt them as needed to ensure that they reflect who we are as a Society and how we choose to deliver on the important mission for which our Society was established.

As I transition off of the board and assume my new role as a general member of the Society, I would like to thank all of your for your support during my tenure on the board and as your President. I look forward to continuing to engage with all of you at our scientific meetings and on the various committees and working groups that I may have the privilege of serving on with you.

View the Revised Bylaws

Cryobiology Post-Doc at CDC Foundation 

Entomologist, Biologist or Cryobiologist, Post Doc
Location: Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center
USDA-ARS, Fargo, ND, USA
Closing Date: February 2, 2018
Link: https://www.cdcfoundation.org/jobs/entomologist-biologist-or-cryobiologist-post-doc-941

Senior Engineer in Cancer Immunotherapy 

Company: Kite
Location: Santa Monica, CA, USA
Closing Date: Open until filled

2018 Officers and Governors Transition

Incoming 2018 Board Members 

CRYO2018 Student Awards Open

Entry for the CRYO2018 Student Awards and Travel Grants is now open.

Download application form.

Motion to Adopt Revised Bylaws 

Time is running out to vote in the motion put to all members to revise the Society's bylaws. Voting closes December 31, 2017 at 23:59 ET. 

Read the revised bylaws and the summary of changes. 

All members in good standing should have received by now several emails with instructions for online voting. If you have not received these emails please check your spam/junk folder and then contact us. 

The revised bylaws currently before the members are the culmination of approximately three years work, and at least 10 years of discussion by the Board of Governors. The past year in particular has seen outstanding progress by a special bylaws working group chaired by current President, Jason Acker. This group has worked tirelessly alongside Maryland Nonprofits, an association for Maryland nonprofit associations, to update our ageing bylaws, which currently date from 1995.  

The members of the bylaws working group in full are: Jason Acker (chair), Ed Kordoski (Executive Director), Greg Fahy (governor), and Society members Elena Salvaterra, Andy Picken, and Steve Mullen. 

BYLAWS FAQ

Call for Abstracts 

ISBER Launch Biobanking Accreditation

The International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) and the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) announced on December 11, 2017, that they have reached an agreement to develop a new Biobanking Practitioner Qualification. 

ASCP BOC offers qualifications for medical laboratory professionals and has certified more than half a million people since its inception in 1928. 

ISBER, established more recently in 1999, represents professionals in biological and environmental biorepositories.

From early 2019 ISBER members who fulfil certain educational and experience requirements will be able to sit an online examination to recognize their biobanking skills. 

ISBER President, Zisis Kozlakidis, said, "Improving the quality of biobanking practices is essential to improving research outcomes, especially in the fields of translational and precision medicine. With this new qualification we will be able to advance the science of biobanking to the level required to support future healthcare breakthroughs."