APS Conference Reports
As originally published in The Physiologist
Volume 44, Number 6, December 2001, page 400-403
2001 APS Conference
Cellular and Molecular Physiology of Sodium-Calcium Exchange
October 10-14, Banff, Alberta, Canada
The 2001 APS Conference on “Cellular and Molecular Physiology of Sodium-Calcium Exchange” was held at the Banff Centre for Conferences, located in the majestic Canadian Rockies within Banff National Park. Herds of Elk and deer grazed unconcerned outside the Max Bell Building where the sessions were held while inside researchers exchanged knowledge about sodium-calcium exchange. Designated free time each afternoon found attendees utilizing the abundance of hiking trails or visiting nearby lakes, including the stunning Lake Louise. The Organizing Committee, chaired by Jonathan Lytton of the University of Calgary, selected the venue and arranged the scientific sessions.
The conference featured an in-depth exchange of ideas about new and evolving information on the sodium-calcium exchanger in areas ranging from molecular mechanisms to the involvement of human disease. The meeting encouraged interactions between investigators studying molecular and/or kinetic aspects of the sodium-calcium exchanger and those studying its physiological behavior at the cellular and tissue levels.
There was an internationally recognized and interdisciplinary group of investigators present and interaction was enhanced by the presence of young scientists, students, and established investigators. The conference attracted 130 registrants, 31% of which represented young scientists, including 33 students and seven postdoctoral registrants. Eighteen (14%) were APS members, including one Emeritus member, and 28 (22%) were not members of APS. Thiry-eight (14%) of the registrants represented invited speakers and session chairs. Of the 130 registrants, 30 (23%) were from Canada; 26 (20%) were from outside The Americas; 2 (1%) were from industry and; 3 (2%) were from researchers working in US Government labs.
The outstanding program consisted of a keynote lecture, seven symposia, a debate, and 60 poster presentations. The social program included the Opening Reception on Wednesday evening, a bus tour to Lake Louise on Friday afternoon, and the Conference Banquet and Awards Presentation on Saturday evening.
The awards presentation recognized recipients of the Graduate Student Award for outstanding presentations. The awardees listed below were presented with a cash prize and certificate: Jeremy Dunn, “The molecular determinants of Ca2+I block of I1 on the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger”; Masamitsu Hinata, “Re-examination of the stoichiometry of Na/Ca exchange with whole-cell clamp of guinea pig ventricular myocytes”; Ion Hobai, “Acid pH changes the stoichiometry of forward Na/Ca exchange in a heterologous expression system”; Michael Isaac, Inhibition of the Drosophila Na+/Ca2+ exchanger CALX1.1, by KB-R7942”; Diane Roberts, “Collagen activates the reverse mode of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in human platelets.”
In addition, the following students received honorable mention certificates without a cash prize: Tashi Kinjo, “Topology of the retinal cone Na/Ca-K exchanger”; and La’Tonia Stiner, “The role of NCX in crustacean calcium homeostasis: molecular and physiological characterization.”
Inneke Jackson, Margaret Lyles, Michelle Walker, Jayne Reuben and Vallie Holloway, all of Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, as well as La’Tonia Stiner of Wright State University, were recipients of the Porter Physiology Development Committee’s Minority Travel Fellowship Awards provided to encourage participation of underrepresented minority students. With support from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), the fellowship provides reimbursement of all expenses associated with travel to and participation in the conference. The recipient is matched with an APS member attending the conference who offers guidance and makes introductions to other scientists.
A total of 60 abstracts were submitted to the conference for poster presentation and six of the authors were selected to present 15-minute oral presentations. The selected authors were: Lucio Annunziato from University of Naples, Italy, “Differential expression of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger encoding genes NCX1, NCX2 and NCX3 in the rat brain”; Paul Bauer from Research Center Jurlich, Germany, “Self-inhibition of the retinal Na/Ca-K exchanger”; Luis Beauge from University of Cordoba, Argentina, “MgATP regulation of PtdIns(4,5)P2 bound to cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchanger”; Simon Conway from Medical College of Georgia, “Role of sodium calcium exchanger in embryonic heart development”; Calvin Hale from University of Missouri, “The cardiac sodium-calcium exchanger associates with caveolin-3”; and Denis Noble from Oxford University, “Influence of Na-Ca exchange stiochiometry on model cardiac action potentials.”
Table 1 provides a distribution of abstracts based on submitting department. Twenty-five percent were by female first authors, 26% were submitted by authors at institutions outside The Americas, and 25% were submitted by authors residing in Canada. Table 2 provides the breakdown of registration by type. Twenty-one percent of the registrants were female; 22% were from outside The Americas and; 32% were from Canada.
The Society and Organizing Committee gratefully acknowledge support provided through grants from Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine, The Canadian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Merck & Company, Inc., Invitrogen Corporation, Axon Instruments, New England Biolabs Ltd., Carl Zeiss Canada Ltd., Mandel Scientific Company Ltd., and VWR
Canlab.
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Female elk graze just outside of the meeting complex. |
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| Jonathan Lytton, Chair of the Organizing Committee, presents Michael Isaac with a Graduate Student Award for outstanding presentation. | Jonathan Lytton, Chair of the Organizing Committee, presents Diane Roberts with a Graduate Student Award for outstanding presenation. | ||||||||||||
| Table 1. Distribution by Department of Submitted Abstracts | Table 2. Registration Statistics |
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2001 APS Conference
Genome and Hormones: An Integrative Approach
to Gender Differences in Physiology
October 17-20, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fall foliage at peak season-with striking hues of red, yellow and orange against Pittsburgh’s tall surrounding hills-provided the breathtaking backdrop for the 2001 APS Conference, organized by Virginia M. Miller, Chair, on “Genome and Hormones: An Integrative Approach to Gender Differences in Physiology.” The meeting was held October 17-20, 2001 in Pittsburgh, the city with a seamless tapestry of past and present, industry and culture, cosmopolitan living and neighborly charms.
The conference was held at the Westin Convention Center Hotel and brought together for the first time experts in genetics, molecular biology, integrated physiology and clinical medicine to address genetic influences on responses to sex steroids. For decades, research of basic physiological systems, which extended into clinical trials, were defined from results of studies of the “normal 70kg male.” Understanding differences in physiology and pathophysiology associated with incidence of disease in males and females needs to become an integral part of scientific approaches. The conference was organized into two major sections: common basic principles and integrative systems. The first section focused on basic mechanisms of action of sex steroid from receptors to intracellular processes that are common to many cell types. The second section focused on how these basic mechanisms influence integrative physiological responses, including presentation of disease. The final session discussed translational approaches of basic research to clinical questions—a bench-to-bedside approach.
The conference attracted 150 registrants, 45% of which were female and 32% of which represented young scientists, including 27 students and 21 postdoctoral registrants. Twenty-nine (19%) were APS members and 35 (23%) were not members of APS. Thirty-five (23%) represented invited speakers and session chairs. Of the total registrants, 10 (6%) were from outside The Americas; six (4%) were from industry, and three (2%) were from US government labs.
The outstanding program consisted of eight symposia, one keynote lecture and 10 poster sessions that included a total of 75 poster presentations. The social program included an opening reception on Wednesday evening and the Conference Banquet and Awards Presentation on Friday evening where attendees danced the night away. In addition, Thursday evening featured a reception at the Andy Warhol Museum, where attendees were free to roam seven floors dedicated to style, fashion and fame as chronicled by the 20th century’s most influential pop icon.
The awards presentation honored a total of 11 student and postdoctoral fellows, four of which were sponsored by Servier International. The awardees received a cash prize and certificate presented during the banquet. They were: Andrea Grete Zabka, University of Wisconsin, Madison (Servier International Awardee), “Gender affects age-dependent phrenic and hypoglossal responses to hypoxia in rats”; Harshini Mukundan, University of New Mexico (Servier International Awardee), “Estrogen attenuates hypoxic induction of erythropoietin gene expression”; Sabra L. Klein, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (Servier International Awardee), “Sex differences in Hantavirus infection: interactions among hormones, genes, and immunity”; Tara Perrot-Sinal, University of Maryland (Servier International Awardee), “Opposing effect of GABA on phosphorylation of CREB in males and females is developmentally regulated and dependent on L-type calcium channels”; Fushun Yu, Penn State University, (Servier International Awardee), “Effects of gender on contractile properties and myosin isoforms at the skeletal muscle cell level in young, old, and oldest old humans”; John Andrew Duncan, Toronto General Hospital, “Gene gender interactions and blood pressure in normal adults”; Karyn L. Hamilton, Baylor College of Medicine, “Effects of 17ß-estradiol, tamoxifen, and geldanamycin on HSP72 accumulation in isolated cardiac myocytes from female rats”; Jeffrey H. Mills, SUNY Upstate Medical University, “Androgen receptor does not play a role in the thymic response to estradiol”; Meike R. Rath, VA Medical Center, Houston, “Gender differences in the expression of heat shock proteins: the effect of estrogen”; Steven E. Riechman, University of Pittsburgh, “DHEA/DHEAS responses to strength training in men and women: influence of a polymorphic marker in the X-linked steroid sulfatase gene”; and Manoj C. Rodrigo, University of South Dakota, “Estrogen regulation of gene expression in resistance blood vessels.”
Turner R. Coggins, Jr., College of Southern Maryland, Rayna Gonzales, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Nikki Jernigan, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Joseph Nunez, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and Jose Ospina, University of California, Irvine, were recipients of the Porter Physiology Development Committee’s Minority Travel Fellowship Awards provided to encourage participation of underrepresented minority students. With support from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), the fellowship provides reimbursement of all expenses associated with travel to and participation in the conference. The recipient is matched with an APS member attending the conference who offers guidance and makes introductions to other scientists.
A total of 75 abstracts were submitted to the conference for poster presentation. Table 1 provides a distribution of abstracts based on submitting department. Forty-five percent of the total submitted abstracts had female first authors; 13% were from outside The Americas; 3% were submitted from US Government laboratories and 2% from researchers working in industry.
The Society and Organizing Committee gratefully acknowledge financial support provided through generous educational grants from: NIH-NHLBI, Mayo Foundation, Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals, Glaxo
Wellcome, Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer, Inc., Merck Research Laboratories, Abbott Laboratories, Magee-Women’s Health Corporation, Servier
International, and Galileo Laboratories.
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| Servier International poster presentation awardees. | APS Conference poster presentation awardees. | ||||||||||||
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| Poster presentation at the Pittsburgh meeting. | Meeting attendees dancing the night away. | ||||||||||||
| Table 1. Distribution by Department of Submitted Abstracts | Table 2. Registration Statistics |
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