ASPET Division for Drug Metabolism

Minutes for the Business Meeting

April 19, 2004, Washington DC

Attendance:

Mike Franklin, Craig Svensson, Jeff Stevens, Melissa Runge-Morris, Larry Kaminsky, Ron Hines, Dick Okita, David Riddick, Eddie Morgan, Jack Hinson, John Chiang, Qiang Ma, Xinxin Ding, Emily Scott, Russ Prough, Tom Kocarek, Tim Tracy

1. Election Results

The newly elected Drug Metabolism Division officers were recognized: David Riddick (Chair-Elect) and Xinxin Ding (Secretary/Treasurer-Elect). The terms of councillors Jeff Stevens and Xinxin Ding will end on June 30, 2004. One new councillor needs to be appointed, and names of candidates should be submitted to Mike Franklin as soon as possible, so that the new councillor can begin serving his/her term on July 1, 2004.

2. Budget

Due to conservative spending during the current year, funds approximating $4,450 are expected to be available to carry forward to next year. In addition, ASPET council has indicated that some additional amount of money (not specified) will be added to the divisions= base allocations during the upcoming year. It is therefore expected that sufficient funds will be available to cover anticipated expenses during the upcoming year, including a division-sponsored session at next year=s EB meeting. With this in mind, the Executive Committee approved the donation of $1,000 to the Brodie Award endowment, as well as the provision of a $500 travel award to the first place winner of the Best Paper award in the postdoctoral category for attendance at the EB2005 meeting in San Diego. This individual will also participate as a non-voting member at next year=s Executive Committee meeting.

3. Brodie Award Endowment

Ron Hines provided an update on the status of the campaign to endow the Brodie Award. To achieve this goal, $60,000 must be raised by the end of the year. Currently, with the inclusion of this year=s $1,000 contribution by the Drug Metabolism Division, approximately $36,000 has been raised. Ron Hines is preparing to send letters requesting donations to industrial contacts, as well as to the Division membership.

4. Young Investigator Award

Mike Franklin announced that the Executive Committee approved the creation of a Division-sponsored (and Division-funded) award in drug metabolism to be given to a young investigator. This award will probably be given every other year, in alternation with the Brodie Award. Dick Okita will prepare a set of guidelines. Some potential names for the award, honoring individuals who have contributed substantially to the field of drug metabolism, were suggested, and additional names may be submitted for consideration.

5. Future Experimental Biology meetings

The Drug Metabolism Division will sponsor the following three symposia at the EB2005 meeting:

(1) Developmental Expression of Drug Metabolizing Enzymes (to be co-sponsored by the Systems and Integrative Pharmacology Division)

(2) Glucuronosyltransferases: Their Role in Drug Interactions and Toxicity (to be co-sponsored by the Pharmacology Education Division)

(3) Role of Xenobiotic Metabolizing Enzymes in the Homeostatic Control of Endogenous Substrates

In addition, the Drug Metabolism Division will co-sponsor a Toxicology Division-sponsored symposium on Genetic Susceptibility to Estrogen Carcinogenesis.

David Riddick suggested, with general agreement, that, since adequate funds appear to be available, the Drug Metabolism Division should develop some form of division-funded programming for the EB2005 meeting, and that the program needs to be developed soon. One possibility that was discussed was a workshop focused on the computational analysis of pharmacogenetic information.

There was also discussion about the need to develop symposium ideas relatively soon for the EB2006 meeting. Because ASPET is seeking to achieve more interaction among divisions, each divisional representative to the Program Committee will be required to attend the December Program Committee meeting with symposium ideas (Ahot topics@), which can then considered for co-sponsorship by other divisions. Therefore, it is important that a sufficient number of symposium ideas be provided to our representative (Mike Franklin) prior to the December meeting. In addition, Drug Metabolism Division members may continue to propose symposia until the next February 15 deadline.

6. Perspectives in Pharmacology Review Article

Mike Franklin encouraged attendees to consider preparing a Perspectives in Pharmacology review article for publication in JPET, but also encouraged attendees to consider submitting review articles for publication in Drug Metabolism and Disposition.

7. Web site

Mike Franklin encouraged attendees to help make the Drug Metabolism Division website an important resource for scientists seeking information in the various areas of drug metabolism. Specifically, attendees were encouraged to visit the AResearch Links@ and AInvestigator=s Webs@ portions of the website and provide information that can help to fill in the existing gaps, and to persuade their colleagues to do the same.

Also, the option for posting APositions Wanted@ advertisements on the website will be eliminated, and the fee to non-members of the Drug Metabolism Division for posting APositions Available@ advertisements will be reduced to an amount that is below the cost that is charged for posting through the FASEB website (currently $200 for a FASEB society member).

8. Membership