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 An Invitation from the ASHG President and Program Committee Chair
March 2006
Dear Members of the American Society of Human Genetics and Annual Meeting Registrants:
The ASHG Program Committee and Board of Directors invite you to submit your abstracts and to attend the 56th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s meeting, with the timely theme of “Regeneration,” will be held from Monday, October 9, through Friday, October 13, 2006. The Program Committee has developed a program that will provide the highest quality scientific and clinical information to address the needs of our diverse audience. The scientific program, one of the strongest in our history, will be highlighted by 14 superb invited scientific sessions. Highlights of the meeting include a special symposium on Thursday evening, as well as two plenary sessions on Friday. One will consist of the science, art, and applications of stem cells and the other will be our Distinguished Speakers’ Symposium entitled, “Understanding and Treating Genetic Diseases. This year we will also have two evenings without scientific sessions. On Tuesday evening, there will be a session for trainees interested in networking and learning more about the professional development process. On Wednesday, a workshop will be presented to help registrants learn more about the publication process. The Program Committee has worked to balance basic, translational, and clinical research with educational and social issues. The scientific sessions of invited speakers and contributed papers are relevant to clinicians diagnosing and characterizing birth defects and developmental disorders; to counselors informing and supporting patients and families about these disorders; to basic scientists deciphering the pathogenesis of Mendelian disorders; to geneticists dissecting contributions to complex traits; and to all of us translating the wealth of genomic information into function. In addition, updates on research will be highlighted for epigenetics, genomics, neurogenetics, pharmacogenetics, therapy for genetic disorders and stem cells. The majority of the scientific program involves plenary, platform, and poster presentations by authors of abstracts. The Program Committee will again select abstracts from diverse disciplines to be grouped together in thematic, "cross-topic" sessions. ASHG members have found these sessions valuable, as they encourage interaction among the different specialties of our Society. We can all take pride in our support of the regeneration of a great city and its strong citizens. Stay tuned for the announcement of special volunteer efforts being coordinated by ASHG for New Orleans students and residents. We continue to attract attendees from other professional societies who enhance scientific, educational, and social interactions within our Society. We encourage you to communicate your ideas and comments to ASHG and to share this Call for Abstracts/Meeting Information site with your nonmember colleagues. ASHG values the contributions of its members and we look forward to receiving your abstract and seeing you in New Orleans! Sincerely yours, William Gahl, MD, PhD. Stephen Warren, PhD Chair, Program Committee President, ASHGBack to Meeting Information/Abstracts
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