President's Message

September 2001

Dear SDB Member,

I am honored to serve as the 2001-2002 President of the scientific association that has stayed in the forefront of the field of developmental biology since its inception in 1939, bringing together the then exciting new fields of genetics and experimental embryology. Today, the field has expanded its interdisciplinary range, covering not only these two initial subjects, but also the exploding areas of genomics, proteomics, informatics, evolution, neurobiology, birth defects and human diseases. The technologies also have become more powerful, allowing us to ask questions at the level of single genes, molecular processes and cellular mechanisms, as well as providing images that remind us why we like this discipline so much. Our field has also grown in visibility in the public health and policy arenas. The SDB has kept up with this progress throughout the years, as shown by the growth of the membership and the variety of research areas the members work on, and by the program of the annual meetings. The journal Developmental Biology, published by Academic Press under the auspices of the Society is another testimony of our contribution to the field.

It is my commitment to continue the success of the annual meetings by offering a program of excellent science and a roster of the best speakers in respective specialties. Junior investigators innovative work will be especially featured. Other matters of current importance will be covered in the workshops, and educational issues will be addressed as well. We are now in the planning stages of the program and I invite you to send me your ideas, especially if you want to recommend scientists whose work would be of interest to our audience. Please contact me as soon as possible as we would like to have a preliminary program to include in the Call-for-Abstracts to be sent out in January. For now, please reserve the dates: July 21-25, 2002, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

I am also happy to report that SDB is considered one of the two most active national societies (the other is the British SDB) by the International Society of Developmental Biologists, indicating the significance of our world-wide contribution in the field. Here are some of the reasons that gave us that status:

• The SDB fosters the growth and development of its membership and provides many opportunities for young investigators and students to present their research in collegial settings, as well as to network with more experienced investigators.
• The SDB seeks to educate the public on the importance and potential of developmental biology in science and society, and leads discussions on the ethics of the advances in the field that may impact in our daily lives.
• Through its Education and Professional Development Committee the SDB serves as a resource and exchange site for ideas on teaching developmental biology for undergraduate and graduate faculty, and it also offers outreach programs for K-12 teachers.
• In keeping with the rapidly changing communication means, the SDB has the most comprehensive Website in the field, a one-stop site where any interested person may find out the current status of funding for embryonic stem cells research, job openings, member's lab websites, institutions and departments offering training in developmental biology and related areas.

I would like to hear your opinion and suggestions about the Society's activities. My best wishes for a productive and successful year.

Sincerely,

Sean Carroll, Ph.D.

President

[email protected]