Genetic Toxicology Association Spring
Board of Directors Meeting
BioReliance, Rockville, MD
28 April 2009
Meeting Commenced at 9:05 a.m.
Attending Board Members: Patricia Escobar
(Chair), Jiaqin Yao, Jane Clarke
Attending Committee Memberss: Leon Stankowski
(Treasurer), Chris Farabaugh (Assistant Treasurer),
Ofelia Olivero (Student Outreach)
Attendance via Teleconference: Matt Cowlen
(Website), Pamela Heard, Timothy Johnson, Sandy
Weiner (Communications Committee Chair), Maria
Donner (Membership Chair), Brinda Mahadevan
and Magnus Evertson (Secretary)
Minutes from Winter
Board Meeting
Presenter: Magnus
Discussion: The winter
2009 meeting minutes had not been distributed
for the Board of Directors to review.
Decisions and Assigned Action Items:
Magnus to distribute the winter
meeting minute.
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Treasurer’s
Report
Presenter: Leon
Discussion: The treasurer's
report was reviewed by the Board of Directors.
The Fall 2008 meeting financial report indicated
a $300 surplus. The financial report indicates
that the organization currently holds $32073 up
$3000 from last year.
Decisions and Assigned Action Items:
No action item.
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Website Report
Presenter: Matt
Discussion: The website
now has archiving of scientific meeting abstracts
with including a link at the bottom of the web
page. Sponsor logos are placed on a separate page.
However, sponsor logos (static) will be added
to the front web page so that sponsor information
can be accessed in two places of the web site.
Replace photos in website (Ofelia will send some).
One day registrations links and information should
indicate the day of attendance on registration.
Decisions and Assigned Action Items: Matt
to update the web site.
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Membership
Report
Presenter: Maria
Discussion: Currently
25 people have paid for membership and 2 individuals
have registered for the 2009 meeting. The Board
discussed the need for a blast email to be sent
in order to promote online registration. It
was recommended the blast email to be sent out
in mid-May once the website has been modified.
It was recommended the organization send an
email blast to targeted students (UConn and
Brown).
Decisions and Assigned Action Items:
Brinda will send out an updated
email to the Board for editing. Maria Donner
will arrange with Wendy for the GTA membership
blast e-mail. Email blast to be sent by mid
May from the GTA website. Slightly different
emails will be drafted for GTA members and other
associations.
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Student Outreach
Presenter: Ofelia/Patricia
Discussion: Emails have been
sent to people attending last year for abstracts
and meeting. 140 emails went out to institutions
throughout US with a flyer including the program.
University information came from the membership
list. Board is encouraged to contact individuals
that may be able to distribute for abstracts.
Next years program should include a small
session that attracts academia.
2009 GTA Meeting
Presenter: Brinda/Leon/Patricia
Discussion: Review of the scientific
program:
The final program update was sent out for the
Web publishing. Everything is finalized except
for the title from Kevin Sweder.
Contracts with Clayton Hall and Marriott: Contract
cost has increased approximately 5% but has
not been finalized yet. Marriott has agreed
to a $147 flat room rate but the GTA Board need
to determine how many rooms will be needed.
It was decided by the board that 30 rooms not
including those needed for speakers and board
attendees will be reserved.
A 2009 meeting budget has not yet been determined,
but will be done by Leon and sent to Pam for
NIH grant application by end of May.
Meeting Menus will be arranged for a sit down
dinner. In addition a speaker dinner the night
before the 2009 meeting to include a Board meeting
will be arranged similar to the 2008 meeting.
The Board decided that the 2009 meeting will
include a Jazz band during poster session.
Vendors/Sponsors: A few vendors have shown interest
(MolTox and Leadscope).
Excellence in Science Award: Dan Benz has been
contacted by Patricia and he is willing to continue
hosting the award as prior years.
Meeting Evaluations: A raffle will be arranged
similar to the 2008 meeting. Again, an iPod
is suggested as a good prize.
Meeting badges: Color coded badges will be issued
for 1 day or two day registration.
Podcasting of speaker presentations: Brinda
will check with someone about recording. Is
there a possibility for a sponsored podcast?
Registration booth to be staffed similar to
the 2008 meeting.
Poster session set up: Magnus volunteer to organize
this function.
We decided there was no need for a career center
this year since few of our companies are hiring.
We'll need a 30 minute board meeting after the
main meeting to welcome the new members and
elect a chair.
Patricia thanks Brinda for all the sponsor ship
solicitation.
Decisions and Assigned Action Items:
The program needs to be finalized by June
15. Travel needs should be finalized at this
time as well (to Leon for arrangement). Brinda
will send out the draft letter.
Leon and Chris will contact possible vendors
like: Litron and Midwest Bio Research, etc.
Jack will revise the meeting evalutions.
Communications
Committee Report
Presenter: Sandy
Discussion:
The meeting announcement and program needs
to be sent to various organizations through
suggested persons by mid-May.
Decisions and Assigned Action Items:
Send info to: BAPTG, PhRMA (Galloway?), EFPIA
(Rothfus), SOT (Lawson), EMS (Olivero), UK
EMS (Kirkland), EuroTOX, GTA (thru Wendy),
DIA (Sandy), and GEMS (Demarini?).
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Newsletter
Report
Presenter: Patricia
Discussion: Patricia
thanks Maria Engel for the Newsletter and
all the excellent work she has done as the
newsletter editor. The newsletter needs to
be issued and sent by August 10 and all articles
need to be available by mid July.
See Maria Engel's summary of Newsletter issues.
Suggestions per #12 on Maria's list included:
an article by Ron Snyder about his Excellence
in Science award, a summary of the "future
of GTA" by Warren Ku, a summary of ICH
and EMEA revisions.
Decisions
and Assigned Action Items: Brinda
to ask Ron for article. Patricia to ask Warren
for the article. A write up of ICH/EMEA (Jane).
Grants
Presenter: Pam
Discussion:
- i. NIH (Pam & Sandy). We need a statement
letter of the 2010 meeting as soon as possible
(topics include Ames screen, Phototoxicity,
DNA repair, QSAR, Meeting to be held Sep 9-10,
2010.). Title suggestion: Current scientific
and regulatory and scientific applications
in Genetic Toxicology.
- ii. SOT: Leon said a check from SOT will
be sent to GTA in July. For the 09 meeting
Jane will coordinate the summary for the SOT
application.
Decisions and Assigned
Action Items: Patricia will send
letter to Pam 4/29 AM.
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New Business
Presenter: Board
Discussion:
- a. Call for nominations (3 open position
in 2009) Nominations to be open until August
31, 2009. Nominations will not be accepted
from the floor during the 2009 meeting (approved
by Board). Consider the unsuccessful nominees
from 2008: Kamala Pant, Goppala Krishna, and
Ray Kemper.
-
GTA will sponsor EMS for the student poster
session at the 2009 EMS meeting.
- The GTA Board Summer Meeting will be held
at Boehringer-Ingelheim August 4 2009.
The communications committee has been tasked
to write up the GTA meetings current relevance
to new guidance.
Thanks to BioReliance for hosting the meeting.
Decisions and Assigned
Action Items: No action.
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EMS Sponsorship
Sponsorship of the Ames workshop versus
student poster session was discussed. Consensus
was to continue sponsoring the poster session.
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Adjournment
Decisions and Assigned Action Items:
Meeting adjourned at 1:05 pm.
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