The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), of which the Society for Developmental Biology is a member, has released a new factsheet highlighting the value that federally funded biomedical and biological research provides to the American public as well as the private sector. The factsheet provides specific examples of National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF)  funded research that leads to improved health, a strengthened the U.S. economy, and the development of new technologies, products, and industries. It also notes that the private sector depends on federal funding for basic research to create the knowledge necessary to support applied research. FASEB encourages the scientific community to share this factsheet with members of Congress as well as their family and friends who are not familiar with this mechanism, primarily based on their taxes.  

The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) President Judith Bond, PhD, sent a letter to House Science Committee Chairman Lamar Smith and Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson expressing FASEB’s strong opposition to the proposed “High Quality Research Act.”  In the letter, President Bond warns that the High Quality Research Act would threaten the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) mission and therefore this measure, and others like it in future bills, should not be considered.  She further states that the proposed legislation would severely weaken and undermine the NSF peer review system by superimposing a layer of nonscientific review, and would also impose a considerable administrative burden on the agency by requiring the review and certification of each of its awards by the NSF Director.

A laboratory and lecture course on Developmental Biology in Latin America, with the participation of top scientists from around the world.  The course will take place between 5th to 17th January 2014, at the Centre of Marine Biology Research (CIMARQ-UNAB), on the Chilean Pacific coast.  Deadline for applications is July 31, 2013.  For more information, please see http://biodesarrollo.unab.cl/. 

Longtime SDB members Eddy De Robertis of UCLA and Nick C. Spitzer of UCSD have been elected new members of the National Academy of Sciences, as announced on April 30, 2013.  Congratulations!

Openings are still available for the Developmental Biology Teaching Workshop at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center to be held June 25-29, 2013.  This workshop is designed for college and university faculty members, especially post-docs and graduate students about to begin teaching developmental biology. It provides basic hands-on experience with organisms commonly studied in teaching laboratories.  These include sea urchins and sand dollars, planaria, Drosophila, chick embryos, Spirostomum, Hydra, Lumbriculus, and flowering plants. Techniques will range from classical microsurgical techniques to fluorescence microscopy and applications of reporter gene technology.  For further information contact Dr. Leland Johnson by phone at (605) 988-9724 or e-mail jleland68@yahoo.com or Dr. Eric Cole at (507)786-3395 or colee@stolaf.edu. 
Apply here: http://www.dmc.maine.edu/workshops.html#devbiocourse.

SDB Board of Directors invites members to actively participate in the many programs the Society carries out. Find one that fits your personality and membership status and volunteer! We also welcome suggestions and comments. Details in “SDB Call for Volunteers”

http://www.sdbonline.org/Pres_Msg.htm