World Kidney Day on March 8, 2007 was, by all standards, a success. The ASN Public Policy Board brought 11 nephrologists to Washington, D.C. to attend more than 40 meetings on both the House and Senate sides of Congress in an effort to raise the awareness of kidney disease as a public health issue and to stress the need for an increase in funding for research. They were accompanied by patient representatives from the National Kidney Foundation and DaVita Patient Citizens. The shared message of the doctors and patients resonated well with Congressional offices and committee staff.
On behalf of the ASN Council, we would like to extend our thanks to the following ASN participants: Peter Aronson, Tomas Berl, Chip Brosius, Eric Cohen, Tom Coffman, Lance Dworkin, Tom Hostetter, John Stokes, Lynda Szczech, and Don Wesson. They are to be commended for their enthusiasm and informed effort.
In conjunction with the Hill visits, the ASN released print and radio press releases around the country. The audio news release was especially effective as it was picked up by more than 3,000 stations, reaching more than 10 million listeners.
April marks the beginning of detailed final plans for the 40th meeting of the Society in San Francisco. In this regard, the Program Committee led by John Sedor and the PGE Committee led by Paul Kimmel have worked closely together to produce a complimentary program with broad appeal to clinical nephrologists and renal investigators.
Check your mailbox in June, as ASN will send the Renal Week 2007 Preliminary Program to all ASN members and Renal Week 2006 attendees. This year's Preliminary Program will include an overview of the program, registration and housing information, and more. The ASN will supplement the Preliminary Program with the most detailed, up to date program information on our website at www.asn-online.org.
Finally, this year is one of major transition as we undertake the search for a new Executive Director in 2008. The search firm Korn/Ferry International is assisting with the search, and interested applicants and nominators should contact:
James Paxton
Senior Partner
Korn/Ferry International
202.822.9444 Telephone
202.8127 Fox
Jim.paxton@kornferry.com
Sincerely yours,
William Henrich, MD, FASN
2. Call for Abstracts for Renal Week 2007
The deadline to submit all abstracts for Renal Week 2007 is Wednesday, June 6, 2007, 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Once again, abstracts will only be accepted through our Abstracts Submission site, accessible through our website at www.asn-online.org. Abstracts received after June 6 will not be accepted or reviewed. No exceptions will be made. Abstracts must be submitted or sponsored by an active ASN member (dues paid through 2007, by Friday, May 26, 2007). Stay tuned to your mail and email boxes soon for an announcement that the site is open.
3.
ASN Executive Director Search
The American Society of Nephrology is conducting a search for a new Executive Director to replace Dr. Karen Campbell, who will be retiring from the ASN after eight years of distinguished service. The Executive Director is the chief administrative officer of the ASN, reports directly to the ASN Council, and is responsible for all elements of ASN's operations. The Executive Director plans, organizes, coordinates, controls and directs staff, programs, budget, and activities of the Society. These activities include medical education programs, kidney-related research grant programs, peer-reviewed journals, the annual scientific conference, regulatory and governmental advocacy efforts, relationships with other societies, and management of industry partnerships. We seek to identify outstanding candidates who have extensive management experience either in academia or in other academic or medical societies. In addition to those with advanced degrees in business or management, we also seek candidates with MD or PhD degrees who have appropriate management experience.
Please send the names of suitable candidates (including self-nominations) to:
Jim Paxton
Senior Client Partner
Korn/Ferry International
1700 K Street, NW Suite 700
Washington , DC 20006
Office: 202-955-0953
E-mail: jim.paxton@kornferry.com
4. ASN Committee Call for Nominations
Due: May 23, 2007
The Council for the American Society of Nephrology is again seeking nominations for open positions on ASN standing committees and advisory groups.
Committees and Advisory Groups: The Council invites all ASN members to indicate their interest in serving on an ASN standing committee or advisory group. You may also nominate another ASN member for committee participation. Much of the work of ASN is accomplished through the energetic activity and input of committees, so this is a way for you to become involved in future planning and decisions that will influence the effectiveness and quality of membership services offered to all ASN members.
The ASN website offers information about each of the ASN committees and advisory groups, including current members, the committee's charge, membership criteria and terms of appointments. Committee membership becomes effective with each year's Annual Meeting. In addition, there is a Council and a Staff liaison listed for each committee, either of whom can be contacted for additional information or clarification on committee activities and responsibilities.
Committees and advisory groups for which ASN is seeking new members include:
Acute Kidney Injury Advisory Group: The Acute Kidney Injury Advisory Group is responsible for: (1) advising the ASN Council on matters dealing with acute kidney injury, including government relations, patient care, research initiatives, education and publications; (2) providing input to PGE activities (e.g., Renal Week, Board Review Course); (3) sustaining relations with other ASN committees/advisory groups; and, (4) providing a focal group for ASN members engaged in research related to acute kidney failure.
Basic Science Committee: This committee is responsible for: (1) developing basic science educational programs, such as ASN's Advances in Basic Science Conference; (2) recommending initiatives to the ASN Council that will enhance the activities of basic scientists in the society; (3) interacting with the Postgraduate Education Committee in educational activities in basic science; and, (4) responding to special requests by the ASN Council in areas related to basic science in nephrology.
The Belding H. Scribner Award Committee: The committee reviews nominations for the Scribner Award and presents the three top-ordered candidates to the ASN Council.
Chronic Kidney Disease Advisory Group: The Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Advisory Group is responsible for providing clinical and scientific knowledge and advances concerning the prevention and treatment of progressive renal insufficiency and its complications to the ASN Council. To achieve this goal, the advisory group will support research activities directed at preventing progression and treating patients with CKD, and interact with other groups interested in kidney disease and its complications, including national organizations of patients, and other societies and agencies. The goal will be to develop and implement educational and quality improvement programs directed at reducing the occurrence and adverse outcomes of chronic kidney disease.
Clinical Science Committee: This committee is responsible for: (1) providing input to the Program Committee and the Postgraduate Education Committee on the content of various programs and curricula related to clinical epidemiology, clinical trials and outcomes research; (2) advising Council on the creation of ASN-sponsored clinical research awards; (3) promoting and publicizing the accomplishments of existing clinical trial groups, registries and large-scale observational studies; and, (4) advising Council on research methods and strategies useful to answering significant clinical questions related to renal research.
Dialysis Advisory Group: The charge of the Dialysis Advisory Group is to answer queries related to dialysis, provide recommendations on dialysis issues, and serve as advocates for the dialysis community. This advisory group also works with the Post-Graduate Education Committee to develop educational activities related to dialysis.
Grants Review Committee: The Grants Review Committee reviews grant applications for the Student Scholar Grant, New Directions Grant, Scherbenske Grant, Gottschalk Grant, Merrill Grant (transplant), and the Career Development Grant in Geriatric Medicine (ASN-ASP Junior Development Grant).
Homer W. Smith Award Committee: The committee evaluates nominees and presents the three top-ordered candidates to the ASN Council for approval.
Hypertension Advisory Group: The Hypertension Advisory Group is responsible for: (1) advising the ASN Council on matters dealing with hypertension, including discussions on Capitol Hill regarding emerging scientific/clinical information to which the ASN should respond publicly; (2) publishing position papers, reviews, etc. for ASN journals; (3) working with the ASN PGE Committee in organizing the annual two-day renal week course on hypertension; and, (4) working with the ASN Clinical Science Committee.
The John P. Peters Award Committee: The committee reviews nominations for the Peters Award and presents the three top-ordered candidates to the ASN Council.
Practicing Nephrologists Advisory Group: The Practicing Nephrologists Advisory Group is responsible for: (1) Obtaining information from the practicing nephrology community and providing the ASN Council with input concerning ways in which the society can better serve the practicing nephrologist; (2) Advising the ASN Council on matters dealing with the practice of nephrology including but not limited to: legislative and regulatory issues, patient care, education, and publications and research; (3) Sustaining relations with other ASN committees and advisory groups, particularly, but not limited to the Dialysis Advisory Group and the Chronic Kidney Disease Advisory Group; and, (4) Providing a focus group for ASN members engaged in the practice of nephrology that would result in the development of special courses/meetings, publications and other endeavors that would enhance the delivery of care to patients with renal disease and related disorders.
Transplant Advisory Group: The Transplant Advisory Group is responsible for: (1) formulating recommendations relating to transplantation including advocacy, government relations, and interactions with other societies/foundations—particularly transplant societies/foundations; (2) providing input to educational and other programmatic activities; and, (3) establishing jointly sponsored research and fellowship grants.
Young Investigator Award Committee: The committee evaluates nominees and presents the three top-ordered candidates to the ASN Council for approval.
Please think carefully about your interest in the opportunities outlined above, and forward nominations and a current CV of the nominee to:
Karen L. Campbell, Ph.D
ASN Executive Director
kcampbell@asn-online.org
Please send nominations no later than May 23, 2007. Nominations can also be faxed to 202-659-0709.
5. 12th Annual Board Review Course and Update
Join the ASN August 25-31st, 2007 at The Palace Hotel in San Francisco. The ASN's Board Review Course & Update has become a "Renal Rite of Passage" AND CAN BE CUSTOMIZED TO MEET YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS! An intensive review and update for ALL and a MUST for Certification & Re-Certification. The timing of the ASN Board Review Course & Update in late August maximizes attendees' readiness for the November Nephrology Board certification and recertification examinations of the American Board of Internal Medicine. After completion of the course and the self-assessment test on September 1, participants have a full two months to fill in any gaps in their knowledge.
It's August, It's San Francisco, So it must be the ASN's Board Review Course! Stay tuned to your mail and email boxes later this spring for additional information and registration forms.
6.Developing Countries: Free or Low-Cost Online Access to JASN, CJASN
The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) has partnered with World Health Organization's (WHO) Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) in order to provide free or low-cost access to the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) and the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) to non-profit institutions in low-income economies.
JASN and CJASN are now available via HINARI. According to WHO, “institutions in countries with a gross national product (GNP) per capita below $1,000 are eligible for free access. Institutions in countries with GNP per capita between $1,000-$3,000 pay a fee of $1,000 per year per institution” for access to all journals on HINARI. Eligible categories of institutions are national universities, research institutes, professional schools (medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, dentistry), teaching hospitals, government offices and national medical libraries. All staff members and students are entitled to access the journals, according to www.who.int.
HINARI provides online access to the major journals in biomedical and related social sciences to local, not-for-profit institutions in developing countries. 3,400 journals are available through HINARI with many more added each year.
JASN and CJASN are also accessible by those in countries on the World Bank's list of low income economies via High Wire. High Wire, the company that hosts the CJASN and JASN websites, has software that automatically detects the country from which online readers are connecting, and grants access accordingly.
7.JASN Expands Cover Image Possibilities
Submit your artwork or unique medical images for consideration!
The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) is now accepting image submissions for future covers. JASN has traditionally placed an image or figure selected from within each issue on the cover. JASN editors are now opening this space for submissions of other interesting images and art. Some examples of possible cover images are artistic photographs, paintings, sculpture, collages, and unique medical images and figures.
Images must be in an electronic format and 300-1,200 DPI, depending on the color process. Please read additional figure requirements in the submission guidelines here. The fee for publishing color figures will be waived for cover submissions. To submit images for consideration, please visit www.jasn.org and click on “Submit Manuscripts Online”. Choose “Cover” as the manuscript type.
For more information please contact JASN's new executive editor, Vivian Siegel, PhD at jasn.editor@vanderbilt.edu.
8. Service opportunity at an outstanding Nephrology program in India
One of the preemiminent medical schools in South Asia, Christian Medical College, Vellore, is seeking qualified nephrologists to work at Vellore for a 3 to 6 month period starting immediately. This is a great service opportunity at a comprehensive nephrology training program. Consider spending your vacation or a mini-sabbatical at Vellore in South India. For details please contact:
George Chandy, MD
Director, Christian Medical College, Vellore
Tamil Nadu, India
tel: 011 91 416 2282010
email: directorate@cmcvellore.ac.in
or Christie Thomas MD
tel: 319-3564216
email: christie-thomas@uiowa.edu
