ABRF EBrief
May 2024
We're pleased to share this summary of the recent ABRF Executive Board meeting:
1. ABRF 2024 Annual Meeting
The preliminary results from the 2024 Annual Meeting include 880 attendees and positive financial results, despite a shortfall in registration revenue. A record number of new sponsors supported this meeting which is another positive outcome. The Board commended the annual meeting committee and staff for their efforts to create an engaging program and to deliver a well-organized meeting. The Board agreed to address the unfortunate scheduling of the 2025 annual meeting over Ramadan and to identify accommodations that can be made for attendees.
2. ABRF Task Forces Updates
The Grant Readiness Task Force is completing its initial assessment of potential grant funding sources and strategies to approach select private foundations. Based on the assessment of ABRF's structure, successful future NIH or NSF funded programs may require ABRF to partner with another organization to provide grants administration.
The Collaboration Task Force held several productive meetings at the 2024 Annual Meeting and is working to establish implementation groups to guide joint efforts with BINA, ASCB, and CNSP.
4. Strategic Plan Update
The Board agreed to schedule an in-person strategic planning retreat following the 2024 WACD regional chapter meeting, November 14-15 in La Jolla, CA. An interview guide is being developed for the qualitative interviews with active ABRF members identified by the Board.
5. Research Groups/Committees Issues Updates
The Executive Board approved a resolution to combine the Meetings and Program Committees into a single ABRF Annual Meeting Committee. The Board agreed to appoint Debbie Hollingshead and Karen Martin as co-chairs for the 2026 annual meeting, with additional volunteers expressing interest in participating. The Executive Board also approved the formation of a new ImmunoHistoChemistry (IHC) Research Group.
The Board reviewed ABRF's volunteer opportunities with FASEB and agreed to ask Andy Chitty to serve a second, three-year term on the FASEB Science Policy Committee. Additional volunteers will be invited to serve on the FASEB Excellence in Science and Finance Committees.
ABRF will also participate in each of the four Working Groups as part of the FASEB Future Focus Task Force efforts to develop new programs and services within a potentially revised structure for FASEB and its member societies.
7. 2024 ABRF Board Election
Terms for 4 current Board members expire in 2025, including two Board members who are eligible to serve a second, three-year term. The Nominating Committee will contact each of these Board members to discuss their interests. The Board will also designate a President-Elect as part of the upcoming election cycle.
8. Presidential Email Communication
The Board approved establishing a president@abrf.org email address to capture records of official ABRF correspondence. Messages sent to and from this address will be stored by ABRF for future reference and record keeping.
Feel free to contact me (president@abrf.org) if you have any questions or suggestions.
Thank you for your continued support for ABRF.
Regards,
Thayumanasamy Somasundaram
President, ABRF
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Thayumanasamy Somasundaram
Senior Research Associate
Florida State University
Tallahassee FL
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