Spring 2001

From the Editor's Desk President's Message Annual Business Meeting Minutes Awards Presented at the Annual Meeting SPP Committee Members 2001-2002 Committee Information Education Committee Survey of Member Activities 2000 Donors to the Founders Endownment for Research in Pediatric Pathology  Website Board SPP Fall Meeting Announcing the Fall 2001 Perinatal Symposium (Memphis) Ad Hoc Perinatal Section Symposium Perinatal Ad Hoc Section Meeting -- Registration Form Other Upcoming Meetings New Positions Available Photos from the Atlanta Meeting Deadline for Summer Newsletter - July 1, 2001 Please direct submissions to the Newsletter to Art Weinberg, Editor

From the Editor's Desk
Art Weinberg

The spring newsletter, as usual, is our most informative issue. It includes important information from various committee chairs following the annual meeting, as well as the proceedings of the annual business meeting. Award winners, new members and a list of current committee assignments are included in this issue. We look forward to the initiatives planned by Ron Jaffe and his incoming administration and we thank Claire Langston for a job well done. So read on, and also enjoy the pictures of the annual meeting captured by our archivist, Stephanie Young. Y’all have a pleasant summer.

When I interview candidates for residency or fellowship positions, I ask them about other things in their lives that they might be passionate about. Some say God, or mushroom collecting, ballroom dancing, or the Steelers. All answers are correct, at least to me. If someone is excited and enthusiastic about something in their lives, I reason that if we are doing our job correctly, they might become just as passionate about pediatric pathology too. So when I come across enthusiasm, it is to be nurtured and encouraged and stimulated.

And that is how I feel about the perinatal pathologists among us. They are excited about what they do - and they want to foster the field. They have formed a group within the Society that is looking towards its second meeting in Memphis after our interim meeting. The previous meeting in Vancouver filled the room. This one can do better. The Society will foster and encourage the growth and strength of this group because perinatal pathology is much of what we do. The group will achieve credibility by putting on informative and challenging symposia, by organizing national workshops, by submitting scientifically sound and novel abstracts, and by publishing groundbreaking research in the field (hopefully, in the Society journal). Respect is earned, and they have done so, and we need to give our perinatal colleagues every chance to display their talents. Their glory will reflect on us and we will be proud that their passion has made them the leaders in the field. Sign up now for the Memphis Perinatal Symposium, Sunday September 23, after the SPP meeting.

Compassion, on the other hand, is to feel sympathy for the misfortune of others. And there is lots of misery going around. The large problems of mankind; poverty, famine, wars and AIDS, take a disproportionate toll on the young. And as pediatric pathologists, we should have a professional interest in these matters quite separate from our feelings of humanity. A number of members of the Society have been involved, over the years, with efforts to spread the knowledge and to bring the benefits of our special field of endeavor to those currently without it. They have generally acted as individuals, and are to be applauded for the effort. But what has the Society, as an organization devoted to the propagation of pediatric pathology, done?

I have asked some of the people who have had experience in places of need, to get together, and to suggest to the Society some ways by which more targeted use of our skills and talents can bring help where help is needed. It is too cynical to believe that money alone can cure the world. Denis Benjamin, John Buchino, Vijay Joshi, David Becroft and Roc Kaschula will suggest to Council, next spring, some ways in which we, as a group, can channel our efforts. I hope that our standing Committees, Practice, Education, and others, will take up the banner and make the ideas work. If you have your own experience or ideas and want to participate, call Denis Benjamin. I have invited Roc Kaschula, who knows about medicine and pathology practice in Africa, to give the annual Farber lecture along this theme.

We can do these two things at once - look inwards and promote the passion, look outward and let the compassion move us to action.

President Langston called the business meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. in the Marquis III room of the Marriott Marquis, Atlanta, GA.

The minutes of the 2000 business meeting were approved.

President Langston acknowledged the loss of Dr. Landing and Dr. Emery during the past year and a moment of silence was held.

President Langston reported that the executive committee has begun an initiative to memorialize Dr. Ben Landing. Dr. Triche noted that he is one of a group of five physicians who previously worked closely together at Los Angeles Children's hospital and that a memorial fund was established at LA Children's for him. A plan is in the organizational stage to establish an annual lecture at LA Children's in his honor. Dr. Triche plans to contact Drs. David Hardwick & Bruce Beckwith to work with him and the family on this endeavor. Dr. Triche will continue to update the Society.

Dr. Langston related that this has been an extremely busy year for the SPP. Initiatives that came out of Council at the interim meeting included a directive that the executive committee review the administrative functions of our management company. Dr. Weinberg was asked by the executive committee to review our options and report back to Council, which he did. Following considerable discussion, Council voted to change the management firm effective January 1, 2002, the end of our current contract with Degnon Associates. Search for a new management firm will begin immediately. Another initiative resulted from Dr. Kapur's efforts to seek innovative new educational and research uses for excess income generated by our restricted funds in accordance with the mandates governing the use of these funds. Council voted to approve the creation of a mechanism whereby a portion of the income from our restricted reserves would be used for novel projects that further the mission of the Society. The program will begin this year.

The Secretary-Treasurer reported on the membership status and the financial position of the Society. At year-end 2000, there were a total of 577 SPP members, with 302 regular, 47 junior, 52 affiliate, 1 honorary, 35 emeritus and 50 life members. As of January 1, 1998, all Society restricted and unrestricted funds were transferred into mutual fund holdings managed by Salomon Smith Barney. As of December 31, 2000 the SPP had total assets of $524,382, with $395,427 in restricted funds (Vawter, Lotte Strauss, Young Investigator), $109,678 in unrestricted general funds, $7,768.94 in the checking and $11,507.83 in the savings account. The Founder’s Endowment for Research in Pediatric Pathology (FERPP), also known as the Young Investigator Fund, decreased in value from $205,421 in 1999 to the current value of $180,016. The Lotte Strauss Fund value decreased in value from $205,221 in 1999 to the current value of $180,933. The Vawter Fund value increased in value from $31,300 in 1999 to the current value of $31,478. Additional funding was received from the Vawter family. The financial status of the SPP at year-end 2000 revealed no deficit. The year 2001 budget, approved in September 2000, is a deficit budget, with recognition that no utilization of SPP reserve funds has occurred.

Reports from Committee Chairs:

Archives Committee - No Report.

Distinction and Awards Committee - The Lotte Strauss, Neustein and Vawter awards will be given tomorrow morning.

Bylaws Committee - Dr. Dickey reported for the Bylaws committee. The proposed Bylaws changes have been previously distributed and published in the SPP newsletter. Dr. Dickey read the bylaws changes. The bylaws changes were approved.

Education Committee - Dr. Patterson reported for the Education Committee. Dr. Patterson thanked Dr. Teot for her work on the ACCME accreditation, which resulted in full compliance status. The next reaccreditation application is due in June 2001, with a reverse site visit in September. The number of abstracts submitted for this meeting were up in comparison to previous years, while last year’s numbers were down. Please submit pediatric and perinatal abstracts to the Spring SPP meetings and to the interim meetings of our Society. Future interim meetings include Memphis 2001; Dallas 2002; Cincinnati 2003; Hot Springs, AK 2004.

Fellowship Committee - Dr. Langston thanked Dr. Finegold for his service as Fellowship Chair. Dr. Greco reported for the Fellowship Committee. The Fellowship committee is planning to organize a meeting of the Pathology program directors this year, possibly in conjunction with the interim meeting.

Finance Committee - Dr. Haas reported for the Finance Committee. The Finance committee supported the novel use of Society funds to accomplish the aims and mission of the Society as outlined by Dr. Langston. Fiscally, the Society is in better shape than it has ever been. The total Society assets are approximately $500,000, with approximately 80% in restricted funds. Donations from Society members and family members have allowed the funds to continue to grow. The yield from these funds this year will continue to be used to memorialize Drs. Strauss and Vawter, provide for the YI award, and should allow additional activities as noted by Dr. Langston.

Long-Term Planning Committee - No Report.

Practice Committee - No Report.

Publications Committee - Dr. Rogers reported for the Publications committee. The website has been moved to a commercial firm and is doing well. In December a Publications retreat was held in Dallas and many suggestions came forth. These included: editorial board redesign; the editorial board will be kept international; new sections will be added to the journal; electronic publishing will increase; marketing initiatives from Springer are continuing. Thanks to Dr. Paul Dickman for starting the website. Thanks to Dr. Denis Benjamin for being the first editor in chief of PDP. The new PDP editor in chief is Dr. Miguel Reyes-Mugica. Dr. Reyes-Mugica expressed his gratitude for the position. He commented that following the tremendous work of Denis Benjamin, he would regroup and restart with an enthusiastic new editorial board. The support from Dr. Reyes' department is already in place with the publication of other journals. He encouraged help from other members of the Society, including a plea to members who presented at this meeting to submit their work to the PDP journal. Dr. Rogers thanked the four strong applicants for the editor in-chief position. Dr. Rogers announced that the new webmaster is Dr. Hal Pinar. Dr. Pinar thanked the Society for supporting him in this new position. His goal is to make our website a frequently visited site for scientific data and SPP information. Dr. Pinar will solicit members for information/contributions to the website.

Research Committee - Dr. Kapur reported for the Research committee. He noted that Drs. Jim Downing and Deb Schofield complete their service to the Research committee and he welcomes Drs. Gail Deutsch and Drucilla Roberts. Four applications for the YI award were received. The Young Investigator award winner will be announced tomorrow morning. The McAdams stipend will not be awarded this year, as no applications were received.

Old Business: None.

New Business:

Dr. Perrin brought up the recently raised public concerns related to autopsy consent that have become a major problem in the UK, and offered the floor to Dr. Kelehan from Dublin, Ireland to comment on the background and developments in this area. Dr. Kelehan reiterated the concerns of the pediatric pathology community in the UK, especially in regards to the standard autopsy procedure and the issue of informed consent. He seeks support from the American pathologists. Dr. Langston notes that this situation is well known to the SPP. We are widely supportive individually, however it is not clear what can be done Society wide. Similar risks may exist in places in the US and individual institutions need to address the issues. Dr. Qualman commented that there are two components to informed consent - the signing of a form and an accompanying informative pamphlet. This is the model for obtaining tissue for study, and similar models can be used for autopsy consent. Dr. V. Anderson recommends that the Society review the autopsy procedure/protocol/consent. Dr. Coffin commented this issue was addressed proactively in Salt Lake City, where an interhospital consent form and pamphlet was developed. The autopsy consent form was revised with a multidisciplinary committee, including parents, physicians, nurses, etc. The CAP has already provided a lot of support for this through the CAP checklist and autopsy resource committee. The Society will refer further review of this important issue to the Practice committee.

Membership Committee - Dr. Perry reported for the Membership Committee. The newly elected members are:

Nominating Committee - Dr. Jaffe reported for the Nominating Committee. The slate of nominees is:

President-elect: Henry Krous
Secretary-Treasurer: Deborah Perry
Council: David Parham, Linda Margraf

There was a call for nominations from the floor. There were no additional nominations.

Announcement of upcoming meetings included:

Dr. Perry announced that the next annual meeting is in Chicago, Illinois, February 22-23, 2002.

Dr. Perry announced the 47^th annual meeting of the Pediatric Pathology Society in Warsaw, Poland, September 13-15, 2001.

Dr. Downing announced the Interim SPP meeting in Memphis, TN, September. 20-23, 2001 and invited all to attend.

Outgoing councilors, Drs. Vogler and Coffin, escorted incoming President Jaffe to the podium. President Langston presented Dr. Jaffe with the talking stick. Dr. Jaffe presented Dr. Langston with a carved plaque and thanked her for all her work for the Society.

Dr. Jaffe adjourned the meeting at 6:00 p.m.

Awards Presented at the Atlanta Meeting
Jeffrey Goldstein, Chair, Awards Committee

Three individuals were recognized for meritorious scientific efforts at our annual meeting in Atlanta. The Lotte Strauss Prize, which is awarded annually to the author of the best paper published on a subject germane to pediatric pathology in the preceding year by an individual 40 years of age or younger, was awarded to Dr. Rusung Tan. Dr. Tan is Assistant Professor of Pathology at the University of British Columbia, and Medical Microbiologist and Virologist for the Children's & Women's Health Centre of British Columbia. He received the award as senior author of the paper: Cutting Edge: Defective natural killer cell activation in X-linked lymphoproliferative disease, published in the Journal of Immunology, 2000; 165:3549. His co-authors were Drs. Loralyn Benoit, Xiaoxia Wang, Henry Pabst, and Jan Dutz. Dr. Tan receives a $1000 (U.S.) honorarium, and an expense paid trip to the Society’s interim meeting in September in Memphis, where he will present his research to those in attendance. Congratulations to Dr. Tan and his co-workers. We are looking forward to his lecture.

The Gordon F. Vawter Pathologist in Training Award was awarded to Dr. Csaba Galambos from the St. Louis University Health Sciences Center and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital for his abstract: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Isoforms 164 And 188 Are Essential For Fetal Mouse Lung Development. Dr. Galambos’ co-authors were Drs Ali, Ng, Noguchi, D’Amore, and deMello.

The Harry B. Neustein Award for use of new or novel technology was presented to Dr. Sara O.Vargas from Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School for her paper: Optical "Biopsy" Of The Pediatric Gastrointestinal Tract Using Optical Coherence Tomography. Dr. Vargas’ co-authors were Drs. Gull, Stumper, Patel, Fujimoto and Brezinski.

Congratulations to Dr. Tan and to Drs. Galambos and Vargas and their co-authors.

SPP Committee Members 2001-2002

Officers:
	President: Ron Jaffe Past-President: Claire Langston President-elect: Henry Krous Secretary-Treasurer: Deborah Perry
Council:
	Robert Bendon (2002) Glenn Taylor (2002) Liliane Boccon-Gibod (2003) Larry Becker (2003) *David Parham (2004) *Linda Margraf (2004)
Archives:
	Stephanie Young (Chair-2003) Joan Durbin (2002) Bahig Shehata (2003) *Thomas Stocker (2006)
Bylaws:
	Glenn Dickey (Chair-2002) Maureen Sander (2002) Vicki Gresik (2002) Heather Prashner (2003)
Distinction & Awards:
	Jeff Goldstein (Chair-2003) Antonio Perez-Atayde (2002) Rafaella Morotti (2003) *Hal Pinar (2004) Kathleen Patterson (ex-officio)
Education:
	Kathleen Patterson (Chair-2002) Alba Greco, Fellowship Chair
	Workshop:
	Edith Marley (2002) David Witte (2003) *Pauline Chou (2004)
	Abstract:
	Cynthia Kaplan (2002) Ona Faye-Peterson (2003) * Laura Finn (2004)
	CME:
	Lisa Teot (2005) Niru Padiyar (2002) *David Carpentieri (2004)
	Extramural Education Subcommittee:
	Sue Hammond (2002) Daphne DeMello (2003) *Rebecca Baergen (2004)
Fellowship:
	Alba Greco (Chair-2004) Van Savell (2002) Glenn Taylor (2002) *Bruce Pawel (2004) *Edwina Popek (2004) *Paul Dickman (2004) Bill Bradford, Bill Donnelly - Consultants
Finance:
	Joel Haas (Chair-2002) Linda Margraf (2002) Beverly Dahms (2003) *Carole Vogler (2004) Deborah Perry, Secretary-Treasurer
Liaison:
	Deborah Perry (Chair) Kathy Patterson (2002) Raj Kapur (2003) Ted Pysher (2003) Elizabeth Perlman (2002) Robert Novak (2002) David Hardwick (2002)
Long Term Planning:
	Derek deSa (Chair-2002) Enid Gilbert-Barnes (2002) David Parham (2003) *Charles Timmons (2004)
Membership:
	*Carlos Galliani (Chair-2004) Theonia Boyd (2002) *Jon Rowland (2003) *Aliya Husain (2004)
Nominating:
	Henry Krous (Chair) David Kelly (2002) Susan Simonton (2003) *Cheryl Coffin (2004) Past Presidents: - Claire Langston, Joe Rutledge
Practice:
	*Ted Pysher (Chair-2003) Gareth Jevon (2002) Debra Heller (2002) M. John Hicks (2003) Pierre Russo (2003) *Mary M. Davis (2004) *Raja Rabah (2004)
	Slide Survey Subcommittee:
	*Gloria Kohut (2004) - chair Leon Metlay (2002) *Grace Kim (2004) *Hector Monforte-Munoz (2004) Robert Novak - coordinator
Publications:
	Beverly Rogers (Chair-2002) Bill Donnelly (2002) Katrina Hansen (2002) Margaret Collins(2003) Yee Khong (2003) Patricia O’Shea - Consultant
	Ex-Officio
	Miguel Reyes-Mugica, PDP Hal Pinar, Website Don Singer, Perspectives James Dimmick, Perspectives Arthur Weinberg, Newsletter Deborah Perry, Secretary-Treasurer
Research:
	Raj Kapur (Chair-2003) Miguel Reyes-Mugica (2002) Hiroyuki Shimada (2002) Luc Oligny (2003) Poul Sorensen (2003) *Gail Deutsch (2004) *Drucilla Roberts (2004)

(*denotes new appointment)

 

Committee Information

Fellowship Committee:
Alba Greco

The Fellowship Committee is organizing a meeting of the Directors of Pediatric Pathology Fellowship Programs to be held on Thursday Sept 20, 2001, at 11 AM-1 PM, in Memphis. It will convene on the day before the SPP Interim Meeting at the same hotel. A lunch break is planned and we hope to have a very productive session. For more information, please contact Alba Greco (e-mail: mag10@nyu.edu).

The Fellowship Committee is collecting current information about all of our existing ACGME-accredited pediatric pathology fellowship programs so that this information can be updated on our website. Regular annual revisions of this important information are anticipated. Directors will be solicited annually to update their data; interim revisions are also possible at the request of the director. Please submit any revisions/updates directly to Alba Greco.

Publications Committee
Beverly Rogers

Dr. Miguel Reyes-Mugica was selected as the new editor-in-chief of Pediatric and Developmental Pathology. He was chosen from a field of outstanding applicants, and we are grateful to all that applied for the position and to Dr. Reyes-Mugica for carrying the journal forward. The search committee for the new editor-in-chief consisted of Drs. Claire Langston, Roc Kaschula, Marian Malone, Ron Jaffe, and Beverly Rogers. The Publications Committee acknowledged that the Editorial Board is a crucial part of increasing journal submission. The Committee recommended that each member of the Board of Editors be given specific responsibilities that must be fulfilled, in line with those reported from the task force meeting in December (see winter newsletter). The Committee also recommended that Dr. Reyes-Mugica be given freedom to choose his editorial board, and that the current board be acknowledged for their support of the journal and released from duty. Springer has marketed the journal proactively and we hope that all of the efforts of our publisher, our editorial board, and our editor will increase our subscription base and make the journal more attractive to those who submit articles.

Dr. Hal Pinar was selected as the new website editor-in-chief. Dr. Margaret Collins coordinated the selection process, and I would like to thank Dr. Collins and all of the very capable candidates who applied for the position. Hal will share his plans for the website in a subsequent newsletter.

I must thank Dr. Denis Benjamin as outgoing editor-in-chief of Pediatric and Developmental Pathology. Denis has edited the journal for 6 years, and has carried the journal through a change in publisher and a successful first attempt to have the journal indexed by the National Library of Medicine. He has persevered to produce a timely, informative publication through declining submissions and static subscriptions. It is a huge task, and we owe him heartfelt thanks. I would also like to thank Dr. Paul Dickman as outgoing editor of the website. Dr. Dickman pointed out the utility of having such a site in its earliest days, and carried the website forward as its first editor-in-chief. Thank you for the vision to know that the electronic medium is not the way of the future, it is the standard of the present.

The Impact Factor - What Is It and Why Should I Care?

Impact Factors are numbers assigned to a journal that convey how many times articles from the journal are cited over a specified length of time. Impact Factors are particularly important overseas, where promotion for a pathologist may depend on the number of publications in journals with high impact factors. Therefore, there is more pressure from administrators to publish articles in the American Journal of Pathology (Impact Factor 6.436) than, say, Pediatric and Developmental Pathology (Impact Factor 0.382).

Why is Pediatric and Developmental Pathology’s Impact Factor so low? One major reason is that the journal is new, and it takes time to develop enough articles to be cited. Despite a logical reason for our low Impact Factor, the repercussions are that submissions to the journal are not what they could be, particularly from investigators overseas. What we can expect, at the least, is to achieve the Impact Factor of our former journal (Pediatric Pathology and Laboratory Medicine), which is 1.0.

So, the way to improve the Impact Factor is to cite articles that are published in our journal. We have a huge breadth of content in our journal, and many classic articles from the Perspectives series as well as Current Practice. The point is, remember to cite articles published in our journal when you write. Increasing the Impact Factor means increasing submissions and increasing visibility. We need you to participate.

Practice Committee
Ted Pysher

On behalf of the entire SPP, the Practice Committee thanks Drs. Margaret Collins, Dena Selby and Charles Timmons for their service to the committee, and welcomes Drs. Mary Davis, Grace Kim, Gloria Kohut, Hector Monforte, and Raja Rabah as new members.

Participants in the Slide Survey will be asked to renew subscriptions earlier than usual this year, so that the accounting of Survey funds can be on the same timetable as the rest of the SPP budget. New subscribers are always welcome, and members wishing to subscribe, or contribute cases are encouraged to contact the Slide Survey Coordinator, Dr. Robert Novak, at rnovak@chmca.org. Discussions are underway with SPP's webmaster, Hal Pinar, to post old Slide Survey cases on the SPP Website.

The Practice Committee will be conducting a staffing and activities survey of pediatric pathologists practicing in freestanding children's hospitals. Dr.Gareth Jevon is making final revisions to the survey document, and any members wishing to participate in the survey should contact him at gjevon@cw.bc.ca. This survey is patterned after one conducted by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), and CAP officials have agreed to share findings from their survey that are relevant to pediatric pathology. A less extensive questionnaire intended to define the general practice patterns of all SPP members will be included in a future newsletter.

The Practice Committee has been asked to recommend to Council positions that the SPP should take regarding informed consent for the autopsy, and the utilization of pediatric pathology experts for sudden unexplained deaths in infants and young children, as outlined in a law enacted in New Jersey last year. The committee will be developing its recommendations over the next few months, and members wishing to comment should contact any committee member, or e-mail comments to me at pctpyshe@ihc.com.

Education Committee
Kathleen Patterson

The four subcommittees of the Education Committee have had a busy year.

Abstract Subcommittee: The abstract subcommittee, chaired by Cindy Kaplan, received 57 abstracts for the spring meeting and accepted 60% of them for platform or poster presentation. Abstract submissions for the fall interim meeting are due June 26; we would like to encourage all of you to submit abstracts representing your current work for consideration for the fall meeting. Downloadable abstract submission forms are available here on the SPP web page; if you are unable to download the forms, contact the SPP office and a copy will be mailed to you. Starting this fall, the accepted abstracts will be posted on the SPP web page prior to the meeting; look for them in early September.

Workshop/Symposium Subcommittee: In planning symposia and workshops, the committee relies on comments and suggestions gleaned from the fall and spring meeting evaluation forms. In addition, your input (negative and positive) into these evaluations is the primary tool by which the Education Committee can judge its past decisions. So please remember to complete these forms at the meetings - and turn them in. If you forget to drop them off, they can always be mailed to the central office. Current plans include:

Spring 2002 symposium: Hannah Kinney, Department of Neurosciences at Boston Children’s Hospital has agreed to chair a non-tumor neuropathology seminar for the 2002 spring meeting.

Spring 2002 new workshops:

Placenta pathology, presented by Rebecca Baergen and Ona Faye-Peterson
Soft tissue tumors, presented by Cheryl Coffin.

The workshops are intended to impart up-to-date practical knowledge of use to practicing pediatric pathologists. I know many of you have knowledge and experience in one of the many areas of interest to Society members; please seriously consider sharing that knowledge with the rest of us! Just send (via email, fax, or mail) a short 2-3 paragraph description of your proposed topic to Edith Marley (current subcommittee Chair).

CME Subcommittee: We all owe Lisa Teot, CME coordinator, and her committee members a big thank you for the detailed work required to keep the Society up-to-date with the ACCME requirements. The fall ACCME progress report returned us to full compliance. Lisa is currently preparing for our upcoming ACCME reaccreditation reverse site visit. Meanwhile the committee members are busy in the background of all the SPP activities that give CME credit, monitoring the long list of requirements.

Extramural Subcommittee: The role of the extramural subcommittee interfaces closely with that of the newly reconstituted Liaison Committee - see the next Education Committee report for an update on how this interface evolves.

Research Committee:
Raj Kapur

The 2001 Young Investigator Research Grant has been awarded to Dr.Michael Fritsch (University of Wisconsin) for his proposal entitled "The role of histone acetylation in regulating embryonic stem cell differentiation". Dr. Fritsch is a assistant professor with a strong basic scientific research background. He completed his residency at the NIH and a fellowship in pediatric pathology at Johns Hopkins Medical Institute. The proposed experiments will be conducted using a murine embryonic stem cell line to determine whether generalized and/or gene-specific acetylation of histones is associated with differentiation in vitro. The work has implications for developmental biology, neoplasia, and stem cell therapy. The SPP anticipates that he will present preliminary results of his research at the 2002 Spring meeting in Chicago.

The McAdam's Travel Stipend was not awarded in 2001 because no applications were received.

Nominating Committee
Henry Krous
Chair, Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee is soliciting nominations for the following offices:

President, 1-year term, 2003-2004
Secretary-Treasurer, 5-year term, 2003-2008
Councilor-at-large (2 positions), 3-year term, 2002-2005

The committee is also soliciting names of individuals who are interested in serving on SPP committees as positions become available. Names should be provided to me no later than September 1, 2001 since the committee's recommendations must be submitted to Council at the Fall 2001 meeting of the SPP.

Please remember that the success of our Society depends upon the diligence, commitment and hard work of the individuals who fill these positions, whether as officers or committee members.

Pediatric and Developmental Pathology
Miguel Reyes-Mugica

Pediatric and Developmental Pathology has changed its Editor-in-Chief. After more than 6 years Dr. Denis Benjamin has decided to step down from his position. During his tenure as Chief Editor, Dr. Benjamin led our Journal through a series of challenges that culminated with our current publication looking better than ever, ready to initiate a new phase, a new millennium. As a member of the SPP, I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Benjamin, his associate editors and all the members of the Editorial Board for their great work and continued efforts to improve our Journal. As a new Editor-in-Chief, I am fully committed to work with responsibility, imaginative creativity and enthusiasm to continue making our Journal the essential information vehicle for pediatric pathologists and related professionals around the world. The position of Editor-in-Chief is a great honor, and also a major challenge. I thank the SPP and PPS for trusting me to lead their written voice. Working in collaboration with Drs. Beverly Rogers, Marian Malone and Raj Kapur, the new associate editors, we hope to be able to carry our Journal to a higher level. To accomplish this goal we will require the full support of our members submitting quality manuscripts, the single most important element upon which success will depend.

Miguel Reyes-Mugica
Newly appointed Editor-in-Chief
Pediatric and Developmental Pathology

 

Dear Colleagues:

The Education Committee, at its meeting in New Orleans, determined that the visibility and interaction of our Society with other pediatric and academic pathology societies would be enhanced by the creation of a database that contained information about our members' specific areas of expertise, research interests and affiliations with other Medical organizations. To this end, we request that you take a few minutes of your time to complete the following survey. Answers will be e-mailed to us. Thank you for your help in promoting the `cause' of Pediatric Pathology among our colleagues in pediatrics and adult pathology.

Click to complete our survey.  Once you're done, you may come back to this part of the Newsletter. 

If you have any questions or comments, you may directly get in touch with one of us: 

Daphne deMello: demellde@slu.edu
Derek D'sa: DDESA@CW.BC.CA
Sue Hammond: shammond@chi.osu.edu

 

*Received in honor of Ron Jaffe

 

Our website is rapidly evolving into a central focus for the operations of our Society. To best accomplish the goals set forth for the site, an editorial board specific for the site has been created and will operate under the following guidelines:

A. Composition

The board shall consist of members of the SPP. The editor-in-chief shall determine other qualifications of board members.

Board members shall serve at the invitation of the website editor. The editor-in-chief may change the members of the board at any time.

The board shall consist of an odd number of voting members. The editor-in-chief and full board members shall each have one full vote. Majority vote shall prevail in matters brought to a vote. The editor-in-chief may invite consulting members to the board, but they shall be non-voting members.

B. Terms

1. The members of the board shall serve for periods of three consecutive years, to be renewed at the discretion of the editor-in-chief.

C. Duties

The editor-in-chief and board shall meet at least annually, in conjunction with SPP meetings. Each board member shall attend at least half of the board meetings that are scheduled during the term on the board.

The editor-in-chief will be an ex-officio member of the SPP Publications Committee. The editor-in-chief will submit an annual report and budget to the Publications Committee for Committee approval one month prior to the spring meeting.

The editor-in-chief shall determine the duties of individual board members, which will include but not be limited to responsibility for frequent up-dates of website pages.

Council must ratify the appointment of the editor-in-chief.

 

Thursday, September 20

Committee Meetings

Reception and Registration

Friday, September 21

Poster and Podium Presentations

Symposium - The Impact of Molecular Biology on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pediatric Tumors

Therapy induced second malignancies: The Hodgkin’s paradigm
Melissa Hudson, M.D.
St. Jude Research Hospital

DNA damage response pathways: manipulation for therapeutic benefit
Michael B. Kastan, M.D., Ph.D.
St. Jude Research Hospital

Adrenocortical carcinoma: novel insights from Brazil
Raul C.Ribeiro, M.D. and Gerard P.Zambetti, Ph.D.
St. Jude Research Hospital

Molecular basis of embryonal central nervous system tumors
Cynthia J. Wetmore, M.D., Ph.D.
Mayo Clinic and Cancer Center

Business Meeting and Banquet

Saturday, September 22

Symposium - The Morphologic Basis of Pediatric Tumor Diagnosis

Pediatric brain tumors
Peter Burger, M.D.
Johns Hopkins Hospital

Renal tumors
Elizabeth Perlman, M.D., Johns Hopkins Hospital

Pediatric hematopoietic neoplasms: practical issues
Frederick G. Behm, M.D.
St. Jude Research Hospital

Soft tissue tumors: diagnostic dilemmas
Louis P. Dehner, M.D.
Washington University

Lotte Strauss presentation

Long Range Planning Committee

Barbecue at the Rendezvous

Sunday, September 23

As determined through discussion and votes by some 30 attendees at the education workshop of the Ad hoc Perinatal Section in Vancouver, the 2001 topic is “Mechanisms and Chronology of Acute ‘Perinatal Asphyxia”. The pathology of perinatal asphyxia is one of the most challenging and active areas of study and medicolegal activity in perinatal medicine today. Thus, we are fortunate to have secured leading experts in the fields of perinatology, pediatric neurology, and neuro- and placental pathology to deliver a multidisciplinary presentation of this complex topic. Please note the agenda below. The symposium will be held on Sunday, September 23, 2001, from 8:00 am -12:30 pm, and will be preceded by a continental breakfast. The new Sunday time slot will allow participants to maximize the financial discounts afforded by a Saturday night stay and avoid potential scheduling conflicts with SPP Committee meetings and the Fall program set up by our colleagues at St. Jude’s. Please note that completion of a separate registration form is required, with checks ($80.00 symposium fee) made payable to the SPP. Registration materials must be sent to the SPP office in McLean, VA. Attendance by obstetricians, pediatricians, and pediatric radiologists is encouraged. All participants will be eligible to receive 4.5 hours of Category I CME credit.

As a final note: A business meeting of the Perinatal Section, open to all interested SPP members, is envisioned for Saturday, September 22, 2001. Hopefully, we will meet from 4:00 - 6:00 pm and at the Peabody Hotel (room TBA) and still make the evening’s events! The agenda will include discussion of the Fall 2002 Symposium (Developmental Biology of the Placenta) and current and future section projects and symposia.

Questions? Contact Ona Faye-Petersen, MD (amarie@path.uab.edu) or (205) 975-8880.

Society for Pediatric Pathology
The Peabody Hotel
Memphis, Tennessee
Sunday, September 23, 2001

 
7:30 - 8:00 am Continental Breakfast

SYMPOSIUM AGENDA:

8:00 - 12:30 pm Mechanisms and Chronology of Acute “Perinatal Asphyxia”
Introduction and Welcome: Ona Faye-Petersen, M.D. and Jesse Jenkins, M.D.

8:05 - 8:50 am Obstetrical Assessment of Fetal Well Being
Steven Bloom, M.D., Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas

9:00 - 9:50 am Pediatric Neurologic and Neuroimaging Findings in Acute Perinatal Asphyxia
John Mantovani, M.D., Vice Chairman, Department of Pediatrics, Director of Child Neurology, St. John’s Mercy Child Development Center
Clinical Associate Professor, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

10:00 - 10:20 am Coffee Break

10:20 - 11:05 am Neurobiology of Acute Perinatal Asphyxia
Charles Palmer, M.B. Ch.B., Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania

11:10 - 12:00 p.m. Neuropathology and Placental Pathology of Acute Perinatal Asphyxia
Marjore Grafe, M.D. PhD, Professor and Vice-Chairman of Education, Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas

12:00 - 12:30 p.m. Panel Discussion: Mechanisms and Chronology of Acute “Perinatal Asphyxia”
Steven Bloom, M.D., John Mantovani, M.D., Charles Palmer, M.B. Ch.B., Marjorie Grafe, M.D. Ph.D. [Moderator: Ona Faye-Petersen, M.D.]

12:30 pm Adjournment

Perinatal Ad Hoc Section Meeting -- Registration Form

Please click for the Registration Form. Once it's completed, mail this SIGNED form with a check or money order for $80.00 (U.S. value) payable to the Society for Pediatric Pathology:

Society for Pediatric Pathology
Attn: Ms. Kathryn Kelly 
6728 Old McLean Village Drive
McLean, VA 22101

For questions, contact Ona Faye-Petersen, M.D., at (205) 975-8880 or by e-mail: Onamarie@path.uab.edu.

SPP/USCAP Meetings
2002: Chicago, February 22-23
2003: Washington, DC, March 21-22

SPP Interim Meetings
2001: Memphis, TN, September 20-23
2002: Dallas, TX, September 25-29
2003: Cincinnati, OH

23rd Annual Aspen Conference of Pediatric Disease
The Pathology of Tumors in Children
Aspen CO August 6-10, 2001

47th Annual meeting of the Paediatric Pathology Society
Warsaw, Poland September 13-15, 2001

7th International Workshop on Fetal and Genetic Pathology
Sorrento, Italy September 16-18, 2001

9th Conference of the European Placenta Group and International Federation of Placental Associations
Sorrento, Italy September 19-23, 2001

Please see our Positions page for the newest and all prior postings. (Links, below, go the details about these new positions.) The link will be removed once the position is filled.

Fellowship Training Position, Pediatric Pathology - Kansas City, MO

Clinical Pathologist - Seattle, WA

Pediatric Pathologist - Atlanta, GA

Photos from the Atlanta Meeting

Click on a photo to see a larger version of it in a new Web browser window.
1) Claire Langston passes the talking stick to Ron Jaffe	2) President Jaffe performs his first official presidential duty; the speech.
3) Pepper Dehner delivers the Sydney Farber Lecture.	4) Joe Rutledge says something important to someone or anyone.
5) Cyril D'cruz awaits questions at his poster.	6) Eugene Perrin makes his point while Henry Krous waits his turn.
7) Speakers at the USCAP Pediatric Pathology Specialty Conference (Ron Jaffe, Francis Jaubert, Beverly Rogers, Joe Rutledge, Derek de Sa, Fred Askin).	8) Poul Sorensen and James Downing handle questions after the symposium.
9) Lisa Teot and Timothy Triche appear pleased with the meeting.