A history of the Teratology Society

BACKGROUND

The 39-year history of the Teratology Society is reviewed. An abbreviated history is outlined in table form, along with listings of the Warkany Lectures, the postgraduate courses, and officers of the Society.

METHODS

A year-by-year description of the events, including the scientific and social content of the annual meetings and changes in the business of the Society, is given, in many cases using comments from the past presidents. The valuable and unique diversity of the members is discussed and illustrated, presenting the disciplines and main research area of the presidents. The number of submitted abstracts and the various categories are tabulated, averaging the number and type over four periods. Within the past 10 years, a significant increase in the number of abstracts dealing with epidemiology and developmental biology is evident. The Society's development is compared with that of a human, and the question is asked: Have we reached the maturational stage of old age or senescence, or is the Society still maturing gracefully? This question needs further discussion by all the members.

RESULTS

During the past 40 years, we have developed the scientific basis to prevent birth defects caused by rubella, alcoholism, and folate deficiency, as well as many other prenatal exposures.

CONCLUSIONS

We must now engage in the political battles to obtain the resources needed to conduct further research and to implement the prevention programs, as well as to provide care and rehabilitation for persons with birth defects.

A golden age of clinical chemistry: 1948-1960

This segment of history aims to inform the new, and remind the not-so-new, members of the profession about the relatively recent period that initiated the dominant role played by technological innovation in the modern investigation of disease. The 12 years from 1948 to 1960 were notable for introduction of the Vacutainer tube, electrophoresis, radioimmunoassay, and the AutoAnalyzer. Also appearing during this interval were new organizations, publications, programs, and services that established a firm foundation for the professional status of clinical chemists. It was a golden age.

Psychological organizations in the United States

The organizations to which psychologists belonged at the turn of the 20th century were identified. The attributes of the meetings and the membership of those organizations were compared and discussed. In addition to the American Psychological Association, psychologists belonged to the American Philosophical Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science as well as to local and regional organizations. In addition, some psychologists belonged to the Society of Experimental Psychology, but membership in that organization was by invitation only. The topics presented at the meetings of the psychological and philosophical associations often were identical or very similar, and the clear disciplinary separation that is typical in 2000 was rare in 1900.

Peterhouse, the Royal Society and molecular biology

The term molecular biology was coined by Warren Weaver, a mathematician who was head of the natural sciences section of the Rockefeller Foundation, in his report to the president of the Foundation in 1938. The origins of the subject may be located in various places or periods, but Sir Peter Medawar used to argue that it was Sir William Bragg and W.T. Astbury at the Davy Faraday Laboratory in London who began it, when they investigated the structures of materials such as silk, wool and hair by X-ray diffraction. Others say that J.D. Bernal was the progenitor. Peterhouse, a Cambridge college, was a hothouse of the subject.

Lessons learned from the past: a guide for the future of clinical pharmacology in the 21st century

This article is a documentary of the history of the American College of Clinical Pharmacology (ACCP) and the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. The history of the college and of the journal is presented as summarized by a few of the many leaders who played key roles in the growth of the profession of Clinical Pharmacology. Together, the college, the journal, and all clinical pharmacologists working in academia, industry, CROs, or government in many different subspecialty areas of the discipline contribute to the advancement of clinical pharmacology, the development of new drugs, and to an improved quality of life for mankind. Achieving leadership in health care in an era of change requires actions to be dynamic and flexible. Leaders must be capable of self-development and self-education. Leaders must examine challenges from top to bottom and build on the leadership foundations of vision, courage, and knowledge. Strong leaders are needed for the future of clinical pharmacology to address the rapidly changing environment for health care givers and the challenges faced by those working in drug development or training new leaders. One lesson from the past, from the professional life of Harry Gold, is that it is very important to convey the excitement of the field of clinical pharmacology and to pass on this excitement and knowledge base to those currently leading the educational process necessary to keep clinical pharmacologists in the forefront of the medical arena of today and tomorrow. The college became an instrument for change in the field of clinical pharmacology. Forward thinking efforts of the college did not allow stagnation. All founding leaders of the college were possessed of a dream of "what could be and what should be." Two points should be emphasized: the importance of teaching teachers how to teach and the importance of forming national networks, such as the college, to concentrate on the role of teaching students. Today's students are the leaders of tomorrow. The training of any given student in the field of clinical pharmacology continues over many years and requires the effort of many qualified mentors. The ACCP continues to prepare for the changing demands of a new millennium. The college responded to three challenges: (1) utilization of new technologies consistent with contemporary trends; (2) identification of new member services; and (3) dissemination of a position paper defining the philosophical foundations of the college. The basic tenant of the college remains the same today as it has been over the years: provide a multidisciplinary educational environment to have a broad appeal to the membership interested in clinical pharmacology.

The brain commission of the international association of academies: the first international society of neurosciences

International associations of scientists, set up to organize cooperative scientific investigations in an international scope and to lay down global binding standards of research, are of great and still growing importance for the advancement of science. This was also recognized at the beginning of the 20th century by the community of researchers in basic and clinical neurological sciences, who created their first international organization following the trend initiated by scholars in astronomy and geophysics. Thus, the so-called "Brain Commission" of the International Association of Academies was founded in 1903 and was active until the outbreak of the First World War. The Brain Commission had no successor for nearly half a century, until the "International Brain Research Organization" (IBRO) was founded in 1961. Although the Brain Commission could exert an impact on neurosciences only for one decade, this international scientific association inspired and promoted the foundation of a series of Brain Research Institutes, which in part still exist in Europe, and long-lasting innovations in the neurosciences.

A brief history of the Biological Stain Commission: its founders, its mission and the first 75 years

The need for batch-to-batch consistency in available dyes and stains used for biological purposes posed a considerable problem for United States scientists following World War I. Prior to that time, most of the acceptable stains in this country were of German origin. In an attempt to standardize the performance of biological stains and dyes, the Society of American Bacteriologists in 1922 appointed Dr. Harold Conn to form the Committee on the Standardization of Biological Stains. To assist him, Dr. Conn recruited scientists from several major professional scientific societies. Mr. Rolland Will, a Rochester, NY, vendor of stains, was also instrumental in the Committee's success. This article traces the origin, mission and accomplishments of the product of that Committee, the Biological Stain Commission, through the past 75 years, and focuses on some of the major events that influenced and shaped its development.

[Division of Regulatory Systems of Cells of the Institute of Biochemistry of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences (L'viv). History, achievements and perspectives]

A short review presented deals with the history of biochemistry development in the western regions of Ukraine. Two principal biochemical schools were founded here by J. Parnas (1884-1949) and S. Gzhytskiy (1900-1976). While most of the students and collaborators of Prof. J. Parnas left for Poland and other western states, those ones of Prof. S. Gzhytskiy stayed in Lviv and other scientific centers of Ukraine. In 1979 Prof. S. Kusen (one of Gzhytskiy's former students and collaborators) and Prof. G. Shavlovsky headed two scientific departments founded in Lviv at O. V. Palladin Institute of Biochemistry. This event could be considered as the beginning of modern biochemistry development in the western regions of Ukraine. Since 1992 in Lviv there exists the Division of Regulatory Cell Systems of O. V. Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine headed since 1995 by Prof. R. Stoika. Four Departments work in the structure of this Division: 1) the Department of Biochemistry of Cell Differentiation headed in 1979-1997 by S. Kusen and since 1997 by L. Drobot; 2) the Department of Regulation of Cell Proliferation created in 1993 and headed by R. Stoika; 3) the Department of Biochemical Genetics created in 1988 and headed by A. Sibirny; 4) the Department of Regulation of Synthesis of Low Molecular Compounds headed in 1979-1996 by G. Shavlovsky and since 1996 by D. Fedorovych. Division of Regulatory Cell Systems is presently the leading scientific center in Ukraine in the study of the biochemical mechanisms of proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of normal and tumour cells and in the development of effective biotechnological processes for obtaining the biologically active substances using yeast. Numerous publications of its collaborators in the high impact factor scientific magazines as well as the realisation of the international grants confirm this statement. Taking into account the high level of scientific research and availability of highly skilled scientists at the Division in 1999 the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine took a resolution to transform the Division into the Institute of Cell Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which was founded in 2000 on the basis of the Division.

[O.V. Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences--75 years]

The article deals with a short record including the information about the history of creation and main developmental stages of the first and presently the single in Ukraine Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The record contains the main achievements of the Institute scientific subdivisions for the 75 years period of their creative work in the field of the most urgent problems of fundamental and applied biochemistry. As well it displays the information about comprehensive and extensive publishing and educational activity conducted by the staff,, the work on training the scientific manpower of the highest qualification--Doctors of Science (D.Sc.) and Philosophy Doctors (Ph. D.), active participation of the research scientists in attracting to science the talented young people representing the students and school-children taking interest in the biological chemistry. The article shows the great role of the Institute famous scientists-biochemists in forming some scientific schools on functional biochemistry acknowledged in the world biochemistry. There are also some data about the each of nine scientific departments of the Institute for the period of last 20-25 years of their activity in the field of the most urgent problems of the contemporary biochemistry. These are the following Departments: Neurochemistry, Metabolism Regulation, Muscular Biochemistry, Protein Structure Functions, Coenzymes Biochemistry, Enzymes Chemistry and Biochemistry, Molecular Immunology, Biochemistry of Lipids, Sensor and Regulator Systems Biochemistry. There is also a short review regarding the history of foundation, development and scientific achievements of the Institute division in L'viv including four scientific departments: Biochemistry of Cellular Differentiation, Biochemical Genetics, Regulation of Low Molecular Compounds Synthesis, Regulation of Cells Differentiation.

[Department of Protein Structure and Function--Volodimir Oleksandrovich Bielitser School of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. Studies on structure of fibrin fiber structure and mechanism (1975-1987]

In this short historical review the records about foundation and research activity of the Department of Structure and Function of Protein--school of V. A. Belitser, Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine are presented. V. A. Belitser was the founder and indispensable chief of the department since the date of its creation (1944) till 1987. The main research interests (1975-1987) of the department were focused at the investigation of structure, biological function of the fibrinogen-fibrin system, mechanisms of the network assembly and of the fibrin fibers structure. Studying the molecular mechanisms of the fibrin fiber assembly, it was shown that the specificity of the building structure was shown is determined by the specific reactive sites with strong affinity of the molecules. The activity of the sites was investigated on protein molecules as well as the fragments. The physical nature of the bonds created by the active sites, that appearing during in the process of fibrinogen activation by thrombin, was revealed. Examination of the fibrin assembly in cooperation with electronmicroscopists and studies of the complex formation between active fragments and fibrin monomer were summarized. Both the fibrin monomer polymerization and protofibril lateral association are presented as two stages in the assembly of the fibrin network. In the research of the domain fibrinogen structure the specific sites of the fibrin assembly in each of the domains were found. COOH-terminal regions of the A alpha-chains play independent part in the fibrinogen and fibrin. That is why it is relevant to consider them as alpha C-domains. In the free fibrinogen molecules (in solution) these domains are responsible for globular shape, they are linked to domains D intramolecularly. When fibrin assembly takes place, alpha C-domains play significant carriage role in fibrin molecules interaction, linking to domains D intermolecularly. The model of the fibrinogen molecule structure and the general scheme of the fibrin fibers network formation were proposed. Physico-chemical basics of a biological structure assembly were elucidated using the process of the fibrin self-assembly as an example. Much attention was devoted to the problems of practical medicine. The quantitative methods of fibrinogen, soluble fibrin and active fibrin/fibrinogen fragments estimation in blood plasma were developed.