INSIDE THIS ISSUE . . . . .
Charles J. Gomer
University of Southern California
School of Medicine
Los Angeles, California
Appointments: Professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Radiation Oncology, and Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Southern California School of Medicine; Director, Radiation and Laser Biology Laboratory, Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles.
Education: B.S., Biology, St. Lawrence University, 1973; Ph.D., Radiation Biology, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1978; Postdoctorate, Los Alamos National Laboratory, 1978-1980.
Research Interests: Photodynamic therapy, cellular pho-to-sensitization, molecular analysis of oxidative stress.
ASP (Photobiology) Service: Member, 1980-present; ASP Coun-cilor, 1989-1992; Associate Editor, Photochemistry and Pho-tobiology, 1990-1997; organized symposia at ASP an-nual meetings, 1986, 1991, 1992, and 1996.
Candidate's Statement: ASP is an outstanding organization with an active and diverse membership. I believe I can make a positive contribution to our Society by building upon the achievements of past ASP presidents and councils to strengthen its scientific and financial viability. Effective inter-disciplinary planning of our annual meetings, continued scientific excellence and international visibility of our journal, and increased membership recruitment are priorities that I will focus on as President. We must continue to support the active participation of students and junior faculty members at our annual meetings and on society committees. Active solicitation of corporate sponsorships and federal funds will help ensure that the highest quality photobiological and photochemical research continues to be presented at our meetings, and that these annual conferences remain scientifically satisfying, affordable, and enjoyable for all participants.
J. Woodland Hastings
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Education: Swarthmore College, B.A., 1947; Princeton University, M.A., 1950, Ph.D., 1951; Johns Hopkins University, Atomic Energy Postdoctoral Fellow, 1951-53.
Appointments: Paul C. Mangelsdorf Professor of Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Research Interests: Bioluminescence and circadian clocks; molecular evolution of genes encoding chloroplast proteins.
ASP Service: Charter member of ASP, served on NRC Committee that proposed and endorsed its organization; Councilor, 1978-80, 1997-present; Associate Editor, Photo-chemistry and Photobiology, 1992-present; organized symposia at several annual meetings (most recently in 1988 and 1992) and participated in many others; participated in International Congresses, 1992 (Kyoto) and 1996 (Vienna).
Candidate's Statement: How a relatively small, specialized society can best serve both its members and the larger community needs regular revisiting. I have been very pleased by the continued attention given by ASP to involving its members both in the activities of the Society and in the ways whereby science, notably photobiology, impacts society at large. As President, I would be committed first of all to devoting the time and energy needed to carry on these policies and programs with vigor, and to maintaining an active and effective Council. Beyond that, I am convinced that enlightened support for science is best obtained through an informed public, and that this comes through good reporting in the media-newspapers, radio, and TV. As President, I would continue initiatives that have been adopted by the Council in recent years to support science education for journalists and explore new ways to involve journalists in learning about and reporting on photobiology.
1998 ANNUAL MEETING - HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PROGRAM CHAIR
The 26th Annual ASP Meeting, as you all know, will take place July 11-15, 1998, in Snowbird, Utah. I am happy to report that the final program has come together nicely. More than 150 abstracts have been submitted for platform and poster presentations, and there will be 21 symposia.
We are trying some new things this year. There is a workshop on UV and melanoma scheduled for Saturday afternoon (no additional fee). In addition, there will be two short symposia Saturday evening (see insert for details).
The first school of the meeting will be presented by Andrew Blaustein (Oregon State University) whose presentation is entitled “The Role of Solar UVB Radiation in Amphibian Population Declines.”
Sunday is “Clinical Day,” with three clinically oriented symposia. Walter Koch (FDA) and Anne Moor (Leiden) are chairing a session on “Photochemical Decontamination of Blood Components.” Henry Lim (Henry Ford Hospital) has organized a symposium devoted to photodermatolgoy. John Allen (Indiana State) and John Knowland (Oxford University) are chairing a sunscreen forum. In addition, based on the seven additional abstracts on received sunscreens, there will be another platform session devoted to this topic Tuesday afternoon. This session will also include a one-hour roundtable discussion, which will address questions raised during the meeting.
Tuesday, July 14, has been designated “Photosynthesis Day.” The morning will start off with a photobiology school presentation by John H. Golbeck from Penn State. That afternoon there will also be a related symposium, “Organization and Assembly of Photosynthetic Systems,” organized by Dan Brune from Arizona State University.
A hot topic again this year will be photodynamic therapy. In addition to the PDT symposium organized by president-elect, Nancy Oleinick from Case Western Reserve, there will be two other PDT sessions based on the 23 additional abstracts that were submitted on this topic.
On Tuesday evening, Paul Strudler from NIH will again present a workshop on funding (snacks and beer provided). For details about symposia, schools, etc., see “Photobiology Online” on the World Wide Web (page 10).
Finally, a couple of slots have been left open for potential late-breaking developments. Has something in your field become very hot in the past few months? Was something missed by the Program Chair? Do you need an additional reason to come to meeting? Then fix it! Contact me by phone (215/503-3327) or by e-mail (francis.gasparro@mail.tju.edu).francis.gasparro@mail.tju.edu
Frank Gasparro francis.gasparro@mail.tju.edu
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR PHOTOBIOLOGISTS AND PIGMENT CELL BIOLOGISTS
The 8th Annual Meeting of the Pan American Society for Pigment Cell Research will be held in Snow-mass, Colorado, August 15-18, 1998. The 47th Annual Symposium on the Biology of the Skin will be held on August 18-22, 1998 at the same meeting venue with the topic of “Photobiology.”
This meeting will provide a unique opportunity for pigment-cell biologists and photobiologists to meet together to explore current and future research progress in their related research fields. The programs coordinate with each other, and a reduced registration fee for those wishing to attend both meetings will be available.
Preliminary programs and requests for registration and abstracts for both meetings will be distributed in the near future.
For information call the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Department of Continuing Medical Education (800/882-9153).
David Norris
Candiates for Division 2 Councilor (vote for two)
Xing-Wang Deng
Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut
Education: Ph.D. (1989), Molecular and Physiological Plant Biology, University of California at Berkeley
Appointments: Associate Professor (1995), Department of Molecular, Cell, and Development Biology, Yale University; Assistant Professor (1992), Department of Biology, Yale University; postdoctoral training (1989-91), Department of Plant Biology, University of California at Berkeley; recipient of Presidential Faculty Fellow Award (1995) and Postdoctoral Fellow of Life Sciences Research Foundation (1989) in recognition of outstanding research accomplishments.
Research Interests: Light regulation of plant development and gene expression and its application to agriculture; signal transduction mechanisms, molecular, and developmental genetics in Arabidopsis.
ASP Service: Associate Editor, Photochemistry and Photobiology, 1997-present
Candidate's Statement: ASP must be active to attract and recruit new and young members. One way this could be done is to promote more joint or overlapping meetings with other, related societies, or to sponsor satellite meetings focused on selected topics. For example, researchers involved in plant light regulation and photomorphogenesis (my area of research) number probably a few hundred in the U.S., and only a very small fraction of them have been participating in ASP events. ASP could create or promote scientific programs that attract the active participation of this and other groups of researchers. ASP must be more proactive in promoting photobiology and its awareness to the general public. We could actively participate in national education programs and scientific exhibitions that are targeted to various levels of the public. Only if the general society becomes more aware of the contributions of photobiology can we ensure the long-term success of ASP.
Francesco Lenci
CNR Istituto Biofisica (Institute of Biophysics)
National Research Council
Pisa, Italy
Education and Appointments: Physicist, CNR Research Director and Director of the Biophysics, Institute, Pisa; visiting professor at several laboratories in Europe and the United States; scientific responsibility for cooperative international research projects; invited lecturer at national and international congresses, conferences, summer courses, and Gordon Research Conferences; NATO-ASI Director, organized symposia at several international congresses; Chairman, 7th ESP Congress; referee for international journals, National Science Foundation, NATO Scientific Affairs Division, Human Frontiers Science Programme, and European Union Commissions; President, Italian Society for Photobiology, 1992-present; member of ESP since its foundation; Associate Editor, Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology: B, 1989-95.
Recent Research Interests: Photoreception and sensory transduction in microorganisms, steady-state and time-resolved optical spectroscopies; in vivo microspectroscopy of photoreceptor pigments; artificial models of biological photoreceptors; environmental effects of UVB radiation.
ASP Service: Member since 1973; attended some annual meetings.
Candidate's Statement: Should I have the privilege of being elected as ASP Councilor, the objectives I would urge ASP to pursue are: 1. To promote and support a policy of robust funding for basic, forwardlooking research in all areas of photobiology, in particular in photosensory biology. The pivotal role played by basic research for creativity and ingenuity in applied as well as technological research is, in fact, recognized, e.g., also by 15 Chairmen and CEOs of corporations such as Eastman Kodak, IBM, and General Electric (Physics Today, May 1995, p. 54). 2. To contribute to reinforcement of international collaboration, mutual confidence and trust, and further strengthening and widening of links with other scientific societies. In this framework, it would be highly desirable to find grants for young researchers to spend re-search and study periods in other countries.
Lee H. Pratt
Department of Botany
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Education: B.A., 1963, Biology, Stanford University; M.A., 1964, Biology, Stanford University; Ph.D., 1967, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon State University.
Appointments: NSF and NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, 1967-68, University of California, San Diego; Assistant to Associate Professor of Biology, 1969-79, Vanderbilt University; Research Associate, 1973, Institute for Molecular Biology, University of Freiburg, Germany; Professor/Research Professor of Botany, 1979-present, University of Georgia; Research Associate, 1980, Department of Biology, Tokyo University, Japan; Invited Professor, 1982-86, Laboratory of Plant Phys-ology, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Visiting Professor, 1991-92, Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Versailles, France; Director of the Plant Center, 1996-present, University of Georgia.
Research Interests: Photomorphogenesis of plants; molecular and cellular mechanisms of photoperception and signal transduction.
ASP Service: Charter Member, 1972-present; Councilor, 1977-80; Associate Editor, Photochemistry and Photobiology, 1978-85; Chairman of Publications Committee, 1978-79; organized symposium for Ninth International Congress on Photobiology, 1984; editorial advisory board member, Photochemistry and Photobiology, 1994-present; organized symposium for ASP annual meeting, 1996
Candidate's Statement: Participation in affairs of the Society from those interested in various aspects of photosensory biology has declined markedly during the past decade or two. Now would seem to be an appropriate time to determine whether it makes sense to attempt to reinvigorate this section of the Society. Special efforts would be needed both with respect to at least short-term financing of high-quality symposia in this area at annual meetings of the Society and with respect to making our journal once again an attractive place for publishing research in the area represented by this section.
John Spudich
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
University of Texas Medical School
Houston, Texas
Education: B.S., 1967, Mathematics, University of Illinois, Urbana; Ph.D., 1976, Biophysics, University of California at Berkeley; Postdoctoral, 1976-78, Harvard Medical School, Department of Microbiology and Mo-lecular Genetics; Post-doctoral, 1978-83, University of California at San Francisco, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
Appointments: 1980-90, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor, Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York; Visiting Professor, 1990, Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Professor, 1991-present, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School, Houston; currently William M. Wheless III Professor in the Biological Sciences.
Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms of photosensory transduction; structure/function, activation mechanisms, and color regulation of microbial rhodopsins and visual pigments.
ASP Service: Regular attendee and speaker at annual meetings; co-organizer of Symposium on Photosensory Receptor Signaling Mechanisms, 1998 meeting; Associate Editor, Photochemistry and Photobiology since January 1997.
Candidate's Statement: I believe that photobiology is likely to experience a large expansion of interest within the general biomedical research community in the coming decade for at least two reasons: First, powerful methods of protein structure/function analysis based on time-resolved crystallography and vibrational spectroscopy are developing rapidly. For these new approaches the researcher needs the temporal precision provided by light-activation; therefore photoreceptors and photoenergy-transducing molecules are natural choices for this new technology. Second, the depletion of the ozone layer has increased awareness of the damaging effects of UV radiation on human health. Many researchers in photomedicine already see ASP as a natural home, while scientists in the first group need to be more actively drawn in. As a Councilor, one of my goals would be to strengthen representation in ASP, especially of younger scientists studying structure/function of photoactive molecules such as visual pigments and microbial phototransducers.
Candidates for Division 3 Councilor (vote for two)
R. David Britt
Department of Chemistry
University of California
Davis, California
Education and Appointments: B.S., 1978, Physics, North Carolina State University; Ph.D., 1988, Physics, University of California at Berkeley; Postdoctoral, 1989, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory; currently Professor of Chemistry, University of California at Davis
Research Interests: Photosynthesis, biological electron transfer and redox enzymes, photosystem II oxygen evolution.
ASP Service: Member since 1989 and regular attendee at annual meetings.
Candidate's Statement: I believe that it is important for ASP to maintain the broadest possible scientific base in photobiology, both in the annual meetings and in Photochemistry and Photobiology. It is also very important for the health of the Society to encourage attendance at the annual meetings by a larger percentage of graduate students and postdocs. We must therefore strive for low registration fees and reasonable-cost accommodations so that the meetings are affordable for our younger members and prospective members
John H. Golbeck
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, Pennsylvania
Education: 1976-79, postdoctoral studies in biophysics with Bessel Kok, Martin Marietta Laboratories, Balti-more, Md.; 1976, Ph.D., Biological Chemistry, Indiana University; 1971, B.S., Chemistry, Valparaiso University.
Appointments: 1996-present, Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University; 1990-96, Professor of Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska; 1994-96, Professor of Chemistry, University of Nebraska; 1987-90, Professor of Chemistry, 1985-87, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Portland State University; 1982-95, Senior Research Scientist, 1979-82, Research Scientist, Martin Marietta Laboratories, Baltimore, Md.
Research Interests: Photosynthesis; optical, kinetic, and EPR spectroscopy; iron-sulfur proteins.
ASP Activities: Invited speaker, 22nd Annual Meeting, 1994; Awards Committee, 1994-95; Photobiology School, 26th Annual Meeting, 1998.
Candidate's Statement: The vitality of any scientific society depends on a regular infusion of new ideas and on energetic people to carry out these ideas. My general impression is that the photosynthesis community reprsents a large, relatively untapped pool of like-minded photobiologists who could become valuable contributors to our society. A number of positive steps have already been taken in terms of the change in the Society’s governance, in the inclusion of photosynthesis speakers at symposia, and in the funding of schools and workshops at the annual meetings. My charter, if elected, will be to work with the Society leadership to find ways to enfranchise a greater number of these scientists in ASP. This is a long-term, ambitious goal.
John Markwell
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
Education and Appointments: B.A., 1970, Biology and Chemistry, North Park College; Ph.D., 1976, Biochemistry, Michigan State University; Postdoctoral Research, 1976-82, University of California at Los Angeles; currently Professor of Biochemistry and Agronomy, University of Nebraska.
Research Interests: Photosynthetic pigments and photosynthetic efficiency.
ASP Activities: Occasional attendance at annual meet-ings and publication in the Society’s journal.
Candidate's Statement: Although a member of ASP and conducting research related to photosynthesis for 20 years, I have not been very active in the Society. While still active in photosynthesis research, I have become increasingly interested in the issue of science education. I have published articles related to the chemistry and spectroscopy of pigments in The Journal of Chemical Education and in American Biology Teacher. I have served on a science-teacher endorsement-review team within my state, I currently chair the Education Committee for the American Society of Plant Physiologists, and I have presented workshops on cognitive paradigms in student learning at national scientific meetings. My primary interest in seeking election as Councilor is to work toward a greater integration of the Society and its members into the national science-education policy arena, to work for a greater integration of photobiology into K-16 curricula, and to identify resource development that would assist the ASP membership in educational or out-reach activities. I don't seek to change ASP, but rather to broaden its perspective.
Charles F. Yocum
Department of Biology
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Education and Appointments: : B.S., 1963, Chemistry, Iowa State University; Ph.D., 1971, Biochemistry, Indiana University; Postdoctoral Fellow, 1971-73, Cornell University; currently Professor of Biology and Professor of Chemistry, University of Michigan.
Research Interests: Structure and function of the photosystem II reaction center and its associated oxygen-evolving complex; structure and function of photosystem II regulatory proteins.
ASP Service: Member, 1973-present; speaker at annual meeting symposia.
Candidate's Statement: ASP draws together a unique group of individuals whose research interests are likely to span the largest time scale (picoseconds to days, or perhaps even years) of any scientific society membership. Even as the general public has become increasingly aware of some aspects of photobiology (the dangers of unprotected exposure to UV radiation, for example), it's clear that they could, or should, be more aware of other aspects of light action on biological systems. The activities of ASP that promote a wider understanding of the impacts of light on life deserve our continued, strong support. At annual meetings, I have been very impressed with recent symposia in my field and in related areas, and I strongly favor a continuation of policies that have brought young investigators to national meetings as symposium speakers and chairs. Lastly, I would also support initiatives to foster those interactions among the divisions of the society that might lead to an increase in the number of cross-disciplinary symposia that could draw upon the diversity of interests among the Society's members.
Candidates for Division 4 Councilor (vote for one)
Victor H. Fingar
Division of Surgical Onocology
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Education and Appointments: : B.S., 1982, Biochemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton; Ph.D., 1988, State University of New York at Buffalo; Postdoctoral, 1988-90, Physiology and Biophysics, University of Louisville; currently Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Louisville.
Research Interests: Cellular and environmental effects of tissue photosensitization, vascular physiology, clinical studies of photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy.
Candidate's Statement: Recent public awareness of research done by ASP members in areas of circadian rhythms, photodynamic therapy, and environmental photobiology, among others, has opened a window of opportunity to the Society that may be of tremendous benefit. I believe that increased promotion of research supported by the membership will substantially aid the ASP mission in several ways. Chief among these is a justification for continued and increased support of public funding for research and teaching. Increased awareness of ASP activities will also attract new members and foster collaborations between our members and those of other societies. I also support proposals to encourage our young members and to establish collaborations between this group and the sustaining membership. This is a current goal of the ASP leadership, and we need to be continually diligent towards meeting this objective.
Henry W. Lim
Department of Dermatology
Henry Ford Health System
Detroit, Michigan
Education and Appointments: B.Sc., Biochemistry, McGill University, 1971; M.D., College of Medicine Downstate Medical Center State University of New York, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1975; Resident, Department of Dermatology, NYU School of Medicine, 1976-79; Assistant Professor of Dermatology, NYU School of Medicine, 1980-82; Assistant Professor of Medicine/Dermatology, University of California, San Diego, 1982-85; Associate Professor and Professor of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, 1985-97; Chairman, Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Health System, 1997-present
Research Interests: Photodermatology, photosensitivity, porphyrias.
ASP Activities: Symposium director, speaker, and regular attendee at annual meetings.
Candidate's Statement: Photodermatology is an integral part of photobiology. Photodermatologists need to continue to encourage and promote the integration of basic science and clinical aspects of photobiology and medicine. It is through this seamless integration that we will be able to continue to participate in the advances in photobiology and continue to bring these advances to the field of medicine and public health. If elected, I would work to enhance the interaction between basic scientists and clinicians and to bring these two groups even closer together for scientific cross-fertilization. In addition, I would work with other members of ASP to make sure that the general public receives accurate, scientifically sound information on photobiology in general and photodermatology in particular. This is essential, as photodermatology is highly visible to the general public, because skin lesions are easily noticeable by patients, and because of the extensive media coverage on the effects of sunlight on skin cancers, the role of sunscreens, etc.
ASP WELCOMES JOHN CONNOLLY AS NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Beginning in January 1998, ASP News has a new editor, Dr. John S. Connolly. A charter member of ASP, John comes to this position after more than 25 years in research, most recently at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (formerly the Solar Energy Research Institute) in Golden, Colorado.
John's experience has spanned a wide range, including photochemistry of nucleic-acid constituents, spectroscopy and photophysics of chlorophylls and porphyrins, ocular effects of laser radiation, solar-energy conversion, artificial photosynthesis, and time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. He also pioneered the application of laser-flash photolysis to in vitro studies of chlorophylls. John is author or co-author of 65 papers and technical reports, has edited two books, and has presented some 120 papers at conferences and institutions in North America, Europe, and Asia. In addition, he is very active in the American Chemical Society and has served on numerous committees at the national level. He is a past Chair of the Division of Professional Relations and currently serves on the ACS Council as a representative of the Colorado Section.
In 1995, John founded Scientific Editing Services (SES) in Golden, Colorado, and is the Executive Editor. SES was created to assist scientists whose knowledge in their respective disciplines surpasses their facility in the English language. SES rewrites manuscripts, research proposals, operations manuals, and other technical documents in correct, readable, American English. His firm is also involved in editing and publishing newsletters for local chapters of a national environmental organization. These newsletters have received recognition and awards for their content and presentation. When he is away from his desk, John enjoys flyfishing and wildlife photography. ASP is very fortunate to have someone with John's background and energy to serve as our Newsletter Editor.
John replaces Meyrick Peak, who served as Newsletter Editor for the past two years. On behalf of ASP, I offer our thanks to Meyrick for his service and to John for his willingness to take over this important post. I urge all members to take advantage of John’s new position by submitting materials of interest to the ASP News. Contributions can be sent by “snail mail,” fax, or e-mail to the following coordinates:
ASP News
c/o Scientific Editing Services
717 Twelfth Street, #109
Golden, Colorado 80401
(303) 278-0160 or 278-0077 (voice)
(303) 278-0086 (fax)
connolly@SciEdServ.com (not case sensitive)
Tom Owens
Chair, ASP Publications Committee
SUNSCREENS DON'T GUARANTEE SAFETY, RESEARCHERS FIND
by Jon Van, Chicago Tribune Staff Writer February 18, 1998
PHILADELPHIA - While sunscreens protect people from sunburn, they apparently don't prevent the most deadly skin cancers and also may fail to prevent premature skin aging, researchers said Tuesday.
Even though use of sunscreens has risen significantly in the past decade, cases of melanoma skin cancer have continued to rise, and researchers now question their earlier assumption that linked sunburns and cancer.
In presentations at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, several researchers said people at high risk of melanoma cannot count on sunscreens to protect them.
Sunscreens could actually contribute to melanoma if their sunburn protection encourages sensitive people to stay in the sun longer than they otherwise would, said Dr. Marianne Berwick, an epidemiologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
“Based on the evidence, we conclude that sunburn itself probably doesn't cause melanoma, but that it is an important sign of excessive sun exposure, particularly among those who are genetically susceptible because of their skin type,” Berwick said.
People with blonde or red hair, light-colored eyes, and who have numerous moles are genetically far more likely to develop melanoma than people with dark hair and fewer moles, Berwick said.
Sensitive people should avoid sun exposure and wear protective clothing when in the sun, she advised, but others probably can enjoy the sun with little fear.
Since 1973, the incidence of melanoma has increased about four percent a year, according to data compiled by the American Cancer Society.
More than 41,000 cases are expected to strike in the United States this year, causing more than 9,000 deaths.
Other types of skin cancer, while estimated to afflict more than a million Americans a year, rarely cause death.
Some scientists have speculated that reduction of the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere may play a role in the increase in melanoma.
But Richard Setlow, a senior biophysicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory based in Upton, N.Y., said his research suggests this is unlikely.
Setlow reported that while short waves of ultraviolet light called UVB cause skin to burn, it appears that longer waves called UVA play a bigger role in causing melanoma.
Sunscreens block UVB, as does the ozone layer, but UVA sunlight passes through the ozone easily.
Working with a hybrid tropical fish that lacks genes needed to prevent melanoma, Setlow has concluded that 90 percent of sunlight's melanoma-causing effects come from UVA.
Even sunscreens that claim to block UVA as well as UVB cannot be counted on to prevent melanoma in sensitive individuals, Setlow said.
Another researcher, Dr. Jouni Uitto, chairman of dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, reported on development of a mouse implanted with the human gene that provides elasticity in skin.
Using these mice, Uitto and his colleagues produced the effects of ultraviolet light on skin in just a day or two rather than waiting for six months or more of sunlight exposure.
“We wanted to develop a more rapid and sensitive means of studying photo-aging and compounds that might protect against sun damage in living tissue,” Uitto said.
One exposure of a baby mouse to ultraviolet light will cause the mouse's human gene to produce a protein, called elastin, in response within 24 to 48 hours.
The researchers have been testing different compounds on mice to determine their ability to block UVA and UVB and reduce the genetic response.
While this research may help scientists discover better means of protecting against skin damage and aging, it won't provide direct information to protect against melanoma, Uitto said.
Francis Gasparro, a dermatology researcher from Thomas Jefferson University, said that dermatologists in the past have been too willing to believe that preventing sunburn and preventing melanoma went hand-in-hand.
The reality is far more complex, he said, and academic research independent of the sunscreen industry is needed to provide physicians and patients with reliable information.
“This is a complex issue,” Gasparro said.
“While it's attractive to think we can solve it by applyiing a substance to our skin, that just isn't the case.”
____________________________________________________________________________
Reprinted with permission and with thanks to Frank Gasparro - Ed.
RESEARCH WORKSHOP ON UV EXPOSURE TO BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER
Mark your calendar! A research workshop on "Risks and Benefits of Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation and Tanning" will be held September 16-18, 1998, on the NIH Campus in Bethesda, Maryland. Topics will include light sources, methods of tanning, risks and benefits of UV exposure, and surrogate markers for skin-cancer prevention. Extensive time will be provided for discussion, which will focus on public-health issues as well as on the science formally presented by the speakers. Details and registration information will appear in a future issue of Photochemistry and Photobiology.
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AND WORKSHOP ON MEASUREMENTS OF OPTICAL RADIATION HAZARDS
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Gaithersburg, Md., USA, September
1-3, 1998
Conference topics include:
Photobiological Basis for Risk Assessment-Action Spectra; Photobiological Guidelines &
Standards for Health Protection
Product Safety; Measurements Needed to Apply Photobiological Guidelines and Standards
Abstracts without poster presentations will be accepted for the
published proceedings, with consideration given to subject matter and space availability.
Sponsors:
United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (USACHPPM)
Laser/Optical Radiation; International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection
(ICNIRP); Institut f|r Strahlenhygienembler; National Institute for Standards and
Technology (NIST); Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage Division 6 (CIE)
A nominal registration fee (less than $150) will be charged.
International speakers working in various areas of optical measurements and photobiology
have been invited to give keynote lectures throughout the conference.
For further information, including instruction for submission of
abstracts, contact:
Stephen Wengraitis
USACHPPM
Laser/Optical Radiation Program
MORH
ATTN: MCHB-TS-OLO
APG, MD, USA 21010-5422
Telephone: USA (410) 671-5051
Fax: USA (410) 671-5054
e-mail: "stephen_wengraitis@chppm-ccmail.apgea.army.mil"
Preliminary announcement: "http://lazulite.nist.gov/cie/morh/"
PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY AT UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS.
On the first day of the 26th annual ASP meeting (Saturday, July 11,
1998) there will be a workshop entitled "Undergraduate Teaching and Research in
Photobiology and Photochemistry." This workshop is intended to bring together
photobiologists and photochemists who are engaged in teaching at the undergraduate level
and who involve undergraduate students in their research. Topics will include the
appropriate scope of such courses, examples of successful laboratory exercises and student
research projects, and means of interesting both students and the general public in
photobiology and photochemistry. The workshop will conclude with a period of open
discussion.
If there is sufficient response, the organizers hope to make available
a set of experiments and demonstrations, either as a handout or as a publication after the
meeting. If you have pertinent ideas or contributions or wish to have a copy of the
workshop schedule, please contact:
Tom Brennan brennant@dickinson.edu
Chris Lambert crlam@conncoll.edu
Kevin O'Shea osheak@skipper.chemistry.gatech.edu
The workshop schedule will also be available at the "Photobiology
Online" web sites: "http://cric.chemres.hu/POL" or
"http://www.kumc.edu/POL".
ASP POETRY WRITING CONTEST
John Spikes
Although received too late for the contest, this was just too good not to publish:
A FIREFLY'S MOVING MESSAGE
A dancing lamp. A firefly in the night
Along the forest path I chanced to see.
I raised my hand to greet the pulsing light
And gently drew this yellow star to me.
I rushed this prize within its fingered cage
To find the place where Harvey's treatise lay.
I placed the creature gently on a page
That it might light the words along its way.
The yellow glow grew bright and then was done
And glowed again and moved from left to right.
The words appeared in order one by one
"The last to leave be sure to douse the light."
Howard Seliger
FORMER P&P EDITOR RECEIVES AWARD
Pill-Soon Song, who served as editor-in-chief of Photochemistry and Photobiology from 1975 to 1994, was the recipient of the European Society for Photobiology Research Achievement Medal at the ESP Congress in Stresa, Italy, in September 1997. Congratulations to Pill, who is currently splitting his research time between Lincoln, Nebraska, and Kwangju, South Korea. Despite the current financial woes there, he has solid financial support for his research. He is working with several collaborators in his native country crystallizing phytochromes for 3-D structure determination as well as searching for putative signal transducers/receptors for phytochromes as molecular light switches for photomorphogensis in plants.
Meyrick Peak
FIRST SOUTH-EAST ASIAN WORKSHOP
ON PHOTOBIOLOGY IN THE TROPICS: SEAWPIT 498
Photobiology, Photochemistry and Photomedicine:
Basics, Applications and Benefits
Hasanuddin University, Ujung Pandang,
South Sulawesi, Indonesia
September 2-5, 1998, workshop
September 6-9, 1998, optional excursion
The purpose of the workshop is to establish photobiology and related photosciences in Southeast Asia. The aim is to attract and encourage students and researchers as well as representatives of regional institutions and industries. Collaborations and cooperative projects within the region and internationally in photosciences relevant to the tropics will be discussed and, we hope, initiated.
Targeted Participants: Researchers, students, industrial researchers and government
officials, institutions and organizations from the tropical regions worldwide, with a special emphasis on Southeast Asian countries (including China, India, Japan, and Korea) who are active or interested in the following areas:
* environmental science and protection (pesticides, water treatment, sterilization);
* pharmacy (photostability and phototoxicity of drugs);
* cosmetics (skin protection, skin aging, antioxidants);
* medicine (dermatology, public health, blood banks,
ophthalmology, cancer);
* agrochemistry, agriculture, animal farming, and aquacultures (environmental, photo-stress);
* nutrition sciences (nutrition, additives, and sun- and
cancer-protection);
* alternative energies (technical applications of photosynthetic
processes); and
* biochemistry/molecular biology (biomedical imaging and labeling
with luorescent markers).
Program: The workshop will feature lectures on the most relevant topics in photobiology and photomedicine (basic and advanced levels) by internationally renowned experts. Discussion groups and roundtables will work out specific needs for the region. Poster sessions will show the status of research and ideas for projects. Time will be allotted for personal contacts among the participants.
An online pre-registration form is available. Please return it by 29 March 1998 if you are interested in participating. Alternatively, contact Dr. Lucia Fidhiany or Dr. Klaus Winckler in Germany or Prof. Dr. Sumali Wiryowidagdo in Indonesia (see adjacent panel).
The second circular will be distributed in late spring 1998 to all who return the pre-registration form. The circular will contain more details of the preliminary scientific program, calls and instructions for abstracts, information about accommodations, possible fellowships, airfare reductions, and instructions for final registration. The deadline for abstracts will be 31 May 1998. We intend to keep the fees as low as possible to enable young researchers especially to attend.
Contacts:
Dr. Lucia Fidhiany or Dr. Klaus Winckler
Institut f|r Biophysik
Environmental Photobiology
Thielallee 63
D-14195 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49-30-838 2681
fax: +49-30-824 4058
E-mail: xbiokw@mail.zedat.fu-berlin.de
Prof. Dr. Sumali Wiryowidagdo
Director, Graduate School
Hasanuddin University,
Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan
Ujung Pandang 90245, Indonesia
Phone: +62-411-51 2034/-5/-6
fax: +62-411-51 3868
E-mail: sumali@upg.mega.net.id
For more information about the workshop, see:
www.userpage.fu-berlin.de/~xbiokw/seawpit98/
index.htm or www.bio.unipd.it/~mtronc/seawpit98/index.htm
(the latter should be online soon).
ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING AND BE A WINNER!
Frank Gasparro, Scientific Program Chair for the 1998 ASP Annual Meeting, announces a raffle to be held during the Poster Discussion Session III (Wednesday, July 15, 5:30-6:30 pm). The drawing will be held promptly at 6:00 pm and you must be present to win! First Prize is a $100 gift certificate; second prize is a $50 gift certificate, and third prize is a $25 gift certificate. Gift certificates are redeemable in the resort shops and restaurants or may be applied to lodging costs. Make plans to stay for this informative Poster Discussion and win two ways.
MELANOMA ON THE RISE
An article in Science News (Vol. 151, p. 383, June 21, 1997)
reported that the number of diagnosed cases of melanoma in the U.S. is increasing at the
rate of four percent per year. In 1980, the chance of a U.S. resident getting this
aggressive form of skin cancer was one in 250; now it's more like one in 84.
Whether this increase is due to more aggressive diagnosis, a population
shift to the sunbelt, or both, is unclear. What is clear is that at-risk individuals (see
p. 7) must continue to be vigilant in terms of self-examination. Even so, according to a
source cited in the article, less than a third of people who do find suspicious growths
consult their physicians.
In addition to new cases of melanoma, incidences of recurrence up to 15
years later are also on the rise. This indicates that prescription of immune-system
suppressors (e.g., steroids) in treatment should be avoided to keep possible dormant
cancers at bay.
John Connolly
ASP MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
These two papers, and their authors, have received a considerable amount of excellent coverage in the news media lately. These two abstracts were downloaded from the Science website, and are reprinted here with permission.
Enhanced: Tweaking the Human Circadian Clock with Light
Dan A. Oren and Michael Terman
The human body contains a clock, located in the brain, that controls
the timing of functions such as sleep and body temperature. This clock can be reset by
light shining on the eyes so that when days grow longer or shorter, human physiology will
adapt appropriately. Now, in a report in the same issue, Campbell and Murphy show that the
light signal to reset the clock can be applied by another route, through the skin on the
back of the knees. In their commentary, Oren and Terman discuss the ways in which this
unexpected mechanism may work and how this finding could affect the way depressed patients
are treated with light.
Dan A. Oren is at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Yale University School of
Medicine, West Haven, Ct. 06516 (e-mail: dan.oren@yale.edu).
Michael Terman is at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New
York, N.Y. 10032 (e-mail: mt12@columbia.edu).
Science, Volume 279, No. 5349, 16 Jan. 1998, p. 333
(c) 1998 by The American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Extraocular Circadian Phototransduction in Humans
Scott S. Campbell* and Patricia J. Murphy
Physiological and behavioral rhythms are governed by an endogenous circadian clock. The response of the human circadian clock to extraocular light exposure was monitored by measurement of body temperature and melatonin concentrations throughout the circadian cycle before and after light pulses presented to the popliteal region (behind the knee). A systematic relation was found between the timing of the light pulse and the magnitude and direction of phase shifts, resulting in the generation of a phase-response curve. These findings challenge the belief that mammals are incapable of extraretinal circadian phototransduction and have implications for the development of more effective treatments for sleep and circadian-rhythm disorders.
Laboratory of Human Chronobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Cornell University Medical College, White Plains, N.Y. 10605
*To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Science, Vol. 279, No. 5349, 16 Jan. 1998, pp. 396-399
(c) 1998 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
A LETTER FROM THE NEW EDITOR
First, I want to thank the Publications Committee for giving me and
Scientific Editing Services the opportunity to assemble and edit ASP News. I follow a long
tradition of excellent editors, and I shall do my best to continue that tradition.
Here are some thing you can expect: The newsletter will be published
quarterly, unless there is a compelling reason to publish more than four issues. I shall
rely on the members to send me items of interest: member news (position changes,
promotions, celebratory gatherings, retirements, obituaries, etc.), photographs, cartoons,
and other information of general interest. I also encourage submission of news articles
from the mainstream media (see, e.g., page 7). This is the best way I know of informing
the membership how we are doing with respect to public outreach. In addition, I collect
quotations, which may or may not find their way into these pages. (One never knows when a
well-turned phrase will be particularly appropriate, or just look good to me-such as the
ones below.)
This is the members' publication; as such it will include letters to
the editor, guest editorials, and articles related to the general area of member services.
ASP News can be a clearing house for members' concerns.
Finally, I know from experience that, despite my best efforts, a
"blooper" may creep in every now and then. I expect the readers to let me know
whenever this happens!
John Connolly
"We did not inherit the earth from our Grandparents; we only borrowed it from our
Grandchildren." - Chief Seattle
"Wilderness, once we have given it up, is beyond our reconstruction." - Wallace
Stegner
IN THE NEXT ISSUE: JUNE 1998
* A letter from 1998 President, Margaret Kripke
* An interview with new P&P Editor, Juan (Tito) Scaiano
* Election results
* Last-minute news before the Annual Meeting
SOME WEB SITES OF CURRENT INTEREST:
www.kumc.edu/POL (North America)
www.circ.chemres.hu/POL (Europe)
www.lazulite.nist.gov/cie/morh/
www.userpage.fu-berlin.de/~xbiokw/seawpit98/
index.htm www.bio.unipd.it/~mtronc/seawpit98/index.htm
(should be online soon)
www.sciencemag.org