Robert Zucker - Candidate for Secretary
Goals and Objectives
Our society was initially focused on cell analysis primarily
using flow cytometry and image analysis. Recently, newer technologies
have been developed that use other types of image and flow
techniques to analyze cells and tissues. In addition to traditional
technologies, it is important to include newer technologies
and the scientists who use them in our society because we will
all gain from sharing the knowledge of these technologies and
their applications. Education in the principles, use, and standards
for data interpretation of technologies for analytical cell
measurements should be a major focus of our society. As secretary
for ISAC, I would like to insure that our society remains committed
to serving a wide base of technologies and the scientists who
use these technologies.
ISAC had a strong history with a rapid growth from just a
few members in the late 1970s to almost 2000 members around
1998. However, the membership has slipped to around 1300-1400
members at present. The organization itself appears to be struggling
to maintain identify with the membership and has not been able
to bring in new members at a rate to maintain a reasonable
growth. Times are changing and I believe that the organization
is not as responsive as it should be to the changing face of
science and technology around us. I believe that it is a crucial
time for the International Society for Analytical Cytology
and I would like the opportunity of leading the organization
with J. Paul Robinson toward new
objectives. I believe that ISAC needs to respond to these changes
and revitalize itself. I support Paul
Robinson’s aims as president-elect to change
the direction of ISAC and revitalize the society.
I feel very privileged to be nominated for the position of
Secretary of ISAC. I am personally devoted to both the science
that depends on cytometry and the technology itself. I believe
that the opportunities for further impact of cytometry are
great. The next generation of cell sorters and analyzers produced
by all the manufacturers are excellent instruments. They are
truly great tools that all people can use. The most exciting
technology opportunities may well is in the integration of
cytometry and imaging into cell biology to study the functional
analysis of cells. This will yield significant capabilities
of the ISAC traditional technologies to other scientific disciplines.
ISAC now has the capacity to open up exciting new areas for
us to integrate our ISAC strengths with other scientific disciplines.
ISAC can play an important part in this new integration. The
Society must recognize the changing environment and shift its
position to support and manage this changing environment. There
are several key things that ISAC needs to do better:
- It should better recognize the vitality and importance
of students and young members. This is more than providing
a few travel fellowships. It must make the next generation
of scientists the most important resource the Society has.
If I am voted in as Secretary, my tenure will focus on building student,
postdoc and junior faculty level membership with
active participation in the Society activities. We cannot
survive as a society with 10-20 student members. We should
have 100-150 student members.
- We have an outstanding number of high quality core
facility managers and very talented technicians in
our society. We have significant technical issues that
we deal with on a daily basis and I think these issues
should be treated at a much higher value level by ISAC.
This aspect of Society activity should be elevated because
there is a tremendous level of knowledge in this group
and the society can also contribute to the support of these
members. Core managers are a key component of our organization
and they are one of the best assets we have. ISAC needs
to create a platform from which core managers can be supported
philosophically and practically so that they can better
interact with their respective institutions.
- I will raise the level of importance of education
and training to the forefront of Society activities.
Education should be seen as one of the most important functions
of the Society. I believe that we have a great opportunity
that is not presently realized.
- I will require fiscal responsibility in the ISAC organization
and re-focus the organization from a management-focused organization
to a membership-focused Society. We spend
more money on less people that we have ever spent. The cost
of current meetings is unreasonable . We will have to be
more careful with YOUR money. We should be proactive and
participatory.
- I will maintain a constant and open interaction
with the membership. You will have direct access
to me as a regular member. My email is Zucker.Robert@epa.gov and
I will always respond to your concerns. Solicit new members
with knowledge and interests that will enrich ISAC.
- I will strive to bring the ISAC organization into a position
where it interacts with, and impacts other societies and
current science policy issues. I value diversity
and cultural differences and strongly believe that
international cooperation is necessary for ISAC to survive.
- I will report to the membership on a frequent basis, and
I will seek the opinions and ideas of members.
If you vote for me for Secretary, please also
vote for J. Paul Robinson for President-elect.
Together we have carefully considered how we can serve ISAC
as an executive team. We have thought through the issues and
we think we have good ideas. Paul Robinson and
I both support the above platform.
ISAC has a rich history of technology development that has
resulted in very real impact in many scientific fields. It
is my belief that many of the results of technology are yet
to come. The next few years promise great opportunities for
development of single cell analysis as well as the integration
of imaging technologies. Combining these technologies with
new proteomics opportunities opens up the field of cytomics.
ISAC has an opportunity to take a proactive position to bring
academia and industry into new partnerships. To
do this, the leadership of the organization must have a philosophical
desire to change and approach the future with a plan. I
would be privileged to have your support to implement these
plans for ISAC during the next few years.
Bob Zucker
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Robert
M. Zucker received undergraduate (BS in Physics; 1965)
and graduate (MS in Biophysics and Nuclear Medicine, 1966;
PhD in Biophysics, 1970) degrees from the University of California
at Los Angeles (UCLA). His postdoctoral training was in cellular
immunology at the Max Plank Institute in Munich, Germany
(1970-1972). From 1972 to 1985, Bob directed a research program
at the Papanicolaou Institute at the University of Miami
(Florida) where he was a faculty member in the Department
of Medicine and member of the Sickle Cell Anemia Program.
During Bob’s tenure at the Papanicolaou Institute,
he studied the effects of chemotherapeutic agents on cancer
cells, fetal hemoglobin in sickle cell anemia, cell cycle
control mechanisms and the biophysical characterization of
cells. In 1985 (to present), Bob became the director of the
Core Laboratories for flow cytometry, image analysis, and
confocal microscopy for the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA) in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
His research at the USEPA involves the analysis of toxicological
effects of chemicals on tissue culture cells, developing
embryos, and reproductive tissues (ovaries/testis) using
both flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Bob is an active
member of the international analytical cytology community.
At the local level, Bob organized and is an active member
of the Research Triangle Cytometry Users Group. Bob was also
a member of the Advisory Board of Bioscope at Purdue University,
which provides advice for Internet based high school science
education.
Bob is a dedicated scientist who has become a leader in his
field by applying flow cytometry quality assurance principles
to confocal microscopy to acquire more accurate analytical
measurements. Bob has received numerous scientific awards at
the USEPA for his research and has published over 90 scientific
peer-reviewed publications and book chapters during his scientific
career. Bob has presented eight workshops on confocal microscopy
and/or flow cytometry at national and international scientific
meetings. He believes that these advanced educational courses
are some of the most important activities we can participate
in.
He has served on core study sections at NSF and actively participates
as a reviewer for several journals. He has served on ISAC council (elected
in 2002) and has been a member of ISAC since its inception. He is active
in the Cytometry field with both flow cytometry and confocal microscopy
application.
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