PSNA News Phytochemical Society of North America Sociedad Fitoquímica de América del Norte Société Phytochimique de L’Amerique du Nord Volume 50, Number 1 January 2012 Letter from the President, January 2012 ALOHA! phytochemistry and related sub-dis- ciplines forward. It is my pleasure Hello to all continuing members to serve as president of the Society and to the wealth of new members during its 50th anniversary year. that joined at our 50th Anniversa- I first joined the PSNA in 1985 ry meeting this past December in and attended the conference in Pa- Kona, Hawaii. This was a significant cific Grove, CA (Asilomar) which milestone for our group that started was also my first professional con- out as the Plant Phenolics Group of ference. It was a wonderful experi- North America in 1961 and changed ence and I was pleased with the re- its name to the Phytochemical So- ception of my short talk. Including ciety of North America on January 1985, I have attended 20 of the 27 1, 1967. PSNA has a rich history of meetings and am always impressed hosting excellent meetings cover- with the science, the networking op- ing all aspects related to plant con- portunities, and the attention paid to stituents and for moving the field of younger members. ... continues on page 4 In this issue: Getting ready for for the 2012 meeting, review of the 50th! This is the printed version of the PSNA Newsletter. The web PDF version can be downloaded from the website: www.psna-online.org. PSNA News Page 1 January 2012 PSNA News The PSNA EXECUTIVES January 2012 Phytochemical President Cecilia A. McIntosh, Ph.D. Society of Dean, School of Graduate Studies Professor, Biological Sciences North America East Tennessee State University Burgin Dossett Hall Room 309K The Phytochemical Society of North PO Box 70720 America (PSNA) is a nonprofit Johnson City, TN 37614-0720 scientific organization whose 423-439-4221 (telephone) membership is open to anyone with CONTENTS [email protected] Presidents Letter … 1 an interest in phytochemistry and the President Elect Toni Kutchan, Ph.D. 2012 PSNA Meeting … 3 role of plant substances in related Member, Oliver M. Langenberg 2011 Business Meeting … 4 fields. Annual membership dues are U.S. $60 for regular members and Distinguished Investigator, 2011 Neish Awards … 6 VP for Research, 50th Anniversary Meeting … 8 $30 for student members. Annual meetings featuring symposium Danforth Center Dr. Eric Conn … 11 975 N. Warson Rd. topics of current interest and St. Louis, MO 63132 contributed papers by conference 314-587-1473 WWW.PSNA-ONLINE.ORG participants are held throughout the [email protected] United States, Canada, and Mexico. Past President PSNA meetings provide participants Charles Cantrell, Ph.D. with exposure to the cutting-edge USDA-ARS, Natural Products research of prominent international Utilization Res. Unit scientists, but are still small P.O. Box 8048 enough to offer informality and University, MS 38677 USA intimacy that are conducive to the 662-915-5898 (phone) [email protected] exchange of ideas. This newsletter is Secretary circulated to members to keep them Eric Johnson, Ph.D. informed of upcoming meetings and Crop Bioprotection Research developments within the society, and USDA-ARS-NCAUR to provide a forum for the exchange 1815 N. Univeristy St. of information and ideas. If you Peoria, IL 61604 USA would like additional information 309-681-6177 (phone) about the PSNA, or if you have [email protected] material that you would like included Treasurer in the newsletter, please contact the Danile Owens, Ph.D. Natural Products Utilization Research PSNA Secretary or visit our website USDA-ARS at www.psna-online.org. Annual P.O. Box 8048 dues and changes of address should University, MS 38677 ADVISORY COUNCIL be sent to the PSNA Treasurer. Also 662-915-1039 (phone) check the PSNA website for regular [email protected] Daniel Owens (2 year term) updates. Editor-in-Chief, RAP [email protected] The PSNA is an all volunteer David R. Gang, Ph.D. organization which depends on its Associate Professor and Fellow Fred Stevens (2 year term) Institute of Biological Chemistry [email protected] membership to run the organization. We appreciate the time and effort Washington State University P.O. Box 646340 Mark Bernards (3 year term) these volunteers are putting in Pullman, WA 99164-6340 [email protected] to keep the organization up and 509-335-0586 (phone) running. As a member, please [email protected] Norman Lewis (3 Year Term) consider volunteering to serve on [email protected] one of these committees. The PSNA can always use more help! PSNA News Page 2 January 2012 Save the dates! PSNA 2012 will be held Aug. 11-15 on the campus of The University of Western Ontario, in London, Ontario, Canada. Following close on the heels of Getting to London is easy! It is The organizing committee is the very successful 50th anniversary situated less than 200 km West of made up of: Mark A. Bernards, meeting in Hawaii, the 51st PSNA Toronto and 200 km East of Detroit, Committee Chair, (University of meeting program will include a along the trans Canada Highway Western Ontario), John T. Arnason broad range of topics of interest to (Hwy 401), and boasts an interna- (University of Ottawa), Charles all PSNA members. Main sympo- tional airport (YXU), serviced by Cantrell (USDA, ARS), Vincenzo sia topics include Metabolism/Me- two daily United Airlines’ flights DeLuca (Brock University), Mark tabolomics, Botanicals/Medicinals, from Chicago. Air Canada (via Air R. Gijzen (Agriculture & Agri-Food Ecological relevance of Phytochem- Jazz) operates several daily flights Canada), Toni Kutchan (Donald icals, Biosynthesis, and Phytochem- between Toronto and London, while Danforth Centre), and Cecilia ical Applications. The program will WestJet has direct flights from Cal- McIntosh (East Tennessee State be filled in with contributed talks gary. University) selected from submitted abstracts. Excursions to Niagara Falls, and Poster session round out the pro- a winery tour are being planned. See you in London! gram. A call for abstracts will be an- nounced in early February, with a submission deadline of May 30, 2012. Early Bird Registration will open in February, and close May 30, University of Western Ontario (www.uwo.ca) 2012. The final day for registration Department of Biology (www.uwo.ca/biology/) will be July 31, 2012. Registration City of London (http://www.londontourism.ca/ fees are inclusive of most meals (ex- cludes only two dinners), including Tourism Ontario (www.ontariotravel.net) the awards banquet. PSNA News Page 3 January 2012 ... continues from page 1 Dr. Wendy Boss, MCB Program Di- PSNA Business Meeting The 50th anniversary meeting set rector at the U.S. National Science Dec 14, 2011 a record for student and postdoc Foundation for a special session on Cecilia McIntosh travel support and for poster partici- “Funding Opportunities for Interna- pation and awards. Norman Lewis tional Collaborations”. The PSNA members business obtained funding from the U.S. De- This newsletter is filled with meeting was called to order by Pres- partment of Energy which helped wonderful details and photos from ident Charles Cantrell on December with travel support for 10 students the 50th anniversary meeting. Plans 14, 2011 at 5:15 pm. Dr. Cantrell and postdocs and I was able to ob- for the 2012 meeting are well under- reported on attendance at the Ex- tain funding from the U.S. National way. Be sure to save the dates and ecutive Committee meeting held Science Foundation to provide sup- make plans to attend the 2012 meet- on December 10, 2011 (Cantrell, port for 19 undergraduate students, ing in London, Ontario, Canada (see Gang (editor-in-chief of RAP), and graduate student, and pre-tenure notice in the newsletter) and be sure McIntosh were present, Owens was women Ph.D.’s. These grants, added to keep your eye open for upcoming present to report on Young Members to the travel funds that the PSNA email notices. Committee and to represent trea- contributes each year to students One of the things we will be do- surer Dayan, Fred Stevens and Toni through the Loewus Travel Grants ing this next year is working on an Kutchan were present by invitation; and to postdoctoral researchers, electronic membership directory. Secretary Pedras was absent) and on meant that a record number of early You can help us by going online to topics discussed at the meeting: cur- career folks were able to attend the update your contact information by rent meeting issues (awards, judges, conference. These awards, added going to this website: http://psna. banquet agenda, finances/grants), the to the poster presentation awards, uhhconferencecenter.com/?page_ Recent Advances in Phytochemistry Neish Young Investigator Awards, id=878. Series, Treasurers report, treasurer Phytochemistry Pioneer awards, and One of the better features will and secretary elections, website, PSNA Lifetime award resulted in 50 be to include information on your newsletters, and future meetings. awards being presented at the annual research interests. We will include Reports on each topic are included banquet! that information as a way to help in the minutes of the business meet- We heard many excellent talks everyone be able to easily find those ing. and viewed many excellent posters. with similar research interests and Results of the election for vice The Neish Young Investigator sym- to help facilitate contacting poten- president were announced and Toni posia were excellent and we want tial collaborators. Please see the at- Kutchan will serve as vice president to thank all speakers for their con- tached form and return to the trea- starting at the close of the business tributions.