The A Publication of The American Physiological Society Physiologist Volume 40 Number 5 October 1997 The Banbury Conference JN Genomics to Physiology and Beyond: Online October 1997 How Do We Get There? Allen W. Cowley, Jr. Medical College of Wisconsin Recognition that the Human Genome Project is as the attendees expressed the view that there was likely to result in the identification of nearly all the need to direct major resources and effort 100,000 human genes by 2002 has stimulated the toward the development of a functional under- Inside leadership of APS to develop strategies to expedite standing of genes. This effort was viewed as phase the application of physiological approaches for the II of the Human Genome Project and was named research that will be required to develop an under- the “Genes to Health Initiative.” Council Meets in standing of the relationships between genes and Before providing an overview of the discus- Bethesda function. The Society’s first effort brought togeth- sions from the Banbury Conference, it is impor- p. 212 er a small, diverse group of scientists to plan how tant to recognize some of the events that have to link this knowledge to human health. The meet- already been initiated as a result of the February ing was organized and funded by APS with addi- conference. First, a “Hot Topics” symposium EB ‘98 Preview tional support from Norvartis Corporation and focusing on the Cold Spring Harbor meeting was Burroughs Wellcome Foundation. A group of 33 held at EB ‘97 in New Orleans, LA, to direct the p. 219 internationally recognized scientists from the physiological community’s attention to the need fields of molecular genetics, physiology, and phar- to develop a functional understanding of the genes macology (basic and clinical), representing isolated as part of the Human Genome Project. Career Corner academia, industry, and government, convened at Second, Jim Bassingthwaighte, who participated p. 237 the Banbury Conference Center in Cold Spring in the Banbury Conference, organized a two-day Harbor, NY, to consider how to harness the vast workshop in Petrodvoretz, Russia, following the potential of the Human Genome Project. Nobel IUPS meeting to evolve plans for designing what laureate James D. Watson, whose discoveries and he has called the Physiome Project. This is an The Physiology leadership paved the way for the Human Genome international effort to design, archive, and dissem- and Functional Project, opened the meeting by emphasizing that inate quantitative information and functional the next challenge is that of understanding the models of organelles, cells, tissues, organs, and Diversity of function of these genes in health and disease. organisms. Web-based accessibility of these types Amiloride- The emerging need for a partnership between of data represents a prerequisite bridge to inte- Sensitive Na+ physiologists and molecular geneticists was grate genome database information with function- Channels echoed a year ago by Francis S. Collins, Director ally based data. Third, a major focus on “physio- p. 265 of the National Human Genome Research Insti- logical genomics” is presently being organized for tute, at the Physiology InFocus symposium at EB EB ‘98 in San Francisco, CA. Collins will coordi- ‘96 in Washington, DC, and through his support in nate the Physiology InFocus program entitled organizing the agenda for the Banbury Confer- “Genomics to Physiology and Beyond - How Do ence. The Banbury Conference generated consid- We Get There?” The four symposia scheduled as erable discussion and a high level of enthusiasm, (continued on page 207) Vol. 40, No. 5, 1997 Visit Our Web Site at http://www.faseb.org/aps 205 Published bimonthly and distributed by The The American Physiological Society 9650 Rockville Pike Physiologist Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3991 ISSN 0031-9376 Volume 40 Number 5 October 1997 Allen W. Cowley, Jr. President James A. Schafer Past President L. Gabriel Navar Contents President-Elect Martin Frank Editor and Executive Director The Banbury Conference Education Councillors Genomics to Physiology Dale J. Benos, Walter F. Boron, Ger- Outreach Teams Meet ald F. DiBona, Celia D. Sladek, and Beyond: How Do at Summer Institute 234 We Get There? 205 Richard J. Traystman, Allen W. Cowley, Jr. Retreat Held for Summer John A. Williams Research Teachers 235 Ex Officio APS News Francis L. Belloni, Edward H. Blaine, Career Corner Council Meets in Bethesda 212 John E. Hall, Leonard R. Johnson, A Transition From NIH Ethan R. Nadel Cowley Thanks APS Staff 213 Postdoctoral Fellow Nominations Invited for to Industry 237 Publications Committee: Chairman: Teacher of the Year Award 213 Nicholas S. Gantenberg Leonard R. Johnson; Members: Jerome A. Dempsey, Donald S. Faber, Virginia Applications Invited for AAAS Positions Available 240 M. Miller, Stephen H. Wright. Publi- Mass Media Fellow 227 cations Manager: Brenda B. Rauner. Web News 243 Design and Copy Editor: Keith Membership Walsh. Election of New Members 214 Subscriptions: Distributed to members Chapter News Sustaining Associates 216 as part of their membership. Nonmem- APS Chapter Program Adds bers in the USA: individuals $36.50; Deceased Members 245 Two New Chapters 244 institutions $53.00. Nonmembers else- where: individuals $46.50; institutions Experimental Biology People and Places $67.00. 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Meetings The American Physiological Society Book Reviews 251 assumes no responsibility for the state- 1998 APS Conference: ments and opinions advanced by con- Endothelial Regulation tributors to The Physiologist. of Vascular Tone 230 Books Received 253 Deadline for submission of material for 1998 APS Conference: publication: Jan. 1, February issue; Paraventricular Nucleus Announcements March 1, April issue; May 1, June issue; of the Hypothalamus 231 Nominations Sought for Bristol- July 1, August issue; Sept. 1, October Myers Squibb Award 254 issue; Nov. 1, December issue. Public Affairs Life Fitness Academy Seeks Please notify the central office as NRC Issues Report Candidates for Grants 254 soon as possible if you change your on Long-term Care address or telephone number. of Chimpanzees 232 PRAT Program Sponsors Research in Pharmacological Headquarters phone: 301-530-7118. APHIS Compiles List Sciences 254 Fax: 301-571-8305. of AWA Requirements 232 http://www.faseb.org/aps/ Judge Throws Out Part Scientific Meetings Printed in the USA of Lawsuit Against PETA 233 and Congresses 255 206 The Physiologist The Banbury Conference part of this program will be coordinated with an American Society for Pharmacol- ogy and Experimental Therapeutics- sponsored “Workshop on Utilization of Resources from the Human Genome Pro- ject.” Thus, there have been considerable efforts made to inform the physiological community of the opportunities avail- able in the area of “physiological or functional genomics.” Avenues are being explored to develop a new APS journal, Physiological Genomics, that can publish research bridging the activi- ties of the Human Genome Project with those scientists currently engaged in Attendees at the Banbury Conference. cellular, organ, and organismic function. It is my hope that these activities will Dumpty back together again?” Was it time Toward Function not only provide new opportunities to to begin these efforts and how and who physiologists at all levels of research but will do this? The term “functional genomics” has been coined to describe the continuum from a also attract and expand the scientific The conferees strongly believed that membership of APS and bring a new gene’s physical structure and its regula- now was the time, and it was stated tion to its role in the whole organism. It level of excitement to our scientific pro- repeatedly that the success of these efforts gramming and publications. I have been is a term that is used to imply different would rest heavily on scientists who had things to people working on different lev- gratified by the enormous level of a solid understanding of complex living enthusiasm and support I have received els of gene function, ranging from the simple gene expression of a protein to the from both the APS membership and The major issue facing the Council in moving this agenda forward. function of genes at the level of the conferees at Banbury was whole, complex organism. It is, indeed, The Banbury Conference really the ultimate question nothing more than the expressed physio- logical function of genes, i.e., “physio- The major question addressed at the con- of modern biology: how do we take all of this detailed logical genomics.” The breadth of the ference was how best to go about defining definition reflects a paradigm shift that is the function of tens of thousands of genes information of the human underway; investigators interested in within complex organisms. A more genome and “put Humpty studying the function(s) of a particular detailed summary of the specific scientif- Dumpty back together gene will increasingly employ multiple ic strategic recommendations made at this again?” model systems. The Human Genome conference will be published elsewhere. Project has indeed supported work on However, it is important for the APS model organisms besides humans, membership to be informed of this meet- systems, that is, physiologists. There was including Escherichia coli (bacteria), ing because of the tremendous impact that also a clear realization that defining and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), it is likely to have upon the future of phys- understanding the function of genes Arabadopsis thaliana (plant), iology and our Society and the influence would require as much dedication as that Caenorhabditis (roundworm), Drosophi- that this meeting has already had in defin- shown by the legions of international sci- la melanogaster (fruitfly), Mus musculus ing APS scientific programs.