Message from The Executive Board

If you are reading this message, you have already noticed something new about our traditional ABRF publication. Our editor, Clayton Naeve, has designed an exciting new format. While appearance is part of the change, more important to us is that those dedicated people [the editor, editorial board, and expert authors] who bring us the news, events, and scientific articles on biomolecular technologies are now recognized more prominently.

In the September, 1996 ABRF News, several ABRF members wrote an open letter to the ABRF entitled "Avoiding Misperceptions Through Language". In this letter, they stressed that language use is important to how we are viewed as scientists, and that the term "facilities" often has pejorative connotations. They called for a change in our organizational name to Association of Biomolecular Resource Laboratories. At the research group meeting in St. Louis last October, the representatives also urged a name change for the ABRF, although they did not specify a choice. As we became more involved in public policy activities this past year, it became apparent that the term "facilities" appeared to be a barrier to understanding who we are and what we do. For these reasons, and to represent more fully our current membership, there will be a bylaws vote on a name change for the ABRF later this spring. The final candidate name has not yet been decided.

ABRF '98: From Genomes to Function - Technical Challenges of the Post-Genome Era is coming up in just a few weeks, March 21-24, in San Diego. Al Smith, Mike Rohde, and the program committee have worked hard to put together a very exciting meeting for us, with the mix of cutting edge talks and the more pragmatic tutorials and workshops that characterize ABRF meetings. We hope that you can attend, and share in the science and the networking that help keep us abreast of technological developments. See you in San Diego!

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