YS Corner
Chair’s Welcome
Dear IATDMCT members,
Dear visitors,
Welcome to the Young Scientists corner of the IATDMCT website!
Here you will find information and news about the IATDMCT Young Scientists and their activities. The IATDMCT Young Scientist initiative began in 2005 and since then the activities of the Young Scientists have become an integral part of the association’s activities, as can be read in more detail in the History section. The Aims of our group are promoting the interests of Young Scientists; ranging from reduced membership and conference fees, to contact opportunities with other young and established scientists and, finally, being part of the associations activities. The Young Scientist activities are planned and coordinated by the Young Scientist Committee, whose members are introduced in the respective section. Our activities include article contributions by Young Scientists (IATDMCT Compass, Young Scientists ‘Scientific Issues’ series) and Young Scientist only events during the biennial IATDMCT meetings. We welcome all IATDMCT Young Scientist members and all other IATDMCT members under the age of 41 to join in on our activities. Of course, we encourage all those who are not yet IATDMCT members to join the association and become part of our group.
Enjoy the Young Scientists corner!
Frank T. Peters
Chairman of the Young Scientist Committee
Latest News
History
President Hans H. Maurer proposed the formation of a Young Scientists organization and membership category, during his term as President Elect, at the 2005/2007 Council meeting in Louisville, KY. A ‘Young Scientists’ (YS) Special Interest Group, was established and Frank T. Peters was appointed the chairman. The Aims of the Young Scientist Committee (YSC) were drafted and approved by the Executive Board in July 2005. Denise A. McKeown soon after volunteered for the position of secretary. A reduction in membership fee and biennial congress registration fees were achieved, and the establishment of the YS group was advertised to scientists world-wide. Since the formation of the group the YS have become an integral part of the association’s activities. A joint article by the chairman and secretary ‘Matrix effects in LC-MS’, June 2006, marked the initiation of the YS biannual ‘Scientific Issues’ series for ‘The IATDMCT Compass’.
The 10th International Congress of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring & Clinical Toxicology, Nice, France, September 2007 was the inaugural meeting for the YS group. The number of IATDMCT YS members increased from 8 in July 2006 to 39 in August 2007. 31 delegates registered at the congress as YS, clearly demonstrating that the reduced membership and congress fees proposed by the YSC encouraged them to join the association. The YS congress events began with a relaxed lunch, followed by the first ever IATDMCT YS Workshop & Open Forum, YS Business meeting and YS Committee meeting (see congress report). YS gave numerous oral and poster presentations; recognition of their scientific contribution to the congress was rewarded when the prizes for the best TDM oral and poster were presented to YS members (see prize winners). The group discussed their future goals and the committee was further established by appointing a YS website co-ordinator, YS mailing list co-ordinator and six ordinary members. In addition to their participation and contributions to the meetings official scientific program and YS events, the YS also enjoyed the social events, meeting each other and the “established” scientists. They also spontaneously organized some unofficial YS meetings and trips which were well attended and thoroughly enjoyed by all, indicating the great atmosphere in the YS group.
The growth of the YSC will enable the organisation of more YS events and activities at future congresses, and the establishment of the YS mailing list will allow good lines of communication between YS. Finally the establishment of the YS corner of the website will enable YS to keep other members and website visitors up to date with the latest YS activities and news.
Aims
- Encourage Young Scientists to join the IATDMCT and to participate actively in the biennial meetings.
To achieve this aim the membership fee has been reduced by half whilst retaining full members benefits. Also registration fees at the biennial congresses are reduced. Another proposal is to offer two free workshops for Young Scientists at the biennial congresses (one Young Scientist Committee workshop and one other workshop). We will continue to advertise the Young Scientist committee to scientists world wide.
- Enhance contact opportunities for Young Scientists, particularly for first time attendees of the biennial congresses. Encourage contact between TDM and CT specialists.
To achieve this aim educational Young Scientist workshops at the biennial congresses are organized. This enables YS to present on-going research or present interesting cases. The first Young Scientist workshop at the 10th International Congress of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring & Clinical Toxicology in Nice, France, 2007 was a great success.
Transparent communication is possible through the establishment of this Young Scientists Corner and a Young Scientist mailing list for communication and discussion (e.g. current problems in research or routine work).
- Encourage participation of Young Scientists in the activities of the Association.
It is the aim of the Young Scientist Committee to encourage discussion of interesting TDM and CT cases and their publication in TDM journal. Young members can contribute articles to the Young Scientist ‘Scientific Issues’ series in The IATDMCT Compass. PhD students are encouraged to publish the introductions of their thesis as mini-reviews in the YS section of the newsletter and on the website and all Young Scientists are invited to propose topics for workshops and roundtables at the biennial congresses.
