ANNOUNCEMENT AND CALL FOR Meeting Abstracts

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and its journal Anesthesiology announce the 19th annual Journal Symposium, to be held at the ASA Annual Meeting on October 19, 2010, in San Diego, California. The 2010 Journal Symposium will highlight up-and-coming and noteworthy concepts in anesthesia research and clinical practice.

Anesthesiologists have generally considered their work done and successful if patients were well a day or two after surgery. However, there is increasing evidence that perioperative management has the potential to influence patient outcomes weeks, months, and perhaps even years after surgery. This symposium will explore aspects of anesthetic care most likely to be associated with alterations in long-term outcome.

Three invited speakers will lead the session. Daniel I. Sessler, M.D., Professor and Chair Department of Outcomes Research, Cleveland Clinic, will discuss long-term consequences of intraoperative management; Philip J. Devereaux, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, McMaster University Departments of Medicine (Division of Cardiology) and Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, will describe how we can substantially cut the risk of major vascular complications among patients undergoing noncardiac surgery in the coming decade; and Simon C. Body, M.B.Ch.B., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, will discuss the team role of intraoperative transfusion management upon long-term outcomes.

Investigators from around the world with an interest in this subject are requested to submit their work to the ASA for the Annual Meeting. Abstracts from both basic and clinical sciences are welcome. Studies examining or evaluating key biomarkers in perioperative and critical care medicine are encouraged. Abstracts should be submitted via  the usual online process (which can be accessed through the Web sites www.asahq.organd www.anesthesiology.org). Interested individuals should be sure to check the “Journal Symposium” box on the abstract submission form to be considered for inclusion in this special session. The deadline for abstract submission is March 31, 2010. Abstract selections will be made by the symposium organizers in conjunction with members of the Anesthesiology Editorial Board.

The authors of abstracts selected for the symposium will be offered an opportunity to submit their work to Anesthesiology for inclusion in a special issue to be published in the spring of 2011.

Anesthesiology, in conjunction with the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER), is pleased to announce the 3rd annual joint conference to be held at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Annual Meeting on October 19, 2010, in San Diego, California.

A beneficial effect on outcome has never been demonstrated for blood product transfusion. In contrast, hundreds of publications have found an association between blood product transfusion and adverse outcomes. However, recent literature indicates that transfusion of “fresh” red cells may have fewer adverse consequences. Furthermore, recent literature also states that focusing on coagulation is essential early after major trauma and the avoidance of fresh frozen plasma transfusion may be misguided. This session will explore these issues and provide a forum for presentation of recent findings in transfusion and resuscitation.

Three invited speakers will lead the session. John Holcomb, M.D., Director of the Center for Translational Injury Research at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, will describe the role of FFP in improving outcomes after trauma; Elliott Bennett-Guerrero, M.D., Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, will discuss new blood on postoperative outcomes; and Donat R. Spahn, M.D., F.R.C.A., University Hospital Zürich, will describe outcomes after transfusion.

These lectures will be accompanied by the presentation of posters selected for their relevance to the symposium topic. The joint conference date, time and location will be announced at a later date.

Abstracts should be submitted via  the usual online process (which can be accessed via  the Web sites www.asahq.organd www.anesthesiology.org). Interested individuals should be sure to check the “Anesthesiology/FAER Joint Conference” box on the abstract submission form to be considered for inclusion in this special session. The deadline for abstract submission is March 31, 2010.

The authors of abstracts selected for the session will be offered an opportunity to submit their work to Anesthesiology for inclusion in a special issue to be published in the spring of 2011.

The Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) is seeking nominations for the 2010 FAER Award for Mentoring Excellence in Research. This award was created to ensure that the value of outstanding mentors is recognized and to encourage, develop, and retain these valuable individuals in our specialty.

The FAER Award for Mentoring Excellence in Research recognizes mentorship rather than scientific accomplishment. Nominees must have mentored anesthesiologists or scientists who have worked in the United States and contributed significantly to the practice. The award is focused on the successful development of mentees, not on the mentor's professional accomplishments. Nominees should be superior mentors, seen as supporting the future of the specialty.

The deadline for nominations is March 31, 2010. Details on the nomination process and a nomination form are available at www.faer.org.

The annual American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Award for Excellence in Research recognizes an individual for outstanding achievement in research that has or is likely to have an important impact on the practice of anesthesiology.

The individual's work must represent a body of original, mature, and sustained contribution to the advancement of the science of anesthesiology. The nominee need not be a physician, an anesthesiologist, or a member of the ASA, but must be presently engaged in research related to anesthesiology, academically accomplished with peer-reviewed publications and funded research, and nominated in response to a call for nominations. The completed application must include the nominee's current curriculum vitae, a letter of nomination, and a seconding letter from one individual with an understanding of the research contributions of the individual.

The 2009 Award for Excellence in Research was presented to William L. Young, M.D., at the ASA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, October 19, 2009. Dr. Young is the James P. Livingston Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and Professor of Neurological Surgery and Neurology, at the University of California, San Francisco.

The deadline for nominations for the 2010 Excellence in Research Award is March 31, 2010. Please submit nominations or any questions regarding this award to George H. Kendall, Managing Editor, Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157; e-mail: managing-editor@anesthesiology.org.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Presidential Scholar Award recognizes colleagues who dedicate their formative careers to research.

The deadline for nominations for the 2010 Presidential Scholar Award is March 31, 2010. Anesthesiologists who are within seven years of their first appointment to a department of anesthesiology, who are board-certified, who are ASA members, and who spend at least two days per week in clinical practice are eligible for the award. Nominees must be academically accomplished with peer-reviewed publications and funded research. Candidates should be nominated by their department chair or by the Committee on Research after review of the current year's grant applicants of the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research. The nominee's department chair should submit a letter of support and the nominee's current curriculum vitae as well as one seconding letter from a senior faculty member. Only one nominee per department will be accepted.

The recipient of the 2009 Presidential Scholar Award was Mihai V. Podgoreanu, M.D., F.A.S.E., who received his award at the ASA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, October 19, 2009. Dr. Podgoreanu is an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology in the Department of Anesthesia, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.

Please submit nominations or any questions regarding this award to George H. Kendall, Managing Editor, Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157; e-mail: managing-editor@anesthesiology.org.