President's Message

Due to the unfortunate passing of our President, Dr. David Boothman, Council has decided to proceed with promoting the President Elect and moving forward with electing a new President Elect in the following election. Therefore, I will assume the responsibilities as President of our Society. Certainly, to maintain continuity, our previous President, Dr. Peter Stambrook, will also help coordinate efforts of the Society. Dr. Stambrook has played a major role in the last decade, helping propel the society to a new level. Together, with Dr. Steve Goodman, Editor in Chief, and past President Dr. Warren Zimmer, along with several others the Society will continue to grow and develop, organize and host outstanding meetings and be home to a diverse community of scientists. For example, the recent International Meeting at the King’s College in London organized by Dr. Stambrook and Dr. Farzin Farzeneh on Cancer Immunotherapy and Biotherapeutics was a tremendous success. The conference featured leading academic and industry experts and discussed new developments in understanding the intricacies of cancer biology and interactions with the immune system. In addition, exciting presentations discussed ongoing clinical applications and a wide range of therapeutic strategies that are being developed. At the meeting, Dr. Goodman relayed that the impact factor of the Society’s flagship journal, Experimental Biology and Medicine, has been increasing steadily over the years and has now reach a new recent high of just over 3. Undoubtedly, this is testament to his efforts to both expand the number of scientific categories and globalize the journal (in addition to all the hard work of the Associate Editors, Editors and staff members). That being said, the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine is organically driven and I encourage members to get involved and contribute. Please consider attending the Experimental Biology Meeting in 2020 which will be held in San Diego - the society is hosting a number of fantastic sessions!

For seven years he was an Endowed Professor at Case Western University where he also assumed the Associate Directorship for Basic Science at the Cancer Center’s Wolstein Research Building. His research and career then took him to The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to found their Cell Stress and Cancer Nanomedicine Program. In 2017 he moved to the Indiana University School of Medicine as Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Chair in Cancer Biology andthe Associate Director of Translational Research in the Simon Cancer Center. Over his distinguished academic career, David trained more than 50 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and residents who are successful scientists and physicians in many countries in the world.

The SEBM and the scientific community have lost a valuable colleague, a friend and a wonderful scientist. He had served the scientific community in multiple capacities and regrettably his term as President of SEBM was truncated by his unfortunate and untimely death. As details become known to the SEBM leadership, we will communicate them to the membership. We also wish to ensure the membership that for the interim of Dr. Boothman’s term as SEBM President, his Presidential responsibilities will be carried out jointly by President Elect, Dr. Tom Thompson and by Dr. Peter Stambrook, the immediate Past President, both of whom are committed to the continued success and vitality of the Society.

Tom Thompson
SEBM President