The latest news on ABRF Events & Activities
June 29, 2021
  • President’s Message

  • Final call for LMRG Study Volunteer

  • July 14 town hall reminder: Proteomics Research Groups Updates

  • Member Spotlight: Kym Delventhal
  • New issue of Journal of Biomolecular Techniques   

  • 2021 Annual Meeting sample:  Core Facility Funding Models

  • Chapters’ Corner – NERLSCD/MAD SSCi updates
Message from the President 
Hello ABRFer’s

I would like to congratulate Drs. Sheenah Mische and Nick Ambulos, co-chairs of the FASEB Shared Research Resources Task Force, for hosting an outstanding Round Table that was held on June 17th to collect feedback that focused on their report and listened to other perspectives on the development of policies, strategies, and best practices necessary to sustain our nation’s critical shared resources. I would also like to thank the many ABRF members who presented and led breakout sessions. Fantastic Event!
As noted previously, ABRF membership has nearly doubled to over 1,500 members since our 2020 annual meeting in Palm Springs. There will be a new Member Orientation led by Dr. Thayumanasamy Somasundaram by on Wednesday, July 21st at 3:00 pm ET. Registration is required. Both new and “old” members are welcome to attend. I look forward to meeting and seeing everyone at the event.

Kevin Knudtson
ABRF President
LMRG Study – Volunteers Wanted – RSVP by June 30
The Light Microscopy Research Group (LMRG) of the ABRF needs YOUR help for a study to assess reproducibility in quantitative image analysis!

We are seeking volunteers to segment 3D fluorescence microscope image sets and provide us with both their analysis and their analysis strategy. Our goal is not to find novel segmentation algorithms, but to compare segmentation results and strategies across a broad cross-section of volunteer analysts. You can help by analyzing one (or more!) images for us! We need participants from all levels of image analysis experience. Everyone can participate - from students to core directors to image analysis experts. We would like to have all response collected by the end of June.

Please register to participate here.
July 14 Town Hall Reminder: Proteomics Research Groups Updates
Proteomics Research Groups’ Update: Reagents and Standards
with content from Promega 
Register today to learn more about the latest work of ABRF Proteomics Research Groups:
Standards Proteomics Research Group (sPRG) Presentations:
  • Multi-Species Standard to Assist Quantitative Proteomics
  • Chris Ashwood, University of Nebraska Medical Center
  • A Multi-Pathway Phosphopeptide Standard for Rapid
  • Phosphoproteomics Assay Development
  • Brian Searle, Ohio State University
  • Sponsor Presentation:  Mass Spectrometry Standards
  • Mike Rosenblatt, Promega
Member Spotlight
Kym Delventhal
Head Genome Engineering
Stowers Institute for Medical Research

Kym is the Head of Genome Engineering at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City, MO. She joined the Stowers Institute in 2003 as a Research Technician after graduating Kansas State University with degrees in microbiology and chemistry. She served multiple roles within the former Molecular Biology core facility, providing services to internal researchers before starting a new core focused on genome engineering technology. Currently her lab provides services using CRISPR-Cas technology to generate custom cell lines and animal models in 30+ species, as well as pooled screens.
Kym attended her first ABRF meeting in 2007 and helped form the Genome Editing Research Group (GERG) in 2015. She served as Chair of GERG from 2017-2019 during which time they completed a survey of commonly used methodologies for genome engineering reagent delivery and a guide RNA reproducibility study using the same set of reagents in four GERG member labs. Kym is resuming the GERG chair duties in 2021 and is excited to bring in additional genome engineering core leaders to join our efforts.
Her involvement with ABRF, and specifically GERG, have had significant impacts on the success of her services and lab. Understanding rapidly evolving technology, how to apply it to projects, and support it as a service is hard to do on your own. Kym’s GERG colleagues have been a tremendous resource to discuss and learn from and they have inspired me to incorporate methods that make our core stronger.
Kym looks forward to seeing her ABRF colleagues again in Palm Springs!
(If you would like to suggest an ABRF Member to be featured in a future Spotlight, please send your ideas to ABRF.)

New JBT Issue
View articles from the upcoming issue of the Journal of Biomolecular Techniques, including: Data Management Tools to Measure the Impact of Core Facilities,
Smith, D., et al.
2021 ABRF Annual Meeting Sample Content
Core Facility Funding Models - Beyond Charging User's Grants and Sponsored Projects
The 2021 ABRF Virtual Annual Meeting included a wide range of timely updates and presentations on current developments in research and technologies used throughout core facilities.  Access the recording of this timely session to learn more.

Chapters' Corner: MAD SSCi & NERLSCD Updates
2021 virtual annual meeting in 12 parts: next sessions: Tuesday, July 13: 12:00 – 2:00 pm ET
Choose from Single Cell Cores: Service Models and Best Practices or Visual Communication Skills for Core Facilities. Register here.

NERLSCD 2021 – in-person – November 3-5, Portsmouth, NH. Mark your calendars for the return of ABRF events in person. Program and registration details will be available soon. Limited sponsorship opportunities available.

If you have information for future ABRF Updates to share with your ABRF colleagues, please send your contributions to ABRF Updates to be included in an upcoming issue.