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The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) is dedicated to advancing core and research biotechnology laboratories through research, communication, and education. ABRF members include over 700 scientists representing 267 different core laboratories, including those in industry, government, academic and research institutions.[1]
History
In 1986 a Research Resource Facility Satellite Meeting was held in conjunction with the Sixth International Conference on Methods in Protein Sequence Analysis. The next year protein sequencing and amino acid samples were sent to survey 103 core facilities. By 1989 the ABRF was formally organized and incorporated. Each year an annual meeting was held as a satellite meeting of the Protein Society until 1996 when separate meetings began.[2]
ABRF Research Groups
Research Groups are established to fulfill two of the purposes of the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities. First, to provide mechanisms for the self-evaluation and improvement of procedural and operational accuracy, precision and efficiency in resource facilities and research laboratories. Second, to contribute to the education of resource facility and research laboratory staff, users, administrators, and interested members of the scientific community.[3]
Resource Technologies
Members of ABRF are involved in a broad spectrum of genomic and proteomic technologies such as:
- Automation: high throughput screening, LIMS, robotics.
- Biophysics: calorimetry, CD, fluorescence, light scattering, SPR, ultracentrifugation.
- Gene Expression and Profiling: gene arrays, real-time PCR.
- Mass Spectrometry: qualitative, quantitative, and structural analysis of proteins, carbohydrates, oligonucleotides, and lipids.
- Nucleic Acid Chemistry: DNA sequencing, DNA synthesis, RNA synthesis, genotyping.
- Protein Expression, Identification, and Profiling: differential fluorescence, conventional 2-D gel electrophoresis, disease biomarker discovery.
- Protein/Peptide Chemistry: amino acid analysis, N- and C-terminal sequencing, peptide synthesis, peptide/protein arrays.
- Separations: 1- and 2-D PAGE, capillary electrophoresis, chromatography.
- Quality Control: GLP, GMP, quality and compliance.
- Other: bioinformatics, carbohydrate analysis, differential display, microscopy/imaging, recombinant protein production.
Annual Conference
Every year the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities annual conference is held during the spring in a varying North American city. The meeting is used to expose members to new and emerging biotechnology through lectures, roundtables, Research Group presentations, poster sessions, workshops and technical exhibits.
- ABRF 1996, March 30- April 2, San Francisco, California; Biomolecular Techniques
- ABRF 1997, February 9-12, Baltimore, Maryland; Techniques at the Genome-Proteome Interface
- ABRF 1998, March 21-24, San Diego, California; From Genomes to Function - Technical Challenges of the Post-Genome Era
- ABRF 1999, March 19-22, Durham, North Carolina; Bioinformatics and Biomolecular Technologies: Linking Genomes, Proteomes and Biochemistry
- ABRF 2000, February 19-22, Bellvue, Washington; From Singular to Global Analyses of Biological Systems
- ABRF 2001, February 24-27, San Diego, CA; The New Biology: Technology for resolving Macromolecular Communications
- ABRF 2002, March 9-12, Austin, Texas; Biomolecular Technologies: Tools for Discovery in Proteomics and Genomics
- ABRF 2003, February 10-13, Denver, Colorado; Translating Biology Using Proteomics and Functional Genomics
- ABRF 2004, February 28- March 2, Portland, Oregon; Integrating Technologies in Proteomics and Genomics
- ABRF 2005, February 5-8, Savannah, Georga; BioMolecular Technologies: Discovery to Hypothesis
- ABRF 2006, February 11-14, Long Beach, California; Integrating Science, Tools and Technologies with Systems Biology
- ABRF 2007, March 31- April 3, Tampa, Florida; Creating the Biological Roadmap
- ABRF 2008, February 9-12, Salt Lake City, Utah; Enabling Technologies in the Life Sciences
- ABRF 2009, February 7-10, Memphis, Tennessee; Application and Optimization of Existing and Emerging Biotechnologies
- ABRF 2010, March 20-23, Sacramento, California; Translating Basic Research With Advances in Biomolecular Technology
- ABRF 2011, February 19-22, San Antonio, Texas
ABRF Award
The ABRF Award is sponsored by Agilent Technologies and is presented at the annual ABRF meeting for outstanding contributions to Biomolecular Technologies. Past Award Winners:[4]
Journal of Biomolecular Techniques
The ABRF is the publisher of the Journal of Biomolecular Techniques. The journal is peer-reviewed and is published quarterly.[5] The major focus of the journal is to publish scientific reviews and articles related to biomolecular resource facilities. The Research Group published reports include annual surveys. News and events, as well as an article watch focused on techniques used in typical core facility environments are also included.
ABRF Executive Board
- Michelle Detwiler, President, Roswell Park Cancer Institute
- Arnold Falick, Secretary/Treasurer, University of California, Berkeley
- Scottie Adams, Trudeau Institute
- Karen Jonscher, University of Colorado
- Jeff Kowalak, National Institute of Mental Health
- Jack Simpson, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
- Chris Turck, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry
- Tony Yeung, Fox Chase Cancer Center
ABRF Office
Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: 301-634-7306
Fax: 301-634-7420
ABRF@abrf.org
References
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