Below is a description of this excellent conference. I learned a great deal from the one I attended.
Dr. Jerold Bell (Clinical Associate Professor of Genetics Department of Clinical Sciences Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine) want to get the word out about the Tufts Breeding and Genetics conference Friday Sept 16 - Saturday Sept 17, 2011 in Boston. This is our 5th conference - offered every other year. It is open to the public, and is geared towards breeders and practicing veterinarians to explain the practical applications of molecular genetic research findings. These include disease risk, genetic testing, genetic counseling, breeding, and breed genetic diversity.
The conference is unique, because it is broken into 4 half-day sessions that are each followed by a 1 hour discussion session. This allows significant interaction between breeders/owners, researchers, and practicing veterinarians. Many AKC-CHF funded breed-related research projects have been generated from discussions that started at previous Tufts conferences.
While the lecture material is based on complex subjects, it is presented in a general fashion suitable for a mixed breeder/veterinarian audience. Subjects to be presented and discussed at this year's conference include gene searching research, auto-immune diseases, cancer (breed predisposition, prognostic tests, and treatment), behavior (both normal and abnormal), cardiac disease, breed diversity and survival, and the proper use of genetic tests. There will also be scientific posters on additional subjects for view during the conference.
Speakers include; Dr. Lisa Barber (Tufts), Dr. Jerold Bell (Tufts), Dr. Lorna Kennedy (Manchester, UK), Dr. Kerstin Lindblad-Toh (Broad Institute), Dr. Susan Little (Bytown Cat Hospital), Dr. Leslie Lyons (UC-Davis), Dr. Cathryn Mellersh (Animal Health Trust, UK), Dr. Jaime Modiano (U-Minn.), Dr. Alice Moon-Fanelli (Tufts), Dr. Cynthia O'Connor (Slade Veterinary Hospital), Dr. Mark Neff (T-Gen/Van Andel), Dr. Heidi Parker NHGRI/NIH), Dr. Mark Rishniw (Cornell), and Dr. Rachael Thomas (NC State).
Conference registration is priced at an affordable $215 prior to August 21st. This includes all lectures (single tract), breakfast and lunch both days, and the conference proceedings on CD. After the conference, the proceedings will be available to the public on-line. Proceedings from previous conferences are available at www.vin.com/tufts/2009<;http://www.vin.com/tufts/2009>. The conference will be held at the Omni Parker House, a historic hotel in downtown Boston. We have negotiated a discounted rate at the hotel, and there are other inexpensive hotels in the area.
Please pass on this information to representatives from the parent clubs, so that their members can be aware of this educational opportunity. I am attaching a copy of the registration form. A preliminary schedule is posted on the Tufts website (http://www.tufts.edu/vet/ce/events/20110916.html), and an updated schedule with lecture titles will be posted later in July. This conference is made possible by a grant from Nestle' Purina PetCare. Please let me know if there are any questions.
Sincerely,
Jerold S Bell, DVM
Clinical Associate Professor of Genetics Department of Clinical Sciences Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine 860-749-8348, fax 860-749-4760
