American Society for Intercellular Communication (ASIC)

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Summary: The American Society for Intercellular Communication (ASIC) was created by principal investigators from the United States and Canada with a goal of creating a home for research encompassing emerging mediators and pathways of intercellular communication (IC) beyond the scope of the existing societies. Organizers have focused on regular yearly meetings with interest in extracellular vesicles, particles, and RNA (EV/EP/ExRNA) and other complex pathways of molecular exchange. We believe that having ASIC as a reputable organization in North America is significant since it will provide an intellectual home for young scientists who are interested in basic science and bench to bedside related EV and non-EV research. The location of the meeting (Bolger Center; Potomac, MD) provides a platform that allows direct communication between PIs and program officers from government agencies with interest in EV research including NIH, NIST, FDA, and NSF. The meeting and the Society are innovative in many ways including that the meeting topics cover a broad range of IC processes far beyond the focus of existing societies that have been largely dominated by exosome-related research. In contrast, ASIC opens the door for studies on all supramolecular pathways of communications including EV/EP/ExRNAs, intercellular synapses, nano- and microtubes and other mechanisms. In addition, the relatively low cost of the meeting, which includes registrations, meals, and hotel, enables more students, postdocs, and junior faculty to attend. In order to further promote the inclusion of Under Represented Minorities (URM) and reduce the impact of gender or other bias, ASIC has formed the Diversity and Inclusion ASIC Committee (DIAC) under the leadership of Dr. Julie Saugstad. Along these lines our Aims focus on bringing together investigators from diverse basic science and clinical fields to discuss and advance understanding of the multifactorial impact of EV/EP/ExRNA in diagnostics, treatments, and a basic understanding of the biogenesis of normal vs. diseases states; engage young new investigators in the field of EV/EP/ExRNA and their advancement in becoming independent successful colleagues, and bring together interested parties to discuss relevant key significant topics regarding IC, and disseminate information presented at the conference to the scientific community-at-large as well as to health care providers and the general public.