Genetics Society of America

The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is a scholarly membership society of more than 5,500 genetics researchers and educators, established in 1931. The Society was formed from the reorganization of the Joint Genetics Sections of the American Society of Zoologists and the Botanical Society of America.^[3]

GSA members conduct fundamental and applied research using a wide variety of model organisms to enhance understanding of living systems. Some of the systems of study include Drosophila (fruit flies), Caenorhabditis elegans (nematode roundworms), yeasts, zebrafish, humans, mice, bacteria, Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress), maize (corn), Chlamydomonas (green algae), Xenopus (frogs), and other animals, plants, and fungi.

Mission

GSA's mission^[4] is to deepen understanding of the living world by advancing the field of genetics. Its goals include:

• Fostering an international community of geneticists by promoting interaction among geneticists (including microbial, plant, animal, human, and population and theoretical geneticists) while cultivating a community of thought leaders in the field.
• Ensuring genetics fulfills its potential for broad impact by facilitating the application of genetic tools and approaches in biological research.
• Educating students and the public by promoting genetic literacy of students at all levels, and by providing a respected and authoritative voice on genetic issues that are increasingly in the public eye.
• Supporting the next generation of geneticists by providing active mentoring, networking opportunities, and support to attract the brightest scientific minds to the field and enable them to pursue successful careers as geneticists.
• Communicating discoveries by offering scholarly platforms for publication of high-quality, original genetics research and key foundational discoveries.
• Advocating continued support of genetics research by advocating for support of discovery research and promoting the value of genetics research.

Programs

Investigation of inheritance and heredity

The GSA advocates funding of research in genetics, primarily through its membership in the Coalition for the Life Sciences (CLS), Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), Research!America, and American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS). These organizations of leading scientists fosters public policies to advance basic biological research and its applications in medicine and other fields. The GSA also strives to inform state and national legislators about advances and issues in genetics.

Interaction among geneticists

The GSA organizes and sponsors several conferences for researchers (see below). These include the long-running model organism meetings: Yeast (biennial), C. elegans (biennial), Fungal (biennial) and Drosophila (annual meetings), and the new Society-wide Model Organisms to Human Biology meeting (biennial). The Meetings and Membership Committee welcomes opportunities to sponsor other meetings appropriate to its mission. The GSA Reporter, the Society’s newsletter (published three times a year), keeps members apprised of Society activities.

Communication of discoveries

The GSA publishes GENETICS, the leading journal for geneticists since the first issue in 1916, and G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, an open-access journal publishing high-quality fundamental research in genetics and genomics.

Education of students and the public

The GSA’s Education Committee seeks to facilitate the integration of advances in genetics in the K through college curriculum. The GSA communicates to the public advances in genetics and answers to issues by providing expert opinion to the press and others.

Publications

GSA publishes two peer-edited scientific journals:

• GENETICS. Established in 1916, GENETICS is a monthly scientific journal publishing investigations bearing on heredity, genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology. The current editor-in-chief is Mark Johnston.
• G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics. Established in 2011, G3 is an open access scientific journal which provides a forum for the publication of high‐quality foundational research, particularly research that generates useful genetic and genomic information such as genome maps, single gene studies, genome‐wide association studies, and QTL studies, as well as mutant screens and advances in methods and technology. The current editor-in-chief is Brenda Andrews.

The Society also publishes The GSA Reporter (formerly GENEtics), GSA's member newsletter.

In 2013, the Society announced an editorial partnership with the American Society for Cell Biology to collaborate on the publication of journal CBE–Life Sciences Education.^[5]

GSA conferences

GSA organizes a number of scientific meetings, including many focused on model organisms of use in genetic studies.

• C. elegans: The International C. elegans Meeting is generally held in odd-number years.
• Chlamydomonas: The International Conference on the Cell and Molecular Biology of Chlamydomonas is generally held every four years in North America.
• Drosophila: The Annual Drosophila Research Conference is held annually.
• Fungi: The Fungal Genetics Conference is generally held in odd-numbered years.
• Mouse: GSA has organized both the Mouse Genetics Conference and Mouse Molecular Genetics Conference.
• Xenopus: The International Xenopus Conference is generally held in even-numbered years.
• Yeast: The Yeast Genetics Meeting is generally held in even-numbered years.
• Zebrafish: The International Conference on Zebrafish Development and Genetics is generally held in even-numbered years. The Strategic Conference of Zebrafish Investigators is generally held in odd-numbered years.

In 2016, the Society co-located several of these meetings for The Allied Genetics Conference.^[6]

GSA awards

The Genetics Society of America recognizes outstanding geneticists with following awards:

• The Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal for lifetime contributions to the field of genetics
• The Genetics Society of America Medal for outstanding contributions to the field of genetics in the last 15 years
• The George W. Beadle Award for outstanding contributions to the community of genetics researchers
• The Elizabeth W. Jones Award for Excellence in Education in recognition of significant and sustained impact on genetics education
• The Edward Novitski Prize in recognition of extraordinary creativity and ingenuity in solving problems in genetics.
• The DeLill Nasser Awards for Professional Development in Genetics for young geneticists to attend national and international meetings and enroll in laboratory courses.

References

1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". The Genetics Society of America Inc. Guidestar. December 31, 2013.
2. 1 2 "Board of Directors. Genetics Society of America. Accessed on January 18, 2016.
3. ↑ An Abridged History of the Genetics Society of America
4. ↑ GSA Mission Statement
5. ↑ Stefano Bertuzzi and Adam P. Fagen. (2013) Societies coming together in support of life sciences education. CBE–Life Sciences Education 12: 318-319; doi:10.1187/cbe-13-05-0098
6. ↑ "Media alert: The Allied Genetics Conference (TAGC) 2016". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 2016-07-14. 

External links

• Genetics Society of America website
• GSA Facebook page
• GSA Twitter feed
• The Allied Genetics Conference