[Gofriends] International Society for Biocuration (ISB) and conference update

[Petra Fey]

Dear Biocurators, Biocuration PIs and Supporters,

At the 2007 International Biocurator meeting in San Jose, CA, the  
idea of forming a professional association for scientists working in  
the field of biocuration gained momentum. After the meeting, a  
planning group of almost 20 people formed to explore possibilities  
for realizing this idea. A recent survey in the biocurator community  
asking if people preferred an independent society or just an  
affiliation with an existing society gave overwhelming preference to  
the formation of an independent society. We are now taking the first  
steps toward the formation of such a society, the International  
Society for Biocuration (ISB). The International Society for  
Biocuration will be based in Geneva, Switzerland, where the UniProt/ 
Swiss-Prot group will provide essential support.

We are currently in the process of preparing documents and creating  
the infrastructure to formally incorporate. We will inform you when  
formalization is complete and will then send information about  
membership.

The goals of the future International Society for Biocuration are  
manifold. The formal organization of biocurators will help define the  
profession of biocuration and its place within the wider research  
community. It will provide a forum for biocurators, interested  
developers, researchers, and students to exchange experience and  
ideas, which will facilitate the sharing of tools and documentation.  
To strengthen stability of funding, the society will contact funding  
agencies to promote the importance of this work. The organization  
will also build relationships with publishers and establish links  
between researchers and databases through journal publishers.  
Moreover, the society will maintain a job market forum and organize a  
regular international meeting.

The next International Biocurator Meeting is in the planning stage.  
The meeting will take place in spring 2009 in Germany. The meeting  
aims to invite all biocurators and their colleagues, and thus will be  
larger than previous meetings. This meeting will be the first one to  
be held under the helm of the International Biocuration Society.

Please forward this message to anyone you think might be interested.  
Stay tuned for upcoming information about the International Society  
for Biocuration and the International Biocurator Meeting 2009.


Best regards,

Petra Fey on behalf of the Biocuration Society Planning Committee
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