Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities

The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities [http://www.abrf.org (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.

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.

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.
* Computational Biology Research Group (CBRG)
* DNA Sequencing Research Group (DSRG)
* Edman Sequencing Research Group (ESRG)
* Genomic Variation Research Group (GVRG)
* Light Microscopy Research Group (LMRG)
* Microarray Research Group (MARG)
* Molecular Interactions Research Group (MIRG)
* Nucleic Acids Research Group (NARG)
* Protein Expression Research Group (PERG)
* Proteomics Research Group (PRG)
* Proteomic Informatics Research Group (iPRG)
* Proteomic Standards Research Group (sPRG)
* Survey Research Group

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 2006, February 11-14, Long Beach, California
* ABRF 2007, March 31- April 3, Tampa, Florida
* [http://www.abrf2008.org/ ABRF 2008, February 9-12, Salt Lake City, Utah]
* ABRF 2009, February 7-10, Memphis, Tennessee
* ABRF 2010, March 20-23, Sacramento, California

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: [cite web |url = http://www.abrf.org/index.cfm/group.show/ABRFAward.5.htm|title = ABRF Award|accessdaymonth = 19 December |accessyear = 2007 |publisher = Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities]

*2008 Ruedi Aebersold
*2007 Donald F. Hunt
*2006 Roger Tsien
*2005 Stephen Fodor
*2004 Edwin Southern
*2003 Franz Hillenkamp and Michael Karas
*2002 John Fenn
*2001 Csaba Horváth
*2000 Leroy Hood
*1999 Marvin Caruthers
*1998 Bruce Merrifield
*1997 Lloyd Smith
*1996 David Lipman
*1995 Klaus Biemann
*1994 Frederick Sanger

Journal of Biomolecular Techniques

The ABRF is the publisher of the Journal of Biomolecular Techniques. The journal is peer-reviewed and is published quarterly. 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.
*Gregg Fields, Editior in Chief, Florida Atlantic University
*Jay Fox, Associate Editor, University Of Virginia Health System
*Clive Slaughter, Associate Editor, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

ABRF Executive Board

* Michael Doyle, President Bristol-Myers Squibb
* Scottie Adams, Secretary/Treasurer, [http://www.trudeauinstitute.org Trudeau Institute]
* Nancy Denslow, University of Florida
* Michelle Detwiler, Roswell Park Cancer Institute
* Arnold Falick, University of California, Berkeley
* Jeff Kowalak, National Institute of Mental Health
* Chris Turck, [http://www.mpg.de/english/institutesProjectsFacilities/instituteChoice/psychiatrie/index.html 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: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

References

External links

* [http://www.abrf.org Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities ABRF]
* [http://www.faseb.org Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology FASEB]
* [http://www.abrf.org/index.cfm/list.home ABRF Discussion Forum]
* [http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/tocrender.fcgi?action=archive&journal=540 Journal of Biomolecular Techniques]
* A typical core facility; This site is randomly selected from ABRF core facilities.