“Cell Biology 2004 Press Book” Now Open Online for Working Press

Newswise — A downloadable "pdf" version of "Cell Biology 2004," the press book for the American Society for Cell Biology 44th Annual Meeting, Dec. 4-8, 2004, is now accessible to science journalists who register at: https://www.ascb.org/ascbsec/pressregfrm04.cfm. Registration is free, carries no obligation to attend, and is thus one heck of a deal.

Once registered, journalists will obtain a secure HTML address by e-mail with a printed version of "Cell Biology 2004" to follow by mail. The contents of both versions of "Cell Biology 2004" are embargoed against publication until Friday, Dec. 3, 2004 at 5 pm, Eastern US time.

Each year, the scientist members of the Public Information Committee (PIC) "peer screen" hundreds of abstracts submitted for presentation at the ASCB Annual Meeting in December, searching for those with the strongest potential news value. "Cell Biology 2004" features the 15 top papers chosen this year by PIC "peer-screening" from more than 1,200 mini-symposium submissions. This year's press book features breaking research on embryonic stem cells, cell phones, bubonic plague, polycystic kidney disease, Parkinson's, CNS repair, viral infection, and why all mammals (including humans) are born starving, plus the answer to the question: What was Raquel Welch really doing in the 1965 bio-sci-fi classic flick, "Fantastic Voyage?"

Beyond the press book, this year's ASCB meeting features eight major symposia on everything from "Stem Cells" to "Light in Cell Biology," 33 "mini-symposia" on virtually everything else, 1400 posters, a dazzling exhibit hall, and 7,000 cell biologists, from Nobel laureates to grad students, from everywhere on Earth. To see the whole scientific program, go to: http://www.ascb.org/meetings/am2004/pdfs/program.pdf

The researchers behind all 15 press book stories will be at the meeting and available to the Press at one of our three "TEN AM PRESS BRIEFINGS" on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday morning. These are short and informal sessions where journalists can put a face to a name, set up interviews and still dash off to the 11 AM presentations.