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.[2]

Genetics Society of America
Founded1930 (1930)
93-6023830[1]
Location
MethodJournals, symposiums, education, and membership.[1]
Members
5,500+
Hugo Bellen, DVM, PhD
Tracey de Pellegrin
Revenue (2013)
$3,950,041[1]
Expenses (2013)$3,463,720[1]
Endowment$26,756[1]
Employees (2013)
0[1]
Volunteers (2013)
14[1]
Websitewww.genetics-gsa.org

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 serves an international community of scientists who use genetics to make new discoveries and improve lives.[3] Its mission is to cultivate an inclusive, diverse research community that engages with the public, communicates the excitement and implications of discovery, and serves as an authoritative source of information. Its activities include:

  • advancing biological research by supporting professional development of scientists
  • communicating advances and fostering collaboration through scholarly publishing and conferences
  • advocating for science and for scientists

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:

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.[4]

GSA conferences

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

  • C. elegans: The 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 the 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 (TAGC).[5] Intended to be held every four years, the 2020 TAGC conference was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][7]

GSA awards

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

Selected past presidents

Source: GSA

References
  1. "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". The Genetics Society of America Inc. Guidestar. December 31, 2013.
  2. An Abridged History of the Genetics Society of America
  3. "About GSA". Genetics Society of America. Retrieved 2019-12-18.
  4. 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
  5. "Media alert: The Allied Genetics Conference (TAGC) 2016". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 2016-07-14.
  6. "A message from the GSA President about the cancellation of TAGC". Genes to Genomes. 2020-03-16. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  7. "We're bringing scientists together, even while apart". Genes to Genomes. 2020-04-02. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
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