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The International Society for Applied Cardiovascular Biology consists of members actively involved in research endeavors
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Successful Off-Year Meeting 2009 in Chiang Mai
Masanori Aikawa, MD, PhD
Director, Center for Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular Sciences, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Executive Council Member, ISACB
ISACB holds biennial meetings as well as off-year meetings. Elena Aikawa and I enjoyed last November’s off-year meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We had intense scientific discussions and active networking during the meeting. In addition, the meeting venue — the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi — was truly remarkable. This society always chooses attractive cities for their meetings, and I believe that Chiang Mai was one of the best.
Scientific Program
Dr. Howard Greisler hosted the Chiang Mai meeting. While organizing a meeting without local coordinators is generally very difficult, Dr. Greisler’s careful programming and hospitality enormously contributed to the two-day meeting’s success. The 2-day meeting had a keynote lecture, delivered by Dr. David Williams, and also covered the following topics:
1. the path to practical engineered tissues: cell recruitment in vivo versus cell
incorporation in vitro;
2. engineering vascularized tissues: the scaffold versus the signal;
3. control of intimal hyperplasia: biomechanics versus drugs versus cells;
4. starting from scratch: curricular design for cardiovascular bioengineering;
5. the mythology of the stem cell;
6. publication ethics: the truth, the whole truth, and something else but the truth; and
7. the unsung heroes and unfeared villains (inflammatory processes and lymphangiogenesis).
Dr. Williams’s keynote lecture provided a comprehensive review of the nature of biomaterials, which may have particularly helped audience members from outside the field (myself included) by providing updated information about biomaterials (see Dr. Williams’s article in this issue of e-Circulator). 
Other presenters included: Drs. Greisler, Julie Campbell, Jeff Hubbell, Peter Zilla, Peter Lelkes, David Vorp, Stu Williams, Mary Chan, Gary Bowlin, Patricia Wolfe, Melody Swartz, Elena Aikawa, and myself. All of the speakers delivered quite interesting and provocative lectures in an informal setting, promoting heated and fun discussions. While all of the scientific presentations were excellent, I particularly enjoyed topic #4, on education. Three speakers provided their views on curricular design as educators and mentors, while another speaker described her experience as a mentee. Dr. Stu Williams, one of the presenters at this session, shares his insight in his essay in e-Circulator. In addition to the high quality of the speakers and attendees at this meeting, I believe that the diversity and multidisciplinary nature of the group were important attractions, and represented well the concept of ISACB.
Meeting Venue
As soon as we arrived at the meeting venue — the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi — we were convinced that our long trip from Boston was absolutely worth it. It is Dr. Greisler’s favorite resort, spread over 60 acres of natural landscape and incorporating the rich heritage of the Lanna Kingdom. The weather was pleasant throughout our stay. On one beautiful morning, we had an executive council business meeting at a small, exotic gazebo in the middle of a rice paddy. The sunlight shone upon the green rice and enhanced the amazing moment. At the resort, every scene was so beautiful and peaceful that my physical and mental stresses disappeared. Its wonderful spa offered the discount prices to those associated with ISACB, and its services further accelerated the reduction of stress levels. Notably, the authentic Thai meals served at the lunches and dinners of the meeting were delicious. The hotel employees were pleasant and attentive. During one session, I got a few small mosquito bites, and asked one of the employees whether the hotel had a drug store where I could buy some anti-itch lotion. He politely said no, and apologized for the inconvenience. To my surprise, 10 or so minutes later, he came to the meeting room and gave me an unopened container Tiger Balm at no charge. This is just one of several sweet episodes that took place during our stay.
Chiang Mai
ISACB tends to hold meetings in unique cities that one would probably not visit otherwise. Chiang Mai was another excellent choice. As mentioned, the hotel was outstanding. The official dinners occurred in casual and upscale restaurants downtown, both of which served fantastic food. However, the climax was elephant trekking, as one of the meeting’s social activities. A one-hour bus ride went through downtown Chiang Mai and its suburbs and brought us to the elephant training center.
Following amazing elephant shows, we began the tour. For Elena, who cannot even tolerate rollercoaster rides, going up and down in the jungle on a large elephant’s back seemed life-threatening. Dr. Vorp, sitting happily with his wife on the elephant ahead of us with his camera in his hand, captured several perfect moments where Elena was scared to death. Our elephants finally went into the river before the end of the tour. Calm and heavenly bamboo rafting followed this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
It is nice to spend a few days with your fellow scientists in a relaxing atmosphere, exchanging updated information. ISACB is a unique society that always offers such invaluable moments.
