AMP Annual Meeting
NOVEMBER 12-15, 1997
Wyndham Emerald Plaza Hotel
400 West Broadway
San Diego, California 92101
Ph. (800) 626-3988/(619) 239-4500
Fax (619) 239-3274

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

The Annual meeting in San Diego is just around the corner, and we are
thrilled with the program that was developed by Rita Braziel and the
rest of the Program Committee!  It all begins with corporate workshops
on Nov 12th followed by an exciting series of plenary sessions and
practical workshops on November 13-15th.  Interspersed are poster
sessions, social events, exhibitors, and opportunities to network with
people in your discipline.  See you in San Diego!

AMP election results will be announced at the Annual Business Meeting on
Nov 13th.  Please take time to meet the officers that represent you.
These officers will insure AMP's productivity throughout the coming year
as we develop next year's meeting program and address the many important
issues that face us in molecular pathology.  Some of these issues are
mentioned in the Committee Reports in this newsletter.  Please make sure
that your voice is heard as we carve AMP's path towards the future.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the outgoing officers of AMP
whose terms end on December 31st.  Jeff Kant did a wonderful job as
President in 1996.  Among other things he established the CHAMP e-mail
communication system.  He performed an equally valuable job as
Past-President in 1997 by coordinating sponsors and exhibitors for this
year's annual meeting.  Mark Sobel has been truly outstanding as
Secretary-Treasurer for AMP and Chair of the Publications Committee in
1996-97, and he is also one of the most dedicated professionals that I
know.  Rita Braziel deserves accolades for leading the Program Committee
using her well-honed organizational skills.  Tom Williams has been our
most diplomatic Council member in his productive role as Chair of
Training and Education for the past 2 years.  I am grateful to Tony
Killeen for managing the homepage
(http://www.pds.med.umich.edu/users/amp) and to Dan Farkas for editing
this newsletter.  Fran Pitlick and Maricel Herrera are recognized for
keeping the ball rolling in the Central office.  And still there are 20
more Subdivision representatives and Committee members who deserve
thanks for their tireless efforts to benefit AMP!  They will be
recognized by name at the Business Meeting on Nov 13th.  We are so lucky
to have such energetic members working on behalf of the organization.

Peggy Gulley, MD
AMP President
Department of Pathology
University of Texas Health Sciences Center
San Antonio, TX
gulleym@uthscsa.edu

PRESIDENT-ELECT'S MESSAGE



As was 1997, 1998 promises to be a critical year for AMP.  All of the
AMP Council members at large and the AMP Membership would like to thank
our current President, Peggy Gulley, MD, for performing such an
outstanding service to the organization.  In particularly, Peggy has
facilitated our initial journal affiliation discussions and surveys and
has led the AMP through national issues related to genetic privacy and
the setting of standards for the performance of molecular diagnostic
testing.  Importantly, with the assistance of Dr. Tom Williams and the
Training and Education Committee, the AMP Council has worked with the
American Board of Pathology to make recommendations for the new proposed
certificate in Molecular Genetic Pathology.  A particular highlight of
1997 is the formal announcement of a new award in Molecular Diagnostics,
to be co-sponsored by the AMP and Visible Genetics, Inc.  This award,
created under the leadership and efforts of our current Past-President,
Dr. Jeffrey Kant, will be given to a noted individual at each annual AMP
meeting.  The award will be presented yearly to a U.S. or international
investigator whose work has provided the scientific rationale for or led
to the development of novel technologies for molecular diagnostics, or
whose scientific contributions have significantly advanced the clinical
practice of molecular diagnostics in the field of molecular medicine,
particularly molecular diagnostic pathology and genetics.  Nominations
are currently being solicited from the AMP membership through the
Ballots for 1998 offices and our CHAMP list-serve.  We ask that you
please provide the names of individuals for consideration for this
award, as a "write-in" on your AMP ballots for the 1998 offices.  We
also ask you to suggest how we might name the award itself!  This is
clearly a wonderful opportunity for our organization and one which will
bring it international recognition.

As president-elect in 1997, I have facilitated the process of
nominations for our officers for 1998.  This process has gone well and
we are very pleased with our nomination slate, which is detailed
elsewhere in this Newsletter.  As incoming President for 1998, I have
identified three major issues I would like to prioritize.  These issues
include: 1) finalization of our journal affiliation agreement and the
selection of appropriate individuals from our organization to serve as
Editors/Associate Editors, 2) the consideration of whether and how AMP
might align and affiliate with other organizations involved in
fundamental research, translational research, and clinical practice in
molecular diagnostics, particularly in pathology and genetics and
whether we should continue to have a separate annual meeting after the
year 2000 or whether we should partner with other organizations, and 3)
to continue to work with the American Board of Pathology, the American
Board of Medical Genetics, the AACC, and other national agencies who are
offering certification for our various types of specialists involved in
the practice of molecular diagnostics.  I look forward to serving in
1998 and will greatly appreciate your support, advice, and assistance.

Cheryl L. Willman, MD
AMP President-elect
Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology
UNM Cancer Center
cwillman@cobra.unm.edu

Report of the 1997 Nominating Committee
Cheryl L. Willman, MD, Chair

The 1997 AMP Nominating Committee has submitted its list of nominees for
open offices on the AMP Council and the various AMP Subsections.  We are
very proud to present our list of nominees, provided below, to the
general membership for consideration and vote.  The individuals
nominated for office, all of whom have consented to donate their time
and efforts for the future of our organization, truly are outstanding.
As you peruse the list of nominees, you will see that they represent the
depth and breadth of our organization and indeed the practice of
molecular diagnostic pathology and genetics.  Nominees include MDs,
PhDs, MD/PhDs, MA/MS degrees, and molecular technologists, all engaged
in the practice of molecular pathology.  Our nominees are from academic
centers, large private hospitals, and industry.  We are all very
thankful for their willingness to serve.

In the election for the 1998 offices, the AMP membership will elect
subdivision representatives to serve on AMP committees for different
periods of time (one versus two year  terms).  This has resulted from
the recent change in our bylaws, voted by our membership.  These changes
were necessary to ensure that the membership of each committee did not
turn over each year, allowing important committee work to continue
smoothly.  In 1998, the Genetics and Infectious Disease subdivisions
will be electing representatives to the Training and Education Committee
for a two-year term and to the Clinical Practice Committee for a one
year term.  The Hematopathology and Solid Tumor subdivisions will be
electing representatives to serve a two-year term on the Clinical
Practice Committee and a one-year term on the Training and Education
Committee.  For the Nominating Committee, one individual from each
subdivision will serve a two-year term while one will serve a one-year
term.  In the 1999 election, only half of our positions will turn over,
requiring us to develop less complex ballots.

All ballots are due to the AMP Office in Bethesda by October 31, 1997.
Ballots may be mailed or Faxed.  Please exercise your democratic right
to vote for the leadership positions in our organization.

AMP 1998 NOMINATIONS FOR OFFICE
NOMINEES FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT
Pres.-elect in '98; Pres. in '99, etc.
· Wayne W. Grody, MD, PhD
· Mark E. Sobel, MD, PhD

NOMINEES FOR SECT'Y-TREASURER
Serves 2 year term (Jan. '98-January 2000)
· Daniel H. Farkas, PhD, HCLD
· Anthony A. Killeen, MD, PhD

NOMIN.-PROG. COMM. CHAIR-ELECT
Serves as Program Chair for '99 AMP Meeting
· Daniel A. Arber, MD
· Karl V. Volkerding, MD

NOMINEES FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIR
Serves 2 year term (Jan. 1998-January 2000
· Jeffrey A. Kant, MD, PhD
· Debra G.B. Leonard, MD, PhD
NOMIN.-SUBDIVISION CHAIRS-ELECT
Will Serve as Chair-Elect in '98; Chair in '99
GENETICS
· Mark A. Lovell, MD
· Cindy L. Vnencak-Jones, PhD
HEMATOPATHOLOGY
· L. Jeffrey Medeiros, MD


SOLID TUMOR
· Marc Ladanyi, MD
· Maria J. Worsham, PhD
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
· D. Brian Dawson, PhD
· Karen L. Kaul, MD, PhD

SUBDIVISION NOMINEES FOR THE TRAINING & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
GENETICS
· Gregory J. Tsongalis, PhD
HEMATOPATHOLOGY
· Ethel Cesarman, MD, PhD
· Richard S. Larson, MD, PhD
SOLID TUMOR
· Jack H. Lichy, MD
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
· J. Stephen Dumler, MD
· Helen D. Fernandez, MD, PhD

SUBDIVISION NOMINEES FOR THE CLINICAL PRACTICE COMMITTEE
GENETICS
· Andrea Ferreira-Gonzalez, PhD
· Robert B. Wilson, MD, PhD
HEMATOPATHOLOGY
· Jonathan Ben-Ezra, MD
· Rita Braziel, MD
SOLID TUMOR
· Constance A. Griffin, MD
· Linda Wasserman, MD, PhD
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
· Frederick S. Nolte, PhD
· Barbara B. Griffith, MS

SUBDIVISION NOMINEES FOR THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE
GENETICS
· Nahida Matta Akel, MT, MBA
· Nicholas T. Potter, PhD, FACMG
HEMATOPATHOLOGY
· Suzanne Kamel-Reid, PhD
· Richard C. Harvey, PhD
SOLID TUMOR
· Sharon P. Wilczynski, MD, PhD
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
· Richard H. Scheuermann, PhD
· Maher Albitar, MD

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR



A meeting on VIRAL LOAD TESTING was held September 13, 1997 in Dallas.
Information presented was very useful including description of the
GO-100 code useful in billing for HIV-1 quantitation (see Rick Nolte's
discussion in the Infectious Disease Subsection Report).  Reimbursement
levels for this code are established on a state by state basis.  The
meeting was significant in that it represented a collaboration between
AMP and the American Association for Clinical Chemistry in terms of
organizing the meeting.  AMP President, Peggy Gulley was in attendance
and two active AMP members, Dr. Nolte and Dr. Debra Leonard, presented
(and discussed the GO-100 code).

To learn the latest information on the lack of progress in obtaining the
proposed new CPT codes agreed upon by a CAP/ASCP/ACMG joint panel but
again inexplicably "tabled" by the AMA CPT editorial panel, see the
editorial by Drs. Wayne Grody and Mike Watson in Diagnostic Molecular
Pathology, 6:131-133;1997.  The editorial is entitled, "[I got] Those
Elusive Molecular Diagnostics CPT Codes [Blues]".  Parts of it are
"laugh out loud funny" while the overall feeling is one of frustration.
I highly recommend you find and read it.  Kudos to Wayne and Mike for
keeping us up to date and for sticking with what must be an incredibly
frustrating endeavor.

NEWS:  Development of Johnson and Johnson Clinical Diagnostics' "PCR in
a Pouch" self-contained PCR system was discontinued by the company the
week of September 22.

Daniel H. Farkas, PhD, HCLD, CC, CLSp(MB)
AMP Newsletter Editor
William Beaumont Hospital
dfarkas@beaumont.edu


1997 ANNUAL MEETING

San Diego '97


The annual AMP meeting will take place November 13-15, at the Wyndham
Emerald Plaza Hotel, San Diego, California.  The Program Committee has
worked very hard to provide an interesting and useful series of lectures
and workshops (see final schedule below), and many AMP members are
working hard behind the scenes to advance the goals set by the different
subsections at their business meetings at last year's meeting in
Baltimore.  In the short time before the meeting, many of you may be
seeing proposed guidelines or preliminary standardized protocols, for
some clinical molecular tests on CHAMP, the e-mail network for AMP.
Feedback from AMP members is being sought on a variety of issues which
will be addressed within different workshops at the AMP meeting, so
please watch for these e-mail messages and respond.  If you have not yet
registered for the meeting, please call the AMP office for information
(301-571-1880).

There will be some new features of the meeting this year.  In addition
to the usual Plenary Sessions sponsored by the subsections, this year we
will have an Abstract Plenary Session to recognize some of the best
abstracts submitted.  The submitted abstracts were reviewed by multiple
members of the Program Committee and the AMP Council.  Publication of
abstracts and recognition of the best abstracts at a Plenary Session
have resulted in an improvement in the quality of AMP abstracts, and we
hope to see it keep getting better.  AMP abstracts will be published
again this year by the American Journal of Pathology.

Another new feature of this year's meeting is the multiple
Corporate-Sponsored Workshops which will be offered on November 12, the
day before the regular AMP meeting begins.  A list of the specific
workshops, and a description of the planned activity of each, follows
below.  Registration for some workshops is limited, so please call the
AMP office as early as possible to reserve a spot if you are interested
in a particular workshop.  This is a tremendous opportunity for our
members to experience some of the newer technologies available,
conveniently together in one location, so please take advantage of this
chance.

A medical technologists' organizational meeting is scheduled after the
Thursday morning review course sponsored by William Beaumont Hospital.
It is hoped that medical technologists attending the AMP meeting will
use this time to network with each other, talk about molecular pathology
at their institutions, explore common concerns, and discuss the
possibilities of increased formal and informal participation within AMP.

As you can see from the schedule and the list of Corporate Workshops,
the Program Committee, the AMP Council, and many other AMP members have
been working hard over the past year to make the upcoming meeting a
success.  Several people have asked me if we are likely to experience
anything like the YouthQuake in Minneapolis, or the bomb scare at the
airport in Baltimore on the final day which snarled up outbound flights
for many people.  As much as we can anticipate and control, we will
avoid any similar problems which would interfere with our meeting.  We
have reserved all of the meeting space in the hotel so should not be
competing with any other groups (although some may miss the Baltimore
beauty pageants).  The space for exhibitors is much better this year,
and the hotel is in downtown San Diego, easily accessible to many
restaurants and shops.  Please plan to come, and make this year's
meeting the best yet!

Rita Braziel, MD, 1997 Program Chair
Oregon Health Sciences University
Department of Pathology; Portland, OR
braziel@ohsu.edu





1997 ANNUAL MEETING
PROGRAM AND SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
8 am-5 pm Corporate Sponsored Workshops
Evening:  AMP Committee Meetings

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13
7-8:30 am Registration/Continental Breakfast (put up posters; to remain
until 6 PM)

7:55 am Introductory Remarks
Rita M Braziel, MD

8-10 am SOLID TUMORS PLENARY
Moderator-Sandra Wolman, MD
Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD
DNA Methylation Changes and Cancer
Peter Jones, MD, USC/Norris Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA
Effects of DNA Methylation on Formation of DNA Adducts
Gerd Pfeifer, PhD, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA
Two-Dimensional Genome Scanning of Human Gliomas
Joseph F Costello, PhD
Ludwig Institute-Cancer Research, La Jolla, CA
Mismatch Repair Deficiency: A Clue to Hypermethylation in Cancer?
Jean-Pierre Issa, PhD
Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, Baltimore, MD

9-11 am Review Course for Medical Technologists' National Certification
Agency Exam in Clinical Molecular Biology
Moderator-Daniel H. Farkas, PhD, HCLD, CC
Presenters: Richard DiCarlo, MT (ASCP), CLSp(MB) & Ann Drevon, MT,
(ASCP), CLSp(MB)
William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI
Followed by Medical Technologist Organizational Meeting

10-11 am Break.  Visit Posters and Exhibits (Posters Attended)




11 am-NOON ABSTRACT PLENARY SESSION:  Platform Presentation of Selected
Meeting Abstracts
Moderators- Rita M Braziel, MD and Peggy Gulley, MD
11:00 GL Hehman et al.  Determination  of Drug Resistance in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Quantitative Reverse-Transcriptase PCR
Using the ABI TAQMAN.  JL McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital and
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock

11:15 RH Scheuermann et al.  Quantitative PCR as a Predictor of Disease
Onset in a Mouse Model of T-ALL.  University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center, Dallas

11:30 JP Gregg et al.  Determination of Parallel Tissue-Specific Gene
Expression Pattern by DNA Microarray Based Representational Difference
Analysis (RDA) and Gene Expression Analysis.  UCLA School of Medicine,
Los Angeles

11:45 PS Andersen et al.  Mutation Detection by Cleavase in Combination
with Capillary Gel Electrophoresis: Application to Mutations Causing
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Long QT Syndrome.  Statens Serum
Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.

NOON-1 pm Lunch
12:10-1 pm Hematopathology Section Luncheon Meeting

1-3 pm GENETICS PLENARY SESSION
Moderator-Ronald McGlennen, MD
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Molecular Genetics of Craniosynostosis
Maximillian Muenke, MD
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Hemochromatosis: Clinical & Laboratory Aspects
Richard Press, MD, PhD
Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland

3-4 pm Break.  Visit Posters and Exhibits (Posters Attended)
4-6 pm WORKSHOPS-SESSION A
INFECTIOUS DISEASES WORKSHOP I
Infectious Diseases Proficiency Testing Programs-Progress & Lessons
Learned
Moderator-Roberta Madej, MT, MS, MBA
Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, CA

CAP-Dave Persing, MD, PhD
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

HCV (Eurohep)/M. tuberculosis (Netherlands Public Health Laboratory)
Rick Nolte, PhD, Emory University, Atlanta

HSV - Danny Wiedbrauk, PhD
William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI

SOLID TUMORS WORKSHOP I
New and Emerging Tests
Moderator-Thomas Frank, MD
Myriad Genetics, Salt Lake City, UT

Non-invasive Cancer Diagnosis by Detection of Anomalous CD44 Gene
Expression
David Tarin, MD
Director, University of California San Diego Cancer Center

Microdissection as a Tool for Molecular Diagnosis
Michael Emmert-Buck MD PhD
NIH, Bethesda, MD

BRCA1 in Breast Cancer
Thomas Frank, MD

Are all p53 Mutations Detected in Fixed Tissue Real?
Mehrdad Nadji MD, University of Miami

6-7:30 pm Welcoming Reception

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14
7:30 am Continental Breakfast (put up posters; to remain until 6 PM)
8-10 am HEMATOPATHOLOGY PLENARY SESSION
Emerging Technologies: Future Clinical Applications in Hematopathology
Molecular Diagnosis
Moderator-Rita M. Braziel, MD
Use of cDNA Microarray Technology for Assessment of Gene Expression
Patterns in Normal and Neoplastic Cells
Douglas Ross, MD, PhD
Walter V & Idun Berry Fellow
Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Automated Spectral Karyotyping in Leukemias and Lymphomas
Thomas Ried, MD
NIH National Center for Genome Resources, Bethesda, MD

10-11 am Break. Visit Posters/Exhibits

11-NOON AMP MEMBERSHIP BUSINESS MEETING

NOON-1 pm Lunch

12:10-1:00 pm Genetics and Infectious Diseases Sections Luncheon
Meetings

1-3 pm WORKSHOPS-SESSION B
GENETICS-WORKSHOP I
Practicum in Sequence Based Mutational Analysis for Clinical Testing
Moderator-Ronald McGlennen, MD
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Mutational Analysis of the p53 Gene; Assessment of Methods for Routine
Clinical Molecular Genetic Testing
Margaret Suess, MT (ASCP)
Fairview University Medical Center
Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory; Minneapolis

Analysis of Unknown Mutations by SSCP and Sequencing: X-Linked
Agammaglobulinemia (XLA) as a Model
Bratin K. Saha, PhD, Emory University, Atlanta

Mutation Detection by Multicolor Fluorescence Using the ABI Prizm 310
Capillary Electrophoresis System
H. Michael Wenz, PhD
Perkin-Elmer-ABI, Foster City, CA

HEMATOPATHOLOGY WORKSHOP I
How Not to Reinvent or Spin Wheels: Practice Guidelines for Test
Protocols, Quality Assurance, and Reporting (I)
Moderators-Tim O'Leary, MD, PhD, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology,
Washington, DC
Adam Bagg, MD, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

3-4 pm Break.  Visit Posters and Exhibits (Posters Attended)

4-6 pm WORKSHOPS-SESSION C
GENETICS-WORKSHOP II
A Minisymposium in Cardiovascular Genetics
Moderator-Ronald McGlennen, MD
Interface with Genetic Counseling, Sifting Through the Mountain of
Chemical and Genetic Test Data and Working Towards Testing Algorithms
for Hypoerlipidemias, Predisposition to Cardiomyopathy, Familial
Hypertension, and Thrombosis
Nigel Key, MD
Fairview Univ. Medical Center, Minneapolis

INFECTIOUS DISEASES-WORKSHOP II
HIV-Beyond Viral Load Testing
Moderator - Rick Nolte, PhD, Emory University

Antiviral Resistance
Scott Eastman, PhD
Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, CA
Prognostic Indicators
Debra Leonard, MD, PhD
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Tests of Cure
Angela Caliendo, MD, PhD
Massachusetts Gen. Hospital, Boston

7-10 pm AMP Council Dinner Meeting (Current and Incoming Council
Members)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15
7:30 am Continental Breakfast (put up posters; to remain until 5 PM)
8-10 am INFECTIOUS DISEASES PLENARY
Moderator Rick Nolte, PhD
Microbial Pathogen Discovery: Who's Out There?
David Relman, MD
VA Palo Alto Health Care System, CA
Nucleic Acid Sequencing Studies of Microbial Pathogens
Jim Musser, MD, PhD
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston

10-11:30 am Break.  Visit Posters and Exhibits (Posters Attended 10-11)

11:30-12:30 pm Lunch (11:40-12:30 pm-Solid Tumor Section Luncheon
Meeting)

12:30- 2:30 pm SPECIAL TOPICS PLENARY SESSION
Moderator-Cheryl Willman, MD, Univ. NM
How to Maximize Reimbursement for Molecular Testing
Jeffrey Kant, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
Ethical Issues in Clinical & Research Studies Using Human Samples
Mark Sobel, MD, PhD
Laboratory of Pathology, NCI, Bethesda, MD

2:30-3 pm Break-Visit Posters & Exhibits

3-5 pm WORKSHOPS - SESSION D
SOLID TUMORS-WORKSHOP II
Presentation of Selected Abstracts
Moderator-Linda Wasserman, MD, UCSD

HEMATOPATHOLOGY WORKSHOP II
How Not to Reinvent or Spin Wheels: Practice Guidelines for Test
Protocols, Quality Assurance, and Reporting (II)
Moderators - Tim O'Leary, MD, PhD and Adam Bagg, MD

5:30-7 pm AMP Farewell Reception










CORPORATE WORKSHOPS
Jeffrey A. Kant, Coordinator for Exhibits

As previously highlighted in the annual meeting prospectus and CHAMP
postings, there will be an excellent selection of pre-meeting workshops
available on Wednesday, November 12 before the 3rd annual AMP meeting in
San Diego.  Ten workshops presented in the morning and afternoon will
cover a diversity of topics of interest in molecular diagnostics.  The
workshops promise a wealth of background, practical and new information
from companies with a leadership position in this discipline.  AND THEY
ARE FREE!  To accommodate the level of corporate interest, workshops
will run simultaneously in 3 rooms.  Thus, it will not be possible to
attend all sessions, so bring two colleagues, tape recorders or video
cameras if you want to sample everything!   The workshops will range in
length from 1 hour to half a day.

While walk-ins are welcome and should be able to be accommodated at
almost all workshops, for planning purposes, PLEASE indicate to the AMP
office if you expect to attend workshops in the morning or afternoon -
and which workshops if you have decided.  The office may be contacted as
follows:
Association for Molecular Pathology
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814-3993
(301) 571-1880, voice
(301) 571-1879, fax
amp@pathol.faseb.org

FULL SCHEDULE (November 12)
PREMEETING WORKSHOPS-AMP MEETING
Preliminary Schedule (The final schedule is anticipated to contain few,
if any, changes and will be available at the meeting.  Please check it
for changes in schedule, locations, or other details).
8-8:30 AM General Workshop Registration
TOPAZ ROOM (2nd floor)
8:30 AM-NOON Oncor Inc.
10-10:30 AM Break
NOON-1:00 PM Lunch Break
1-2:00 PM Gentra Systems
2-2:30 PM Break
2:30-5:30 PM Perkin Elmer/Applied Biosystems
DIAMOND I (2nd floor)
8:30-NOON Third Wave Technologies
10-10:30 AM Break
NOON-1:00 PM Lunch Break
1-3 PM Visible Genetics Inc.
3-3:30 PM Break
3:30-5:30 PM Epicentre Technologies

DIAMOND II (2nd floor)
8:30 AM-NOON Roche Diagnostic Systems
10-10:30 AM Break
NOON-1:00 PM Lunch Break
1-3 PM Arcturus Engineering*
3-3:30 PM Break
3:30-5:30 PM IncStar Corporation

IVORY (3rd Floor)
8:30-AM-NOON Applied Spectral Imaging*
10-10:30 AM Break
* Limited registration

Note different timing of Topaz Room break versus two other rooms in
afternoon.  There are 10 workshops.  The workshops will occur within the
time frames indicated; it is possible some will not require the full
time allotted.

Please let the AMP office know if you will attend the premeeting
workshops in the morning and/or afternoon,.  Indicate specific workshops
you expect to attend.  Thanks very much.

1. ONCOR, INC.
Advances in FISH: Current Research Studies in Solid Tumors and
Hematologic Malignancies
Elucidating the genetic component of tumors is an important and routine
part of cancer evaluation.  In many ways, we are now beginning to
benefit fully from molecular techniques, such as fluorescence in situ
hybridization (FISH).  Before the advent of FISH, analysis of the
chromosome complement in tumors, particularly solid tumors, has been
difficult.  This has been due in large part to the difficulty in
obtaining good quality metaphase preparations and because abnormal cells
may not always respond to the mitogen in the culture media.  FISH
overcomes these obstacles by enabling chromosome analysis in interphase
nuclei.  Additional benefits are derived from the ability to evaluate
the background morphology and score hundreds of nuclei rapidly, greatly
improving the accuracy of the analysis.  This symposium will review
current research studies using FISH in a variety of solid tumor and
hematologic malignancies.

2. GENTRA SYSTEMS
Novel DNA Purification System:  Prepare Genomic DNA In As Little As Five
Minutes Without Sacrificing Quality or Yield
Human Genetics and Clinical Molecular Diagnostic Laboratories require
rapid and reliable DNA sample preparation methods.  Most current methods
are slow and often produce inconsistent results.  We have developed
methods, the GenerationTM DNA Purification System, to purify DNA for PCR
or other DNA analyses that is rapid and easy-to-use yet produces
consistently high quality and yield.  Generation is a flexible solid
phase system utilizing either 1 or 2 reagents that can be seamlessly
linked to PCR and other downstream analyses.  In a workshop format, we
will present the Generation products and results demonstrating utility
in clinical and other applications.

3. PERKIN ELMER APPLIED BIOSYSTEMS
Automated Molecular Diagnostic Systems for the Clinical Lab
The Molecular Diagnostics Division of Perkin Elmer Applied Biosystems is
developing a broad spectrum of products that offer the clinical
diagnostic laboratory the most accurate, cost effective and flexible
systems for molecular diagnosis of disease and therapeutic monitoring.
An overview of the comprehensive development and research programs
underway for genetic disease, infectious disease, immunology, and cancer
will be presented.  This will include reagent and software products
currently available and future products in development.  In addition,
the workshop will include a demonstration of the ABI PRISM 310 Genetic
Analyzer, a capillary electrophoresis system for DNA sequencing and
fragment analysis.  This analyzer is the most reliable, easy-to-use
system on the market.  Its gel-free and automatic sample loading
features make it ideal for clinical laboratories concerned with reducing
hands-on time and labor costs.   This versatile system is already in use
worldwide for a wide range of applications including:  DNA sequencing,
Oligo Ligation Assay (OLA), Microsatellite Instability and more.

4. THIRD WAVE TECHNOLOGIES, INC
Detection of DNA Mutations by Cleavase Fragment Length Polymorphism
Analysis.
Third Wave Technologies, Inc. has developed novel technologies for the
acquisition, analysis and management of genetic information.  Our first
product employing our proprietary Cleavase® enzymes is an exciting
alternative to sequencing called Cleavase Fragment Length Polymorphism
(CFLP®) analysis.  This analysis is based on the observation that
denatured single strands of DNA can assume defined conformations, which
can be detected and cleaved by structure-specific endonuclease such as
the Cleavase enzyme.  The cleavage patterns produced are characteristic
of the sequence analyzed, so that each DNA has its own structural
fingerprint.  Sequence differences as subtle as point mutations are
reflected as changes in this fingerprint.  Participants in the Third
Wave Technologies Workshop will learn the principles and applications of
CFLP technology and see the technique demonstrated.  In addition, we
will introduce other innovative Cleavase enzyme applications that will
be available in early 1998.

5. VISIBLE GENETICS INC.
Sequence-Based HIV Genotyping for Drug Resistance Determination
Visible Genetics will present its sequence-based methodology, based
around its TrueGene GeneKit and OpenGene automated DNA sequencing
system, for HIV genotyping and drug resistance determination.  Visible
Genetics' TrueGene GeneKit can be used to determine the genotype of both
the RT and Protease regions of the POL gene.  Mutations in these two
genes have been implicated in the resistance to reverse transcriptase
and protease inhibitors, respectively.  The workshop will include an
overview of the assay strategy as well as a demonstration of an actual
sequencing run which will generate results in 30 minutes.  In addition,
the use of the OpenGene system in the investigation of opportunistic
infections associated with HIV infection with be discussed.

6. EPICENTRE TECHNOLOGIES
A Practical Workshop On Second Generation Technologies For Molecular
Diagnostics
This workshop will involve presentations and hands-on demonstrations of
recent advances in nucleic acid extraction technologies, PCR protocols,
and mutation detection.  Participants will learn and observe new
molecular methods including tips to assure their success.  In
particular, the following methods will be discussed, i) a non-organic,
non-column based method for total extraction of RNA,  ii) the
BESTTT-ScanTM  kit to quickly detect and identify unknown mutations or
to perform genotyping, iii) high throughput methods for generating PCR
ready DNA from mammalian and microbial sources, and iv) rapid
optimization of conditions for consistent PCR amplifications, even for
difficult templates.  Products for all of these methods have been
designed and manufactured with the clinician in mind in order to assure
the quality necessary when doing research that impacts human health.

7. ROCHE DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS, INC.
Automation of PCR for the Clinical Laboratory (including Quantitation)

8. ARCTURUS ENGINEERING, Inc.
Laser Capture Microdissection
Recently developed gene array technology now allows researchers to
determine patterns of gene expression in normal and diseased tissues.
Many challenges remain along the road to assembling a reliable gene
expression data base and applying this data base to develop new cancer
diagnostics.  Reliable gene expression mapping demands that pathologists
select pure populations of cells from tissue samples.  Arcturus
Engineering, working with the NIH under a Cooperative Research and
Development Agreement, has developed a new microdissection instrument
based on the method of Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) (Science,
274: 998, 1996).  This system allows precise, sterile microdissection of
standard histopathology tissue sections providing a convenient method
for obtaining pure cell populations from a wide range of tissue
samples.  In this workshop, we will review the basic concepts behind
LCM, demonstrate numerous examples of tissue microdissection, and
present recent results obtained using the Arcturus PixCellTM LCM
instrument.

9. INCSTAR CORPORATION
Demystifying DNA Probe Diagnostics
DNA probe assays are the most exciting breakthrough in
immunodiagnostics in recent years.  They offer an immeasurable
opportunities to explore the fundamental nature of many diseases and
will carry detection and diagnostic testing into the next millennium.
Speed, specificity and the chance of early detection make DNA probe
tests highly attractive to hospital laboratories.  INCSTAR and SORIN
Diagnostics, together present a novel method which overcomes the
practical obstacles of previous analytical methods:  organic solvents,
radioactive reagents, as well as specialized instruments, time and
training.  This methodology, known as DNA Enzyme Immunoassay (DEIA), is
a universal detection system which enables clinical diagnostic
laboratories to perform the most up-to-date tests, previously available
only in specialized laboratories.  Furthermore, the test may be run
routinely and undertaken safely by using reagents, protocols and
instruments with which existing staff are already familiar.

10. APPLIED SPECTRAL IMAGING
Spectral Karyotyping (SKY)
The workshop will introduce participants in spectral karyotyping (SKY),
a method enabling the visualization of all chromosomes in different
colors (see Science, 273: 494-497).  Following a brief overview of
spectral imaging and applications of spectral karyotyping to
hematopathology and solid tumors, participants will be introduced to
Applied Spectral Imaging's SKYView spectral karyotyping software.  Each
participant will have an opportunity to work at a spectral imaging
workstation and analyze (i.e., karyotype) images of various samples
types previously hybridized with Applied Spectral Imaging's SKYPaint
24-color fluorescence in-situ hybridization kit.


PUBLICATION GUIDELINES FOR OFFICIAL AMP DOCUMENTS





The AMP Council has adopted a policy to guide publication of articles
that result from AMP committee work.  These official AMP publications
should deal with issues that are important to our members and to the
discipline of molecular pathology.  The documents should have "AMP
Statement" or similar wording in the title.  The society "owns" these
publications and is responsible for page and reprint charges.

It is important that these official AMP publications represent consensus
views.  A review procedure has been devised by which appropriateness for
publication and specific recommendations for improvement are made by
representatives from each Subdivision, from the Publications Committee,
and from Council.  All members should be kept informed of documents that
are being prepared for publication, and an atmosphere of teamwork and
democracy among society members should pervade.
Council members considered at length whether individual authors should
be listed or whether the articles should be anonymous.  After much
debate, the majority viewpoint was that official society documents
should be focused on the issues and not personalized through individual
authorship.  This model has been used by other societies where the chief
contributors are listed in a footnote.  In this way, these contributors
are recognized for their work, and readers know who was elemental in
preparing the document.  At the same time, the document comes across as
more democratic and truly representative of the society as a whole.  We
recognize that preparation of a manuscript requires major effort, but so
do many other AMP projects that do not result in publication, such as
devising AMP responses to various regulatory and legislative bodies, or
development of the annual meeting program, etc.  Such projects,
including preparation of a manuscript, provide advantages to the
contributors through interaction with members who share a mutual
interest in the topic.  Crediting contributors in a footnote still
promotes their reputation as informed experts, and many academicians
include such manuscripts in a special section of their CV.  For members
concerned about promotion or tenure, a letter to your Chair can be
written in support of your contributions to the society.

The full text of the "AMP Publication Guidelines" will be made available
to all members in the next version of our Membership Directory.  These
guidelines were adopted in the best interest of our society.  We feel
blessed to have such industrious and dedicated AMP members to help
implement these guidelines for the benefit of our own members and also
for the benefit of the larger medical community who will have the
opportunity to read our published reports.


Peggy Gulley MD, on behalf of the AMP Council

REPORT ON THE USE OF HUMAN TISSUE CONTROVERSY
As reported in the last newsletter, both the Executive and Legislative
branches of the Federal Government are considering the ethics of the use
of human tissue in research studies and clinical practice.  The National
Bioethics Advisory Commission was formed late in 1996, and has been
deliberating on the rights of human subjects and on the use of human
tissue for research, and the need for informed consent.  Although the
Commission was originally supposed to complete its deliberations by
October 1997, the deadline has been extended.  The Pathology Community
has had the opportunity to voice its views to the Commission through a
new, revised version of the Consensus Statement on Use of Human Tissue.
The Revised Pathology Consensus Statement was completed during the
summer of 1997 by the original members of the College of American
Pathologists Ad Hoc Committee on Human Tissue, and was approved by the
AMP Council.  Look for the revised statement on the AMP Home Page.

On the legislative front, Senator Domenici's proposed bill (S.422), "The
Genetic Confidentiality and Nondiscrimination Act" is being re-worked; a
hearing this year is still possible.  Several other bills are being
introduced in this Congressional Session that involve privacy and
confidentiality.  An update on these will be further discussed during
the Annual Meeting in November.

Contributed by: Mark Sobel, MD, PhD
Secretary-Treasurer
Chair, Publications Committee
molpath@helix.nih.gov

REPORT FROM THE SECRETARY-TREASURER
The AMP membership voted overwhelmingly to adopt the proposed amendment
to the Bylaws that changes the terms of office of representatives from
each scientific Subdivision to the Nominating, Training & Education, and
Clinical Practice Committees.  These changes were necessary to ensure
that the membership of each committee did not completely turn over each
year, allowing important committee work to continue smoothly. The
ballots that you receive this year will reflect the changes in the
voting procedure. The voting in 1997 is a "transition" year to
accommodate a gradual change in committee membership.

Contributed by:
Mark Sobel: 301-496-7999/molpath@helix.nih.gov

JOURNAL AFFILIATION COMMITTEE
We are delighted to report the progress of the Journal Affiliation
Committee.  We seek to identify a journal to publish the abstracts from
our annual meeting and to serve as forum for communication on subjects
of interest to our members.  The following criteria are considered
important in journal affiliation:

1.  Publication of original articles encompassing clinical molecular
diagnostics, technological advances, and translational research in
molecular pathology.  Also included are AMP abstracts, editorials,
review articles, announcements, and papers about regulatory issues,
credentialing, quality assurance, reimbursement, ethics, or other topics
of relevance to molecular pathology.
2.  Topics span the areas of scientific interest defined by the
Subdivisions of AMP, namely Infectious Disease, Genetics/Inherited
Disease, Hematopathology, and Solid Tumor.  Other topics such as HLA
typing and DNA fingerprinting should also be considered.

3.  To insure that AMP members' interests are met, AMP selects a journal
Editor (subject to publisher approval) and works with the Editor to
appoint an Editorial Board that harbors experts from each of the
pertinent scientific disciplines.  High quality journal content and
rapid processing of articles from the time of submission to publication
necessitate a well managed Editorial Board and journal office.

4.  Wide readership and Medline citation are important for maintaining
ongoing communication with the larger medical community.
5.  Cost and affordability of subscriptions are critical in determining
whether the journal can be made available to AMP members as a benefit of
membership.

The Committee conducted a survey of AMP members, and we communicated
with six journals regarding their ability to meet the needs of our
members.  We were pleased by the response from these journals who were
eager to develop a relationship with us.  At the AMP business meeting on
November 13th, the recommendations of the Committee will be presented
and will be open for discussion. 

AMP Journal Affiliation Committee: Peggy Gulley (chair), R Braziel, A
Killeen, T Williams
Contributed by Peggy Gulley, MD


CLINICAL PRACTICE COMMITTEE
The AMP clinical practice committee (composed of Rick Press, Adam Bagg,
Rick Nolte, Syd Finkelstein, Rob Wilson, and Debra Leonard) has had a
busy term and has lately been devoting its efforts to the following
major concerns:

Legislative Regulatory Issues
The ever-changing world of Washington politics has given the genetic
testing industry much scrutiny in this and the previous legislative
sessions.  In particular, we have seen the rise and fall of one quite
comprehensive (translated as "restrictive") genetic privacy bill (New
Mexico (R) Senator Pete Domenici's "Genetic Privacy and
Nondiscrimination Act") and more lately have heard of wide congressional
and presidential support for the much more specific (and reasonable in
this reviewer's opinion) "Genetic Information and Non-discrimination in
Health Insurance Act" introduced by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY).  Some
important features of these pending pieces of legislation include:

A. Domenici's "Genetic Privacy and Nondiscrimination Act":
If enacted, this bill would create major restrictions/alterations on the
basic operations of genetic testing labs based on its main premises that
1) genetic information is broadly defined, and 2) the individual being
tested has significant control over both the material being tested and
the resulting genetic information.  This law would require a complex
written informed consent process for each genetic test, and would make
the DNA sample the "property" of the tested individual.  Furthermore,
unless directed otherwise in writing (by the individual being tested),
testing labs would be required to routinely destroy the DNA sample upon
completion of each genetic test.  As you could likely guess from the
above restrictions, "research" activities involving genetic analysis
would also be subject to extensive restrictions which (in this
reviewer's opinion) could significantly curtail scientific progress.
The extremely restrictive language of this bill has made it unpalatable
to the biomedical community in general (and pathologists, in
particular).  Perhaps realizing that such an extreme set of measures
might not garnish broad congressional support, Senator Dominici has
(according to several reports) quietly pulled his bill back for a
re-working.  Fortunately for us in the pathology community, this bill is
quite unlikely to be passed (or perhaps not even re-introduced) this
year.  I would hope that we would all protest strongly to our elected
representatives (as individuals and as a medical society) should this
bill rear its ugly head any time in the future.  Our professional lives
would be significantly altered by such a bill (and likely not for the
better).

B.  Slaughter's "Genetic Information and Non-discrimination in Health
Insurance Act"
This less restrictive bill makes no references to the regulation of the
laboratory testing industry, informed consent, genetic "ownership", or
many other quite controversial issues.  Instead it specifically
addresses a major concern of the American people - that genetic test
results may render health insurance more difficult (or expensive or
impossible) to obtain.  In particular, this bill would restrict group
health plans from denying, canceling, refusing to renew, or changing the
terms, premiums, or conditions of health insurance coverage based on the
results of genetic information.  It would also prevent health insurers
from requesting or requiring a genetic test as a condition of coverage
and would require written informed consent before the health plan could
disclose genetic information to another party.  The bill's sole intent
(and a noble one in our opinion) is to outlaw genetic discrimination in
the health insurance industry.  A likely outcome of alleviating the fear
of health insurance discrimination would then be increased demand for
certain genetic tests. As pathologists and genetic "testers", the
clinical practice committee strongly endorses this bill.  We hear that
this bill is slowly amassing bi-partisan congressional (as well as
presidential) support.  We'll keep our fingers crossed for its ascent to
law, and keep our ears to the ground.

The Generation of "Practice Guidelines" for our Most Popular Tests.
The initial AMP-sponsored practice guidelines addressing Factor V R506Q
(Leiden) genotyping (genetics, Rob Wilson), p53 genotyping (solid
tumors, Syd Finkelstein), HIV viral load assays (ID, Rick Nolte), and
IgH PCR (hematopath, Adam Bagg) are slowly progressing.  The p53
guideline is the best-evolved of these species and will likely be ready
for publications committee review sometime soon.  The intent of these
guidelines is to summarize key issues (and recommendations) concerning
the clinical utility of these tests.  We look forward to your specific
comments on these guidelines, as only then will they be true consensus
statements.

Nomenclature of Molecular Pathology Tests
In an attempt to better standardize the diverse array of names for the
tests that we perform in our labs, the CP committee has formulated draft
recommendations for consensus "test names" for molecular pathology
tests.  The initial use of these consensus names will be in the revision
of the AMP test directory, which will be undertaken beginning in early
1998.  A more standardized nomenclature system will (hopefully) allow
all of us to communicate more clearly both with ourselves and with other
medical professionals.  Preliminary discussions are also underway with
various other organizations that are also attempting to better
standardize test nomenclature terminology (LOINC, HCFA, ICD-10, Helix,
Genline) so as to get us all speaking the same language.  A draft of our
preliminary "test name" document will be available for general AMP
member review quite soon.  Again, the more comments directed at this
document, the more likely it will become a true "consensus" of molecular
pathology opinion.

As always, I welcome your ideas on these and all other practice-related
issues.  I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you in San Diego.

Contributed by:
Rick Press MD, PhD
Chair, Clinical Practice Committee
Director of Molecular Pathology
Oregon Health Sciences University
pressr@ohsu.edu


TRAINING & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
As readers of this newsletter are aware, the American Board of Pathology
and the American Board of Medical Genetics have proposed joint residency
training programs in molecular genetic pathology.  Details of the
proposal were published on CHAMP a few months ago.  The Committee
prepared comments for the ABP regarding the proposed training programs
in general and gave the Board specific feedback about the proposed
guidelines.

AMP members may be interested in some of the information we were able to
give the Board about our Association and education and practice in
molecular pathology.  Preliminary analysis of the data from our recent
survey of pathology training programs was useful in compiling this
material.  (We hope to present a complete analysis of the survey data
soon.)  We have presented some of our comments to the Board below in an
edited form:

AMP was established in 1994 by 265 active members as the result of an
overwhelming demand by participants in previous yearly molecular
diagnostics workshops that were held since the early 1990s.  Currently,
the Association has 495 active members.  AMP members reside in 37
states, the District of Columbia and 18 foreign nations.  Attendance at
the AMP annual meeting was 315 individuals in 1996.  Each year, our
annual meeting has been organized around four scientific disciplines
that reflect the fields of medical practice in which molecular
diagnostics has had most impact:  inherited disease, solid tumor
genetics, hematopathology, and infectious disease.

The current practice of molecular genetic pathology is highlighted in
the results of a survey our Training and Education Committee recently
conducted of pathology residency training programs in the United
States.  Of 175 programs surveyed, 93 responded. These programs
identified 191 individuals within their faculties whose primary clinical
responsibilities reside within molecular pathology.  Thus, there are a
substantial number of physicians and scientists engaged in the practice
of molecular pathology in academic health care settings.  Our survey did
not address non-academic molecular pathology practice, but we know that
commercial reference laboratories and, increasingly, community pathology
groups require the services of physicians with molecular pathology
expertise.

The surveyed programs viewed education of residents in molecular genetic
pathology as a priority.  More than 80% of residency programs provided
an organized resident rotation in molecular pathology.  The rotations
varied from 2 weeks to 3 months in length and took on many different
formats.  Ten of the responding programs indicated that they currently
offered fellowship training in molecular genetic pathology, and an
additional 14 programs plan to organize a fellowship in the next 24
months.  Fellowships consisted of a 1-3 year program in focused or broad
areas of molecular pathology relevant to hematopathology, infectious
disease, human genetics, molecular oncology, histocompatibility , and
human identification.  Responding residency programs represented all
major regions of the United States.
Contributed by Tom Williams
University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Department of Pathology
Tom_Williams@somasf.unm.edu


INFECTIOUS DISEASES SUBSECTION
Coding and Reimbursement for HIV-1 Viral Load Tests
HIV-1 viral load testing has become a critical tool for predicting
disease progression and for the rapid assessment of antiretroviral
therapy.  Despite its medical necessity there is no physicians' current
procedural terminology (CPT) code or combination of codes that
adequately describe this test.  The current CPT codes do not work for
HIV-1 testing and molecular diagnostics, in general, for the following
reasons.  A variety of different CPT codes in the molecular diagnostics
and microbiology sections of the CPT manual are used to describe the
same test.  The codes are not analyte specific.  The same codes are used
to describe molecular diagnostic tests for infectious diseases,
oncology, and genetic diseases.  For many of these tests, the clinical
utility is not well established.  The wide variation in payment for
HIV-1 viral load tests is partly due to the array of existing CPT codes
that can be used.  The reality of the situation is that the current CPT
codes are useless for tracking utilization of specific tests and
actually obstruct the ability of payers to process claims for HIV-1
viral load tests.
On April 7, 1997, the Health Care Financing Administration established a
new national common procedure coding system (HCPCS) code: G0100 "HIV-1
viral load, quantitative".  It is officially in the HCPCS system and can
be used by Medicaid, Medicare, and private payers as they determine
appropriate.  The new code specifies the outcome of a test rather than
the method, therefore the code applies to all HIV quantification methods
(e.g. RT-PCR, bDNA, and NASBA) even non-FDA cleared methods.  No other
codes will be paid in connection with a HIV-1 viral load test billed
under the HCPCS code G0100.  No national fee for this code has been
established and laboratories should contact local Medicare officials for
the policy in their state.  In the interim, if providers use this code,
they should bill their fee and each fee submitted will be individually
considered by the carrier for reasonableness.

Rick Nolte, PhD
Chair, Infectious Diseases Subsection
Department of Pathol. & Laboratory Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
fnolte@emory.edu

SOLID TUMOR SUBSECTION
The Solid Tumor section will arrange organ-oriented discussion groups to
meet at lunch on Saturday at the AMP meeting.  Tables will be organized
for focus groups interested in breast, colon, and brain tumors.  Please
contact Sandy Wolman at (swolman@usuhs.mil) if you plan to join any of
these tables, or would like to lead the discussion, or would like to
organize a group around a different topic.

Contributed by:
Sandra Wolman, MD
Uniformed Services University
Bethesda, MD
swolman@usuhs.mil

THE ELECTRONIC AMP
AMP Home Page:
http://www.pds.med.umich.edu/users/amp
CHAMP (champ@champ.pathology.pitt.edu)
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO CHAMP: Send an e-mail message to:
listserver@champ.pathology.pitt.edu
with a blank message title.  The body of the message should say:
subscribe champ <user name>  Your subscription request will be forwarded
for approval (1-7 days).  Members in good standing will be approved.
HOW TO POST A MESSAGE ON CHAMP:
e-mail to: champ@champ.pathology.pitt.edu
A descriptive title is encouraged to help members decide whether to read
the e-mail.

Questions?  Contact Jeff Kant, MD, PhD  kant@np.awing.upmc.edu



AMP Membership History



Regular members with professional degree
ended ended active
Joined 1995 1996 1997 Total
1995 12 37 174 223
1996 22 86 108
1997 55 55
Totals 12 59 315 386

Regular members without professional degree
ended ended active
Joined 1995 1996 1997 Total
1995 4 8 17 29
1996 5 12 17
1997 16 16
Totals 4 13 45 62

Associate members
ended ended active
Joined 1995 1996 1997 Total
1995 10 5 15 30
1996 13 18 31
1997 8 8
Totals 10 18 41 69

Sponsors
ended ended active
Joined 1995 1996 1997 Total
1995
1996 4 8 12
1997 10 10
Totals 4 18 22

Active members
1995 1996 1997
Regular (MD, PhD)
223 319 315
Regular (MS) 29 42 45
Associate 30 51 41
Totals 282 412 401