Miami - 2005

Welcome by Joe McGowan


Presentation by Alex MacKay (UBC, Vancouver) 
entitled “Myelin water imaging - the most direct MR measure of myelination”
brief description of myelin
 T2 relaxation measurement and analysis
 results from controls including comparison of myelin water fraction to MTR, FA, education and age; 
data from MS and PKU
 pathology validation.
 T2 is more than just a number!


2006 White Matter Study Group Workshop presented by Alex MacKay
 Advances in Myelin Imaging – Formation, Destruction and Repair
 Vancouver, Canada - February 8-10th, 2006
 Venue: The Westin Bayshore Resort and Marina (http://www.westin.com/bayshore) - rooms are being held from Feb. 4-12th and people can make reservations through: http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/booking/reservation?id=0505133843&key=EADA8
Gala dinner on Grouse Mountain (http://www.grousemountain.com/) at The Observatory (http://www.grousemountain.com/grousemountain-observatory-restaurant.cfm)
 Day 1 – Fundamentals of myelin structure, development and pathology with imaging applications 
Day 2 – In-vivo CNS and PNS myelin markers
Day 3 – Affects of myelination, dysmyelination and demyelination


Introduction/Review of Members of the Board by Joe McGowan
Joe McGowan, Doug Arnold and Massimo Filippi present
 Joe McGowan (chair), Peter Van Zijl (secretary) and Mark Van Buchem (member) to retire next year

Renewal of Study Group Charter
 Easy to justify
 4 international scientific meetings with posters and talks
 stable membership

Report to the ISMRM board
 to occur May 11th, 2005

Future workshop programs TBD
 Suggestions from the membership?

Name and focus of the group
 Suggestions from the membership for a new name to include more aspects of our members research (aging, development, myelin, grey matter…)

Membership
 Full: 86
 Student: 148
 Other: 5
 A poll of attendees was taken and it was determined that a quorum of voting full members (17 people, >10% of members) was present, rendering valid the following decisions of the group

Proposal #1 - Modify Election Procedures to elect new board members annually to three-year terms (17 votes (100%) in favour) 
Requires a one-time procedure for 2006 
Elect 5 new board members and one Chair
 Chair elected directly (2005 meeting decision) 
2 members elected to three year terms (highest vote totals)
 2 members elected to two-year terms (next highest) 
1 member elected to one-year term (next highest) 
Subsequent elections for members with expiring terms

Proposal #2 - Establish new procedures for the selection of officers (17 votes (100%) in favour) 
Secretary and Program Director chosen by Chairman from volunteers on the Board, to serve for the remainder of their terms on the Board

Revisit “big questions” and mission of WMSG
 papers/meetings on trial design, definitions, criteria, staging? Suggestions from membership solicited
get more involved in ISMRM program (propose speakers and topics for plenaries, suggest education courses)?
organize educational activities?
 production of a Journal supplement?
 open suggestions are welcome (e.g. via email to jmcgowan@usna.edu or to any board member)

Meeting called to adjourn (Greg Stanisz, Mark Van Buchem)
17 votes (100%) in favour)