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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Dear Colleagues,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">As you probably already figured, due to Covid-19, the 2021 Intl. AUC conference will unfortunately not be held in person this year. Therefore, we decided to postpone the in-person event until 2022, so anyone
who wants to can travel to join the event with us here in Lethbridge, Canada without travel restrictions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">That being said, we still want to have an online event this summer. It will be a bit reduced in scope, since everyone is probably already zoomed out. The plan is for a 3 day meeting, each day 4 hours, on August
24-26, strategically timed to allow convenient participation from the west coast, USA, and from Europe. To better accommodate the other half of the globe we plan to record everything for asynchronous viewing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Given the changed format, we also were thinking about a slightly different focus: AUC 2021 will emphasize inclusiveness in format, content and participation. We will stick to our traditional topics of solution
studies for a range of biological and synthetic systems across a broad range of analytical platforms, presented in several formats (scientific talks, workshops, panel discussions, etc) that are suitable for an online format. In addition, we will have our Svedberg
lecture & award, and keynote speakers that include women, minorities, and students and young investigators, especially those from previously under-represented countries.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Bo has spoken with Beckman, they agreed to substantially sponsor this event as in years past, and help us organize it, and especially help us with the technical support to deliver such an event online/electronically,
effectively and without glitches.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">At this point we would like to gather suggestions and (self-)nominations from those of you who would be willing to serve on the scientific advisory committee for this event. Its charge will be the nomination
and election of the Svedberg Award speaker, keynote speakers, workshops, panel discussion participants, and student presenters (from submitted abstracts). Since there will be fewer timeslots for presentation than in past events, we may consider parallel events,
for example, as in the past, for workshops, but also maybe for some of the other events. Let's aim for 12 people on the scientific advisory committee. Please respond with your nominations and suggestions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Sincerely, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Trushar and Borries<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">--<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Trushar R Patel, PhD<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in RNA & Protein Biophysics,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Laboratory of Medicinal Biophysics, Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, T1K 3M4, Canada<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Founder and Director, Quadrumix BioTechnology<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Co-Director, DiscoveryLab, University of Alberta<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Associate Professor (Adjunct), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Editor, European Biophysics Journal <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">www.trpatel.com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">+1-403-332-4443/</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">329-2297</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"> (office/lab)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Think green, save Environment, Stay Healthy</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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