American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)

The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) was founded in 1960 to bring the varied facets of cell biology together. The Society's purpose is to promote and develop the field of cell biology. Its 9,000 members are located throughout the United States and in 62 other countries.

The American Society for Cell Biology was first organized at an ad hoc meeting in the office of Keith R. Porter at Rockefeller University on May 28, 1960. In the 1940s, Porter was one of the first in the world to use the revolutionary technique of electron microscopy (EM) to reveal the internal structure of cells. The other early leaders of the ASCB—George Palade, Don Fawcett, Hewson Swift, Arthur Solomon, and Hans Ris—were also EM pioneers. All were concerned that existing scientific societies and existing biology journals were not receptive to this emerging field that studied the cell as the fundamental unit of all life. The ASCB was legally incorporated in New York State on July 31, 1961. A call for membership (at $10 a year) went out, enlisting ASCB’s first 480 members. The first ASCB Annual Meeting was held November 2-4, 1961, in Chicago where 844 attendees gathered for three days of lectures, slides, and movies of cellular structure. The results of a mail ballot were read out and Fawcett was declared ASCB’s first president.

Mission:
ASCB is an inclusive, international community of biologists studying the cell, the fundamental unit of life. They are dedicated to advancing scientific discovery, advocating sound research policies, improving education, promoting professional development, and increasing diversity in the scientific workforce.