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Symposium to hold 1st U.S. meeting at MUSC In its four-decade history, the International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infection has not held its annual meeting in The United States.     Until now.    Oct. 24 through 27 the group will meet in Charleston, chaired by MUSC's Joseph F. John Jr., M.D., professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and chief of Medical Service, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center. He is joined by an international and American advisory board of experts in the staphylococcal field.      The last ISSSI was held in Tokyo in 2002 and chaired by Keiichi Hiramatsu, M.D., whose team first sequenced the genome of Staphylococcus aureus, the major staphylococcal species.    Features will include plenary sessions on staphylococcal genomics, global molecular epidemiology, spread of community multiresistant strains, new antistaphylococcal antimicrobials, infection control/vaccines, gene regulation, and pathogenesis.  A joint plenary session will kickoff the meeting on Sunday evening featuring Hiramatsu and three other speakers.   That first joint plenary session that will be held at the Performing Arts Center near the Convention Center will be open free of charge to MUSC/VAMC staff, residents and students. Additionally, MUSC/VA staff will be eligible for a conference discount. The program was certified for Continuing Medical Education credits by the CME office at MUSC.     Register online at http://www.isssi.org.      Following Sunday's initial plenary session, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday there will be concurrent sessions with expert staphylococcal investigators presenting the cutting edge of topics in of bacteremia, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, device-related infections, genomics, vaccine development and emerging syndromes.  More than 200 posters will be featured throughout the meeting with a chance to meet the presenters early Monday and Tuesday afternoons.    “ISSSI offers a rare opportunity for basic scientists and clinicians to meet and discuss common interests, here in a beautiful new Convention Center,” John said. Symposium plans include a reasonable amount of free time along with an afternoon oyster roast at a local historic plantation.     “Consider pre-registration for yourself,” John said. “Please bring your students, doctorate and postdoctorate, for a reduced rate and a unique opportunity to broaden all their perspectives in the fast-moving field of staphylococci and staphylococcal infections.” Friday, Sept. 10, 2004 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.