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Members:
Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA
Bioelectrics Research Center
Kumamoto University
Kumamoto, Japan
College of Engineering
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Karlsruhe, Germany
Leibnitz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology
Greifswald, Germany
Center for Molecular Delivery
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL
Laboratory of Vectorology and Gene Transfer, CNRS
Institut Gustave-Roussy and University of Paris XI
Villejuif, France
Institute for Cellular Biophysics
University of Toulouse
Toulouse, France
Institute of Plasma Physics
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i.
Prague, Czech Republic
Department of Experimental Oncology
Institute of Oncology Ljubljana
Ljubljana, Slovenia
 Brief History of the International Bioelectrics Consortium:
Bioelectrics has emerged as a new, exciting research field. It deals with the use and effect of intense, pulsed electric fields on biological cells and tissue. Although some effects of pulsed electric fields on cells have been known for more than fifty years, the emphasis was generally on electroporation of the plasma membrane using pulses with duration in excess of microseconds. Advances in pulsed power technology, involving the generation of intense, ultrashort electrical pulses, provided an opportunity to explore and utilize the effects of nanosecond electric pulses. The effects of such short pulses have been shown to reach into the cell interior, opening up new applications and allowing the use of novel pulse delivery devices such as wideband antennas.
First efforts to create a consortium to foster this new research field originated with three research institutions which are known for vibrant pulse power research: the research group at Old Dominion University’s Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, the Pulsed Power Science team at Kumamoto University, Japan, and the Institute for Pulsed Power and Microwave Technology at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Germany. Cooperation among the three groups, which were led by Karl H. Schoenbach, Hidenori Akiyama, and Hansjoachim Bluhm, respectively, on the topics of bioelectrics began in 2002, with mutual visits and joint research projects by scientists of the three institutions. In 2005, this cooperative work had reached a level which made it desirable to have a formal research agreement establishing an International Bioelectrics Consortium. A Memorandum of Understanding was created which serves as the basis for international cooperation among the original members of the consortium and any new members. The first three paragraphs of this Memorandum of Understanding read:
“This agreement provides the basis for the formation of a research consortium ("Bioelectrics") in bioelectric research, in order to develop broad international research collaboration among the participating institutions in the emerging field of bioelectrics. The goals of the consortium are to: (1) Strengthen the field of bioelectrics by forming a consortium with worldwide visibility and impact; (2) Encourage the establishment of Centers of Excellence focused on bioelectrics; and (3) Provide the basis for successful grant proposals to national and international funding agencies. The consortium members will interact through tele-videoconferences and annual / bi-annual workshops. Themes of joint activities and the conditions for their execution (e.g., provisions for utilizing the results achieved) and arrangements for specific visits, exchanges of personnel or information and other forms of cooperation will be agreed to by the parties concerned in writing on a case-by-case basis. Old Dominion University (hereafter "ODU"), Norfolk, Virginia, USA, will perform the function of "Coordinator" for the consortium, to facilitate the activities of the consortium.
The following institutions will be the initial members of the consortium:
• Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH (Institute for Pulsed Power and Microwave Technology, IHM) – Karlsruhe, Germany;
• Kumamoto University (Graduate School of Science and Technology, 21st Century COE Programs on Pulsed Power Science and on Cell Fate Regulation Research and Education Unit) – Kumamoto, Japan;
• Old Dominion University (Center for Bioelectrics) – Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
Other institutions may join the consortium by submitting an appropriate application to the Coordinator followed by unanimous agreement of the initial consortium members.”
This “Memorandum of Understanding” was signed by the President of Old Dominion University, Dr. Roseann Runte, the Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sigurd Lettow, and a Member of the Executive Board, Prof. Reinhard Maschuw, at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, and finally in a ceremony at Kumamoto University on November 11, 2005, by the President of this University, Dr. Tatsuro Sakimoto. A photograph showing the participants at this ceremony is shown below. From left to right they are: Dr. H. Takano, Kumamoto University, Dr. H. Bluhm, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Dr. A. Neuber, Texas Tech University, Dr. S. Beebe, Center for Bioelectrics, Dr. T. Sakimoto, President, Kumamoto University, Dr. R. Hackam, Editor IEEE Trans. Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, Dr. H. Akiyama, Kumamoto University, Dr. J. Thompson, University of Missouri, Dr. K. Schoenbach, Center for Bioelectrics, and Dr. G. Rim, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute.
In September of 2006, another powerhouse in pulsed power technology, the
• University of Missouri, Columbia, joined the consortium as a full member. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Dr. J. Thompson, Dean of the College of Engineering at this university.
In October of 2007, the
• Institute for Low-Temperature Plasmaphysics (Institute fuer Niedertemperatur-Plasmaphysik e.V) in Greifswald, Germany, joined the consortium, bringing a wealth of expertise in the use of low-temperature plasmas for medical and environmental applications to the International Consortium. Dr. K.-D. Weltmann, the Director of the Institute signed the Memorandum of Understanding.
And in November 2008 at a teleconference of the five members, the applications of three new full members and one affiliate member were approved. They are:
• Center for Molecular Delivery at the University of South Florida, with Dr. R. Gilbert as director,
• Laboratory of Vectorology and Gene Transfer, CNRS, Institut Gustave-Roussy and University of Paris XI, Villejuif, with Dr. L. Mir as Director, and
• IPBS Universite P Sabatier/CNRS, with Dr. J. Teissie as leader of the Cellular Biophysics group.
• The German Institute for Food Technology (Deutsches Institut fuer Lebensmitteltechnik e.V.) in Quakenbrueck, Germany, as an affiliate member.
To foster research cooperation, videoconferences between the consortium members, and workshops on Bioelectrics were held. The first Workshop on Bioelectrics was held in Norfolk (Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics) in March of 2005, with members of the research teams at the Center of Bioelectrics at Old Dominion University and the University of Kumamoto University participating. The second and third International Workshops on Bioelectrics were held in Kumamoto, in November 2005, and February 2007, respectively, with representatives of all the members of the consortium and invited guests. The fourth Workshop on Bioelectrics was held in Karlsruhe, as part of the IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science in June of 2008, and the fifth workshop/conference on Bioelectrics at the University of Missouri, Columbia, in June of 2009. At this conference it was decided to hold the 2010 Bioelectrics Conference in Norfolk, Va, on June 25-26, hosted by the Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics.
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