Professor Pamela Weathers was just reelected for a third term (2008-2010) as the Chair of the Public Policy Committee for the Society for In Vitro Biology (SIVB) and as a result also for a third term as a member of the SIVB Board of Directors. The Public Policy Committee is a standing committee of the SIVB. The Committee assists Society members and the scientific community-at-large to better understand in vitro biology, biotechnology and the current research and public policy issues affecting the scientific community. The Committee supports the SIVB to interact with members of Congress and other governmental officials for the purpose of giving scientific advice on funding priorities and issues relevant to in vitro biology and biotechnology.

The SIVB is an associate member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) http://www.aaas.org/policyandinternational/, American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) http://spars.aibs.org/publicpolicy/index.html and the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) http://www.cast.org/about/index.cfm?i=398. These collations of scientific organizations support the SIVB Public Policy Committee through their legislative and lobby activities to affect national and international scientific public policy for: federal spending to support scientific research and education, impacts on natural resources and agricultural systems, protection of human rights and the ecosystem, scientific ethics and equity.

The Society for In Vitro Biology www.sivb.org was founded in 1946 as the Tissue Culture Association to foster exchange of knowledge of in vitro biology of cells, tissues and organs from both plant and animals (including humans). The focus is on biological research, development, and applications of significance to science and society. The mission is accomplished through the Society's publications; national and local conferences, meetings and workshops; and through support of teaching initiatives in cooperation with educational institutions. Over the years, SIVB has expanded to create an environment of scientific exchange and interdisciplinary synergy with the goal of advancing current and future systems for in vitro biology.