The History of ISOTT

Abstract

This paper is an enhancement and update of “ISOTT: Roots, Founding, and Beyond” which was published in the 2006 ISOTT proceedings [Bruley DF (2008) ISOTT: roots, founding, and beyond. In: Kang KA, Harrison DK, Bruley DF (eds) Oxygen transport to tissue XXIX, vol 614. Springer, New York]. It is meant to reflect the wisdom of the English Statesman Winston Churchill, who said, “The further back you look, the further forward you are likely to see.” The International Society on Oxygen Transport to Tissue (ISOTT) was founded in April, 1973 by Drs. Duane F. Bruley and Haim I. Bicher in Clemson/Charleston, South Carolina, USA. However, the roots of ISOTT go back, at least, to the work of Drs. Christian Bohr and August Krogh.

In 1971, Dr. Bruley’s aim was to sponsor an international symposium on oxygen transport to tissue to highlight the research activity between his group at Clemson University and Dr. Melvin H. Knisely’s group at the Medical College of South Carolina. The collaboration started in 1962 and continued until Dr. Knisely’s death in 1975. It was also Dr. Bruley’s intent to honor Dr. Knisely for his ingenious development of the Quartz Rod Crystal technique for observing the sticking of particulate matter in blood (Blood Sludging) in vivo. Initially, the symposium was going to be held at Clemson University but after discussions with Verona Knisely (Dr. Knisely’s wife) it was decided to have half of the meeting in Clemson, SC and half of it in Charleston, SC. Later, Dr. Bicher agreed to help with the program organization at the Medical College of South Carolina.

With overwhelming response to the initial call for papers, Drs. Bruley and Bicher unilaterally made the decision to found an International Society. They then selected a name, developed a logo, assigned a mission, developed a charter, sketched the by-laws, and contracted a publisher (Plenum Press) for the proceedings. Dr. Melvin H. Knisely was asked to serve as the honorary president of the first meeting. The new society was to include a focus on inter- and cross-disciplinary research involving all aspects of theoretical and experimental investigations of normal and pathological oxygen transport and utilization in tissue using a single session format so that all disciplines (medical and biological scientists, bioengineers, clinicians, etc.) could communicate and learn from each other. The new society was designed to meet annually at different venues throughout the world and has been doing so since 1973. The past, present, and future contributions of our membership to this important field of medical science are evidence of the success of our productive society, ISOTT.