2016 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

The highest honor given by the Society for In Vitro Biology is the Lifetime Achievement Award. It is presented to scientists who are considered pioneers or highly influential researchers to the science and art of cell culture. They are men and women who have devoted their careers to exemplary research and/or teaching. The recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award are selected by vote of the Board of Directors from a list of nominations recommended by the Awards Committee. The Society for In Vitro Biology honored Dr. Yvonne Reid and Dr. Eugene Elmore with SIVB Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2016 World Congress on In Vitro Biology in San Diego, CA. This issue highlights Dr. Yvonne Reid’s career. Dr. Eugene Elmore’s career will be highlighted in the next issue of the In Vitro Report.

Dr. Yvonne A. Reid, Manager Scientist, Standard Resource Center, American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), was recipient of the Society for In Vitro Biology 2016 Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award.  Dr. Reid was recognized for her significant pioneering and scientific excellence in cell culture methodology and development of in vitro and molecular technology advancing intra-species human cell line authentication and standardization.

Dr. Reid developed and pioneered human cell line identification procedures using DNA hyper-variable regions for intra-species identification coupled with advanced molecular biology technology of Short Tandem Repeats (STR).  The utility of this STR technology uniquely identifies each human cell line as well as the donor material.  (Reference: Reid Y, Storts D, Riss T, Minor L. Authentication of Human Cell Lines by STR DNA Profiling Analysis. In: Sittampalam GS, Gal-Edd N, Arkin M, Auld D, Austin C, Bejcek B, Glicksman M, Inglese J, Lemmon V, Li Z, McGee J, McManus O, Minor L, Napper A, Riss T, Trask OJ, Weidner J, editors. Assay Guidance Manual [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): Eli Lilly & Company and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; 2004-.2013)

Recognized as a national and international expert in cell culture, she is highly respected as a champion of cell line authentication in the scientific community.  She served as a member of the Comparative Medicine Review Committee for the National Center of Research Resources (NCRR); a member of the USP Advisory Panel and as an advisor to the NICHD and FDA.

Dr Reid also serves on the Global Biological Standards Institute (GBSI) Cell Authentication Task Force as a thought leader and stakeholder providing critical scientific and technical testimony for adoption of life sciences laboratory and biological standards development for credible, reproducible and translatable research outcomes.  She co-chaired the committee on developing consensus guidelines on the use of STR profiling for human cell line identification, which is published by the American National Standard Institute (ASN-0002), and is currently used by the government, pharmaceutical industry and academia institutions.  Recognition of her cell culture contributions include: the prestigious Eddie Award, Distinguished George S Bascom Memorial Lecturer, USP 2010-2011 Bovine Serum Advisory Panel; USP 2010-2015 Cryopreservation  Expert Panel and, SIVB Vertebrate Fellow Award (2004), SIVB Distinguished Service Award (2013).

She holds a doctoral degree in Zoology, Howard University, Washington, DC.  With over 30 years of experience and expertise in cell biology, immunology and molecular biology, Dr Reid was Collection Scientist for the ATCC Cell Biology Program for 10 years, responsible for acquisition of new animal cell lines and hybridomas into the General Collection.  Her scientific and major seminal research contributions have been funded since 1986 by NIAID, NCI, NIH-AIDS, NIDR and the Lymphoma Research Foundation.  These contributions include: over 41 peer-reviewed publications, reviews, chapters, interviews, patent on immortalized neonatal human hepatocytes, numerous media and platform presentations.  (References: Masters, JR, Reid, YA. Cell Line Authentication and Characterization, 2014. In eLS. John Wiley & Sons. Ltd.  Based in part on the previous version of this eLS article ‘Cell Line Authentication Methods’ (2001) by Yvonne A Reid, A Scott Durkin, Kate Steenbergen, Robert J Hay; Neonatal human hepatocytes immortalized using hTERT and methods of their use, 2009, Patent/Publication number 2009/0155, 232).

Since becoming a member in 1980 Dr. Reid has actively contributed to the TCA/SIVB on the World Congress Scientific Advisory Board and Program Committees, as a symposia presenter, by organizing continuing education and cell line authentication training programs, as a member of the Vertebrate and Cellular Toxicology Sections, serving on the SIVB Board of Directors and as a valued member of the History & Records Committee.  Dr Reid’s major contributions to the Society has been her role as a national and internationally recognized expert and as teaching faculty in cell line authentication, cell banking and best laboratory practices.  Her technical, scientific and educational contributions have ensured the industry-wide reproducibility and reliability of interspecies cell culture data.

The recognition of Dr. Reid as a Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is well deserved for her pioneering in vitro contributions to the field of cell line standardization and best life sciences laboratory practices.

The emeritus scientists that nominated and supported Dr Reid’s Lifetime Achievement Award include: Dr. Gertrude Case Buehring, Dr. Ian Freshney, Dr. Anne Hamburger, Dr. John Masters, Dr. Colette Rudd, Dr. Denry Sato, Dr. Sandra Schneider, and Dr. Alda Vidrich.  ATCC is recognized for their very generous support to fund this award for Dr Reid.

Submitted by
Dr. Sandra L Schneider

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