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The Constitution of ICBL

The rules and principles that govern the International Community on the Bioscience of Lipids.

The Constitution of the International Community on the Bioscience of Lipids

  1. The "International Community on the Bioscience of Lipids" (ICBL) is an international group based in Europe.
  2. ICBL is a non-profit, scientific organisation with no legal status.
  3. The purpose of ICBL is to promote free discussion between scientists working on or interested in lipids, more specifically by organising scientific conferences on selected topics from the field of lipid bioscience. In the course of the Conferences ICBL bestows award(s) on merits of scientific excellence.
  4. ICBL's mission is formulated in a statement (Annex).
  5. ICBL does not have the format of a Society and has, therefore, no members. The "International Community on the Bioscience of Lipids" is open to lipid scientists (or other scientists with a professional interest in this field) from all continents, but is normally held in one of the European countries. Approximately every other year it is held in continents other than Europe.
  6. Conferences are normally held annually. Each ICBL conference is organised by the Chairperson(s) of that particular Conference.
  7. The continuity of ICBL as a group is safe-guarded by a Steering Committee. The central ICBL Office is defined as the office of the Secretariat to the ICBL Steering Committee.
  8. The main functions of the Steering Committee are:
    1. to appoint the Chairpersons of forthcoming Conferences;
    2. to approve the general themes, venue and timing for each Conference; after this approval has been given, the responsibility for the Conferences rests entirely with the Chairpersons;
    3. to avoid overlaps with lipid Conferences in Europe.
  9. The ICBL Steering Committee is a body consisting of approximately 18 members, comprising a President, a Vice-President, a Past-President, a Secretary, a Public Relations Officer, Ordinary Members, Corresponding Members and Advisory Members. Members from other organizations can be invited if deemed necessary.
  10. The Steering Committee elects the Vice-President (who has the right to become automatically President), the President if necessary, the Secretary, and the Public Relations Officer, neither of whom need necessarily be a member of the Committee at the time of election. The term is for a period of 3 years. Thereafter, the President becomes Past-President and ex-officio a member of the Advisory Committee for one 3-year term. The Public Relations Officer, who is mainly responsible for the ICBL web site, can be re-elected for additional terms to guarantee continuity of this task. The same is true for the Secretary.
  11. Ordinary members of the Steering Committee are the Chairperson (or two Co-chairpersons) of at least the last three Conferences and each shall assume office ex-officio on 1st January of the year following the Conference for which he/she (or they) had responsibility. For voting purposes two Co-chairpersons shall have one vote.
  12. Corresponding members of the Steering Committee are elected for a 3-year period of office starting on 1st January of the following year. They represent the interest of ICBL in continents other than Europe. The number shall normally not exceed 6.
  13. The Steering Committee can elect Advisory members if it so wishes, though the number should normally not exceed 4, including the Past-President. Such members serve for 3 years starting on 1st January of the following year.
  14. Each time an "International Community on the Bioscience of Lipids" is held, the Steering Committee meets between sessions, in order to discuss the policy of ICBL for the next years. If the number of Steering Committee members attending that particular ICBL is insufficient to enable a regular meeting, the Steering Committee meeting needs not be held, provided the continuity of ICBL is not affected, i.e., if the forward planning of Conferences for the next years is sufficiently advanced. In such a case, any consultation required between President and members of the Steering Committee is carried out by the Secretary through e-mail.
  15. A general meeting may be held from time to time at the discretion of the Steering Committee. Such meetings shall be open to any persons attending an ICBL, and their primary purpose is to review the general attitudes of lipid scientists towards ICBL and to discuss any proposals for major changes.

Annex

The International Community on the Bioscience of Lipids (ICBL) provides an international forum for the presentation and discussion of fundamental research in all aspects of lipidology and related applications. ICBL attracts leading scientists in the field to the conferences, while encouraging young investigators to present their work in lectures and posters.

Maurizio Crestani, Secretary — April 2026