Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision (taTME) has recently emerged as a promising novel minimally invasive alternative in the surgical treatment of rectal cancer. The taTME hands-on workshop is intended to train high volume rectal cancer surgeons with expertise in minimally invasive TME and transanal endoscopic surgery (TES).

The workshop will provide a comprehensive review of rationale, indications, surgical techniques, results and limitations of taTME. Each surgical team will perform taTME on one platform with laparoscopic assistance.

The taTME workshop will be held on Saturday, May 19, 2018 from 7:30 am – 4:30 pm. The cost per person is $1,100. For more information on registering for this workshop, please visit the taTME workshop page.

This workshop is sold out.

The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons is pleased to announce that registration for the 2016 Annual Scientific Meeting April 30 - May 4, 2016, in Los Angeles, CA, is now open.

• Expand your knowledge and gain a world-class education from renowned speakers who hail from around the globe.
• Foster relationships with more than 1,700 healthcare professionals expected to attend the largest meeting in North America devoted exclusively to colon and rectal surgery.
• Bring back new techniques and ideas that will make a difference in your daily practice.
• Refresh and revitalize your practice with peers who face the same challenges, opportunities, and triumphs every day.

Visit the 2016 Annual Scientific Meeting page to review the preliminary program, view accommodations, and register for the meeting.

See you in Los Angeles!

The Research Foundation of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) are pleased to announce that through funding generously provided by Intuitive Surgical, multiple research awards to investigate robotic surgery are now available. Information on grants for research in the field of colorectal surgery can be found online and information on grants for research in all other fields of general surgery can be found at sages.org. Investigators may not submit the same grant to both societies.

In each instance the respective society's research committee will review the merit of each grant submitted. The selection standards and process will be identical to those standards and processes already in place at the Research Foundation of ASCRS and SAGES. Each society has the exclusive responsibility of reviewing grant applications and awarding funds. Successful investigators are expected to submit their completed work for consideration of presentation at the annual meeting of the respective society (ASCRS or SAGES) and their manuscripts for consideration of publication in the respective society's journal (Diseases of the Colon and Rectum or Surgical Endoscopy).

Each society will review all eligible grant applications with a view to awarding up to five $50,000 grants (per society) to investigate robotic surgery. Please view further details on the respective society's aforementioned websites.

The Research Foundation of ASCRS is pleased to announce the 2018 grant opportunities. Grant Applications are due March 1, 2018:

Are you interested in opportunities to pursue research germane to the field of colon and rectal surgery? Apply for the Limited Project Grants for investigators pursuing colon and rectal surgery research. The grant supports one-year projects with funding up to $50,000.

Are you a General Surgery Resident or recent colon and rectal surgery graduate? Then take advantage of the opportunity provided by the General Surgery Resident Research Initiation Grants. The Research Foundation funds up to five $20,000 grants annually.

Are you a medical student who would like to participate in clinical or laboratory-based research focused on diseases of the colon, rectum and anus? Apply for the Medical Student Research Initiation Grants. These grants provide funding up to $4,000 for a three or four-month period during the summer.

Take advantage of the Training Award in Research Methodology. This award provides up to $3,000 for registration, travel and accommodations expenses for attendance at the Association for Academic Surgery Fall Career Development Course, Fundamentals of Surgical Research Course or the American College of Surgeons Health Services Research Methods Course.

Are you a resident and/or clinical investigator living in the United States or Canada who would like to participate in research outside the U.S. or Canada? Apply for an International Fellowship Grant which provides up to $50,000 in support for investigators traveling to do research.

For more information, please visit the educational grants and awards web page.For questions email rf@fascrs.org or call Elaina McCalmont, governance manager, at (847)725-2275.

The ASCRS Research Foundation calls your attention to four 2016 Research Foundation granting opportunities with a March 1, 2016 deadline:

Limited Project Grants offer investigators an opportunity to pursue research interest for a one-year project, with funding of up to $50,000.

International Fellowship Grants provide research support to residents and clinical investigators in the United States or Canada to travel outside North America or allows investigators from outside the United States and Canada to travel to the United States to perform research. The International Fellowship Grant funds up to $50,000 for one year.

General Surgery Resident Research Initiation Grants are designed to attract General Surgery Residents or recent graduates of such programs into the field of Colon and Rectal Surgery by providing opportunities to engage in clinical or laboratory-based research focused on diseases of the colon, rectum and anus. The Research Foundation funds up to five grants annually, each totaling $20,000.

Medical Student Research Initiation Grants are designed to provide opportunities for Medical Students to participate in clinical or laboratory-based research focused on diseases of the colon, rectum and anus. This three or four-month grant provides up to $4,000 for a summer project.

The application deadline for the Limited Project Grants, International Fellowship, General Surgery Resident Grant and Medical Student Research Grants is March 1, 2016. Full information and application instructions can be found on our grants and awards page. For questions email rf@fascrs.org or call Elaina at (847) 290-9184.