About ISAC

The decision to form a Society for analytical cytology grew out of a series of Engineering Foundation Conferences on Automated Cytology. Attendees agreed that the formation of a Society would provide professional continuity to the field and promote the continuation of the conference series. As a result, the organizing committee of the sixth conference, held in 1978, was empowered to create the Society with the following purpose:

• To promote research, development, and applications in analytical cytometry. Analytical cytometry is broadly defined as the characterization and measurement of cells and cellular constituents for biological, diagnostic, and therapeutic purposes. It embraces components of cytochemistry, cytophysics, anatomy, biology, physiology, pathology, image analysis, instrumentation, clinical laboratory practice, and other subjects of relevance.
• To facilitate integration of the many disciplines within analytical cytometry.
• To disseminate knowledge of analytical cytometry.
• To provide information and advice on those aspects of public policy which are concerned with analytical cytometry.

The Society was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation on October 6, 1980. As interest in the Society grew it became the International Society for Analytical Cytology, and in 2006 was renamed the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. 

In 1981, the Society hosted its inaugural congress, which has since become widely recognized as CYTO. Today, the premier event attracts around 2,000 international participants each year. ISAC will host its 38^th annual congress this year in Denver, Colorado, USA.

Today, ISAC fosters an inclusive, multidisciplinary, and international community in the field of cytometry. Dedicated to providing education, ISAC creates opportunities for cytometry to be understood, advanced, and integrated into multiple disciplines, and for a diverse membership to share knowledge in an equitable way.