Bye-Laws


ARTICLE 1: Name
The name of the Society shall be "Matrix Biology Ireland".


ARTICLE 2: Purpose
The purpose of the Society is

  • to promote and develop scientific exchanges between scientists from the various laboratories in academic and medical institutions and in industry, interested in research on the extracellular matrix;
  • to organise or to sponsor scientific meetings on extracellular matrix;
  • to organise or to sponsor publications permitting the diffusion of information related to extracellular matrix research.

ARTICLE 3: Address
The address of the Society is the address of the Secretary.


ARTICLE 4: Members
The Society shall consist of full members, student members and emeritus members. All members have equal voting rights.


Membership of the Society shall be open to scientists who share the stated purpose of the Society.


Full members are the two Founders of the Society, the ones invited to constitute the first Council, and those who will gain full membership by application. They all pay membership dues.


Student membership in the Society shall be open to undergraduate or postgraduate students. They pay membership dues.


Members are granted emeritus status by the Council on the basis of services rendered to the Society. They do not pay membership dues. The emeritus status may be withdrawn by simple decision of the Council.


Membership fees are due at the beginning of September of each year. Payment of the fees will automatically result in renewal of the membership for the following academic year. Failure to pay will trigger a reminder, and, failure to renew after two reminders will result in loss of membership (see also ARTICLE 6).


ARTICLE 5: Application for Membership
Any person can apply for membership. Application should be supported by two members and formally approved by the Council.


Membership dues are non-refundable.


The cost of membership is 30 (thirty) EUROS for full members, and, 10 (ten) EUROS for student members.


Student status shall be certified by a letter of the student’s supervisor (for postgraduates students) or of the student’s course head (for undergraduate students). On ceasing to qualify for student membership, the student member will automatically become a full member on annual renewal of membership.


ARTICLE 6: Loss of membership
Membership of the Society is lost

  • by resignation
  • by non-payment of the membership dues once ratified by the Council.

Any member ceasing to be a member does not constitute the cessation of the Society which continues to exist with the other members.


ARTICLE 7: Financial resources
The financial resources of the Society are provided by:
1. membership dues
2. funding or grants from the State or public community
3. income from its possessions
4. payment of services given by the Society
5. all other resources permitted by the law.


The financial liability of the Society will be equal to its full property. The personal liability of members is limited to their membership dues.


ARTICLE 8: Council
There shall be a Council of a maximum of fourteen members, composed of the two permanent members with the remaining members elected among the full members of the Society. Of the elected members, typically one or two members may be student members. The permanent members are the Founders of the Society.


In case of resignation from the council or of exit from the Society, Founders shall nominate their successors as permanent members of the Council.


Four members of the Council will form the Executive Committee. That committee will comprise a President, an Immediate Past President, a Secretary and a Treasurer.


The Council and the Executive Committee is re-elected every 3 years.


The first Council will be formed by invitation from the Founders. Subsequently, at the end of each term of the Council, the permanent members will organize and chair the election of the elected council.


Any member can be nominated for election to the Council. Each candidate must be nominated by at least one member. The elected Council members will be elected by all members of the Society through a mail ballot.


Every time that a new Council is formed, a new Executive Committee will also be formed. Candidates for President, Secretary, and Treasurer will be nominated by the members of the Council and elected by all members of the Society through a mail ballot.


ARTICLE 9: Duties of Council Members
Council members are expected to actively engage with the administration of the Society.
Duties include:

  • to promote the Society,
  • to regularly attend Council and Society meetings,
  • to actively engage in seeking for financial support for the initiatives of the Society,
  • to assist in organising at least one annual scientific conference of the Society,
  • to contribute to the Society newsletters.

Duties of the President:

  • representing and promoting the Society,
  • presiding over the meetings of the Directive Council and the Assembly of the Association,
  • interacting with the Council members and leading the Council and the Society in order to promote the Society,
  • promoting the Society nationally and internationally,
  • liaising with organisers of meetings and other Matrix Biology or related societies,
  • securing sponsorship and promoting alliances with publisher and journals,
  • awarding prizes and honorary memberships.

Duties of the Immediate Past President:

  • providing advice from time to time as requested by the President or Council members.

Duties of the Secretary:

  • to act as a Vice-President and work in conjunction with the President,
  • representing the President whenever necessary,
  • processing new membership requests,
  • creating and editing a Newsletter,
  • corresponding with members of the Association, including receiving nominations for awards and honorary memberships,
  • keeping records of the Society,
  • creating a website and designating a member who will administer it.

Duties of the Treasurer:

  • administering the Society’s finances (the first Treasurer shall open a bank account on behalf of the Association),
  • reporting to the Council on the financial position of the Society on a regular basis (i.e. once every two months).

ARTICLE 10: Meetings of the Council

The Council shall meet at least once a year. Meanwhile, the Executive Committee shall conduct the affairs of the Society. It shall meet at the discretion of the President. Minutes are taken at each meeting. Those minutes are signed by the Secretary. Decisions are taken by full majority. The President shall vote only to break a tie.

ARTICLE 11: The General Assembly
The General Assembly shall comprise all members of the Society: founding members, student members and emeritus members.


The General Assembly shall be held at least once a year and whenever needed, at the call of the President or at the call of at least one-third of its members, after notice to the President. Each member can be represented by another member, by written proxy.


Ten per cent of the members (present or by proxy), or 30 members, whichever is smaller, shall constitute a quorum to conduct business. If this quorum is not reached, a new General Assembly is called, after a lapse of at least 2 weeks, and can conduct business, whether the general assembly is quorate or not.


The Council shall set the agenda.


The General Assembly shall approve the reports on the management of the Council and the reports on the financial situation of the Society.


The General Assembly shall approve the accounting of the previous year, shall vote the annual budget, shall discuss all points set on the agenda and shall elect, if necessary, the new members of the Council.


All decisions of the General Assembly shall be voted by a show of hands of all members present. A secret vote may be asked and must be approved by at least one-quarter of the members present.


Annual reports and accounting shall be forwarded every two years to each member of the Society.


ARTICLE 12: Amendments to the Bye Laws
Amendments may be initiated by members of the Council or by a petition to the Council signed by one-tenth of the members present at the General Assembly.

This petition must be sent at least one month prior to the next General Assembly.

Amendments must be presented at the General Assembly and ratified by two-thirds of the members present or legally represented.


ARTICLE 13: Dissolution of the Society
To dissolve the Society, a special General Meeting shall be called out. One-half of the members (present or delegated), plus one member, shall constitute a quorum to conduct business. If this quorum is not reached, a new General Meeting is called, after a lapse of at least 2 weeks, and can conduct business, whether the general assembly is quorate or not.


In all cases, the dissolution shall be approved and ratified by a two-thirds majority of the members voting.


If dissolution is voted, the General Meeting shall appoint one or several officers to carry out the liquidation of all assets of the Society. All net credits shall be deployed to support or fund either postgraduate Scholarship(s) within Ireland (ROI and NI), or to support Irish (from ROI and/or NI), postgraduate Students abroad in research activities in the Matrix Biology field.


Signed by:

Dr. Fabio Quondamatteo (Founder)

Dr. Dimitrios Zeugolis (Founder)