Thursday, 19 September 2013

The aim of this meeting is to provide an overview of these three families of receptors and provide the most recent advances in the area of innate immune pattern recognition

Meeting chairs: Dr Martha Triantafilou/Professor Kathy Triantafilou, Cardiff University School of Medicine, UK

This event  has CPD accreditation and will have a  troubleshooting panel session.
On registration you will be able to submit your questions to the panel that will be asked by the chair on the day of the event

9:00 – 9:45      Registration

9:45 – 10:00    Introduction by the Chairs:  Dr Martha Triantafilou/Professor Kathy Triantafilou, Cardiff University School of Medicine, UK

10:00 – 10:30   Pattern recognition receptor in Gram-negative intracellular infections: friends or foes?

Dr Pietro Mastroeni, Cambridge Veterinary School, UK

Pattern recognition receptors are important for the expression of immunity to bacterial infection and modulate aspects of the development of acquired immunity. However in some cases their stimulation can lead immune paralysis and to suppression of the host response.

10:30 – 11:00      Transcriptome analysis of cigarette smoke extract induced TLR2-dependent activation of human cells.

Dr Mark Paul-Clark,  National heart and Lung Institute, London, UK

Smoking cigarettes causes approximately 5 million deaths world wide each year, and is a risk factor for a number of chronic diseases. We have previously shown that oxidants and cigarette smoke extract (CSE) activate cells in vitro and in vivo, in part via the pattern recognition receptor TLR2. We transfected HEK293 cells with TLR2/6 or control vector were treated with H2O2, CSE and control media for 8h. Expression patterns in HEK293 cells were similar to those obtained from THP-1 cells and PBMCs. Pathway analysis of these cells revealed that inflammation was associated with NRF2-mediated and aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling pathways.

11:00 – 11:30    Speakers’ photo then mid-morning break and trade show

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you

11:30 – 12:00    Ruminant livestock toll-like receptors: informing TLR evolution and function.

Professor David Haig, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Nottingham University, UK

There are ~1400 breeds of sheep and 1300 breeds of cattle through domestication (around 10,000 years ago). Artificial selection for specific traits accelerated around 200 years ago. Consequently, this provides an opportunity to study TLR evolution and function in a distinct group of mammals closely associated with man. We have studied TLRs 2 and 5 in particular. In TLR5, we identified positive selective pressure in the domesticated ruminant clade suggesting rapid diversifying selection compared to other mammals. Stop codon variants of bovine TLR5 may indicate an alternative function. These and other examples of TLR variation will be presented.

12:00  – 12:45      Oral Presentations

12:00  – 12:15      INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE TO FOOTROT IN SHEEP

R. Davenport, C.  Haewood, M. Baker and S. Tötemeyer

School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK.

12:15  – 12:30     THE ROLE OF TOLL-LIKE RECEPTOR 2 AND 4 IN BEHÇET’S DISEASE PATHOGENESIS

        N Seoudi1, L A Bergmeier1, E Hagi-Pavli1, D Bibby2, M A Curtis2 and F Fortune1

1Centre for Clinical and Diagnostic Oral Sciences. Institute of Dentistry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom.2Centre for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom

12:30  – 12:45    Cholesterol oxidase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis affects the Toll-like receptor 2–mediated signaling pathway in human macrophages

Klink M, Brzezinska M, Szulc I, Brzostek  A, Kielbik M, Dziadek J

Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodowa 106 Str. 93-232 Lodz, Poland

12:45 – 13:45      Lunch and trade show

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you.

13:45 – 14:30      Question and Answer Session

Delegates will be asked to submit questions to a panel of experts.  Questions can be submitted before the event or on the day.

14:30 – 15:00      Afternoon Break

15:00 – 16:00      Connecting innate immunity to autoimmunity

Dr Sandra Sacre, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, UK

Growing evidence suggests that TLRs, may contribute to the pathogenesis of many autoimmune diseases. Initially TLRs were identified by their ability to recognise pathogens, but it was later discovered that they also recognise endogenous ligands present at sites of inflammation or tissue damage. This ability to respond to endogenous molecules has made the TLRs promising candidates to explain the presence of chronic inflammation in the absence of an infection. A role for TLRs in autoimmunity may be due to changes in their expression, function and/or downstream regulation. This presentation will focus on data exploring the possible connections between TLR signalling and sustained inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.

16:00 – 16:30      Pattern Recognition Receptor recognition of bacterial infection: are all animals created equal?

Dr Clare Bryant, University of Cambridge, UK

16:30  - 17:00       Chairman’s summing up

About the Chairs:

Over the past few years the Triantafilou group has been focusing on unravelling the molecular mechanisms behind the innate recognition of bacterial as well as viral pathogens. In particular, we have focused on the involvement of the Toll like receptor (TLR) family of proteins, a recently identified family of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), in the innate immune sensing. We have the expertise and the research tools for investigating receptor interactions using bioimaging techniques, such a Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), Fluorescence Recovery after Photobleaching  (FRAP), Single Particle Imaging (SPFI), Single Particle Tracking (SPT), Fluorescent Loss in Photobleaching (FLIP) as well as live cell imaging. Using combinations of these techniques, our group has discovered novel concepts in innate immune recognition of microbial ligands by TLRs and co%operating PRRs. We have been one of the first to demonstrate that the single%receptor concept of innate immune recognition is an oversimplified one and that different combinational associations of receptors determine the innate immune response to different microbial pathogens, using a range of non%invasive biophysical techniques. We performed several studies investigating associations of PRRs in response to bacterial products from Helicobacter pylori,Neisseria meningitidis, and bacterial lipopeptides. Furthermore, we demonstrated that membrane microdomains, or “lipid rafts” play an important role in this receptor cluster formation by providing a microenvironment for these interactions to take place. This was the first ever publication demonstrating that TLRs exist and signal within lipid rafts (making this paper one of the most cited papers in the field). We provided the first dynamic picture of TLR engagement by their ligand by determining the lateral diffusion of receptors involved in the innate immune response before and after stimulation by bacterial products . It has helped us understand the organisation, lateral mobility and confinement of PRRs involved in the innate immune response on the plasma membrane.  In addition, using fluorescent imaging, we have revealed that TLR2 exists as a heterodimer prior to ligand engagement, as well as its intracellular trafficking and targeting in response to Gram%positive bacterial products. More recently, we have demonstrated that CXCR4 acts as a negative regulator for TLR2 and its significance in the innate recognition of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Hajishengallis et al. 2008). This was the first study demonstrating that TLR2%CXCR4 association can impair innate immune responses. Finally, we have shown that TLR4, TLR7 and TLR8 are involved in sensing viral products. These were the first studies to reveal how enteroviruses are recognised by the innate immune system

About the Speakers:

David Haig is currently studying innate immunity and virus pathogenesis and control in livestock animals at the new Veterinary School at the University of Nottingham. He graduated from the University of Glasgow with a B.Sc. in Biochemistry and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. from studying the immunology of nematode infections and mast cell biology. He spent a few years at the WHO Immunology Research and Training Centre at the Instituto Butantan, Sao Paulo, Brazil where he set up a Parasitology laboratory and studied immunity to helminth parasites in rodents.  He joined the Moredun Research Institute in 1985 and became Head of Immunology then Head of the Division of Virology before leaving for Nottingham in 2007.

Katrin Rittinger obtained a degree in chemistry from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. She then went on to do a Ph.D. at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg in the group of Roger Goody, characterising the nucleotide and oligonucleotide-binding properties of HIV reverse transcriptase and the mechanism of action of non-nucleoside RT inhibitors. After a short postdoctoral period at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology in Dortmund, Germany, she came to NIMR in 1996 for a second postdoc, working on the structural characterisation of 14-3-3 ligand complexes and the regulation of Rho family GTPases. In 2000 she established her own research group and has since studied a number of protein assemblies that regulate different aspects of signal transduction using biochemical and structural methods. In addition, the group collaborates with other Divisions at NIMR to extend the experimental approaches available to answer a given biological question.

Mark Paul-Clark is an accomplished researcher with a number of publications in leading journals. He has established a track record in attracting independent funding and contributes significantly to both postgraduate and undergraduate teaching.  Dr Paul-Clark’s research focuses upon understanding the process of inflammation with a particular interest in oxidants and the damage they cause. Most recently he has concentrated his research into the area of pattern recognition receptors and inflammation.  He completed his PhD with Professor Derek Willoughby before joining Professor Roderick Flower and Professor Mauro Perretti for his postdoctoral training. In 2002 Dr Paul-Clark Joined Professor Jane Mitchell’s group to study the role of pattern recognition receptors, including Toll like receptors, in inflammation. Since this time Dr Paul-Clark was awarded a Research Fellowship from the British Lung Foundation and a University award from the Wellcome Trust, with which he will take up an academic lectureship position within Cardiothoracic Pharmacology.

Clare Bryant – 1985 BSc (Hons) Biochemistry and Physiology, University of Southampton, 1989 BVetMed, University of London,1992 PhD, University of London. 1992%1995 Wellcome Trust Veterinary Research Training Fellowship, sRoyal Veterinary College, University of London, 1995%1996 Research Scientist, William Harvey Research Institute, London, 1996 -2000 Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellow and 2000%2003 Wellcome Trust Research Advanced Fellow, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, The University of Cambridge, 2003%University Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Cambridge. Research Interests: Role of Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs) in bacterial infection; species specificity in PRR activation.

Pietro Mastroenis’  is a Reader  at  the University of Cambridge. He obtained  a  Degree in Medicine and Surgery at the Univerisity of Messina, Italy prior to moving to the UK where he obtained a PhD at the Department of Pathology of the University of Cambridge and worked as a postdoctoral Fellow at Imperial College, London.

His research has established several landmarks in the fields of pathogenesis of bacterial infections, immunity, immunoevasion and vaccine development.

His research group is currently pioneering the use of innovative multidisciplinary approaches towards a global understanding of  infection dynamics in the face of immunity and vaccination.

Paul-Clark completed his PhD with Professor Derek Willoughby before joining Professor Roderick Flower and Professor Mauro Perretti for his postdoctoral training. In 2002 Dr Paul-Clark Joined Professor Jane Mitchell’s group to study the role of pattern recognition receptors, including Toll like receptors, in inflammation. Since this time Dr Paul-Clark was awarded a Research Fellowship from the British Lung Foundation and a University award from the Wellcome Trust, with which he will take up an academic lectureship position within Cardiothoracic Pharmacology.

Sandra Sacre received her PhD in Physiology from University College London in 2000. Sandra then spent one year working at the Royal Free Hospital (University College London)  before moving to the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology (Imperial College London) to work on toll-like receptors in rheumatoid arthritis. In 2009, Sandra moved to Brighton and Sussex Medical School (University of Sussex) where she is currently a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Cell Biology.  Sandra Sacre’s research is focused on the role of innate immunity in musculoskeletal diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythamatosus.

Registration Web Site: www.regonline.co.uk/TOLL2012

Post expires at 8:36am on Thursday September 19th, 2013

Wednesday, 02 October 2013

The O2, London, United Kingdom

Pseudotype viruses are rapidly establishing themselves as important research and diagnostic tools of basic and clinical scientists facilitating the detailed study of individual viral genes, host cell receptors and highly pathogenic viruses, circumventing the need for high-level biosafety containment. The switching of surface envelope proteins expressed on the surface of these pseudotypes enables them to be used as surrogate viruses in neutralization/antiviral screening assays and for the study of cell–virus receptor interactions. This meeting encompasses the many diverse applications of pseudotype technologies from a practical, translational and public health perspective.

Meeting Chair: Dr Nigel James Temperton, 
Medway School of Pharmacy, The Universities of Greenwich and Kent, Kent

This event  has CPD accreditation

Who Should Attend

• Public and animal health scientists.
• Individuals establishing diagnostic assays for viruses.
• Epidemiologists, virologists, immunologists, R&D, pre-clinical vaccinologists.

9:00 – 9:45          Registration

9:45 – 10:00        Introduction by the Chairs:  Dr Nigel James Temperton, Medway School of Pharmacy, The Universities of Greenwich and Kent, Kent

10:00 – 10:30      Current progress with serological assays for exotic emerging/re-emerging viruses
Dr Janet Daly, Nottingham University, UK
Challenges exist in the development of serological assays for (re-)emerging viruses. Work with live virus is often restricted to specialised containment laboratories, thus limiting capacity to perform traditional serological assays such as the plaque reduction neutralisation test (PRNT). Diagnosis by ELISA-based assays using killed virus or purified or recombinant viral proteins offer an alternative. However, ELISA-based assays are often less specific than PRNT. Sample volume may be limited, for example where cerebrospinal fluid samples are required to confirm a viral cause of encephalitis. Pseudotype virus neutralisation assays offer the potential to address many of these issues.

10:30 – 11:00      Virus pseudotypes and pandemic preparedness
Dr Nigel James Temperton, Medway School of Pharmacy, The Universities of Greenwich and Kent, Kent

11:00 – 11:30       Speakers’ photo then mid-morning break and trade show

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you

11:30 – 12:00       Retroviral pseudotypes for equine vaccine serology
Dr Simon Scott, Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, UK

12:00  – 12:30      Interrogating the antibody response to rabies and lyssaviruses using retroviral pseudotyping
Dr Edward Wright, Westminster University, UK
Rabies virus is responsible for ~70,000 human deaths a year even though highly efficacious vaccines are available.  A reliable figure for the number of deaths due to related lyssavirus species is unknown.  Within the lyssavirus genus there are 11 species that can be classified into phylogroups, based primarily on their antibody cross neutralisation profile.  As the lyssavirus glycoprotein is the major target of a neutralising antibody response a pseudotype-based neutralisation assay was developed to elucidate the importance of known glycoprotein epitopes in virus neutralisation.  The assay has also proved useful for sero-epidemiological studies and testing existing and novel antivirals.

12:30 – 13:30     Lunch and trade show

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you

13:30 – 14:00       Dissecting serological responses to ruminant viruses using retrovirus pseudotypes

Dr David Griffiths, Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, UK

14:00 – 14:30      Quantifying the infectivity and neutralisation of companion animal viruses using retroviral pseudotypes

Professor Brian Willett, University of Glasgow Scotland

The study of viral diseases of many species is hindered by the paucity of reagents with which viral infectivity may be measured. The ability to generate retroviral  pseudotypes bearing envelope glycoproteins from diverse viral genera offers a unique opportunity to investigate hitherto intractable questions in viral pathogenesis. Pseudotypes bearing FIV and FeLV Envs have been used to elucidate viral receptors, to quantify neutralising antibodies and to stage clinical disease, while pseudotypes bearing lyssaviral glycoproteins have facilitated the detection of neutralising antibodies in sera from wild carnivores. Retroviral pseudotypes offer a novel means to broaden our understanding of viral pathogenesis.

14:30 – 15:00       Afternoon Tea/Coffee  and  trade show

15:00– 15:30       Talk to be confirmed

Katherine Sutherland, Microbiology Services, Colindale Public Health England

15:30  – 16:00       Talk to be confirmed

Dr Alex Tarr, Queen’s Medical Centre

16:00 – 17:00        Question and Answer Session

Delegates will be asked to submit questions to a panel of experts.  Questions can be submitted before the event or on the day

17:00                     Chairman’s summing up

The Deadline for abstract submissions for oral presentation is July 10th 2013
Abstracts for poster presentation only can be submitted up to two weeks before the event
There will be a best poster prize.

You can download the instructions for authors at 
www.euroscicon.com/AbstractsForOralAndPosterPresentation.pdf 

Event Web Site:   www.regonline.co.uk/pseuVirus2013

Post expires at 8:03am on Wednesday October 2nd, 2013

London , UK

Meeting Chair:  Dr. Gary Warnes, Blizard Institute, Barts & The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary UniversityThis event  has CPD accreditation

This  meeting will present and discuss current research into autophagy regulation including new flow cytometric and imaging assays and approaches which  available to study this regulation

This event is part of the 2013 Flow Cytometry Forum – www.FlowCytometry2013.com

Who Should Attend
Flow cytometry specialists
Biotech and Pharma Industry: CEOs, Chief Scientists, Group Heads, Senior and Junior Scientists, Research Managers
Academic and Research Institutes: Group and Lab Heads, Postdoctoral Scientists and Research Students

The Deadline for abstract submissions for oral presentation is July 10th 2013
Abstracts for poster presentation only can be submitted up to two weeks before the event
There will be a best poster prize.
You can download the instructions for authors at 
www.euroscicon.com/AbstractsForOralAndPosterPresentation.pdf 

9:00 – 9:45            Registration

9:45 – 10:00         Introduction by the Chair:  Dr. Gary Warnes, Blizard Institute, Barts & The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary UniversityThis event  has CPD accreditation

10:00 – 10:30       Flow Cytometric Measurement of Cell Organelle Phagy

                                Dr. Gary Warnes, Blizard Institute, Barts & The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University

                                The mechanism of organelle autophagy is little understood. We employed a range of autophagy inducing agents to determine the relative preference for the type of organelle-phagy caused by rapamycin, chloroquine, nutrient and low serum starvation. Organelle autophagy of mitochondria and Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER), termed mitophagy and ER-phagy was determined flow cytometrically by the employment of organelle mass probes, MitoTracker Green (MTG) and ER Tracker Green (ERTG). Relative changes in linear scaled median fluorescence intensity (MFI), were compared to control cells to determine the degree and type of organelle-phagy induced by different inducers of autophagy. These flow cytometric organelle phagy assays can be used by researchers to study the autophagic process further in terms of cell function.

10:30 – 11:00       Talk to be confirmed

Professor David C Rubinsztein, Professor of Molecular Neurogenetics, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Addenbrooke’s Hospital,Cambridge, UK

11:00 – 11:30       Speakers’ photo then mid-morning break and trade show/poster viewing

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you

11:30  – 12:00      A role for Rab8 and autophagy in the regulation of synapse growth

Dr Sean T Sweeney, University of York, UK

We have developed a model of Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in Drosophila based on ESCRTIII dysfunction. In a screen for enhancers and suppressors of the FTD phenotype we identified Rab8. Mutations in Rab8 have overgrown neuromuscular synapses by a factor of 100%. Examination of Rab8 mutants revealed endosomal dysfunction and accumulation of autophagosomes. Within the dysfunctional endosome we have identified signaling events organizing the prolonged activation of TGF-beta and JNK/AP-1 signaling generating synapse overgrowth. Autophagic activity is also necessary for the generation of synaptic overgrowth observed. The novel events we describe are likely to be critical to neuronal atrophy in FTD.

12:00  – 12:30      Autophagy as a barrier to viral and non-viral gene delivery

Professor Tom Wileman, University of East Anglia, UK

There is great interest in the development of viral and non-viral gene therapy vectors to replace defective genes associated with specific illnesses. Our work shows that viruses and non-viral gene delivery vectors can activate autophagy resulting in delivery to  autophagosomes.   Autophagy provides a powerful means of killing intracellular viruses by delivering them to lysosomes for degradation, and  at the same time slows release of genes into cells.  Authophagy has therefore evolved as an efficient defence against viral infection, but becomes a major barrier to the development of gene therapy vectors.

12: 30 – 13: 30     Lunch and trade show/poster viewing

13:30– 14:30        Question and Answer Session

Delegates will be asked to submit questions to a panel of experts.  Questions can be submitted before the event or on the day

14:30 – 15:00       Talk to be confirmed

15:00 – 15:30        Afternoon Tea

15:30– 16:00        Molecular mechanisms of mammalian autophagy

Dr Sharon A. Tooze, London Research Institute, UK

Autophagy, a highly conserved cell survival pathway essential for cell health and homeostasis, is a membrane-mediated lysosomal degradation process that can be acutely induced. Induction by amino-acid starvation has been fundamental in the identification of the 36 autophagy-related (Atg) genes first in yeast, and more recently in mammals. Formation of autophagosomes requires the concerted effort of at least 18 Atg proteins, initiated by the activity of the ULK complex and the PI3-kinase complex including Beclin 1. I will discuss our recent findings about key protein-protein interactions and membrane contributions from a variety of subcellular compartments that drives autophagosome formation.

16:00 – 16:30       Autophagy in host-pathogen interaction

Dr Felix Randow, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK

Cells deploy autophagy to protect their cytosol against infection. For efficient delivery to autophagy invading pathogens are specifically recognized by NDP52 and other cargo receptors. I will discuss the interplay between autophagy and pathogens with special emphasis on how cells restrict the proliferation of bacteria in their cytosol, how professional cytosol-dwelling bacteria avoid such attack, and how viruses even appropriate autophagy.

16:30 – 17:00       Chairman’s summing up

About the Speakers

Gary Warnes interest in flow cytometry started at St. Mary’s in 1986, analyzing T-cell subsets. Then set up a new flow cytometric T-cell subset service at St.Thomas’ Hospital. Completed a PhD investigating the immunosuppression of HIV-ve haemophiliacs at St.Thomas’ Hospital. Post-doctoral position, investigated the regulation of Tissue Factor expression by immune co-stimulatory molecules in sepsis. Then managed the Flow & Imaging Core Facilities at the MRC Clinical Science Centre at Hammersmith Hospital. Worked with Derek Davies at Cancer Research UK. Currently managing the Flow facility at the Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University

Felix Randow, is originally from Germany. He obtained his PhD from Humboldt University Berlin before  moving to Boston where he was a post-doc with Brian Seed at Harvard Medical School. In 2003, Felix became Group Leader at LM

Professor David C Rubinsztein  
Professor of Molecular Neurogenetics, Cambridge CB2 0XY UK

Sean T Sweeney,  gained his PhD in the Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge with Dr Cahir O’Kane. In his PhD he developed tetanus toxin light chain as a tool for the targeted transgenic silencing of neurons. This study also revealed the critical role for synaptobrevin at the synapse. He then studied with Prof. Grae Davis at UCSF as a Wellcome Prize Travelling fellow and published studies on a number of mutants involved in membrane traffic at the synapse. Since setting up as a PI he has focused on membrane traffic and endosome function at the synapse within the context of neurodegeneration, using Drosophila as an experimental system.

Sharon A. Tooze has been interested in understanding organelle biogenesis starting at the European Molecular Biology laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany and continuing at the London Research Institute, Cancer Research UK. Since 2004, her interests have been focused on understanding how cells make autophagosomes, and the process of autophagy, in mammalian cells. Her lab identified several autophagy proteins, and is continuing to reveal their function and regulation. Autophagy is fundamental for cell survival and death. A molecular understanding of the process and how it is regulated will provide insight into the role of the autophagy pathway in human diseases.

Tom Wileman trained in cell biology and immunology at Washington University and Harvard Medical Schools in the USA between 1982 and 1994.  He was Assistant Professor at Harvard before moving to the Institute for Animal Health (Pirbright, UK) in 1994 as Head of Immunology to study the cell biology of virus infection. His recent studies have focussed on autophagy and have shown that some viruses activate autophagy during cell entry and that this pathway is also activated by the cationic polymers used as gene delivery vectors.  His collaborative work with Kostas Kostarelos at UCL, has shown that non-viral gene delivery vectors are captured within specialised autophagosomes called tubulovesicular autophagosomes that slow gene delivery into cells.

Registration Web Site: www.regonline.co.uk/autophagy2013

Post expires at 8:38am on Thursday October 3rd, 2013

www.regonline.co.uk/cellcycle2013

Cineworld: The O2, London, SE10 0DX, United Kingdom

This  meeting will present and discuss current research into cell cycle regulation including new approaches available to study this regulation. This event is part of the 2013 Flow Cytometry Forum – www.FlowCytometry2013.com. This event has CPD accreditation.

Meeting Chair:  Dr Michael G Ormerod, Consultant, UK

The Deadline for abstract submissions for oral presentation is July 10th 2013. Abstracts for poster presentation only can be submitted up to two weeks before the event. There will be a best poster prize.

You can download the instructions for authors at

www.euroscicon.com/AbstractsForOralAndPosterPresentation.pdf

Who Should Attend

• Flow cytometry specialists
• Biotech and Pharma Industry: CEOs, Chief Scientists, Group Heads, Senior and Junior Scientists, Research Managers
• Academic and Research Institutes: Group and Lab Heads, Postdoctoral Scientists and Research Students

Talk times include 5 – 10 minutes for questions

9:00 – 9:45          Registration

9:45 – 10:00      Introduction by the Chair:  Dr Michael G Ormerod, Consultant, UK

10:00 – 10:30    Nuclear Envelope Influences on the Cell Cycle

Dr. Eric C. Schirmer, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

The nuclear envelope (NE) is a double membrane system surrounding the nucleus that can influence the cell cycle in several different ways.  Failure to properly disassemble the NE in prophase can block mitosis or result in lagging chromosomes. Moreover, many NE proteins appear to have separate roles in mitosis once disassembled. Finally, several NE proteins can impact on checkpoints and pathways that allow cell cycle progression and some can directly bind the master cell cycle regulator pRb to stabilize and sequester it. This latter can result in these NE proteins having both positive and negative effects depending on associated factors.

10:30 – 11:00      Sensing oxygen stress in the cell

Dr. Sonia Rocha, FSB, Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland

Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1 (HIF-1) is essential for mammalian development and is the principal transcription factor activated by low oxygen tensions. HIF-α subunit quantities and their associated activity are regulated in a post-translational manner, through the concerted action of a class of enzymes called Prolyl Hydroxylases and Factor Inhibiting HIF respectively. These enzymes are the cell molecular oxygen sensors. We have been investigating other molecular processes altered by oxygen these include global chromatin structure and the cell cycle. We shall be presenting our latest results concerning the molecular mechanisms connecting oxygen sensing to some of these important cellular processes.

11:00 – 11:30       Speakers’ photo then mid-morning break and poster exhibition and trade show

11:30 – 12:00      The role of the transcriptional networks in controlling cell cycle progression and genome stability

Robert de Bruin, MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology University College London

The eukaryotic cell cycle is controlled by a regulatory network whose general features are conserved from yeast to humans. Our work investigates the G1/S transcriptional network involved in two crucial aspects of cell cycle regulation, cell division cycle control and maintenance of genome stability. Our recent work reveals how cells cope with the deregulated activities of G1/S transcription factors, which creates specific cellular requirements for replication control and genome protection mechanisms. Since deregulated G1/S transcription is found in nearly all types of cancers our future work will explore how these vulnerabilities could be exploited to identify potential anti-cancer drug targets.

12:00  – 12:30      Oral Presentations

12:30  – 13:30      Lunch, poster exhibition and trade show

13:30 – 14:00      p53, the cell cycle, and opportunities for clinical exploitation

Dr David W Meek, Jacqui Wood Cancer Centre/CRC, University of Dundee, Scotland

The p53 tumour suppressor plays a fundamental role in inhibiting or delaying the development of most types of cancer. p53 is a transcription factor which controls cell cycle checkpoints and apoptosis by orchestrating changes in gene expression in a stimulus-dependent manner. I will discuss recent developments in our understanding of how p53 controls the crucial cell cycle-regulatory enzyme, PLK1 (polo-like kinase-1) and the significance of this model for breast cancer development and treatment. I will also present our progress in understanding how MAGE-A proteins (Melanoma AntiGEns) block p53 activity and discuss novel approaches towards inhibiting these proteins therapeutically.

14:00 – 14:30 Talk to be confirmed

Professor Brian Morgan, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University

14: 30 – 15:00    Afternoon Tea,  last poster session  and trade show

15:00 – 15:30     To be confirmed

15:30 – 16:30      Question and Answer Session

16:30 – 17:00    Chairman’s summing up

About the Chair:

Michael G Ormerod was previously employed as a Senior Scientist Scientist at the Institute of Cancer Research. London. Since taking early retirement, he has been self-employed as research Consultant and trainer. He has taught on courses on flow cytometry in venues, world-side. He recently pblished ‘Flow Ctometry – a Basic Introduction, avaliable at http://flowbook.denovosoftware.com/Flow_Book

About the Speakers:
Eric C. Schirmer  did his PhD with Susan Lindquist on chaperone-prion interactions and Post-doc with Larry Gerace on intermediate filament assembly. He started his own lab at the University of Edinburgh at the end of 2004, where he studies nuclear envelope proteome tissue specificity and its contributions to spatial genome organisation, cell cycle regulation, cytoskeletal organisation, differentiation and human disease.

Sonia Rocha obtained her undergraduate degree from Porto University, Portugal. She received her Ph.D from the ETH-Zurich, Switzerland, then moved to Scotland to conduct postdoctoral work in the group of Neil Perkins at the University of Dundee. In October 2005, Sonia was appointed Principal Investigator in the College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee. In 2010, was awarded Tenure and in 2011 she received a Cancer Research-UK Senior Research Fellowship. She is currently deputy director of the Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression and was recently elected a Fellow of the Society of Biology.

David Meek has a long-standing track record in p53 research. He has made significant contributions to understanding how post-translational modification of p53, and its regulatory partner, MDM2, regulates cell cycle checkpoints and apoptosis. He is currently exploring the relevance of p53-associated events to cancer development and identifying interactions that have mechanistic significance in the development of the disease, or offer potential as therapeutic targets. This includes understanding p53-dependent repression of the key cell cycle-regulatory enzyme, PLK1, and its impact on breast cancer development and treatment; and design of novel agents to block MAGE-A proteins, drivers of oncogenesis that inhibit p53 function.

Robert de Bruin has been a Group Leader at the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, since 2009. He carried out his doctoral work at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and then did postdoctoral studies with Curt Wittenberg at The Scripps Research Intitute, La Jolla, California, USA. His laboratory studies cell cycle regulated transcription and genome stability in yeast and humans.

Brian Morgan‘s laboratory is interested in the regulation of the oxidative stress response and the regulation of the cell division cycle in eukaryotes. Specifically we are investigating the regulation of gene expression important for these cellular events and exploring the signal transduction pathways which regulate this gene expression. His group uses the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe as model organisms to study these regulatory mechanisms as many aspects of these cellular processes are conserved in all eukaryotes. This choice of organisms allows us to apply a wide range of experimental tools including classical genetic and biochemical approaches as well as standard molecular biology techniques.

Registration Web Site: www.regonline.co.uk/cellcycle2013

Post expires at 9:50am on Friday October 4th, 2013

www.regonline.co.uk/insitu2013

Post expires at 2:44pm on Thursday October 10th, 2013

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Cineworld: The O2, London, SE10 0DX, UK

‘This event will challenge scientists and clinicians interested in the field of reproductive immunology to evaluate many of the ‘classical concepts’ associated with pregnancy immunology. This event aims to define new approaches to allow a better understanding of immunity during pregnancy that will benefit mothers and foetuses in different clinical scenarios’

This event  has CPD accreditation and is part of the 2013 Pregnancy Summit- www.PregnancySummit2013.com

Who Should Attend
Biotech and Pharma Industry Managers: CEOs, Chief Scientists, Group Heads, Senior and Junior Scientists, Research working in the field of immunology and pregnancy

Academic and Research Institutes: Group and Lab Heads, Postdoctoral Scientists and Research Students working in the field of immunology and pregnancy

Clinicians: Anyone working in the field of pregnancy and diagnosing pregnancy-related illnesses and pregnancy outcome

The Deadline for abstract submissions for oral presentation is July10th 2013
Abstracts for poster presentation only can be submitted up to two weeks before the event
There will be a best poster prize.
You can download the instructions for authors at 
www.euroscicon.com/AbstractsForOralAndPosterPresentation.pdf 

Talk times include 5 – 10 minutes for questions

9:00 – 9:45          Registration

9:45 – 10:00        Introduction by the Chair:

10:00 – 10:30      IL-1 family members in normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia
Dr Jen Southcombe, University of Oxford, UK
Maternal immunity is modified in pregnancy by a multitude of factors from the placenta that encourage tolerance to the fetus. In pre-eclampsia these modifications are incomplete, and excessive maternal systemic inflammation develops which contributes to the maternal symptoms of proteinuria and hypertension. Interleukins are key regulators of immunity, and increased levels of IL-1alpha/beta/RA are well documented in pre-eclampsia.  Eight new members of the IL-1 family have been recently described, with varying roles in inflammation. We have characterised placenta expression and secretion of these factors, and have identified differences in circulating levels between non-pregnant, normal pregnant and pre-eclamptic women.

10:30 – 11:00      The Role of Decidual Natural Killer Cells and Macrophages in Early Pregnancy
Dr Rupsha Fraser
Reproductive and Cardiovascular Disease Research Group, Division of Biomedical Sciences St George’s, University of London
A successful pregnancy is dependent on efficient placentation and remodelling of maternal uterine vessels (spiral arteries) to allow sufficient oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to the developing fetus. Decidual natural killer (dNK) cells and macrophages (dMϕs) accumulate around spiral arteries in early pregnancy and are present during uterine spiral artery remodelling. We have modelled the cellular interactions at the maternal-fetal interface., providing the first demonstration of a functional role for dNK cells in influencing vascular cells, and a potential mechanism contributing to impaired vessel remodelling in pregnancies with a higher uterine artery resistance is presented. We also present the phenotypes of dMϕs that may be present during these events, their roles in the first trimester of pregnancy, as well as the effects of dNK-derived factors on dMϕ polarization, and spiral artery remodelling.

11:00 – 11:30       Speakers’ photo then mid-morning break and poster exhibition and trade show

11:30 – 12:00       Peripheral immune regulation in ovine pregnancy and local immunity in the ovine  placental cells
Dr Sean Wattegedera, Moredun Research Institute, UK

12:00  – 12:30      Oral Presentations

12:30  – 13:30       Lunch, poster exhibition and trade show

13:30 – 14:00      Talk to be confirmed

14:00 – 14:30       Talk to be confirmed
Professor Dilly OC Anumba, MBBS FWACS FRCOG MD LL.M (Medical Law), The University of Sheffield, UK

14: 30 – 15:00      Afternoon Tea, last poster session  and trade show

15:00 – 15:30       Talk to be confirmed
Dr Lynne Sykes,  Imperial College London

15:30 – 16:30      Question and Answer Session

16:30 – 17:00        Chairman’s summing up

Keywords:  Pregnancy, spiral artery remodelling, decidual natural killer cell, decidual macrophages, pre-eclampsia, IL-1 superfamily, soluble ST2, inflammation, cytokines.

About the Speakers

Rupsha Fraser’s first degree was in Biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh. She subsequently became interested in reproductive biology when doing a Masters at the University of Leeds, where her research was looking into the immunogenetics of pre-eclampsia.  She went on to carry out a PhD at St George’s, University of London, investigating the role of decidual natural killer cells in pregnancy, comparing pregnancies that have been defined as normal healthy pregnancies or those that are at high risk of pre-eclampsia development. Since completing her doctoral studies, Rupsha has been working on a postdoctoral project investigating decidual macrophages in early human pregnancy.

Jen Southcombe has a BSc in Biochemistry from Leeds University, and a doctorate in Human Immunology from Oxford University.  She has been a post-doctoral research scientist in the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oxford University, for the past five years. Her work focuses on placental derived factors that modulate the maternal immune system in pregnancy, with specific focus on factors that are dysregulated in women with complicated pregnancies. Her current work to investigate IL-33 and ST2 throughout pregnancy is funded by the Wellbeing of Women.

Dilly OC Anumba joined the University of Sheffield in 2003 as Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine following research and clinical training in Newcastle University and hospitals in Yorkshire and the Northern region. He was accredited a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 1999, and a subspecialist in Maternal and Fetal Medicine in 2001. Since 2003, he has maintained busy clinical and academic roles.

He is interested in the physiology of human parturition, particularly the role of immunity and inflammation in term/preterm labour and pregnancy hypertension. He is also investigating new techniques to predict preterm birth by the detection of cervical remodelling changes. He runs specialist clinics in Prenatal Diagnosis and Fetal Therapy, Prematurity Prevention, and High Risk Pregnancy, all of which have research spin-offs.
In addition he heads the Education and Training Group, and serve on the Executive Board, of the British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society. He is Lead Clinician of the Fetal Medicine Unit, Sheffield and is a member of the NICE Medical Technologies Advisory Committee (MTAC).

Registration Web Site: www.regonline.co.uk/ImmPreg2013

Post expires at 7:47am on Wednesday October 16th, 2013

www.regonline.co.uk/BiomarkPregnanct2013

Thursday, 17 October 2013

Cineworld: The O2, London, SE10 0DX, UK

Successful biomarker profiling in pregnant or prenatal women could not only help predict the pregnancy risk to mothers, but also survival rate of the unborn child and any possible future complications. There is a wide range of possibility for using biomarkers in pregnancy and prenatal testing.  For example,  research is currently being undertaken to identify biomarkers for

Identifying

·         ectopic pregnancy.

·         potential rejection of pregnancy by the mother

·         possible cardiovascular issues

·         maternal autoimmune development

·         hypertensive disorders

Assessing

·         pregnancy outcome

Revealing

·         Maternal Alcohol Consumption

·         Maternal tobacco use

Avoiding

·         reducing multiple pregnancy

to highlight just a few. This event aims to focus on the current research in this area and discuss the way forward in using biomarkers as a predictive and diagnostic tool to improve pregnancy outcome internationally

This event  has CPD accreditation and is part of the 2013 Pregnancy Summit - www.PregnancySummit2013.com

Who Should Attend
Biotech and Pharma Industry Managers: CEOs, Chief Scientists, Group Heads, Senior and Junior Scientists, Research working in the field of biomarkers or pregnancy

Academic and Research Institutes: Group and Lab Heads, Postdoctoral Scientists and Research Students working in the field of biomarkers or pregnancy

Clinicians: Anyone working in the field of pregnancy and diagnosing pregnancy-related illnesses and pregnancy outcome

The Deadline for abstract submissions for oral presentation is July10th 2013
Abstracts for poster presentation only can be submitted up to two weeks before the event
There will be a best poster prize.
You can download the instructions for authors at
www.euroscicon.com/AbstractsForOralAndPosterPresentation.pdf 

Talk times include 5 – 10 minutes for questions

9:00 – 9:45          Registration

9:45 – 10:00        Introduction by the Chair: Professor Gordon C S Smith, Professor & Head of Department,Obstetrics and Gynaecology,Cambridge University

10:00 – 10:30      Ectopic pregnancy biomarkers
Dr Andrew Horne, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh
Ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed using transvaginal ultrasound and serial serum beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin levels. Diagnosis is often delayed and these tests are time-consuming and costly, both psychologically to the patient and financially to health services. The development of a biomarker that differentiates a tubal ectopic from an intrauterine implantation is therefore important. In the pre-genomic era, a one-by-one scientific approach has revealed over 20 candidate biomarkers that could be used as a test to diagnose ectopic pregnancy although at present their clinical utility is very limited. Recent approaches using microarray and proteomic technology have facilitated the identification of further biomarkers.

10:30 – 11:00      Screening low risk women for adverse pregnancy outcome
Professor Gordon C S Smith, Professor & Head of Department,Obstetrics and Gynaecology,Cambridge University
Screening low-risk women for the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome, such as pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restricition (FGR), is still largely based on clinical assessment, due to negative trials of new methods. I argue that previous studies have weaknesses in their design and have focused on preterm complications despite the lack of clearly effective interventions to improve outcome. A significant proportion of severe pre-eclampsia and FGR occurs at term and could plausibly be prevented by novel screening tests and early term delivery of high-risk women. It is likely that combining ultrasonic assessment and maternal biomarkers could provide clinically useful prediction of risk.

11:00 – 11:30       Speakers’ photo then mid-morning break and poster exhibition and trade show

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you

11:30 – 12:00 Cell transfer between mother and child in pregnancy

Dr Kathleen Gillespie, Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol

The bi-directional transfer of cells between mother and child in pregnancy resulting in microchimerism is now well accepted but effects on health and disease remain controversial.  In this presentation, the current understanding of  the long term effects of these cells on autoimmunity and tissue repair will be addressed.

12:00  – 12:30      Oral Presentations

12:30  – 13:30       Lunch, poster exhibition and trade show

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you

13:30 – 14:00      Talk title to be confirmed

Dr Alexander Heazell, Manchester University, UK

14:00 – 14:30     Talk title to be confirmed

Professor Ray Iles, The Eric Leonard Kruse Foundation for Health Research, UK

14: 30 – 15:00      Afternoon Tea,  last poster session  and trade show

15:00 – 15:30       Talk title to be confirmed
Dr Rebecca Reynolds, Reader in Endocrinology and Diabetes and Honorary Consultant Physician, UoE/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, UK

15:30 – 16:30      Question and Answer Session

16:30 – 17:00        Chairman’s summing up

About the Chair

Gordon Smith, is Professor and Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge, UK. He graduated in Medicine from Glasgow University in 1990. He trained in Glasgow, obtaining, including sub-specialist accreditation in Maternal-Fetal Medicine in 2001. He had two Wellcome Trust clinical research training fellowships: Glasgow University (1992-1993) and Cornell University, USA (1996-1999). He gained his MD, PhD and DSc degrees from Glasgow University. His clinically orientated research focuses on the use of maternal, ultrasonic and biochemical data to determine associations with adverse pregnancy outcome. He was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Science in 2010.

About the Speakers
Andrew Horne is a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh (www.crh.ed.ac.uk/research/dr-andrew-horne) and an Honorary Consultant Gynaecologist at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.  He has a major research interest in Fallopian tube and endometrial biology, embryo implantation and early pregnancy problems.  His aim is to further understanding of the causes of ectopic pregnancy, develop a blood test to better diagnose the condition, and investigate novel methods for treating ectopic pregnancy.

Alexander Heazell is a clinical lecturer working at the Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, University of Manchester. After graduation from the University of Birmingham Medical School in 2000, he commenced clinical training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. After completing his PhD thesis on placenta dysfunction in preeclampsia, he has focused his research interests around stillbirth and fetal growth restriction. He is particularly interested in the role that placental dysfunction plays in these conditions, and whether understanding the nature of such placental failure can be used to identify pregnancies most at risk of stillbirth. He has also led qualitative research projects to explore professionals and parents’ experiences after stillbirth, with a particular focus on investigations following a stillbirth. He has recieved over £350,000 in grant income from Tommy’s – the baby charity, Sands, Peel Medical Research Trust, Manchester Wellcome Trust Clinical Research facility, and the Manchester Biomedical Research Centre. He has over 50 peer-reviewed publications and has co-written the RCOG green-top guidelines for the management of reduced fetal movements. In collaboration with Sands he has initiated the development of a national consent form for perinatal post-mortem and a care pathway for parents who experience a perinatal death.

Kathleen Gillespie is a molecular biologist with a long term interest in the genetic mechanisms underlying autoimmunity.  She is currently Senior Lecturer in the School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol.

Registration Web Site: www.regonline.co.uk/BiomarkPregnanct2013

Post expires at 10:59am on Thursday October 17th, 2013

Tuesday 26th November 2013

Cineworld: The O2, London, SE10 0DX, UK

Miniaturisation and automation of bioprocess development continues to be a rapidly expanding area of interest since the technologies promise to reduce biopharmaceutical development time and cost. This meeting will focus on recent technologies used in high throughput bioprocess development, from clone selection through to analysis of final product and formulation. Expert speakers will describe the development and use of current miniaturisation technologies together with the  technical and regulatory hurdles that must be overcome to facilitate wider industrial uptake.

 This event has CPD accreditation and is part of The 2013 BioProcessing Summit – www.BioprocessingSummit2013.com

Meeting chair: Professor. Chris Lowe, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, UK

Who Should Attend:

Biotech and Pharma Industry: CEOs, Chief Scientists, Group Heads, Senior and Junior Scientists, Research

ManagersAcademic and Research Institutes: Group and Lab Heads, Postdoctoral Scientists and Research Students

The Deadline for abstract submissions for oral presentation is July 10th 2013
Abstracts for poster presentation only can be submitted up to two weeks before the event
There will be a best poster prize.
You can download the instructions for authors at
www.euroscicon.com/AbstractsForOralAndPosterPresentation.pdf 

Talk times include 5 – 10 minutes for questions

9:00 – 9:45          Registration

9:45 – 10:00        Introduction by the Chair:  Professor. Chris Lowe, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of   Cambridge, UK

10:00 – 10:30       Talk title to be confirmed

                                 Dr Martina Micheletti, The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London, UK

10:30 – 11:00       Confinement phenomenon based bio-process intensification using monolithic microreactors

Professor Galip Akay, School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, Newcastle University

Bio-Process intensification, B-PI  (by a factor of 5-200 fold compared with batch processing) is achievable using monolithic microreactors with well defined physical and biochemical structure of pores used as support for bacteria or cells. This enhancement is due to ‘confinement phenomenon’ in which the behaviour of microorganisms is dependent on their confining environment.  Recent examples of B-PI  pioneered at Newcastle University include fermentation, antibiotics and enzyme production as well as tissue engineering and Agri-Process Intensification through bacterial nitrogen fixation by plants. Mechanism of B-PI will be discussed.

11:00 – 11:30        Speakers’ photo then mid-morning break and poster exhibition and trade show

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you

11:30 – 12:00       Lyophilised Biopharmaceticals- Looking at Cake Properties

Dr Daryl R Williams, Director of Development, Discovery Space and Reader in Particle Science, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College

An innovative method for the mechanical testing of freeze-dried biopharmaceutical cakes in situ vials has been developed. This simple and quick compression test allows a range of cake mechanical properties to be assessed quantitatively. It can be readily applied to fragile and moisture sensitive freeze-dried cakes within the vials. Freeze dried mannitol, sucrose and trehalose samples all yielded linear compressive elastic behavior for small strains with Young’s Moduli of 25, 120 and 170 kPa respectively. This method discriminates readily between the three excipients reported here and can be used to optimise formulation of biopharmaceutical systems.

12:00  – 12:30      Oral Presentations

12:30  – 13:30      Lunch, poster exhibition and trade show

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you

13:30 – 15:00      Question and Answer Session

15:00 – 15:30      Afternoon Tea,  last poster session  and trade show

15:30 – 16:00    Talk title to be confirmed

                            Speaker to be confirmed, Applikon Biotechnology, UK

16:00 – 16:30    Talk to be confirmed

16:30 – 17:00      Chairman’s summing up

About the Chair:

Chris Lowe‘s group’s primary research interest is in healthcare biotechnology, particularly where it is applied to the high-value low-volume sectors of biopharmaceuticals, sensors and diagnostics and microbial technology. The work is highly multidisciplinary and not only covers aspects of molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, chemistry, physics, electronics and engineering, but also the entire range from fundamental science to strategic and applied science, much of which has significant commercial application.

About the Speakers:

Galip Akay holds the established chair of Chemical Engineering at Newcastle University. He has a multi-disciplinary education and research background both in academia and industry. He is one of the founders of Process Intensification in chemical technology. More recently, he extended this discipline to biotechnology, tissue engineering and agriculture through the discovery of the ‘confinement phenomenon’.  His research in energy and materials science is commercialised by 3 spin-out companies in collaboration with international companies. He has some 250 publications and over 70 patents. He is a founding trustee of  the UK Children’s Neurological Research Campaining.

Daryl R. Williams has a B.Sc.(Hons) from University of Melbourne, Australia, a M.Sc. from Lehigh University, USA before completing his Ph.D at Imperial College London where he is the Reader in Particle Science. Daryl has published over 70 journal papers, has 5 patents and is a world leader in advanced instrumental characterisation of solids.  He is the founder of Surface Measurement Systems. He researches the surface/bulk characterisation of organic solids including biopharmaceutics,  as well as their manufacture using spray and freeze drying, crystallisation, freeze drying, milling and granulation.  Sponsors include EPSRC, BBSRC, Pfizer, Astra-Zeneca, P&G, BTL, Avecia and GSK.

Registration Web Site: http://www.regonline.co.uk/Mini2013

Post expires at 3:58pm on Tuesday November 26th, 2013

Wednesday, 27 November 2013

Cineworld: The O2, London, UK

The growing interest in biotechnology development and the high demand for biopharmaceuticals have contributed to the growth of the global biopharmaceutical market, which now comprises over 200 prodcuts. This market has reached $106 billion in 2009 and is forecasted to grow with a CAGR of 11.2% by 2016.

The main challenges of the biopharmaceutical industry now are to increase the efficiency and reduce the costs of the manufacturing process, with respect to the protein recovery, purity and efficacy. Therefore, new strategies are being implemented for the upstream and downstream processing. In the upstream, genetic engineering and glycoengineering approaches, as well as single-use bioreactors are being developed and applied. However, as culture yields are continuously increasing, the bottleneck in the manufacturing process has shifted to the dowstream processing, which accounts for ~ 80% of the total production cost. Many aspects are being considered for improving economics in downstream processing, such as simplification of the chromatographic purification processes, application of membrane technology, crystallization and precipitation.

This meeting will focus on the advances, innovation and challenges in the area of downstream processing of biopharmaceuticals.

This event has CPD accreditation and is part of
The 2013 BioProcessing Summit - www.BioprocessingSummit2013.com

Meeting chair:  Dr Graziella El Khoury, University of Cambridge, UK

Who Should Attend
Biotech and Pharma Industry: CEOs, Chief Scientists, Group Heads, Senior and Junior Scientists, Research

ManagersAcademic and Research Institutes: Group and Lab Heads, Postdoctoral Scientists and Research Students

The Deadline for abstract submissions for oral presentation is July 10th 2013
Abstracts for poster presentation only can be submitted up to two weeks before the event
There will be a best poster prize.
You can download the instructions for authors at 
www.euroscicon.com/AbstractsForOralAndPosterPresentation.pdf 

Keywords:  Purification, downstream processing, primary separation, primary capture, chromatography, filtration, polishing, Single use Technologies, purification, biopharmaceutical, nanofibres; productivity, Membrane Adsorbers, Scale Up, Process Development, Biosimilars, Process Development, protein secretion, Bacillus, proteases, translocase, chaperone, biopharmaceuticals, membrane technology.

Talk times include  5 – 10 minutes for questions

9:00 – 9:45          Registration

9:45 – 10:00        Introduction by the Chair:

10:00 – 10:30      Advances in Therapeutic Protein Purification.
Dr Graziella El Khoury, University of Cambridge, UK

As the upstream titres of therapeutic proteins are continuously increasing, one of the major challenges of the biopharmaceutical industry now is to reduce the cost of the dowsntream processing, which typically accounts for ~ 80% of the total production cost. However, the purification process needs to be reliable to produce highly pure, bioactive proteins suitable for human use. This talk will highlight recent advances in therapeutic protein purification, with specific examples on the downstream processing of top selling biopharmaceuticals, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO).

10:30 – 11:00      Fitting non-platform products into platform timelines
Karen Bannister, MedImmune, Cambridge,UK

11:00 – 11:30       Speakers’ photo then mid-morning break and poster exhibition and trade show

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you

11:30 – 12:00       Semi-selective protein precipitation using salt-tolerant copolymers for industrial purification of therapeutic antibodies
Florian Capito,

Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany

12:00  – 12:30      Oral Presentations

12:30  – 13:30       Lunch, poster exhibition and trade show

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you

13:30 – 14:00      Liquid-liquid extractions of proteins. Batch or continuous? A past or a future?
Professor Derek Fisher, Brunel University, UK

14:00 – 14:30       Bacillus protein secretion, an aid to downstream processing
Professor Colin R. Harwood, Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell & Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University
Bacillus species are prolific secretor of proteins that are directed into the culture medium. The main secretion pathway, the Sec translocase, requires targeted secretory proteins to be in a translocation competent, substantially unfolded, state. Consequently, secretory proteins must fold as they emerge on the trans side of the membrane.  While this has the advantage of facilitating their folding into their native and therefore functional configuration, it adds an element of vulnerability to proteins that intrinsically fold slowly.  Approaches to address this issue and improve the yield of proteins in the culture medium will be discussed.

14: 30 – 15:00      Afternoon Tea,  last poster session  and trade show

15:00 – 15:30       To be confirmed

15:30 – 16:30      Question and Answer Session

16:30 – 17:00        Chairman’s summing up

Media partners

Dont forget to sign up to Euroscicons’ e-newsletter at www.euroscicon.com/signup.htm to keep up to date with European Life Science news and events and to be notified of the follow up to this event

This meeting was organised by Euroscicon (www.euroscicon.com), a team  of dedicated professionals working for the continuous improvement of technical knowledge transfer to all scientists. Euroscicon believe that they can make a positive difference to the quality of science by providing cutting edge information on new technological advancements to the scientific community.  This is provided via our exceptional services to individual scientists, research institutions and industry.

About the Chair

Graziella El Khoury received her MSc degree in Physiology and her PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Lyon, France. Her PhD thesis focused on the implementation of miniaturised immunoassays for peptide and protein microarrays. She is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology working on the development of synthetic ligands for affinity chromatography and the downstream processing of biopharmaceuticals. She has been awarded the “Journal of Molecular Recognition Year Travel Award for a Young Scientist” at the 19th Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Molecular Recognition – Affinity 2011.

About the Speakers

Colin Harwood is a graduate of London and Leeds Univerities and is currently Professor of Molecular Microbiology at the Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Newcastle University. He has studied Bacillus protein secretion for more than 25 years and Bacillus molecular biology for more than 40 years. He has collaborated widely with some of the major producers of industrial enzymes, and uses his knowledge of the fundamental processes involved in protein secretion to engineer strains with increased yields.

Registration Web Site: www.regonline.co.uk/down2013

Post expires at 11:11am on Wednesday November 27th, 2013

Friday, 29 November 2013

Cineworld: The O2, London, SE10 0DX, UK

With their provenance as an excellent source of pharmaceutical, neutraceutical and health promoting chemistries, plant natural products are an attractive target for biotechnological development for industrialization  so as to make them more widely available.  To realize this potential, two strategies are currently being employed whereby the associated metabolic pathways are engineered in planta, or are ectopically expressed in microbial hosts and produced through fermentation.   In both cases it is clear that recent developments in genetics, and our understanding of metabolism are providing us with unprecedented tools to fast-track these ambitions.  In addition, the advent of synthetic biology, where approaches more commonly employed in engineering are applied to design and optimize bioprocesses has much to offer industrial biotechnology in the future.

In this meeting a series of metabolic engineering programs  representing each of the differing strategies for natural product biosynthesis will be presented and the potential merits of plant Vs microbial industrial biotechnology discussed, along with projections as to how each might benefit from synthetic biology based approaches.  In addition to reviewing the latest development in plant natural product biochemistry and molecular biology, the meeting will be formative in shaping thinking as to how and where new approaches like synthetic biology can be best applied in industrial biotechnology in the coming years.

This event has CPD accreditation and is part of

The 2013 BioProcessing Summit - www.BioprocessingSummit2013.com

Meeting Chair:  Professor Robert Edwards , Chief Scientist, The Food and Environment Research Agency

9:00 – 9:45      Registration

9:45 – 10:00     Introduction by the Chair:  Professor Robert Edwards, Chief Scientist, The Food and Environment Research Agency

10:00 – 10:30  Talk title to be confirmed                                                                                                                                                                      Professor John Ward, University College London, United Kingdom

10:30 – 11:00    Cultured cambial meristematic cells as a source of plant natural products                                                            Professor Gary Loake, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland

A plethora of important, chemically diverse natural products are derived from plants. In principle, plant cell culture offers an attractive option for producing many of these compounds. However, it is often not commercially viable because of difficulties associated with culturing dedifferentiated plant cells (DDCs) on an industrial scale. To bypass the dedifferentiation step, we isolated and cultured innately undifferentiated cambial meristematic cells (CMCs). Using a combination of deep sequencing technologies, we identified marker genes and transcriptional programs consistent with a stem cell identity. This notion was further supported by the morphology of CMCs, their hypersensitivity to γ-irradiation and radiomimetic drugs and their ability to differentiate at high frequency. Suspension culture of CMCs derived from Taxus cuspidata, the source of the key anticancer drug, paclitaxel (Taxol), circumvented obstacles routinely associated with the commercial growth of DDCs. These cells may provide a cost-effective and environmentally friendly platform for sustainable production of a variety of important plant natural products.

11:00 – 11:30    Speakers’ photo then mid-morning break and trade show

Please try to visit all the exhibition stands during your day at this event.  Not only do our sponsors enable Euroscicon to keep the registration fees competitive, but they are also here specifically to talk to you

11:30 – 12:00    Engineering flavonoid metabolism in yeast                                                                                                                          Professor Robert Edwards , Chief Scientist, The Food and Environment Research Agency

Phenylpropanoids are simple aromatic natural products found in all plants which are used as the building blocks for a wide range of polyphenols including a diverse array of flavonoids with activities as diverse as dietary cytoprotectants, colourants  and flavour enhancers.  Using polyprotein technology we have engineered bakers’ yeast to transform readily available phenylpropanoids left over from brewing and biofuel production into high value flavonoids, including glycosylated derivatives with uses as artificial sweeteners.  The approach adopted shows the value of effectively transferring plant metabolic pathways into non-natural hosts to extend the diversity of end products which can be generated in useful quantities.

12:00 – 12;30   Metabolic engineering of high value lipids in transgenic plants                                                                                    Professor Johnathan Napier, Rothamsted Research Limited, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom

Using genetic engineering it is now possible to generate transgenic plants which have the capacity to synthesise high value fatty acids such as the omega-3 long chain polyunsaturates.

12:30 – 13:30   Lunch and trade show

13:30– 14:30    Question and Answer Session

Delegates will be asked to submit questions to a panel of experts.  Questions can be submitted before the event or on the day

14:30 – 15:00   Afternoon Tea/Coffee and trade show

15:00 – 15:30   A ten gene cluster responsible for synthesis of the anticancer alkaloid noscapine in opium poppy                          Professor Ian Graham, CNAP Director and Weston Chair of Biochemical Genetics, University of York, United Kingdom

Noscapine is an antitumor alkaloid from opium poppy that binds tubulin, arrests metaphase and induces apoptosis in dividing human cells. We recently discovered a cluster of 10 genes encoding five distinct enzyme classes that are responsible for noscapine production in poppy (Winzer et al., Science, 2012). Virus induced gene silencing resulted in accumulation of pathway intermediates allowing a novel biosynthetic pathway to be proposed. This advance adds to our knowledge of gene clusters in plants and will enable improvement in commercial production of noscapine and related bioactive molecules.

15:30 – 16:00   Genome mining and metabolic engineering for triterpene synthesis                                                                              Professor Anne Osbourn, Associate Research Director, John Innes Centre

Plants produce a huge array of natural products, many of which are specialised metabolites associated with particular species. These secondary metabolites often have important ecological functions.   Although the ability of plants to perform in vivo combinatorial chemistry by mixing, matching and evolving the genes required for different secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways is likely to have been critical for survival and diversification of the Plant Kingdom we know very little about the mechanisms underpinning this process.  This talk will focus on plant natural product function and synthesis, the origins of metabolic diversity and potential for metabolic engineering, drawing on our research on triterpene synthesis in crop and model plants.  Triterpenes have important ecological and agronomic functions, contributing to pest and pathogen resistance and to food quality in crop plants.  They also have a wide range of commercial applications in the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors.

16:00 – 16:30   Engineering polyphenols in tomatoes                                                                                                                                                Professor Cathie Martin, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, UK

16:30 – 17:00   Chairman’s summing up

About the Chair:

Robert Edwards is the Chief Scientist at the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) and also runs a research group at the University of York in the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, where he has a Chair in Crop Protection. He was formerly Head of Biology at Durham University, with 26 years of postdoctoral experience as a Plant Biochemist working in the public and private sectors in the UK and USA.  As co-ordinator of the cross Research Council-funded network ‘Synthetic Plant Products for Industry’ he has been working with industrialists and academics on applications for synthetic biology in the improvement and utilisation of crop plants in biorefining.  Research interests in metabolic  engineering include manipulating high value flavonoid production and the biotransformation of synthetic chemicals.  Expertise in natural products at Fera includes state-of-the-art facilities in measuring a wide range of analytes in food and environmental samples and research programmes in biorenewables.

About the Speakers:

Johnathan A. Napier’s research on the biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids has delivered some of the key advances in the last 15 years. He obtained his BSc from the University of Nottingham, followed by a PhD in plant biochemistry from King’s College, London. He carried out post-doctoral research in the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, then taking up a position at Long Ashton Research Station in Bristol. His research group relocated to Rothamsted Research in 2003 where he is currently Institute Assistant Director and Programme Leader. Johnathan is also an Affiliated Lecturer at the University of Cambridge.

Gary Loake’s research aims to understand the molecular mechanisms underpinning plant disease and resistance. 1996  Joined University of Edinburgh, 1995-1996  Senior Postdoctoral Fellow, The Plant Laboratory, University of York, UK, 1991-1994 Salk-Noble Plant Biology Fellow, Salk Institute, California, USA, 1990-1991 Salk-Noble Plant Biology Fellow, Samuel Robert Noble Foundation, 1990 Ph.D. University of Durham, Durham, UK

Anne Osbourn is Associate Research Director of the John Innes Centre, Norwich.  Her research focuses on plant natural products – function, synthesis and metabolic diversification.  She is an author of over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications and recently co-edited a comprehensive textbook on plant-derived natural products [Lanzotti V & Osbourn A. (2009) Plant-derived natural products – Synthesis, function and application. Springer, New York, USA]. She has also developed and co-ordinates the Science, Art and Writing (SAW) initiative, a cross-curricular science education programme for schools (www.sawtrust.org).

Ian Graham  holds the Weston Chair of Biochemical Genetics and is the Director of the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP) at the University of York. His research interests focus on seed biology and metabolic engineering of novel oils and other high value chemicals. Current projects range from the development of novel oilcrops such as Jatropha curcas to medicinal plants such as Artemisia annua that produces the anti-malarial compound artemisinin and opium poppy that produces analgesics and other compounds for the pharmaceutical industry. Funding for Ian’s research comes from a range of sources including industry, UK Government, EU and various charities.

Registration Web Site: http://www.regonline.co.uk/smallscale12

Post expires at 3:13pm on Friday November 29th, 2013