GPCR Workshop 2011
The GPCR workshop 2010 www.confometrxrf.com was very well received and the call for an encore event was resounding, thus this event. It will be co-hosted by Confometrx Research Foundation and the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Australia. The focus and goals of the workshop remains like that of the workshop in 2010.
Confometrx Research Foundation is a public non-profit foundation founded by Brian and Tong Sun Kobilka in 2009. The specific purpose of the foundation is to bring together scientists from academia, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry to exchange ideas, disseminate information, and discuss challenges related to drug development for G-protein coupled receptors in order to facilitate the discovery of more effective and selective therapeutics for unmet medical needs.
Goals
The goal of the workshop is to establish an open channel of communication between academia and industry, and to encourage mutual sharing of ongoing research results, both successes and failures, so as to facilitate progress in the development of more effective therapeutics for G protein coupled receptor targets. Specifically we want to explore ways to make structure based drug discovery practical for G protein coupled receptors.
Poster Abstract
The deadline for poster abstract submissions is: October 16th, 2011
Abstracts can be up to 1 page, 2.5cm left margin, 2cm other margins. Times New Roman type, 12pt.
If you are interested, an abstract for the poster may be submitted to: 
Patrick Sexton
Most academic scientists with interests in GPCR structure, pharmacology and signaling have little experience in the practical aspects of structure based drug discovery as is currently applied to soluble protein targets such as kinases and proteases. Similarly, scientists in the pharmaceutical industry with expertise in structure-based drug discovery (NMR spectroscopists, crystallographers, computational chemists) are often unaware of the possibilities and limitations of structural approaches to GPCRs. The goal of the workshop will be to facilitate communication between these two groups of scientists with the hope of fostering collaborations that will lead to more focused efforts to enable innovative approaches to structure-based drug discovery for GPCRs.
Workshop Format
The format for this workshop will differ from more conventional conferences where scientists typically present a combination of previously published work and recently completed unpublished work. We would like to establish a format where there will be a free flow of ideas centered around the problems of structure-based drug discovery, and a discussion of what different investigators have tried, what has worked, and what has failed. The conference will follow the principles of the Gordon Research Conferences, where the participants will hold data and ideas discussed at the workshop in confidence.
Anticipated Outcome
To create a better understanding of problems faced and more focused approaches to resolve drug discovery problems. Establish long-term interactions between academics and industry.
How to Apply
- Register here.
- You will be notified upon receipt of registration fee.
Workshop Sponsorship
All contributions will be used to defray the cost of organizing and administering the event and to enable the attendance of participants from academic labs. Any amount of contribution will be much appreciated.
Tax deductible contributions entitle a company to send attendees registration free. The following stipulations apply:
- $5000.00 USD - one attendee, registration free. $3,800.00 is tax deductible.
- $10,000.00 USD - two attendees, registration free. $8,600.00 is tax deductible.
Conference Fees
Industry registration is US $1200.00 per person.
Academia registration fee is US $600.00 per person.
Graduate students need only pay US $100.00 for the banquet dinner.
This fee allows you to participate in all sessions for the duration of the workshop; it will also include some meals but not travel or lodging.
Questions? Workshop Contacts:
Brian Kobilka | Patrick Sexton | Tong Sun Kobilka | Arthur Christopoulos