Transatlantic ECI GPCR Symposium

Name: Transatlantic ECI GPCR Symposium
Start: 2021-07-08T14:00:00Z
End: 2021-07-08T23:00:00Z

July 8, 2021

About the event

The first annual Transatlantic ECI GPCR symposium is a 1-day event aimed at Early Career Investigators. This event was organized by Nicole Perry-Hauser (Columbia University), Brian Bender (UCSF), Andreas Bock (Max Delbruck Center, Berlin), and Desislava Nesheva (University of Nottingham). The symposium seeks to promote collegiality and collaboration among early career scientists in the GPCR field. (Image created with Biorender.com)

This 1-day symposium will provide an opportunity for postdoctoral scientists/graduate students to present their research in a virtual format. Oral presentations and posters will be selected by the organizing committee from submitted abstracts. ECIs will also have the chance to engage with GPCR leaders during the lunch session (or breakfast/dinner depending on individual timezone). Attendees will be sorted into small groups so that they can ask established scientists questions about science, career trajectory, or anything else on their minds!

Attendees will also choose among several Breakout Sessions that highlight the work of four investigators: Laura Bohn (Scripps Research), Martin Lohse (ISAR Bioscience, Munich, Germany), Mark von Zastrow (UCSF), and Fiona Marshall (Merck). These sessions are meant to be more informal with a focus on both science and career.

The day will include two keynotes: Masha Niv (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and Laura Wingler (Duke University).

Finally, the symposium will conclude with two back-to-back poster sessions selected from submitted abstracts. The Fourwaves platform allows presenters to virtually meet with up to 8 participants per poster, which will give attendees the chance to directly communicate their science. Graduate students and postdoctoral scientists who are interested in participating in such events are encouraged to submit their abstracts using the online portal.

Our Speakers

We have selected several GPCR leaders to give career talks and provide advice for ECIs.

Keynote I: Masha NivProfessor, Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Masha Niv is a pioneer in chemoreceptor biology. More recently, work from her lab has connected the effects of viral infection with changes in chemosensation. Additionally, Masha organizes GPCRLadies, a listing of women scientists in GPCR research, to enhance and support gender equality in the field.

Keynote II: Laura WinglerAssistant Professor, Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University

Laura Wingler recently started her lab at Duke University. Her lab endeavors to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the rich pharmacology of G protein-coupled receptor ligands.

Breakout Leader: Laura BohnProfessor, Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, Scripps Research

Laura Bohn is a tenured Professor in the Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience at Scripps Research (Florida campus). She is best known for her work in opioid receptor biology. Her goal is to find new approaches in treating pain, addiction, and mood disorders.

Breakout Leader: Mark von ZastrowProfessor, Psychiatry, UCSF

Mark von Zastrow is a leader in GPCR subcellular organization and receptor-mediated signaling. His lab develops new imaging methodologies to monitor protein trafficking and transducer interactions.

Breakout Leader: Martin LohseProfessor, ISAR Bioscience (Munich, Germany)

Martin Lohse is a world-leading GPCR expert. His work focuses on temporal and spatial aspects of GPCR activation and downstream signaling. He has pioneered the use of fluorescence-based biosensors and advanced microscopy to investigate GPCR biology.

Breakout Leader: Fiona MarshallSr. Vice President, Tranlational Medicine and Discovery Sciences at Merck

Fiona is well known for her seminal work in the field of G protein-coupled receptors and has published extensively in that field. Fiona joined Merck in April 2018 as Head of the new Discovery Research Centre in London where she focused the new team to work on diseases of ageing. In 2019 she was appointed Head of Merck Neuroscience Discovery. Under her leadership, the team has reshaped the neuroscience portfolio with renewed emphasis on disease-modifying therapies.

Thanks to our sponsors

Their generous contribution and commitment allowed us to make this event a success.

ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science

Symposium Organizers

Nicole Perry-Hauser (Columbia University), Brian Bender (UCSF), Andreas Bock (MDC Berlin), and Desislava Nesheva (University of Nottingham)

COST Action CA18133 ERNEST

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology, http://www.cost.eu/) is a funding agency that connects research initiatives across Europe and enables scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. ERNEST aims to create a diverse multidisciplinary network of researchers, including all career levels and inclusive of underrepresented target groups (www.ernest-gpcr.eu). ERNEST offers bi-annual meetings, scientific exchanges and other initiatives to enable networking and cooperation between signal transduction researchers within the EU/COST Region and beyond. Central to ERNEST's mission is the promotion, training and advancement of Early Career Researchers. We extend our thanks to the COST Association and ERNEST for helping organize this symposium.