Short Courses
27 November 2018 | 18:00-20:30
SC1: Immunology Basics for Drug Discovery, Part 1: Immune System Overview - Detailed Agenda
This short course provides an introduction to human immunology for discovery pharmacologists, biologists and chemists working in the biopharmaceutical industry. It will review how the immune system is organized and gives rise to both normal and pathogenic
immune responses. Topics will include pathogen recognition by innate immune cells, antigen generation and presentation to lymphocytes, effector mechanisms of T cells, antibody generation and the molecular basis of pathogenic immune responses.
Instructor:
Thomas Sundberg, PhD, Group Leader, Cellular Pharmacology, Center for Development of Therapeutics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
SC2: Understanding Key Concepts in Drug Metabolism and Drug Transport - Detailed Agenda
This short course will focus on basic aspects of drug metabolism and drug transporters and their impact in drug research and development. The drug metabolism section will briefly cover the historical basis of early drug metabolism studies, important
biotransformations with relevant mechanistic details, some strategies that medicinal chemists use to influence drug metabolism and finally, the role of reactive metabolites in drug toxicity. The drug transporter section will cover conceptual aspects
of experimental design, including set-up, pitfalls and data interpretation. The relevance of drug transport processes for key ADME and safety properties will be discussed and exemplified with different case studies. The audience will learn where
and how drug transport properties can be optimized throughout lead-optimization to improve drug absorption and distribution, organ targeting and drug safety.
Instructors:
John C. L. Erve, PhD, DABT, Jerve Scientific Consulting,
Inc.
Bruno Stieger, PhD, Department of Clinical
Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich
SC3: The Origins, Optimization and Application of Organ-on-a-Chip Systems - Detailed Agenda
This short course will take a more in depth look at the origins, optimization and application of organ-on-a-chip systems. This course will cover the essential tools and techniques employed in the development and application of organ-on-a-chip and
MicroPhysiological systems in more detail. Topics covered will include the integration of non-biological chips with modern cell culture, microfabrication techniques, 2D and 3D applications, increasing throughput and insuring quality control. Participants
can expect to gain a greater understanding of the history and background of organ-on-a-chip devices, their current capabilities, current and future industrial applications.
Instructors:
James J. Hickman, PhD, Professor,
NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida
Peter Loskill, PhD, Assistant Professor
for Experimental Regenerative Medicine, Department of Women’s Health, Research Institute for Women’s Health, Faculty of Medicine, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen
Wendy Rowan, PhD, FRSB, Associate GSK Fellow,
Scientific Leader Target Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline
29 November 2018 | 19:00-21:30
SC4: Immunology Basics for Drug Discovery, Part 2: Immune-Oncology and Autoimmunity - Detailed Agenda
This short course will provide a brief overview of the organization of the immune system that will then serve as the basis for discussions of how the immune system can be modulated through biopharmaceutical intervention to either enhance anti-tumor
immunity or suppress pathogenic inflammation. We will cover basic principles of immune-oncology (e.g., checkpoint blockade) and progress in targeting immune processes with small molecules and protein-based immunomodulatory therapies.
Instructor:
Thomas Sundberg, PhD, Group Leader, Cellular Pharmacology, Center for Development of Therapeutics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
SC5: Humanized Mouse Models: Technology and Applications in Preclinical Assessment of Cancer Immunotherapy - Detailed Agenda
Humanized mouse models have been developed as immunologically relevant models for preclinical profiling of cancer immunotherapies. The course will describe different types of humanized mouse models, their immune characterization, and specific examples
of their application in the field of cancer immunotherapy. The course will highlight advantages and pitfalls of currently available humanized mouse models and will give an overview of the next-generation improved humanized models designed to better
address specific immunological questions.
Instructor:
Michael Brehm, PhD, Associate Professor, The Robert and Sandra Glass Term Chair in Diabetes, Diabetes Center of Excellence, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School