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Preview Highlights |
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INTRODUCTION |
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 TOP INTRODUCTION Symposia/minisymposiaEducation SymposiaSpecial SessionsSatellite Sessions |
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Symposia/minisymposia |
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TOPINTRODUCTIONSymposia/minisymposiaEducation SymposiaSpecial SessionsSatellite Sessions |
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Protein and Membrane Traffic in the Eukaryotic Cell
Chair: R. Schekman
Details of the mechanisms used to transport proteins and vesicles within cells are emerging from genetic and biochemical investigations. Speakers will focus on pathways of bidirectional transport between the cytoplasm and the nucleus, and membrane transport along the secretory pathway. Presentations will highlight the role of phosphorylation of proteins and lipids in regulating traffic, and the role of receptors, membrane proteins, and coat proteins in the selective movement of biosynthetic and internalized cargomolecules.
Immunology
Chair: R.A. Flavell
Proteases in Diseases
Chair: N. Thornberry
It is becoming clear that proteases are involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases for which there are currently no good therapies. Examples include viral processing enzymes (viral infections), matrix metalloproteases (inflammation and cancer), and caspases (inflammation and diseases resulting from deregulation of apoptosis). There are two classes of protease inhibitors that have had a major impact on disease: HIV protease inhibitors for the treatment of AIDS, and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for the treatment of hypertension. These achievements have established proteases to be excellent potential targets for therapeutic intervention. A better understanding of the biochemical processes that are governed by proteases, and the mechanisms that regulate them, will inevitably result in new therapeutic opportunities. Presenters will discuss potential protease targets in numerous therapeutic areas, including inflammation, neurodegeneration, ischemia, cancer, and viral infection.
Cell Cycle
Chair: J. Newport
Progression through the different phases of the cell cycle is controlled by a set of biochemical pathways that monitor processes such as cell growth, DNA replication, DNA damage and repair, and formation of a mature mitotic metaphase spindle. These biochemical pathways, in turn, serve as checkpoints, which prevent downstream cell cycle functions from initiating until upstream functions are completed. As such, temporal progression through the cell cycle is maintained. Speakers will present the results of recent studies designed to elucidate the molecular details of these checkpoint pathways.
Apoptosis
Chair: V. Dixit
This symposium will focus on recent advances in defining molecular components of the cell death pathway, their interaction and regulation.
Cell Motility
Chair: J. Spudich
Molecular motors have the unique capability of precisely coordinating chemical energy from ATP hydrolysis with mechanical motion along a track. For the myosin family of molecular motors, that track is an actin filament; for the kinesins and the dyneins, microtubules serve as tracks. While not generally thought of in the same way, DNA clearly serves as a track for motors, such as DNA polymerase, to move along. In many cases motors are processive, i.e., a single molecule can walk a great distance along its track, taking multiple steps before completely dissociating. In other instances, such as occurs within skeletal muscle, motors spend very little time associated with their tracks, which allows a population of closely spaced and linked motors to move along their tracks at great speeds. This session concentrates on the most recent information regarding the molecular basis of this remarkable superfamily of enzymes. Speakers will also address the importance of molecular motors in cellular functions.
Theme II: Molecular Biology
Human Genome
Chair: D. Botstein
Gene Regulation
Chair: S.L. McKnight
Twenty-five years ago, Seymore Benzer devised forward genetic screens in order to study complex patterns of behavior in fruit flies. One of Benzer's most notable discoveries revealed a genetic locus designated period. Mutations in the period gene either lengthened or shortened the circadian cycle of fly locomotor activity. Benzer's pioneering work has now begun to flourish, leading to a molecular description of the pathways that regulate circadian rhythms in flies, mice and humans. The speakers in the symposium on Gene Regulation are internationally recognized leaders in the field of behavioral genetics and molecular biology. The four lectures will provide a comprehensive and contemporary view of the transcriptional regulatory circuit responsible for controlling circadian rhythm.
Gene Regulation: Structures, Strategies and Signals
Chair: R.N. Eisenman
This symposium connects several of the major themes that have emerged from recent research on the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. These themes are the structural biology of the transcription machinery, the regulatory circuits governing global gene regulation, and the signaling pathways and protein-protein interactions regulating cellular responses to the environment. It has become clear that key steps in transcription are mediated by macromolecular complexes with multiple activities. Speakers will discuss advances in structural analysis of such complexes that have led to new insights about both regulated and basal transcription; how DNA microarrays, permitting global gene expression analysis of the whole yeast genome, have led to new views on the coordinate regulation of gene expression; focus on a key signaling pathway that modulates gene expression in response to the growth factor TGFb and describe the network of activating and repressing transcription factors that affects the choice between cell proliferation and differentiation.
Signal Transduction I
Cochairs: J.E. Dixon and J. Schlessinger
This session will focus on new developments in signal transduction. Signaling mechanisms of both protein kinases and phosphatases will be discussed, as well as the important role of adapter proteins in transmitting these signals to the nucleus. Speakers will describe systems that use both mammalian cell systems and yeast; the range of experimental approaches will include protein structure and cell biology.
Signal Transduction II
Cochairs: J. Schlessinger and J.E. Dixon
Symposium speakers will describe various signal transduction pathways that are initiated at the cell surface, discussing novel findings concerning the activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (EGF, PDGF, and FGF receptors) as well as receptor serine/threonine kinases (TGFB receptors). The structure and function of protein tyrosine phosphatases and an inositol phospholipid phosphatase will be described. Participants will also analyze the various protein modules responsible for signal transmission such as SH2, SH3, PDZ, and WW domains. Genetic studies in C. elegans and in Drosophila and knockout experiments in mice of genes encoding for signal transduction proteins will reveal highly conserved cellular pathways that relay information from the cell surface to the nucleus. The Ras/Raf/MAPK signaling pathway will be discussed in detail as well as the role of inositol phospholipids in the control of cell growth, differentiation, and cell survival.
Oncogenes/Antioncogenes
Cochairs: C. Prives and A. Bernstein
This symposium will present recent developments in studying cancer-related genes and gene products. Sophisticated approaches to identify novel tumor suppressors and oncogenes have used to decipher how they function in development and tumorigenesis. Recent developments in studying two known tumor suppressors, NF2 (merlin) and p53, will be described. Loss of merlin, a member of the ERM family, predisposes animals to highly metastatic tumors. After DNA damage, p53 is activated by covalent and non-covalent modifiers and is thus converted from an unstable, inactive protein to one that is highly stable and activated to induce downstream events. New studies show that cells induced to express p53 divide with asymmetric cell-like kinetics, with the resulting down-regulation of genes required for nucleotide biosynthesis.
Theme III: Proteins and Chemical Biology
Combinatorial Chemistry
Chair: J. Ellman
The synthesis and screening of small molecule libraries can enable the rapid development of cell permeable ligands to receptors and enzymes. These ligands serve as important pharmacological tools for understanding complex biological processes and serve as leads for drug development efforts. Speakers will describe different strategies and technologies for the preparation and evaluation of small molecule libraries and present the application of the identified small molecule ligands to the elucidation of biological pathways.
Combinatorial Biology
Chair: G. Joyce
Nature has devised a vast array of functional macromolecules, including those with the ability to catalyze chemical transformations. These molecules arise by Darwinian evolution, through repeated generations of random mutation and natural selection. A similar process can be carried out in the laboratory to produce in vitro-evolved catalysts, composed of either RNA, DNA, or protein. This session will demonstrate how the test-tube evolution approach is being expanded, for example, by integrating combinatorial chemistry and combinatorial biology, adding allosteric control to RNA catalysis, conducting the evolution of catalytic function in a continuous manner, and linking information within mRNA to the function of the corresponding protein. Two new examples of laboratory-evolved nucleic acid enzymes also will be presented.
Enzyme Structure/Function
Chair: S.J. Benkovic
A collapse composed from physical organic techniques, mutagenesis, structure elucidation, and genomic databases has led to the elucidation of enzymic reaction mechanisms that can be generalized across enzyme families. In particular, key advances have occurred in understanding RNA/DNA protein interactions leading to substrate recognition, the role of tightly bound active site metals in promoting substrate cleavage, the contribution of enzyme-bound intermediates to catalytic efficiency, the basis for macromolecular assemblies in certain substrate transformation, and the relationship of active site structure to the development of inhibitors. This symposium will highlight examples of these advances.
Discovery of Ligands for Biological Receptors
Chair: G.L. Verdine
Enzymes—General
Chair: J.F. Kirsch
The marriage of high-resolution methods for determining structure with increasingly sophisticated biochemical experiments is resulting in an accelerated understanding of many aspects of enzyme mechanism. This symposium will present several important examples from diverse areas. The X-ray structure of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase helps us to understand how metabolically labile molecules can be directed from one functional site in a protein directly to a second without exposure to the cellular environment. Ribonuclease P is a rare example of an enzyme bearing both a protein and an RNA component. The interplay between these two entities defines a fascinating partnership in catalysis. The physical organic chemistry of phosphate transfer has advanced substantially in the last decade, and is now being applied with telling effect to enzymes that catalyze such reactions. The physiological importance of nitrous oxide has been recognized by a recent Nobel prize, and the biochemical mechanisms underlying the gas's mode of action are now gaining understanding. Finally, new insights into the mechanism of action of an enzyme that forms a precursor to the important plant hormone, ethylene, will be presented.
Computational Biology
Chair: P. Kollman
The focus of this meeting is to illustrate examples of computational methods that can be usefully applied to biological systems. Presenters will cover protein structure prediction, DNA triplex design, and ligand design.
Mitochondrial Mechanisms in Energy Generation, Metabolic Control,
Disease and Death
Chair: S. Ferguson-Miller
Bioenegetics has moved into an exciting new era with the advent of high resolution crystal structures of key energy-transducing complexes, and the growing understanding of the critical role that mitochondria play in myriad diseases, cell death, aging, and the control of body weight. This symposium seeks to highlight recent developments in these areas, including the mechanism of action of Uncoupling Proteins (UCP) in mitochondria, likely regulators of fat storage; the mechanism and control of proton pumping in cytochrome oxidase, another potential contributor to energy balance; how ATP is made using a proton gradient by the smallest known molecular motor; the effect of disease-causing mitochondrial mutations on the programmed cell death pathway; the role of a critical apoptosis inhibiting factor, Bcl2, in mitochondrial function; and the development of Drosophila as a model system for studying mitochondrial disease.
New Structures and Methods
Chair: R.M. Stroud
This symposium covers five of the most influential structures in understanding cellular signaling, new nuclear import, and viral entry into cells. Speakers will consider a mechanism of activating neuronal signaling; uncover mechanisms of ion selectivity in ion conducting channels; address the mechanism of cytokine signaling to responsive cells; reveal a key structure controlling nuclear import and export, fluctuating between different GTP activated states; and describe the structure of the gp120 core complex with the CD4 receptor, illustrating the mechanism by which HIV virus gets into cells, and providing another key target for anti-HIV drug development.
Theme IV: Biotechnology
Plant Biotechnology
Chair: R.N. Beachy
Emerging Technologies
Chair: S. Fodor
New Protein Therapeutics
Chair: N. Stahl
Almost 25% of new medicines approved in 1998 were actually protein therapeutics, which was an all-time high. This session will describe novel proteins currently being advanced as potential therapeutic candidates by some of the foremost companies in the field. The session also encompasses examples of new conceptual developments in the derivation of protein therapeutics: genetic engineering to create fusion proteins with novel or enhanced therapeutic properties; using genomics to uncover relatives of interesting gene superfamilies, such as the TNFs and their receptors, that may be used directly as therapeutics; and the development of humanized antibodies against novel secreted or cell surface proteins culled from genomics.
Gene Therapy
Chair: G. Nabel
Despite its early promise, the field of gene therapy has been hampered by difficulties related to the efficacy of gene transfer, the regulation of gene expression, and the immune response to recombinant gene products and associated viral proteins. Over the last several years, a number of laboratories have begun to refine gene delivery strategies for the treatment of human disease, including improvements in vector design, different modes of targeting cellular gene expression, and basic aspects of viral gene expression that afford more efficient and durable gene expression. This session will describe recent advances in the field of gene delivery and summarize activities in the area of hemophilia, muscular dystrophy, viral infection, and other diseases. Examples of alternative gene delivery strategies and different targeting mechanisms and their potential contribution to understanding and treating these diseases will be assessed.
The Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry Symposium: Biology,
Chemistry and Engineering of Metabolism
Chair: C. Khosla
The Repligen Award for Chemistry in Biological Processes: Enzymes, Cofactors, and Antibiotics
Chair: C.T. Walsh
The Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry: Structure, Mechanism and
Evolution of Metalloenzymes
Chair: D. Christianson
Metal ions are ubiquitous in biological structure and function, and metal-requiring enzymes typically evolve with exquisite structural and chemical selectivity for a particular metal ion cofactor. This symposium focuses on the structure, function, and evolution of metalloenzymes. Individual lectures will focus on the roles of manganese, heme iron, zinc, molybdenum, and tungsten in biological catalysis and physiology.
Insight into Mechanisms Based on Structure
Chair: M.T. Stankovich
Presenters selected four important enzymes whose recently discovered structures showed the enzyme bound to substrate, product, or covalent intermediate. These structures have all provided surprising insights into the mechanisms, which have in turn resulted in paradigm shifts in the way the respective enzyme mechanisms are viewed.
Allosteric Regulation of Enzymes
Chair: G.D. Reinhart
The pioneering work of Monod, et al., and Koshland, et al., almost 35 years ago articulated the idea that allosteric enzymes could be regulated through the perturbation of enzyme conformation by ligand binding. Recent advances in the determination of protein structure, the energetics of protein-ligand interactions, and catalytic mechanisms have greatly increased our understanding of the origin of allosteric effects beyond those early conceptual models. Participants will discuss the molecular basis underlying the allosteric behavior in four different enzyme systems and the expanded insights these systems reveal about allosteric regulation of enzymes in general.
Structural Aspects of Lipoprotein Metabolism
Cochairs: P.J. Dolphin and R. Ryan
The metabolism of the lipid moiety of circulating plasma lipoproteins is regulated in part by their associated apoproteins, which activate lipolytic enzymes and act as receptor ligands. The conformation of the apoproteins and hence their ability to fulfill their function depends, in turn, on their ability to interact with lipids and the lipid composition of the lipoprotein with which they are associated. Speakers will discuss the latest concepts of how lipoproteins are assembled, how various lipids interact with apoproteins, and the conformational changes that occur as a result of these interactions in order to facilitate enzyme activation, receptor-ligand binding, or lipid transfer between lipoprotein species.
Membrane Transport Proteins
Cochairs: C.E. Cass and R. Reithmeier
Results of complete genomic sequencing of a variety of microorganisms have established that a large proportion (up to 1/3) of genomic DNA encodes membrane proteins. Presenters offer an overview of the transporter proteins of microorganisms as identified by analysis of genomic databases, and subsequently consider critical issues influencing the structure and/or function of particular membrane proteins of importance in human disease. Four major groups of membrane proteins will be discussed: the intracellular fate of misfolded cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and presenilin-1, the structure and distribution of the aquaporin water channel proteins of human cells, the role of two newly identified families of human nucleoside transporter proteins in nucleoside therapeutics, and relationships between molecular structure and mechanism of the human multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein. The goal of the symposium is to focus on the development of fundamental insights into the structure and function of membrane proteins that may ultimately lead to new approaches to therapy of human disease.
Subcellular Organization of Carbohydrate Metabolism
Chair: J. Guinovart
The application of new technologies to the study of metabolism has given a new impulse to this area of research. Molecular and cell biology, immunology, and gene transfer are contributing to our understanding of long-standing issues in metabolism. They have also revealed new aspects that were not detected by classical approaches. As a result, metabolism is no longer perceived as a series of reactions catalyzed by an assortment of soluble enzymes, but rather as a highly organized system. Symposium speakers will present an emerging picture in which protein-protein interactions, subcellular localization of proteins, and enzyme translocation in response to stimuli constitute new mechanisms of control of metabolism.
Glycan Structure and Synthesis in Lower Eukaryotes
Cochairs: A. Parodi and S. Turco
Lower eukaryotes have been of primordial importance in determining the biological role of glycans. Speakers will concentrate on two different model systems, yeasts and trypanosomatid protozoa. Genetic dissection of pathways leading to protein N-glycosylation in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, GPI anchor formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and lipophosphoglycan synthesis in Leishmania donovani provided information on the essential importance of monoglucosylated glycans in glycoprotein folding, of mannose addition in GPI anchors, and of the cytosol-Golgi lumen transport of sugar nucleotides on virulence of L. donovani. On the other hand, formation of mucin-like glycan structures appeared to be fundamentally relevant for Trypanosoma cruzi capacity to invade mammalian cells.
Calcium Signaling and Transport Systems
Cochairs: C. Hidalgo and L. de Meis
Changes in intracellular calcium concentration affect a large array of cellular processes. Consequently, cytosolic calcium concentration is tightly controlled. This symposium presents only a few of the many diverse aspects of calcium signaling and transport systems, for a thorough coverage of such vast field is not possible in one session. Speakers will discuss new molecular sensors and coupling mechanisms for calcium signaling, heat generation by the calcium transport ATPase of skeletal muscle, modulation of calcium release channels of muscle and nerve cells, and how defects in calcium regulatory proteins result in inherited muscle diseases.
Neurochemistry
Chair: F.G. de Mello
This session will deal with the possible influence that amyloid beta peptide interaction with other proteins may have on its toxicity toward neurons and its possible influence on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Speakers will also discuss the role played by lipids and excitatory amino acid receptors on the biochemical and functional properties of cholinergic systems.
Discovery of Ligands for Biological Receptors
Chair: G. Verdine
As science moves toward the postgenomic era, it becomes increasingly urgent to have new and powerful methods for discovering the biochemical and biologic function of gene products. One especially promising approach involves the use of chemical synthesis to create ligands that will bind with high affinity to cellular macromolecules and thus alter their function. Notwithstanding the notable successes of structure-based ligand discovery over the past decade, several major challenges remain in this area. For example, small-molecule targeting of flat hydrophobic surfaces on proteins and deep grooves in nucleic acids represent problems at the frontier of molecular recognition, as does the discovery of efficient means to convert peptides into potent cell-permeable ligands. In this minisymposium, presenters will emphasize the progress on these and related fronts.
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Education Symposia |
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TOPINTRODUCTIONSymposia/minisymposiaEducation SymposiaSpecial SessionsSatellite Sessions |
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Success in science depends on a number of factors: the matriculation and completion of an established curriculum, the choice of an appropriate postdoctoral appointment and subsequent tenure-track faculty position, attainment of tenure, and making the `right' career choices. When these factors are coupled with the intense competitiveness of research funding and the need for staying `on top' of a rapidly developing and changing field, scientists are challenged more than ever. Moreover, for ethnic minorities and women, who are under represented in science, these and other factors represent even more formidable challenges. Participants in this session will provide insights into making decisions as to how to address and overcome these obstacles.
The Diversity of Career Options in the Bio/Pharmaceutical and
Biotechnology Industries
Chair: A.S. Dahms
The bio/pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries offer a diverse variety of career options for the molecular life scientist well beyond the research bench. In this session, national leaders involved in the dialogue concerning alternate and non-traditional careers will provide individual insights into the nature of exciting career paths and options in the bioscience corporate arena. A panel discussion will center on differing and complementary perspectives from the level of human resource directors, corporate headhunters, industry information specialists, and bioscience labor economists. Session participants will be encouraged to interact with the speakers through a question-answer dialogue as part of the panel discussion. Source materials describing the diversity of career options will be distributed.
The Boyer Report: Implications and Can it Be Implemented?
Cochairs: H.B. White and C. Rhodes
In April 1998 the Carnegie Foundation released, "Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America's Research Universities." This document, also known as "The Boyer Report," suggests that undergraduate education at research universities is in a state of "crisis" and recommends ways to improve. This symposium will focus on examples of the best practice in undergraduate biochemistry and molecular biology education from several research universities commended in the Boyer Report. The final session will model cooperative active learning strategies for the classroom.
The New ACS Biochemistry Requirement: Implications for
Chemists and Biochemists
Chair: A.J. Wolfson
The American Chemical Society has approved a new requirement for certified chemistry degrees to include a semester of biochemistry or the equivalent of material integrated into chemistry courses. These changes will take effect in 2001. Finding ways to meet this requirement will be a challenge to both biochemists and chemists in other sub-fields. Enrollments in biochemistry courses will likely increase, and there will be a wider diversity of preparation, in terms of pre-requisite biology courses. For chemists trying to integrate biochemical material into existing courses, the problems will be finding time in an already-crowded syllabus and teaching material that is outside their areas of expertise. This session will provide several successful models for teaching biochemistry within chemistry departments.
Biochemistry Teaching Laboratories: New Ideas
Chair: J.E. Bell
Laboratory teaching at the undergraduate level plays an important role in emphasizing both qualitative and quantitative fundamentals as well as providing a set of experimental skills necessary to navigate the maze of techniques involved in everyday biochemistry and molecular biology. This symposium will focus on both conceptual developments in the field of laboratory teaching and on practical aspects of setting up a successful laboratory course. Speakers will highlight the incorporation of `research' philosophy into teaching labs, the seamless integration of laboratory work into an overall introductory course in biochemistry and molecular biology, and some laboratories that `work'. A panel will discuss resources available to help teach a successful laboratory course and will encourage audience participation in an exchange of ideas related to laboratory teaching.
Assessment: Ideas and Reality
Cochairs: J.A. Boyle and T.S. Woodin
Assessment is an issue that biochemistry departments need to face because of increasing demands for accountability from various sources. Faculty members assess students, department heads and students assess faculty, and reviewers assess departments. Most commonly assessment is viewed in a negative light. This symposium will present a panel of both assessors and the assessed. We will attempt to show the value of various types of evaluations, ranging from typical panel reviews of departments to internally driven outcome assessments, in establishing accountability and in aiding planning.
Biochemical Education across the Americas
Cochairs: E. Wood and L. de Meis
What are the problems for undergraduate and graduate education in North, Central, and South America? What can be done to tackle these problems? Who is taking responsibility for training the next generation of biochemists and molecular biologists? In Central and South America, there may be problems with a lack of equipment and lab facilities and with the migration of young people to North America and Europe because of poor salaries and limited opportunities. Yet there are immense local problems in health care, agriculture, and biotechnology, for example, that could be tackled locally. There are also problems in North America, especially with undergraduate education (see the Boyer Report) and the preparation for university. The National Science Foundation is taking great interest in this problem. Speakers will give an account of their own experiences in their own countries, and use this international opportunity to suggest how problems might be tackled across the Americas (e.g., distance teaching, networks). For information about the Boyer Report, please contact mleming@notes.cc.sunysb.edu.
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Special Sessions |
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TOPINTRODUCTIONSymposia/minisymposiaEducation SymposiaSpecial SessionsSatellite Sessions |
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The continuing series of joint symposia covering emerging technologies highlights progress derived from shared research resources in Brazil. Current data collected from worldwide core facilities define operations and capabilities of core facilities. Brazilian scientists directing and using genomic sequencing facilities, syncrotron radiation, drug design, NMR, hydrodynamic, fluorescence, and other technologies describe their results and current status of their projects. Topics will include the genome sequence of Xylella fastidiosa (citrus variegated chlorosis), search for new antichagasic drugs, macromolecular crystallography, and protein folding intermediates and behavior anomalies.
Public Affairs Symposium: Peer Review 101: How an NIH Study
Section Operates
Chair: H.K. Schachman
Presenters will discuss changes that are taking place at NIH in the Division of Research Grants, such as the phasing out of the R-29 grant mechanism. The peer-review system at NIH is also undergoing change, as is manifest in the establishment and consolidation of many Initial Review Groups. After a discussion of these and other changes, four actual grant applications in the area of physical biochemistry will be reviewed and critiqued by a mock `study section' of scientists.
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Satellite Sessions |
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TOPINTRODUCTIONSymposia/minisymposiaEducation SymposiaSpecial SessionsSatellite Sessions |
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Cellular Aging and Immortalization
Normal cells do not divide indefinitely due to the process
of replicative senescence. Several lines of evidence suggest that
replicative senescence suppresses tumorigenesis. Indirect evidence
further suggests that senescent cells may contribute to organismic
aging. Replicative senescence irreversibly blocks cell division and
induces changes in cell function. Thus, the senescent phenotype is
quite complex, entailing changes in cell-cycle control and
differentiation. This satellite meeting will explore the causes and
biological consequences of cell senescence, and the causes and
consequences of immortalization or escape from senescence. Participants
will discuss the pathways to the senescent phenotype, the roles of
telomerase and tumor suppressor genes in cell senescence in culture and
in vivo, and the relationships between cell senescence and
genomic stability, tumorigenesis, and aging.
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