Volume 35
Issue 4, 2015
ISSX President’s Message By John O. Miners, ISSX President The ISSX Council is responsible for facilitating the overall organization and administration of the Society and the pursuit of its objectives. Council meets six times per year—five teleconferences and one in-person meeting. The focus of the in-person meeting is strategic direction. At the recent Council meeting held during the course of the 20th North American ISSX Meeting in Orlando, Florida, Council developed a strategic plan to guide the Society over the next three years. Firstly, the mission statement, which communicates the purpose of the Society, was updated to reflect the broader scientific interests of our members: “ISSX advances research and education on the interplay of living systems with medicines and chemicals for the benefit of society worldwide.” Five goals were developed to advance this mission: Enhance the Science— Foster innovative, cross-disciplinary science relating to the disposition, metabolism and biological effects of drugs and other xenobiotics;
Education and Career Development— Provide resources to support education and career development; Global Outreach—Expand the Society globally; Expand Networking— Facilitate connections for the benefit of members, academia, and industry, and; Society Strength—Sustain the leadership and resources to fulfil the mission of ISSX. Strategies to advance these goals will be communicated to members in subsequent newsletters, as will recommended changes to the location and scheduling of our scientific meetings. I would like to take this opportunity to remind members that ISSX will hold only one meeting in 2016—the 11th International Meeting in Busan, Korea from June 12-16. The meeting will feature a strong yet diverse scientific program that aims to accommodate the broad scientific interests of the ISSX membership. I urge ISSX members from all parts of the world to participate in the meeting, which
promises to be a scientifically rewarding and socially enjoyable experience. Abstract submission and registration are now open. My two-year term as ISSX President comes to an end this month after having served previously as Secretary Elect, Secretary, and President Elect. The organization of high-quality scientific meetings is a core objective of ISSX, and I can look back over the last two years to four excellent meetings: the 5th Asia Pacific Meeting in Tianjin, China; the 13th European Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland; the joint 19th North American ISSX/29th JSSX Meeting in San Francisco, California; and the 20th North American Meeting in Orlando, Florida. The respective Meeting Chairs and Meeting Organizing Committees are to be congratulated for delivering Continued on page 8
IN THIS ISSUE 2 3
Book Review: Venoms to Drugs: Venom as a Source for the Development of Human Therapeutics Strategic Plan Overview
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Welcome New Members 11th International ISSX Meeting 2015 Membership Survey Review Renew Your Membership
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20th North American ISSX Meeting in Review What Attendees are Saying New Investigators Forum
Book Review VENOMS TO DRUGS: VENOM AS A SOURCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN THERAPEUTICS Editor: G.F. King Royal Society of Chemistry 320 pp., ISBN 13: 978-1-84973-663-3, 2015
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This book addresses the potential application of proteins and peptides as therapeutic agents in man utilizing biological molecules that have evolved for defensive purposes within a variety of creatures including reptiles, spiders, scorpions, and sea-dwelling organisms such as snails and anemones. This unusual approach is becoming fruitful: “To date six drugs derived from venom peptides or proteins have been approved by the FDA, with nine further agents currently being investigated in clinical trials” (frontspiece). One can only wonder what potential benefits may be derived eventually from biochemical knowledge of these diverse life-forms and the complex mixtures of chemicals they produce. The authors have constructed twelve chapters with the following titles: “Seeing the woods for the trees: Understanding venom evolution as a guide for biodiscovery;” “The structural universe of disulfiderich venom peptides;” “Venoms-based drug discovery: Proteomic and transcriptomic approaches;” “Venomsbased drug discovery: Bioassays, electrophysiology, high-throughput screens and target identification;” “Reptile venoms as a platform for drug development;” “The molecular diversity of Conoidean venom peptides and their targets: From basic research to therapeutic applications;” “Scorpion venoms as a platform for drug development;” “Therapeutic applications of spider venom peptides;” “Case study 1: Development of the analgesic drugs Prialt and Xen2174 from cone snail venoms;” “Case study 2: Transforming a toxin into a therapeutic: The sea anemone potassium channel blocker ShK-toxin for treatment of autoimmune diseases;” “Engineering venom peptides to improve their stability and bioavailability;”; “Manufacturing of venom-derived therapeutic peptides.” This volume is contribution number 42 in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s “Drug Discovery” book series.
The text is sprinkled with copious illustrations, several in color, that include figures, flow diagrams, schematic trees, charts, graphs, tables, amino acid sequences, and chemical synthesis routes. Each chapter ends with a useful list of references (1,318 in total) directing the reader towards pertinent literature. A fifteen-page index finishes the tome and provides the reader with an adequate means of navigating through the various chapters. The frontspiece states that this is a “unique book” and is “the first text to focus on this fascinating area and [is] bridging an important gap.” It is certainly true that such books are rare. For anyone interested in this fascinating and developing field, it is an essential addition to their library. As an aside for those interested, this volume is reminiscent of an older book (Drugs from the Sea, 2000, Ed. N. Fusetani, Karger AG, Switzerland, ISBN 13: 978-3-8055-7098-5), reviewed in the Summer 2002 issue of the ISSX Newsletter, that concerned itself with the possible exploitation of chemicals found within marine bacteria, fungi, microalgae, sponges, corals, and opisthobranch (gastropod) mollusks. It also mentioned the development of an analgesic from the venom of a sea snail, an anticancer drug from a sponge, and a potential antiosteoporotic drug of hexacoral origin.
Reviewed by:
Steve Mitchell Faculty of Medicine Imperial College London London, SW7 2AZ UK
Book Ordering Information: Royal Society of Chemistry Thomas Graham House Science Park, Milton Road Cambridge, CB4 0WF UK Tel +44 (0)1223 420066 Fax +44 (0)1223 420247 Email: books@rsc.org Website: www.rsc.org
Strategic Plan Overview The Council of the International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics, along with invited guests and the ISSX staff, developed a new strategic plan for the Society on October 17, 2015. With professional facilitation by a highlyregarded expert in nonprofit management and governance, the group discussed the future of ISSX and agreed on a revised mission statement along with five strategic goals to work towards over the next three years. Invited guests included Marcel Hop, Kathie Knights, and Charlie Crespi.
Prior mission statement: ISSX is an international association of scientists that promotes the understanding of the interactions of medicines and chemicals with living systems.
The new goals for ISSX over the next three years include fostering innovative, cross-disciplinary science; providing resources to support education and career enhancement; growing ISSX globally; facilitating connections amongst members, academia, and industry; and sustaining the leadership and resources to fulfill the mission of the Society. ISSX will assign committees, enlist champions, and create task forces to work on tactical strategies to meet our goals. ISSX recognizes the challenges and opportunities in today’s environment as well as the trends and changes that will affect the study of xenobiotics and the Society over the next several years. The new plan positions ISSX to marshal its resources to advance the science, support the education and career development of our members, and strengthen the organization so that we support, promote, and advance the profession on a global scale.
New mission statement: ISSX advances research and education on the interplay of living systems with medicines and chemicals for the benefit of society worldwide.
Our new strategic plan is available for review on our issx.org/strategy and your comments are welcome. We will provide periodic updates in the ISSX Newsletter to keep members apprised of our progress.
PLEASE JOIN ISSX AT THE FOLLOWING UPCOMING MEETINGS
Meeting Chair: Uwe Fuhr, Ph.D
21st North American ISSX Meeting Rhode Island Convention Center Providence, Rhode Island September 24–28, 2017 Meeting Chair: Jashvant Unadkat, Ph.D.
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Meeting Chair: Jae-Gook Shin, Ph.D.
14th European ISSX Meeting Gürzenich Köln Köln, Germany June 26–29, 2017
Issue 4, 2015
11th International ISSX Meeting Busan Exhibition and Convention Center Busan, Korea June 12–16, 2016
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ISSX Welcomes New 2015 Members! Paul Bulteel, The RSA Group, United Kingdom
Liam Evans, Hypha Discovery Ltd., United Kingdom
Karthik Ramachandran, Likarda, LLC, United States
Rebecca Campbell, XenoTech, LLC, United States
Kevin Johnson, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, United States
Eunjung Shin, Korea
Ajai Chaudhary, Merck & Co., Inc., United States
Vishwottam Nagaraj Kandikere, Advinus Therapeutics Ltd., India
Mong-Jen Chen, University of Florida, United States
Jonathan Novak, Pfizer, Inc., United States
Ayman El-Kattan, Pfizer, Inc., United States
Jihai Pang, MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States
S. Joshua Swamidass, Washington University in St. Louis, United States Peter Theil, Union Chimique Belge, Belgium Sue Zhou, Frontage Laboratories, Inc., United States
Medical breakthroughs May coMe out of the lab. but they begin in the heart. For more than 150 years, a very special passion has driven the people of Merck. Our goal is to develop medicines, vaccines, and animal health innovations that will improve the lives of millions. Still, we know there is much more to be done. And we’re doing it, with a long-standing commitment to research and development. We’re just as committed to expanding access to healthcare and working with others who share our passion to create a healthier world. Together, we’ll meet that challenge. With all our heart. For more information about getting Merck medicines and vaccines for free, visit merckhelps.com or call 800-727-5400. Copyright © 2014 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved. CORP-1060080-0090 12/14
Photographs used with permission from the Korean Tourism Organization
Make Plans to Attend the 11th International ISSX Meeting
Planning is progressing well for the 11th International ISSX Meeting which will convene in Busan, Korea, June 12–16, 2016. The program will feature a broad range of highly-relevant short courses, symposia, and poster presentations as well as a lively social calendar of networking events and sightseeing activities. This meeting will bring together individuals who are actively working on drug/xenobiotic research in diverse fields including basic and clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, toxicology, oncology, endocrinology, physiology, biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, molecular and structural biology, and genetics. Registration is now open. Visit issxbusan2016.org/ meeting-registration to register today. This meeting will showcase important research highlighting ADME in new drug development within the theme of "The Science of Xenobiotics in the Era of Personalized Medicine.” Those involved at any level in the study of metabolism and disposition of drugs and other chemicals in living systems will benefit from attendance. This environment will provide a professionally and personally rewarding experience and will foster the exchange of scientific expertise among the world’s leading experts in drug/xenobiotic research.
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The 11th International ISSX Meeting will be held at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO)—a world-class convention facility located in the heart of the stunning Haeundae Beach Resort area. Haeundae is a district in the east of Busan and is considered one of the country's main tourist destinations. It offers Korea's
This will be an excellent meeting at a unique destination and we encourage you to view the comprehensive meeting website to begin planning your trip. The site includes a built-in discussion board; post a comment and start a conversation with other prospective attendees! For comprehensive information on the area, the visa application process, sightseeing tours, lodging, local transportation, and much more, visit issxbusan2016.org.
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The Chairman of the Meeting Organizing Committee is Jae-Gook Shin, M.D., Ph.D. of Inje University College of Medicine in Busan. The Meeting Organization is supported by more than 70 others on the Meeting Organizing Committee, International Scientific Advisory Board, and Local Advisory Board.
most famous beach, the newest shops, restaurants, and luxury hotels and residences. Busan is Korea’s second largest city and is renowned for its exquisite beaches and abundance of fresh seafood. It is also rich in culture and history, with the UN Memorial Cemetery, various temples, many colorful markets, and sightseeing attractions including the world’s largest department store. First-time visitors to Busan are often surprised by how the locals have captured the essence of a buzzing metropolis while retaining the hospitality of a country town.
Photographs used with permission from the Korean Tourism Organization
The showcase of investigators from around the world presenting cutting-edge research on the latest advances in topics related to drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics is a highlight of every ISSX meeting. ISSX offers opportunities for investigators to share important findings with colleagues and interact with global leaders in the field through our poster presentation forum. Benefits of presenting a poster at an ISSX meeting include: • Publication—Accepted abstracts of original work are published in the top-ranked journal Drug Metabolism Reviews (with a 5-year Impact Factor of 6.218). • V isibility & Feedback—Global experts in the field of xenobiotic research will see your work and dedicated viewing times create opportunities for discussion with faculty and attendees. Presenters benefit from this interaction by gaining feedback on current and future projects while also discovering the latest research results and advances in DMPK. • Travel Support—ISSX supports travel grant funding on a limited and competitive basis to help those who qualify and have a financial need to attend the meeting and present their work. Review the eligibility requirements and application process.
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• Acknowledgement of Exceptional Research— Investigators meeting certain criteria are eligible to participate in the Poster Awards Competition which features a category for graduate/postdoctoral students and a category for postdoctoral investigators. Twelve finalists will be selected to compete for cash prizes and recognition. • International Recognition—In addition to the winners of the Poster Awards Competition, all abstract authors showcasing their research at the meeting will present on the international stage and may include their presentation on their CV. • Networking Opportunities—Presenting a poster allows you to speak and network one-on-one with others interested in your research. We encourage you to be an active participant of the 11th International Meeting by submitting an abstract and presenting a poster.
IMPORTANT DATES February 1, 2016 Call for Abstracts Closes Present a poster at the 11th International ISSX Meeting. Submit an abstract. February 29, 2016 Early Registration Ends Those who register on or before February 29 are eligible for the steepest registration discounts. Register to attend. February 29, 2016 Travel Grant Applications Due. Apply for a travel grant. March 4, 2016 Industry-Sponsored Symposia Applications Due Is your company interested in organizing and hosting an Industry-Sponsored Symposium? Review the guidelines and submit an application. Application decisions will be made by March 10. March 31, 2016 Call for Awards Nominations Closes The Society's most prestigious awards, the R.T. Williams Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award, Sponsored by Charles Crespi and Family, and the Frederick J. DiCarlo Distinguished Service Award, will be awarded at this meeting. Nominate a deserving colleague for these honors. Make plans to attend, present a poster, enjoy the scientific presentations, and interact with scientists from around the world while you experience the unique and beautiful Busan, Korea! issxbusan2016.org
ISSX 2015 Membership Survey Review This summer the ISSX Membership Affairs Committee (MAC) created and distributed a survey to the ISSX membership with the goal of understanding who ISSX members are and what they seek to gain from their membership in ISSX. The survey was separated by member demographics, ISSX meeting and educational offerings, and ISSX membership benefits. The survey data was reviewed by the ISSX MAC and the ISSX Council and will inform future decisions regarding membership. In the coming year ISSX will continue offering deeplydiscounted meeting registration rates and access to high-quality research and networking for members. In addition, ISSX will review options for online learning and other new member benefits to advance research and education on the interplay of living systems with medicines and chemicals for the benefit of society worldwide.
Thank you for your continued support and membership in ISSX. We look forward to serving you in the years to come.
Survey Highlights MEMBER DEMOGRAPHICS • Most respondents report that they are located in North America and fall within the Regular Member category. • T he response for years in the field was split evenly in five-year increments between 0-30 years. • T he top three reasons to join ISSX are to present research at a meeting, to remain up-to-date on the latest research in the field, and to attend ISSX meetings at a discounted rate.
ISSX MEETINGS AND EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS • In considering attendance for past and future meetings, nearly 50% of respondents planned to attend the 20th North American Meeting. • More than 60% of respondents believe ISSX should increase its profile among academic institutions. • A majority of respondents reported interest in online web-based learning and 63% selected online web-based learning as their preferred method of education. ISSX MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS AND DUES • The most valued aspects of membership are discounts to meetings, the educational content featured at meetings, and networking. • A majority of respondents perceive that ISSX membership dues are similar to other societies and the cost of membership matches the value received.
JOIN THE ISSX NEW INVESTIGATOR FORUM Have you joined ISSX’s New Investigator Forum?
We encourage you to leave feedback on what features you would like to see and how ISSX can better serve graduate students and recent postdocs.
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The forum was established to encourage new investigators to network and share ideas, research, photos, and more! Please visit issx.org/group/newinvestigators and sign in with your ISSX username and password to join the Forum and to learn more.
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Have you been in your field for ten years or less?
President’s Message Continued from page 1
outstanding scientific programs. In the last two years, ISSX has also seen a strengthening of our collaborations in the Asia Pacific region, a review and update of ISSX Committee duties, initiatives to increase the input of industry scientists into ISSX leadership roles and meeting programs, support for a greater role of younger scientists in scientific meetings and the broader activities of the Society, and the development of a new three-year strategic plan. These initiatives would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of the ISSX Officers and Councillors: Geoff Tucker (President Elect), Andrew Parkinson (Treasurer), Jim Halpert (Treasurer Elect), Tom Baillie, Almira Correia, Ann Daly, Natalie Hosea, Takashi
Izumi, Larry Marnett, Jasminder Sahi, and Allan Rettie (SAC Chair). I also wish to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of the ISSX Office staff team: Steve Kemp (Executive Director), Zoë Fuller, Sarah Langan, Diana DiAntonio, and Ashley Pencak and the committee members that help make ISSX such a successful society. It has been a privilege to serve ISSX and it has been a memorable and exciting time for me, although not without its moments of stress. Finally, I would like to extend my best wishes to all members of ISSX for the festive season and for the New Year.
Renew your Membership in ISSX for 2016 ISSX’s membership term is on an annual basis beginning January 1 and ending December 31. Membership dues for the 2016 membership year must be remitted on or before December 31, 2015. Renewing your ISSX membership is easy! We strongly encourage you to utilize our immediate, secure online renewal system. To renew your membership online: 1. Visit issx.org/renew. 2. O n the right-hand side of the page, log in with your ISSX username and password. If you do not know your username or password, you may re-set it by visiting issx.org/password.
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3. C lick on ***Renew Your Membership Now*** in the blue box at the top of your profile page. 4. O n the next screen, you will be prompted to review and update your contact information to ensure uninterrupted communications from ISSX. 5. O nce you verify your contact information, you will be directed to the payment screen, where you may view your renewal options, including instant payment online via credit card. If you would like to pay by check, please select the "Check/Money Order" option under Payment. You can access your invoice on the subsequent page, and one will be automatically sent to you by email. Please print the invoice and submit it with your check payment to: ISSX, 8652 Solution Center, Chicago, IL 60677-8006
ISSX members have access to a variety of exclusive benefits including: • Reduced registration fees for all ISSX meetings and workshops; • A subscription to the ISSX Newsletter that highlights Society news, member spotlights, late-breaking scientific news, and much more; • Special journal subscription discounts to multiple scientific journals; • The opportunity to submit and present scientific abstracts at ISSX meetings; •E ligibility to apply for and receive travel grants to attend ISSX meetings; • T he chance to hold office, serve on a committee, and vote in ISSX elections; • And more! Your membership indicates your support of our mission to advance research and education on the interplay of living systems with medicines and chemicals for the benefit of society worldwide and helps sustain our program of operations. Visit issx.org/renew today! If you have any questions about renewing your membership or your membership benefits, please contact ISSX by phone at +1-202-367-1160 or by email at information@issx.org.
20th North American ISSX Meeting in Review More than six hundred scientists, students, and exhibitors gathered at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek for the 20th North American ISSX Meeting, October 18–22, 2015 in Orlando, Florida. The meeting was co-chaired by Hartmut Derendorf, Ph.D. and Stephan Schmidt, Ph.D. of the University of Florida. These co-chairs and the Meeting Organizing Committee developed an outstanding program addressing an array of topical areas in the science of xenobiotics. Attendees represented 25 countries. While more than seventy percent of attendees were from North America, ISSX welcomed scientists from the European and Asia Pacific regions. The meeting was preceded by four short courses attended by 155 meeting registrants. The courses consisted of Maximizing the Predictability of PBPK Models Using Topdown Approach; Pharmacometric and Regulatory Aspects Pertaining to Special Populations; Methodological Aspects of Transporter Measurements; and Introduction to PK/ PD of Proteins, Antibodies, and Protein Conjugates. The meeting program opened with an opening keynote lecture on Personalized Medicine – Myth or Reality by Larry Lesko, Ph.D., F.C.P. of the University of Florida. The keynote was followed by a welcome reception where attendees networked and visited with the 54 companies exhibiting their products and services.
Following the scientific sessions on Monday, October 19, students and postdoctoral scientists were invited to attend the New Investigators Forum to listen to a panel of senior researchers offer their insights and expertise on career
development and the future of the science. Read more highlights on the Forum on page 14. The scientific program included lectures on a variety of relevant topics that were delivered in plenary sessions and parallel symposia. Many of the parallel symposia featured presentations from abstract authors who were selected from the 289 poster abstracts and invited to present by the session co-chairs. Attendees took advantage of an afternoon free of scientific programming on Tuesday, October 20 to explore Orlando and visit the local parks and attractions. The Society is grateful to the Meeting co-chairs, Meeting Organizing Committee, session chairs, speakers, and exhibitors who made this meeting possible.
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The meeting featured the presentation of the North American Scientific Achievement Award to Dr. Leslie Z. Benet, Professor, Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Benet was bestowed an honorarium and plaque and presented a lecture on Historical Development of BDDCS: The Observations, the Predictions, Understanding the Scientific Basis, and the Extensions.
North American Scientific Achievement Award Winner Leslie Benet presents his award lecture.
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ISSX President John Miners (right) presents Meeting CoChairs Hartmut Derendorf (left) and Stephan Schmidt (center) with thank you gifts for chairing the meeting.
Attendees visit with exhibitors during Sunday’s Opening Welcome Reception.
View all of the Meeting Photos at ISSX.SMUGMUG.COM
Yuichi Sugiyama emphasizes that scientific meetings should be fun by surprising attendees with a flash mob during the Q&A session after his lecture.
Attendees network with poster authors presenting their research at the meeting. Continued on next page
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Meeting attendees who visited with exhibitors and completed a check-off card were eligible to win a variety of prizes donated by meeting exhibitors. Thank you to all of the exhibitors who donated a raffle prize and congratulations to the winning attendees: Sumi Sarkar, winner of a Legal Seafood dinner for two from Biomedical Research Models Heasook KimKang, winner of a Kindle Fire from Cypex Corporation Samit Ganguly, winner of two Hurel Primary Hepatic Co-cultures plates from Hurel Corporation
Doyun Kim, winner of one complimentary registration to the IVAL Hepatocyte Workshop and Symposium from In Vitro ADMET Laboratories (IVAL) Jingjing Yu, winner of a FitBit Charge HR heart rate and activity tracker and sleep wristband from MicroConstants Robert Annand, winner of a FitBit from Promega Corporation
Johan NicolaĂŻ, winner of a RAVPower Portable PowerBank from Quotient Bioresearch Ilaiya Raja, winner of one hour of PBPK consulting from Simulations Plus, Inc. Isha Taneya, winner of an Apple iPad mini (16 GB) from TRL Amanda Cirello, winner of an Apple TV from XenoTech
20th North American ISSX Meeting Poster Award Winners (From Left to Right): Meeting Co-Chair Hartmut Derendorf, Graduate/Predoctoral Judge Reggie Frye, Marc Vrana, James Chan, Jennifer E. Sager, Li Wang, Luc R.A. Rougee, Postdoctoral Judge Margaret James, Sheena Francis, ISSX President Elect Geoff Tucker, and ISSX President John Miners.
Graduate/Predoctoral Judge Reggie Frye presents a plaque and cash award to first place winner Marc Vrana of the University of Washington.
Postdoctoral Judge Margaret James presents a plaque and cash award to first place winner Sheena Francis of the University of the West Indies.
The meeting concluded with the presentation of poster awards by Poster Awards Review Committee members Reggie Frye and Margaret James and Meeting Co-Chair Hartmut Derendorf to graduate/predoctoral and postdoctoral finalists for best poster presentation in those categories. The award recipients were:
POSTDOCTORAL First Place: PER OS TREATMENT OF RATS WITH APOCYNIN, A NATURAL ORGANIC COMPOUND, HAS POTENT INHIBITORY EFFECTS ON ARYLAMINE N-ACETYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITY IN LIVER, Sheena Francis, University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
GRADUATE/PREDOCTORAL
Third Place: COMBINATORIAL LAPATINIB AND ENDOXIFEN EXHIBITS PHARMACODYNAMIC AND PHARMACOKINETIC SYNERGISM IN TAMOXIFEN-RESISTANT BREAST CANCER, James Chan, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
Third Place: QUANTIFICATION OF TRANSPORTER EXPRESSION IN LIVER TISSUE FROM SUBJECTS WITH ALCOHOLIC OR HEPATITIS C CIRRHOSIS Li Wang, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA View these award abstracts and the general abstracts online any time at issx.org/onlineabstracts.
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Second Place: NEW METABOLIC PATHWAYS OF BUPROPION IN VIVO REVEAL AN IMPORTANT ROLE OF CYP2C19 AND 11B-HSD IN BUPROPION CLEARANCE; CYP2B6 CONTRIBUTION TO BUPROPION CLEARANCE IS MINOR, Jennifer E. Sager, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Second Place: CONTRIBUTION OF DRUG IONIZATION TO PREDICTION OF HEPATIC CLEARANCE AND DRUG-DRUG INTERACTIONS FOR CYP2D6, Luc R.A. Rougee, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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First Place: DIFFERENTIAL TISSUE EXPRESSION OF ADME PROTEINS IN HUMANS, Marc Vrana, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
What Attendees are Saying... ISSX funded a travel grant program in conjunction with the 20th North American Meeting in recognition of the considerable benefit that students, scientists from disadvantaged nations, and others can gain from attending a scientific meeting. The recipients of these grants provided the following summaries of their experiences at the meeting.
AMBER GUIDRY The 20th North American ISSX Meeting provided scientists from around the world the opportunity to come together for a week of networking and exceptional scientific presentations. ISSX organized an outstanding scientific program by including a wide range of the latest topics important in the field. As a young investigator, I found the ISSX meeting extremely beneficial for my professional development. I had the pleasure of presenting a poster entitled, “Purification and characterization of human cytosolic sulfotransferase (SULT) 1C4” and a presentation entitled, “A high frequency SULT1B1 allelic variant (L145V) specific to black African Americans exhibits altered kinetic properties.” My presentations provided an excellent opportunity for me to discuss my ideas with experts from various scientific disciplines. The exhibit hall, where poster presentations were held, also generated great collaborative discussions with various companies about their new product research, techniques, and services. After attending the ISSX meeting, I have been able to apply the things that I learned from the lectures, plenary sessions, industrysponsored symposia, poster sessions, and numerous scientific discussions to my own research projects.
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LEAH MCGURN It was important for me to attend the 20th North American ISSX Meeting to share my research on lignan quinone formation and their implications for toxicity. It was an excellent occasion to discuss my results, get feedback, stimulate ideas and questions, and to form connections with others who have similar interests. It was also important for me to attend for the networking opportunities this meeting presented. On this note, the New Investigators Forum was of particular interest and value to me, as I will be shortly entering the workforce. My research focuses on small molecules so I took this opportunity to expand my knowledge on transporters and PB/PK modeling. During the poster sessions I was able to visit many posters depicting mass spectrometry methods and techniques, especially for proteomics and membrane proteins. From the exhibitors attending the meeting, I was able to collect quotes for a P450 inhibition study my lab is currently conducting.
Travel Grant Winner Michael Liao attends his Poster Award Competition finalist poster.
MICHAEL LIAO I express my gratitude for the travel award that supported my trip to the 20th North American ISSX Meeting. I was also selected to be a graduate/predoctoral poster competition finalist at the conference. As a graduate student in Dr. Qingcheng Mao’s lab at the University of Washington, I have a keen interest in understanding the role of P-gp and BCRP in determining maternal and fetal disposition of drugs and xenobiotics. The conference provided me the opportunity to present and share my research findings with other scientists. In addition, with all the poster and oral presentations, I was exposed to the latest discoveries in my discipline. One of the most interesting topics was a lecture given by Dr. Douglas Leipold on the development of biologics. He used case studies to describe the process of how to turn lead biologics to first-in-human studies. I learned the selection criteria for choosing a biologic compared to a small molecule and gained insights into approaches that maximize the probability of success for biologic therapeutics. The discussions and networking also inspired me with new ideas and opportunities. Attending this conference certainly helped me advance my research and career goals.
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GET INVOLVED Looking for more ways to be involved? Volunteer with ISSX! If you are interested in serving the Society as part of a task force or as a committee or Council member, ISSX wants to hear from you. Express your interest by visiting issx.org/volunteer. Travel Grant Winner Johan Nicolaï (right) and fellow new investigator attendee Marlies Oorts (left) pose for a photo with Professor Stieger (center).
JOHAN NICOLAÏ At the 20th North American ISSX Meeting I was fortunate to present during the Oral Presentations of Selected Abstracts from New Investigators session which permitted me to reach out to a broader audience. I hope this session will remain a part of future ISSX meetings since it really motivated me as a young scientist. During the conference, we had the privilege of meeting Professor Stieger and learned more about the early days of drug transporter research and how research should remain “fun”
Submit Topics for the 2017 Scientific Program ISSX invites you to submit your topic suggestions for the 21st North American ISSX Meeting which convenes in Providence, Rhode Island, USA September 24–28, 2017. These topic suggestions may be incorporated into symposia or round table and debate-style discussions.
ISSX is one of the annual meetings I look forward to attending every year. It is an excellent opportunity for scientists in the field of DMPK to interact with leaders in the field, whether they be from academics, industry, or regulatory bodies. This year the meeting covered amazing topics. It is always a pleasure to listen to experts and to learn from them. The topics were highly-specific and interesting with a lot of emphasis on PKPD and PKPB work, which is very hot right now. The poster sessions were wonderful too. I had three posters to present and I received feedback from many scientists. Interacting with these people both encouraged me and helped me get input on ways to improve my projects. I would like to thank ISSX for awarding me a travel grant; it was very beneficial to me to be able to attend, present my data, and network with leaders in the field.
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ISSX also encourages its new investigator scientists, who have been in the field for ten years or less, to submit ideas and, if appropriate, to nominate themselves or other colleagues who are conducting cutting-edge research as potential speakers.
NAVEED SHAIK
Issue 4, 2015
Please provide your topic recommendations by submitting them through this online form no later than December 31.
(something which was most eloquently pointed out by Professor Sugiyama—not to mention by the subsequent flash mob following his interesting talk on hepatic drug transporters). In an attempt to broaden my views from a small molecule perspective, I attended a very didactic short course on PK/PD of biologicals, which was much appreciated. Additionally, I was pleased to listen to Professor Raines’ talk on the rational design of a new anesthetic from an old drug. In my humble opinion, lectures on renal and hepatic biomarkers, new types of DDI’s between glucuronide-metabolites and P450 enzymes as well as critical reflections on the field and discussions on the use of current PBPK platforms had the greatest impact on my grey matter.
The New Investigators Forum at the 20th North American ISSX Meeting
Co-chair Tom Baillie welcomes the panelists and new investigators at the start of the Forum.
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/ISSX Newsletter / Issue 4, 2015
On the evening of Monday, October 19, at the end of the first full day of the 20th North American Meeting, ISSX held the New Investigators Forum. The Forum, co-chaired by Andrew Parkinson, Ph.D. and Tom Baillie, Ph.D., D.Sc. and moderated by students Ahmed Almousa and Jessica Hartman, offered nearly 40 students and postdoctoral scientists in training the opportunity to hear from and interact with a panel of senior researchers representing academia, the pharmaceutical industry, the Food and Drug Administration, and contract research organizations. The Forum began with opening remarks from Tom Baillie and panelist introductions from the student moderators. The first panelist to speak was Larry Lesko, Ph.D., F.C.P., a senior scientist from the University of Florida representing academia. Dr. Lesko discussed the factors that motivated him to pursue a career in academia, naming publication as one of his top reasons. He emphasized the importance of negotiating in order to obtain funding for research, and stressed that in order to be successful in academia, one must master grant writing and project and time management. The next panelist, representing industry, was Sonia de Morais, Ph.D. from AbbVie. Dr. de Morais provided a moving account of the obstacles she faced in pursuit of her career, as well as her personal successes. As a senior scientist and devoted mother, Dr. de Morais maintained the importance of a work-life balance and finding a job that gives you satisfaction. She concluded by sharing noteworthy advice, which focused on the significance of networking, making yourself known, and managing your time.
Ping Zhao, Ph.D. from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration spoke next, representing the government sector. Dr. Zhao offered advice on an array of topics and highlighted some of the key competencies necessary to remain successful in the field. Dr. Zhao noted that the ability to negotiate, both internally and externally, was a top priority. He encouraged the students and postdocs in the audience to take risks, to have pride in their work, and to grow as a leader by learning from their supervisors. He ended by urging the audience to maintain their ISSX membership in order to stay connected to people with similar interests. Richard Voorman, Ph.D., from Covance Labs, rounded out the panel with his expertise working at a contract research organization. Dr. Voorman focused on how to present yourself well as a job candidate. He described the high expectations that are set forth for new candidates, naming skills such as demonstrated curiosity, the ability to articulate, strong problem-solving capabilities, and collaboration. Dr. Voorman explained that working in a CRO means developing protocol, setting timelines, and placing emphasis on the client. His career advice was to demonstrate scientific leadership, maintain accountability, and build a strong network. A brief question and answer session followed the panelists’ discussions. Students and postdocs had the opportunity to address specific panelists and gain even more insight about how to be successful in their field. ISSX aims to improve and expand the New Investigators Forum at future meetings to better serve the needs of our attendees. Please submit feedback and view more photos from the event at issx.org/group/newinvestigators.
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