In This Section

Norman Weiner Lecture

8:30 am - 9:20 am 

Jack Bergman ProgramThe Norman Weiner Lecture was established in memory of Dr. Norman Weiner, past ASPET President and chair of the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Colorado. It is in honor of his many contributions to both ASPET and to pharmacology research and education.

Drug Discrimination Procedures and in Vivo Pharmacological Analysis
Jack Bergman - Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital


Intestine-liver Crosstalk, New Frontier for Drug Metabolism, Liver Injury and Repair

9:30 am - 12:00 pm 

Grace Guo ProgramTCP Web TrackSponsored by the Division for Toxicology (TOX)
Co-sponsored by the Divisions for Drug Discovery and Development, Drug Metabolism, Molecular Pharmacology, Pharmacology Education, and Translational and Clinical Pharmacology 

Chairs:
Grace L. Guo - Rutgers Univ. - Ernest Mario Sch. of Pharmacology
Lauren M. Aleksunes - Rutgers Univ.

Lauren Aleksunes ProgramThis symposium will provide the state-of-art knowledge on intestine-derived factors and changes in microbiome in regulating drug metabolism, toxicity and energy homeostasis in the liver. Five world-renown or young scientists will present cutting-edge research findings with a focus on the effects and underlying mechanisms of intestine-derived endocrine factors or gut microbiome on the regulation of liver functions, including energy metabolism, drug metabolism, liver injury and repair, as well as inflammation.

Intestine Bile Acid Induced Endocrine Signal in Liver Injury and Repair
Grace L. Guo - Rutgers Univ. - Ernest Mario Sch. of Pharmacology

FXR-FGF15/19 Signaling and Bile Acid Homeostasis during Pregnancy
Lauren M. Aleksunes - Rutgers Univ.

Gut Microbiome Regulation of Drug Metabolism and Xenobiotic Exposure
Yue (Julia) Cui - Univ. of Washington

The Gut-Liver Axis in Eythropoietic Protoprophyria
Xiaochao Ma - Univ. of Pittsburg

Antagonizing Intestinal FXR in Liver Lipid Metabolism Regulation
Frank J. Gonzalez - NIH

Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Depletion Attenuates Acute Experimental Colitis in Mice through Epithelial STAT3 Activation
Wenke Feng - University of Louisville


Nonpharmacological Factors Influencing Drug Action

9:30 am - 12:00 pm 

BEH Web TrackSponsored by the Division for Behavioral Pharmacology (BEH)
Co-sponsored by the Divisions for Neuropharmacology and Pharmacology Education 

Michael Nader ProgramChair:
Michael A. Nader - Wake Forest School of Med.

The primary goal of this symposium is to highlight the importance of individual differences and environmental influences on drug action. For example, body weight (free feeding vs. food restricted) and diet composition (fat content) alters the behavioral effects of drugs, as well as presynaptic dopamine function. Also, social context, alternative reinforcers and other environmental variables can profoundly influence the behavioral effects of drugs in male and female subjects. The research described in this symposium will highlight the importance of studying individual differences in pharmacological drug action, with an emphasis on the establishment of personalized medicine for all CNS-related diseases.

Influence of Feeding Conditions on the Behavioral Effects of Drugs
Charles P. France - Univ. of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Effects of High Fat Diet and Feeding Pattern on Dopamine Responses to Stimulants
Steven C. Fordahl - Univ. of North Carolina Greensboro

Nonpharmacological Variables in Drug Self-Administration
Mark A. Smith - Davidson College

The Influence of Social Variables on the Behavioral Effects of Drugs in Male and Female Monkeys
Michael A. Nader - Wake Forest School of Med.

Implementation of Integrated Therapies for Comorbid Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Abuse
Therese Killeen - Medical Univ. of South Carolina


Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery in Epigenetics

9:30 am - 12:00 pm 

Dong Wang ProgramMP Web TrackSponsored by the Division for Molecular Pharmacology (MP)
Co-sponsored by the Divisions for Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Drug Discovery and Development, Neuropharmacology, and Translational and Clinical Pharmacology 

Chairs:
Dong Wang - Univ. of California, San Diego
Chuan He - Univ. of Chicago

Chuan He ProgramThis symposium will focus on the novel fundamental biology and exciting therapeutic developments in the epigenetic field with a strong emphasis in chemical biology approaches. It will provide a cutting-edge overview of groundbreaking scientific discoveries in epigenetic mechanisms and current progress in epigenetic drug discovery; facilitate greater research collaboration across different scientific disciplines, ASPET divisions, and other EB participating research societies; foster collaborations between academic and pharmaceutical industry in epigenetic drug discovery; inspire next generation young scientists in the field and provide networking opportunities for them to interact with leaders.

Chemical Biology of Protein Post-Translational Modification and Regulation
Philip A. Cole - Johns Hopkins Univ.

Probing the Epigenome for Therapeutic Targets
Cheryl Arrowsmith - Univ. of Toronto

RNA Methylation in Human Diseases
Chuan He - Univ. of Chicago

Chemical Biology of Chromatin Regulation and Drug Discovery
Stephen V. Frye - Univ. of North Carolina in Chapel Hill

Functional Interplay between DNA Demethylation and Transcription
Dong Wang - Univ. of California, San Diego

Identification of Epigenetic Targets in the Treatment of Recurrent Breast Cancer
Nathaniel Mabe - Duke Univ.


Release and Processing of Extracellular ATP: New Insights and Therapeutic Targets

9:30 am - 12:00 pm 

Amanda MacLeod ProgramTCP Web TrackSponsored by the Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology (TCP)
Co-sponsored by the Division for Molecular Pharmacology (MP) 

Chairs:
Ross Corriden - Univ. of California, San Diego
Amanda S. MacLeod - Duke Univ.

Virtually every type of eukaryotic cell releases ATP and has nucleotide-activated (P2) receptors, implicating ATP and other nucleotides as ubiquitous extracellular modulators of cell function. Adding to the complexity of such pathways were the discoveries of channels that release ATP (e.g., Pannexins), nucleotidases that eliminate extracellular ATP and generate adenosine (e.g., CD39) and adenosine-activated G protein-coupled receptors (P1), which act in concert to tightly control the function of many cell types. Such membrane proteins have become increasingly recognized as critical autocrine/paracrine modulators of cell function and potential therapeutic targets. This session highlights recent findings in the field.

The Pannexin1-alpha Adrenergic Axis Can Mediate Vasoconstriction and Blood Pressure
Brant E. Isakson - Univ. of Virginia

Pannexin1 Channels as Novel Regulators of Cellular Differentiation and Cancer
Silvia Penuela - Western Univ.

Regulation of CNS Inflammation
Francisco J. Quintana - Brigham and Women's Hosp.

Sensation of Ultraviolet Radiation-induced Injury and Contribution to DNA Repair by Skin-resident T Cells: The Role of Extracellular ATP and CD39
Amanda S. MacLeod - Duke Univ.

ATP Exposure Increases Expression of α-Synuclein in SH-SY5Y Cells: Potential Link Between Neuronal Injury and Parkinson’s Disease
Jennifer Lamberts - Ferris State University

Pannexin-1 Channel Activity and Associated ATP Release in Podocytes in Response to Adipokines
Guangbi Li -Virginia Commonwealth University


ASPET Poster Presentations

12:30 pm – 2:30 pm 


The Pharmacological and Therapeutic Legacy of Dr. Alfred G. Gilman

3:00 pm - 5:30 pm 

Myron Towes ProgramMP Web TrackSponsored by the Division for Molecular Pharmacology (MP)
Co-sponsored by all divisions 

Chairs:
Myron Toews - Univ. Nebraska Medical Center
Paul C. Sternweis – Univ. Texas Southwestern Health Science Center, Pharmacology

Paul Sternweis ProgamDr. Alfred G. Gilman was a major contributor to multiple aspects of pharmacology through both his Nobel Prize-winning research on G proteins and adenylyl cyclases and his many years of personally editing Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics textbook. This symposium will honor his legacy with presentations by a few of his many successful trainees. Each speaker will present the current status of their work on G proteins, the receptors that activate them, and/or the downstream effector pathways that they regulate, along with memories and insights of Dr. Gilman's impact on their own careers and the field.

Opening Comments
Paul C. Sternweis - Univ. Texas Southwestern Health Science Center, Pharmacology

The Allosteric Interaction Between GPCRs, G Proteins, Small Molecules and Cations
Roger K. Sunahara - Univ. of California, San Diego

G Protein GAPs
Elliott M. Ross - Univ. of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Involvement of G12 Proteins in Oncogenesis and Tumor Progression
Patrick Casey - Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore

Spatial Constraints of G protein Regulation of Adenylyl Cyclase
Carmen W. Dessauer - Univ. of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Crystal Structure Analysis of G Proteins and Adenylyl Cyclases
Stephen R. Sprang - Univ. of Montana


Stem Cells in Cancer

3:00 pm - 5:30 pm 

DCP Web TrackKiplin Guy ProgramSponsored by the Division for Cancer Pharmacology (DCP)
Co-sponsored by the Divisions for Molecular Pharmacology and Translational and Clinical Pharmacology 

Chairs:
R. Kiplin Guy - St Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Shannon McKinney-Freeman - St Jude Children's Research Hospital

Shannon McKinney-Freeman ProgramOne central hypothesis (and controversy) in current cancer biology is that stem-like cells play an important role in cancer progression, especially in driving metastasis. Key issues in understanding the role of these cells in driving disease include cellular heterogeneity in tumors, clonal selection of favored populations, aberrant epigenetic regulation of cell proliferation and stemness, and similarities and differences between normal stem cells and cancer stem-like cells. This symposium will seek to present viewpoints on these issues that represent the current state of the field and to discuss how they provide opportunities and difficulties for therapeutic interventions.

Overview
Shannon McKinney-Freeman - St Jude Children's Research Hospital

New Targeted Approaches for Pediatric Malignancies
Kimberly Stegmaier - Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Stem Cells in Leukemia
Guy Sauvageau - Univ. of Montreal

A Chemical Approach to Controlling Cell Fate
Sheng Ding - Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease

Enhancing Mammalian Regeneration: Mechanisms and Consequences
Hao Zhu - UT Southwestern Medical Center

Repairing Interstrand DNA Crosslinks (ICL): Characterization of an ICL Incision/Lesion Bypass Polymerase Complex Regulated by the Fanconi Anemia Pathway
Vijay Jasti - University of Michigan

Wrap-up
R. Kiplin Guy - St Jude Children’s Research Hospital


Transporter Roles in Intracellular Drug Concentrations

3:00 pm - 5:30 pm 

DM Web TrackYurong Lai ProgramSponsored by the Division for Drug Metabolism (DM)
Co-sponsored by the Divisions for Cancer Pharmacology, Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Drug Discovery and Development, Molecular Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Translational and Clinical Pharmacology 

Chairs:
Yurong Lai - Bristol-Myers Squibb
Ikumi Tamai - Kanazawa Univ.

Ikumi Tamai ProgramTissue concentrations are directly responsible for many effects pertaining to drug safety and efficacy; Specifically, the underlying principles of active transport allow unbound concentrations across a membrane to differ, undermining the notion that unbound plasma concentrations equal those in tissue and may therefore serve as a surrogate for unbound tissue concentrations. Early prediction of drug exposure in target organs could facilitate risk assessments of the pharmacokinetic variability associated with drug interactions, disease state and pharmacogenetics. This symposium will bring together experts in the field to present experimental and modeling approaches to quantitatively assess transporter roles in intracellular drug disposition.

Local Transporter Drug–Drug Interaction of Donepezil with Cilostazol Increases Drug Accumulation in Heart
Ikumi Tamai - Kanazawa Univ.

Apply a PET Approach to Monitor Hepatic Uptake and Excretory Function
Yuichi Sugiyama - RIKEN Innovation Center Research Cluster for Innovation

The Combination of in vitro Experimental and Modelling Approaches to Predict in vivo Intracellular Partitioning
Yurong Lai - Bristol-Myers Squibb

PBPK Modeling to Estimate the Effects of Renal Impairment and Transporter Inhibition on Drug Exposure in the Kidneys
Ping Zhao

Live Tissue Imaging of Organic Cation and Anion Transport at the Blood-CSF Barrier Reveals Specific Transporter Function and Distinct Transcellular Pathways
Toa Hu - University of Washington


Developing Novel Therapeutic Strategies to Modulate K+/Cl- Co-transporter 2 (KCC2) Function

3:00 pm - 5:30 pm 

Paul Davies ProgramNEU Web TrackSponsored by the Division for Neuropharmacology (NEU)
Co-sponsored by the Division for Drug Discovery and Development (DDD) 

Chairs:
Paul A. Davies - Tufts Univ. School of Medicine
Tarek G. Deeb - Tufts Univ. School of Medicine

Tarek Deeb ProgramIn most adult brain neurons, the K+/Cl- co-transporter-2 (KCC2) establishes hyperpolarizing GABAergic inhibition by maintaining low intracellular Cl- concentration. In recent years, KCC2 has emerged as a critical factor in several disorders of the central nervous system ranging from seizures to schizophrenia. Enhancing KCC2 function has therefore become a primary goal of basic research and drug development projects. This symposium will highlight recent developments in KCC2 research that covers novel KCC2-related disorders, the characterization of cell signaling cascades that control KCC2 functional expression, and recent efforts to develop small molecules that target KCC2 for the treatment of CNS disorders.

A New Role for Erythropoietin (EPO) in Neurorepair: Attenuating KCC2 Loss in the Preterm Brain
Lauren L. Jantzie - Univ. of New Mexico

Small Molecule TrkB Antagonist, ANA-12 Rescues Ischemia Induced KCC2 Degradation and Phenobarbital-resistant Neonatal Seizures in a Dose Dependent Manner
Shilpa D. Kadam - Kennedy Krieger Inst. and Johns Hopkins Univ. Sch. of Med.

Multiprotein Complexes Regulating Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurotransmission in the Brain
Vivek Mahadevan - McBain Lab, NIH

Assessing the Impact of Enhanced KCC2 Function on Seizure Severity
Yvonne Moore - Tufts Univ. School of Medicine

KCC2 Pharmacology and Function during Hyperexcited States
Tarek G. Deeb - Tufts Univ. School of Medicine

Restoration of KCC2 Expression Rescues Functional Deficits in Human Neurons Derived from Patients with Rett Syndrome
Xin Tang - Whitehead Inst. for Biomedical Research


Epigenetic Regulation of Toxicity and Implications for Risk Assessment

3:00 pm - 5:30 pm 

Brian Cummings ProgramTOX Web TrackSponsored by the Division for Toxicology (TOX)
Co-sponsored by the Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology 

Chairs:
Brian S. Cummings - Univ. of Georgia-Athens College of Pharmacy
Dana C. Dolinoy - Univ. of Michigan School of Public Health

Dana Dolinoy ProgramWhile recent studies have significantly increased our knowledge on toxicant-induced epigenetic changes, they have opened a Pandora's Box with regards to risk assessment. Because many studies report epigenetic events without determining if such events are drivers or passengers of adverse outcomes, it is difficult to assess if these events drive toxicity, or in contrast are independent of actual mechanisms of action (passengers). Such information is critical to identifying points of departures for risk assessment. This symposium will discuss the state-of-the art methods used to assess epigenetic changes in relevant toxicological models and how these events mediate mechanisms of action.

Perinatal Lead (Pb) Exposure and Effects on Offspring DNA Methylation in Mouse and Human Cohorts
Dana C. Dolinoy - Univ. of Michigan School of Public Health

Role of Epigenetics in the Molecualr Mechanisms of Action of Renal Cell Death Induced by the Water Disinfection Byproduct Bromate
Brian S. Cummings - Univ. of Georgia-Athens College of Pharmacy

Epigenetic Targets of Toxicity and Drivers of Disease
Cheryl Lyn Walker - Baylor College of Medicine

Predicting Inter-Individual Variability in Post-Exposure Response: The “Epigenetic Seed and Soil” Model of Susceptibility
Shaun D. McCullough - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Epigenetic Modifications Influence NOD-Like Receptor Expression and Associated Pro-Inflammatory Activity
Claire Feerick - NUI Galway


ASPET Closing Reception

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm 


Last updated: April 18, 2017 

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