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SLAS2017 Show Preview: Putting
together a ‘Capitol’ event
January 2017
EDIT CONNECT
SHARING OPTIONS:
Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS)
SLAS2017
Sixth Annual International Conference and Exhibition
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Washington, D.C.
Feb. 4-8, 2017
Putting together a ‘Capitol’
event
SLAS2017 will bring a wealth of scientific and other programming to Washington, D.C., in
February
“I think the agenda is particularly strong in practical applications of technologies that, while starting to mature, are still evolving
significantly. For example, there are sessions relevant to phenotypic approaches in three tracks: Assay Development and Screening, Drug Target Strategies and
Cellular Technologies; biophysical approaches come up in two tracks; genomic and genetic methods in several tracks,” Vanderwall says. “Many of
these talks go beyond the technology development, where leading scientists in the industry share experience and insight from applying the technologies in
particular screens or studies. That’s particularly useful when you’re trying to bring a new approach in-house and apply it for drug
discovery—the more you can learn from others the sooner you are able to leverage a new technology or methodology to do something useful.”
“The Data and Analysis track is another where there are a number of sessions with practical applications, and
where the sessions evolve significantly each year to align with the most significant challenges we face with managing and leveraging data,” he adds.
“At the end of the day, the advances in screening and automation result in an increase in both the volume and complexity of data being generated.
Topics that deal with tools or approaches focused on workflows, ease of access, use and sharing data, specific aspects of collaboration can all be useful to
getting more of your organization’s data and technology investments.”
For her part, Glicksman says,
“I am particularly excited about the regenerative medicine symposium I have organized with [Dr. G. Sitta Sittampalam] because this is a rapidly
advancing area in drug discovery. The 21st Century Cures Act that was just passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama has a new
provision to fast-track developing new therapies in the regenerative medicine area.”
She also points to a
special session on research reproducibility that is co-chaired by Lenny Teytelman of Protocols.io and Cathy Tralau-Stewart of the University of California,
San Francisco. “This is an area that has gathered a lot of attention both in academics and industry,” Glicksman says. “I look forward to a
good discussion around potential solutions in this session. Lastly, I always enjoy the exhibition hall; this is one of the largest and I enjoy looking for
new technologies and shopping for new equipment.”
And on that more general note, Vanderwall also expresses
eagerness for the networking and the interplay between basic research, applied research and commercial technology that he says is a “standout”
for the SLAS meetings.
“Few conferences provide for such a blend and interaction between those three
interest groups and perspectives; I probably learn as much on the exhibition floor and in the mixers as I do in the presentations,” he says. “I
also look forward to the keynotes—there is always a great symmetry between a high profile speaker on a technical topic with ties to the SLAS community
and domain, and another with more of a topical, general interest perspective. I always come away from the SLAS conference with a reading list and new
connections to follow up with.”
Steve Hamilton, the SLAS director of education, also points to the research
reproducibility and regenerative medicine sessions as a particularly important and valuable part of the show for DDNews readers.
Hamilton also notes that SLAS2017 has some new features compared to last year, including new short courses on the topics of
flow cytometry, mass spectrometry, data analytics for high-throughput screening and biomarkers. He also points to such “interesting” sessions as
“Bioprinting and Multidimension Cellular Engineering,” “Exploring the Dark Genome, “The Digital Dark Hole: Reusing Data,”
“Rational Screen Design,” and “Assay Platforms for Biologics.”
And speaking of biologics,
Vanderwall notes that at SLAS2018, “we’ll see an even greater presence of topics related to biologics with its own new track, and the growth of
technologies related to single-cell and other high-definition technologies.”
As for this year’s event,
he adds: “There are also new areas within some of the traditional tracks, like new genomic technologies and their impact in several tracks and
increased presence of topics related to biologics.”
Hamilton adds that in addition to the 2018 event adding
a biologics drug discovery track, there will be two other new tracks as well next year, on chemical biology and high-definition biotechnology.
“The special combination of scientific programming, exhibition/new technology, and peer-to-peer networking that happens
at SLAS is especially unique,” sums up Tom Manning, the SLAS director of marketing communications. “In addition, the natural collaboration
between product developers and product users, and between industry, academic and government researchers—and between all those groups and technology
providers—is also unique to SLAS.”
SLAS2017 Keynote Presenters
WASHINGTON, D.C.—As noted by Steve Hamilton, the SLAS director of education, among the many new aspects of
SLAS2017—the sixth time that SLAS has put together the annual conference since it was formed from the merger of Society for Biomolecular Sciences and
the Association for Laboratory Automation—this year’s event will for the first time feature dual female keynote speakers: Jennifer Lippincott-
Schwartz and Rachel Swaby.
Lippincott-Schwartz is group leader for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s
Janelia Research Campus, where her research uses live-cell imaging approaches to analyze the spatio-temporal behavior and dynamic interactions of molecules
and organelles in cells. Her group has pioneered the use of green fluorescent protein technology for quantitative analysis and modeling of intracellular
protein traffic and organelle biogenesis in live cells and embryos, providing novel insights into cell compartmentalization, protein trafficking and
organelle inheritance.
Most recently, her research has focused on the development and use of photoactivatable
fluorescent proteins, including the development of photoactivated localization microscopy, (i.e., PALM), a super-resolution imaging technique that
enables visualization of molecule distributions at high density at the nanoscale.
Her work has been recognized
with election to the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institute of Medicine, and with the Royal Microscopy Society Pearse Prize and the Society
of Histochemistry Feulgen Prize.
For her part, Swaby is a freelance writer and editor based in Brooklyn, N.Y. Her
book Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science—and the World came out in 2015 to critical and popular acclaim. Swaby’s work has also been
published in Wired, Runner’s World, The New Yorker, The Atlantic and others.
In her book she
provides a 300-year history of scientific discovery, sharing the tenacity, perseverance and creativity of female scientists who challenged obstacles and
advanced knowledge in the fields of medicine, biology, genetics, physics and more. “I want to share the impact that these women made,” says
Swaby. In sharing some of those stories with SLAS2017 attendees, she says, “I want to talk about the themes that have come out of the book, how outside
interests matter, and how all of these things can be woven together to make your work stronger ... When you have someone with a flair for life like some of
these women had, it’s totally unforgettable.”
What’s on tap for the scientific
program
WASHINGTON, D.C.—SLAS2017 offers attendees a world-class scientific program that showcases
the top laboratory science and technology podium presentations from industry leaders around the world. Each podium presentation is hand-selected by the
SLAS2017 Scientific Program Committee from hundreds of abstract submissions. According to SLAS, “Presentations offer SLAS2017 participants compelling
content and new perspectives on emerging laboratory technologies from a broad range of industries, including drug discovery and development, informatics,
clinical diagnostics, food and agricultural sciences, forensics and security sciences, petrochemicals and energy, and consumer products.”
The SLAS2017 scientific program features seven educational tracks:
SLAS2017 presents 140 unique podium presentations in those seven educational tracks that in turn produce 36
sessions. Podium presentations are presented on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in both morning and afternoon sessions.
In addition, SLAS2017 will feature more than 350 poster presentations. Posters are displayed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning with actual
presentations taking place between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Monday or Tuesday.
Special programming
at SLAS2017
Assay Guidance Workshop for High-Throughput Screening and Lead Discovery
Saturday, Feb. 4
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
This full-day workshop will cover a broad range of critical concepts
underlying assay development for high throughput screening (HTS) and lead discovery projects. Many of the methodologies successfully implemented in such
projects have been “tribal knowledge” within the pharmaceutical industry and not readily found in a classroom or the literature. An increasing
number of researchers are actively developing well validated assays for drug discovery that include phenotypic and biochemical assays for lead optimization.
This workshop is designed to disseminate critical information about the implementation of robust assay methods and intended to benefit the entire drug
discovery community. Many of the workshop instructors have 20 to 30 years of experience in the field of drug discovery.
The target audience
is individuals involved in bioassay development for drug discovery and development, and this workshop is expected to be a valuable resource for academic,
industrial and government laboratory scientists who are planning or beginning to develop test methods for high- or low-throughput screening that are amenable
to automation using appropriate statistical and operational concepts. The workshop will also be useful for early career researchers and experienced
investigators who wish to learn about the latest assay concepts for HTS and lead optimization.
Panel
Discussion: Whose Responsibility is Research Reproducibility?
Tuesday, Feb. 7
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Session chairs for this discussion are Lenny Teytelman of Protocols.io and Cathy Tralau-Stewart of the University of California, San Francisco.
There is a broad consensus among academic and industry researchers, funders, and other stakeholders that increasing reproducibility of published
research is an important goal. However, questions of who should be responsible for validating research results are tricky; industry and academia naturally
diverge in answering these. Moreover, specific proposals for improving reproducibility are frequently contentious with fears of unintended consequences for
the research enterprise. The goal of this panel is to have a conversation with both industry and academic perspectives on this challenging issue.
Regenerative Medicine: Next Generation Treatments
Wednesday, Feb. 8
9:30 a.m.
to 11:30 a.m.
Providing a combination of institutional and corporate approaches to science, the session chairs for this offering are Dr. G.
Sitta Sittampalam of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) at the National Institutes of Health and Dr. Marcie Glicksman of ORIG3N
Inc.
Regenerative medicine is having a big impact on the future of medicine. It has the potential to fully repair damaged cells, tissues
and organs. Developments in stem cell technology, tissue engineering and molecular biology are pushing the frontiers of medicine by providing the possibility
of cures through the use of cellular therapies. The next decade will see the rapid development of treatments that will employ human iPS cells, drugs and
biologics as substrates for therapies in acute and chronic diseases. In this session, presentations will represent the recent advances in the generation,
standardization, characterization and the mechanistic behavior of stem cells and their applications in regenerative medicine.
Presentations
include:
SLAS2017 Awards
SLAS2017 will host and recognize several award winners from different
aspects of the sciety’s program and mission spectrum. A summary of awards appears below. Watch this page for additional information on the awards and
application processes as they are announced.
Tony B. Academic Travel Award
Students,
graduate students, post-doctoral associates, and junior faculty (less than four years in first academic appointment) are eligible to apply for this
prestigious travel award. The applicant must be the primary author of a submitted abstract and must present their research in either a poster or podium
presentation at the conference. Those selected receive complimentary travel, lodging and registration to participate in SLAS2017.
2017 SLAS Innovation Award
The SLAS Innovation Award is a $10,000 cash prize recognizing one
exceptional podium presentation delivered at SLAS2017. This award recognizes exceedingly innovative science or research, and the potential for contributing
to life sciences R&D technology.
SLAS New Product Award
All SLAS2017 exhibitors who
will be presenting new products at the event are encouraged to participate in this competition. The product entry must be less than one year old in its
current form (since the previous SLAS annual conference) to be considered.
Student Poster
Competition
The SLAS Academic Poster Award recognizes the innovative research by students, graduate students, post-doctoral
associates, and junior faculty (less than four years in first academic appointment) who are chosen to present a poster during SLAS2017.
About the exhibits
General Information
The SLAS2017 Exhibition will feature several hundred leading multinational providers of life-science
discovery and technology products and services. The SLAS2017 Exhibition is structured to facilitate friendly, professional interaction among providers and
product/technology users. This approach enables attendees to gain valuable insight into state-of-the-art technologies—and access to product developers
and product experts—in a low-pressure, high-value environment, according to SLAS.
Highlights of the
SLAS2017 Exhibition include:
SLAS2017 Exhibition Hours
Monday, Feb. 6
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(Reception 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.)
Tuesday, Feb. 7
9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(Reception 5
p.m. to 6 p.m.)
Wednesday, Feb. 8
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Code: E011733 Back |
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