1. science
2. medicine
3. pharmacology

the
A Publication by The American Society for
Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Pharmacologist
Vol. 57 • Number 1 • March 2015
Inside:
ASPET Annual Meeting
at EB 2015
2015 Election Results
2015 Award Winners
How Paul Janssen’s
Drugs Saved the Chinese
Terracotta Warriors
The Pharmacologist is published and distributed by the American Society for
Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
Contents...
THE PHARMACOLOGIST
PRODUCTION TEAM
Prateeksha Nagar
Suzie Thompson
Rich Dodenhoff
Judith A. Siuciak, PhD
3 Message from the President
4 New in 2015
5 2015 Election Results
6 2015 Award Winners
13 We Are ASPET
15 Meeting News
28 Feature Article: How Paul Janssen’s Drugs
COUNCIL
39 Science Policy
45 Education News
51 Journal News
52 Members in the News
53 Membership News
58 Division News
64 Chapter News
66 Meetings and Congresses
Chair, Program Committee
Scott Waldman, MD, PhD
Saved the Chinese Terracotta Warriors
President
Annette E. Fleckenstein, PhD
President-Elect
Kenneth E. Thummel, PhD
Past President
Richard R. Neubig, MD, PhD
Secretary/Treasurer
Paul A. Insel, MD
Secretary/Treasurer-Elect
Dennis C. Marshall, PhD
Past Secretary/Treasurer
Sandra P. Welch, PhD
Councilors
Charles P. France, PhD
John D. Schuetz, PhD
Margaret E. Gnegy, PhD
Chair, Board of Publications Trustees
Mary E. Vore, PhD
FASEB Board Representative
Brian M. Cox, PhD
Executive Officer
Judith A. Siuciak, PhD
The Pharmacologist (ISSN 0031-7004)
is published quarterly in March, June,
September, and December by the
American Society for Pharmacology
and Experimental Therapeutics,
9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD
20814-3995. Annual subscription
rates: $20.00 for ASPET members;
$45.00 for U.S. nonmembers and
institutions; $70.00 for nonmembers
and institutions outside the U.S.
Single copy: $20.00. Copyright ©
2015 by the American Society for
Pharmacology and Experimental
Therapeutics Inc. All rights reserved.
Periodicals postage paid at Bethesda,
MD. GST number for Canadian
subscribers: BN:13489 2330 RT.
ASPET assumes no responsibility
for the statements and opinions
advanced by contributors to The
Pharmacologist.
Postmaster: Send address changes to:
The Pharmacologist, ASPET
9650 Rockville Pike,
Bethesda, MD 20814-3995.
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
3
Message from
The President
My Fellow Pharmacologists:
We are fast approaching the ASPET Annual Meeting at Experimental Biology 2015, which will be held
in Boston from March 28–April 1. As pharmacologists, we are energized by exploring new discoveries and
transforming these into therapies. To foster this mission, I encourage you to join us at Experimental Biology
2015 (EB 2015).
ASPET has planned an exciting program for our portion of EB 2015, including lectures from renowned
scientists Jeffrey Benovic, Andre Terzic, Scott Waldman, Pieter Dorrestein, Namandjé Bumpus, and William
Catterall. The program will not only include a wide variety of scientific symposia, but also education and
career development sessions, a student and postdoctoral best abstract competition, and numerous mixers
and networking events. The single EB 2015 registration fee gains you access to the programs of all six
participating societies, as well as over thirty guest societies.
I strongly recommend members to connect with ASPET staff in Booth 1154. Our enthusiastic team looks
forward to meeting you and learning how to better serve the needs of the Society.
Earlier this year, ASPET had the pleasure of announcing our 2015 Scientific Achievement Award winners.
These awards are given to recognize accomplishments and contributions in specific areas of pharmacology
or to the discipline in general. This year’s winners will be presented with their awards on Saturday, March 28,
2015 at 6:00 pm at the Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony at the Boston Convention and Exhibition
Center in Room 107AB. The inaugural presentations of the David Lehr Research Award and the Reynold
Spector Award in Clinical Pharmacology will also be held at the awards ceremony, so please remember to
join us!
Since 2009, ASPET members attending EB have given a day of volunteer service in local communities
including New Orleans, Pasadena, San Diego, and Washington, DC. This year, ASPET’s Division for Behavioral
Pharmacology is again sponsoring a volunteer opportunity involving Cradles to Crayons, an organization that
provides children from birth through age twelve living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential
items they need to thrive at home, at school, and at play. I hope you can all find time in your schedule to
volunteer for this highly worthwhile event!
I highly recommend that early career scientists join us and get involved in activities such as the Annual
Division Meetings. These meetings present an important opportunity to have a voice in the future activities
and directions of the division, introduce yourselves to the division leadership, and volunteer to get involved.
I’m looking forward to seeing you in Boston!
Annette E. Fleckenstein
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
4
New in 2015
Gearing Up for an Exciting 2015
It’s been a whole year since the launch of The Pharmacologist’s new look
and we’ve accomplished a lot this past year, but get ready for an even more
exciting 2015! As we move into the second year of publishing your re-vamped
ASPET membership magazine, we’ve honed our articles and content to provide
only the most interesting and important information for our members. Each issue
provides you with upcoming deadlines, new initiatives and programs, and up-todate information from our membership, journals, science policy, education, and
meetings departments.
By now, you should be familiar with our feature stories in The Pharmacologist.
These articles, by science writer Dr. Rebecca J. Anderson, focus on science
stories with historical significance. This March issue features a story about the
2,200 year old Chinese Terracotta Warriors – one of China’s most famous cultural
treasures – that began to face an increasingly serious mold problem and how Dr.
Paul Janssen, a prestigious scientist and the founder of Janssen Pharmaceutical
of Belgium, was able to save the ancient relics from the threat of decay. You won’t
want to miss this article as well as the other feature stories due for publication later
this year: “Blue bloods: How the lowly horseshoe crab is essential to injectable
drug manufacturing;” “The ’sleepy’ sickness, Oliver Sacks, and the early days of
L-DOPA;” and “Methotrexate, Sydney Farber, and the Jimmy Fund: The birth of
modern cancer chemotherapy.”
We are debuting a new e-flip reader format for The Pharmacologist with this
issue. In addition to a downloadable PDF format, we are providing an easy-toread, user-friendly, e-flip format. Readers can flip through the pages of the issue
– similar to flipping through a magazine – on a laptop, smartphone, or tablet;
zoom in to read your favorite articles; crop articles for easy printing; and much
more. We’d love to hear your feedback on this format for the online version of The
Pharmacologist and whether you think it is useful and easy to read. Please email
us your thoughts and ideas at pnagar@aspet.org.
The March issue also features profiles of ASPET’s 2015 scientific award winners.
Read about their research efforts and why they were chosen for our prestigious
awards this year. Also important for this issue, you’ll find ASPET’s annual meeting
program broken out by day, division meetings and activities, activities of interest for
students and postdocs, social events, business meetings, and ancillary functions.
Make your plans for EB this year using this highly informative programming section.
In education news, students and young scientists will benefit from reading an
article that focusses on how to make the most out of their EB experience. The
article, contributed by our postdoctoral representative Uyen Chu, and members
of the Mentoring and Career Development Committee, offers informative tips and
techniques to prepare for the conference, present your research, attend various
talks and events, and follow up with professional contacts after the meeting.
We hope you enjoy this issue and all there is to come in 2015!
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
5
2015 Election Results
The 2015 ASPET election closed on January 15, 2015 with a promising turnout. Over 18% of our regular,
postdoctoral, and retired members participated in the election to vote for the Society’s new leadership.
The newly elected president-elect, secretary/treasurer-elect, and councilor will begin their terms on July 1,
2015. Congratulations to newly elected Council members Dr. David R. Sibley, Dr. Charles France, and
Dr. Wayne Backes.
President-Elect
Secretary/Treasurer-Elect
Councilor
David R. Sibley, PhD
Chief, Section on Molecular
Neuropharmacology,
National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and
Stroke, National Institutes
of Health
Charles France, PhD
Professor, Departments of
Pharmacology & Psychiatry,
University of Texas Health
Science Center
Wayne Backes, PhD
Associate Dean for
Research & Professor,
Louisiana State University
Health Sciences Center
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
6
2015 Award Winners
ASPET presents several major awards on either an annual or a biennial basis. These awards are given
to recognize accomplishments either in specific areas of pharmacology or contributions to the discipline in
general. We are pleased to announce our 2015 Scientific Achievement Award winners. ASPET will present
these awards on Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 6:00 pm at the Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony at the
ASPET Annual Meeting during Experimental Biology 2015 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in
Room 107AB.
John Jacob Abel Award in Pharmacology
The John J. Abel Award in Pharmacology, named after the founder of ASPET, was
established in 1946 to stimulate fundamental research in pharmacology and experimental
therapeutics by young investigators. The award is presented annually.
Pieter Dorrestein, PhD
University of California,
San Diego, CA
Pieter Dorrestein, PhD,
an associate professor at
the University of California,
San Diego, director of the
Therapeutic Discovery Mass
Spectrometry Center, and
a co-director of the Institute for Metabolomics
Medicine in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy &
Pharmaceutical Sciences, is the 2015 recipient of
the John J. Abel Award in Pharmacology.
Dr. Dorrestein was trained by Tadgh Begley
in the chemical biology of enzymes involved in
vitamin biosynthesis and by Neil Kelleher and
Christopher Walsh, who were co-sponsors of his
NRSA postdoctoral fellowship, in top and middle
down mass spectrometry on proteins that made
small molecules of therapeutic value. Since his
arrival at UCSD in 2006, Dr. Dorrestein has been
pioneering the development of mass spectrometry
methods to study the chemical ecological crosstalk
between populations of organisms for agricultural,
diagnostic, and therapeutic applications.
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
In general, Dr. Dorrestein thinks about the
application of the tools his lab develops and
new functions of molecules that they discover.
In the academic branch of his lab, he works on
understanding the functional roles of specialized
molecules and applies this information toward
disease intervention such as the evaluation of
newly discovered molecules as anti-infective
strategies. Many of his tools and methodologies
are also impacting industry. For example, his
molecular networking tool is being used by
industry to discover new pharmacologically
related molecules. Molecular networking has led
to the first crowd-sourced and social molecular
analysis infrastructure at gnps.ucsd.edu, which
is used by thousands of researchers from over
60 countries. His team and industry have jointly
developed and implemented an assay that
monitors the inflammatory status and potential
of patients and how they respond to therapies
using just a small amount of blood. This is being
evaluated as a way to stratify patients in clinical
trials. Similarly, he has a joint project with industry
that aims to answer the question of how healthy
commensal bacteria alter the immune system.
7
Dr. Dorrestein has published over 140 articles
and is the recipient of several awards, including
the Beckman Foundation Young Investigators
Award, The National Institutes of Health
Exceptional and Unconventional Research Award
(EUREKA), the Lilly Award in Analytical Chemistry,
the Hearst Foundation Award, the Pharmaceutical
Research and Manufacturers of America Award,
and the Matt Suffness Award. He was named
a V-Foundation Scholar. In addition, he is a
technological and research advisor/consultant for
INDICASET, Janssen, Agraquest, Bayer, CUBIST,
and Sirenas Marine Discovery.
Dr. Dorrestein will deliver the John J. Abel
Lecture on Monday, March 30, 2015 from 8:30
am–9:20 am in Room 107AB of the Boston
Convention & Exhibition Center.
Julius Axelrod Award in Pharmacology
The Julius Axelrod Award in Pharmacology was established in 1991 to honor the
memory of the eminent American pharmacologist who shaped the fields of neuroscience,
drug metabolism, and biochemistry and who served as a mentor for numerous eminent
pharmacologists around the world. This award is presented for significant contributions to
understanding the biochemical mechanisms underlying the pharmacological actions of drugs
and for contributions to mentoring other pharmacologists. ASPET assumed responsibility of the Julius
Axelrod Award in Pharmacology from the Catecholamine Club in 2007. The award is presented annually.
Jean Rossier, MD, PhD
Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris,
France
Dr. Jean Rossier has been
named the recipient of the
2015 Julius Axelrod Award in
Pharmacology. From 1994 to
2012, Dr. Rossier was professor
and chairman of the Department
of Biology at ESPCI Paris Tech, a famous graduate
school where Pierre and Marie Curie discovered
radioactivity. Since 2012, he has worked at Hôpital
Sainte Anne in Paris on translational research on
imaging the brain in action.
Dr. Rossier has made several major discoveries
in neuropharmacology including his work on
neuropeptides with Bloom, Guillemin, and
Udenfriend of multiple opioïd peptides delineating
several distinct neuronal systems involved in
pain and reward. Turning his interests on GABAA
receptors, he made the seminal observation that
several inverse agonists facilitate performance
in learning and memory tasks. This has led to
the present development by the pharmaceutical
industry of specific inverse agonists that are
candidates for promnesic drugs. His most widely
technical contribution in neuroscience is the
invention of single-cell RT-PCR after patchclamp. This unexpected marriage of molecular
biology and physiology led to several discoveries.
With single-cell RT-PCR, he has deciphered
the molecular organization of various synaptic
receptors. These key molecules are located at the
contacts between neurons. He is now using RTPCR and a multidisciplinary approach combining
electrophysiology, pharmacology, and imaging to
characterize the diversity of neocortical interneurons
and their roles in local blood flow control. This recent
discovery of the role played by interneurons in
controlling cerebral blood flow has shed light on the
physiological mechanisms involved in functional NMR
brain imaging, a technique widely used in the study
of human brain function.
Dr. Rossier will present the Axelrod Lecture at the
2016 ASPET Annual Meeting during Experimental
Biology in San Diego, California, April 2–6, 2016.
The 2015 Axelrod Lecture will be given by last
year’s recipient, Jeffrey L. Benovic of Thomas Jefferson
University, who will deliver a lecture titled “Arresting
Developments in Receptor Signaling” on Sunday,
March 29, 2015 from 2:00 pm–2:50 pm in Room 107AB
at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
8
Pharmacia-ASPET Award for Experimental
Therapeutics
The Pharmacia ASPET Award in Experimental Therapeutics recognizes and
stimulates outstanding research in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, basic
laboratory, or clinical research that has had, or potentially will have, a major impact on the
pharmacological treatment of disease. This award was originally established in 1969 as the
ASPET Award for Experimental Therapeutics, but was renamed in 2002, when supported in
perpetuity by an endowment from Pharmacia (now Pfizer). The award is presented annually.
L. Jackson Roberts, PhD
Vanderbilt University
School of Medicine,
Nashville, TN
Dr. L. Jackson Roberts has
been named the recipient of
the 2015 Pharmacia-ASPET
Award for Experimental
Therapeutics. Dr. Roberts
is a professor of Pharmacology and Medicine
at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in
Nashville, Tennessee. He received his bachelor’s
degree from Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa,
and his MD degree from the University of Iowa. He
did an internal medicine residency at Washington
University in St. Louis, moved to Vanderbilt
University where he did a postdoctoral fellowship
in clinical pharmacology, and then joined the
Vanderbilt faculty in 1977.
His initial research focus at Vanderbilt was on
prostaglandins. However, his discovery, along with
Jason Morrow, that prostaglandin-like compounds
(isoprostanes) could be formed by a non-enzymatic
free radical mechanism in 1990 led him to change his
area of research to the field of free radical biology
and medicine. His research emphasis is largely
translational in nature, taking basic discoveries
related to lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress/
injury in the laboratory and exploring their role in the
pathogenesis of human disease.
Robert R. Ruffolo Career Achievement Award
in Pharmacology
The Robert R. Ruffolo Career Achievement Award in Pharmacology was established in 2011
in recognition of the contributions made to drug discovery and development by Dr. Ruffolo.
The award recognizes the scientific achievements of scientists who are at the height of their
careers (typically mid- to late-career) and who have made significant contributions to any area of
pharmacology. The award is presented annually.
Heidi Hamm, PhD
Vanderbilt University
Medical Center, Nashville,
TN
Dr. Heidi E. Hamm has
been named the recipient of
the 2015 Robert R. Ruffolo
Career Achievement Award
in Pharmacology. Dr. Hamm
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
is the Aileen M. Lange and Annie Mary Lyle chair
in Cardiovascular Research and professor of
Pharmacology at the Vanderbilt University Medical
Center. She served as the chair of the Department of
Pharmacology at Vanderbilt from 2000–2013 where
she oversaw an increase in the size of the department,
as well as a quintupling of its funding from the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) during her tenure.
9
Her research focuses on the structure and function
of GTP binding proteins and the molecular mechanisms
of signal transduction. Her laboratory has been at
the forefront of developing our understanding of G
protein coupled signal transduction for many years.
Early studies in Dr. Hamm’s lab concentrated on visual
signaling; she defined sites of rhodopsin interaction
with transducin using synthetic peptides from Gα and
went on to characterize G protein effector interactions
in the same way. She then collaborated with Paul
Sigler to determine the three-dimensional structures
of heterotrimeric G protein αβγ subunits in their active
and inactive conformations and in complex with the
Gα subunit. She has extensively used peptides and
minigenes, encoding small peptides or domains of
signaling proteins to define protein-protein interaction
and Gα and βγ dependent signaling pathways in cells.
Minigenes that turn off one G protein pathway at a time
in transfected cells showed that receptors that couple
to multiple G proteins drive cell-specific responses
via non-redundant interactions of multiple G protein
pathways. Thus she has pioneered studies of functions
of G protein subunits within the context of integrated
physiological systems and is applying mathematical
modeling approaches to understand these networks of
G protein signaling pathways.
Dr. Hamm has organized a number of meetings
including Keystone, the Federation of American
Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), American
Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (ASBMB),
and the Gordon Conference on Cyclic Nucleotides
and Protein Phosphorylation. She was president of
the ASBMB from 2006–2008. Dr. Hamm has served
on the NIH Visual Sciences C study section, the NIH
Reviewers Reserve, the Board of Scientific Counselors,
NHLBI, and the NIH Peer Review Advisory Committee;
she currently sits on the CSR Advisory Committee. She
is on the Board of Directors of the Keystone Symposia
on Molecular and Cellular Biology. She has served
on the editorial boards of The Journal of Biological
Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Pharmacology,
and Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science.
She is currently a member of the editorial board of
The Journal Chemical Biology & Drug Design. She
holds the Earl W. Sutherland, Jr. Endowed Chair of
Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
David Lehr Research Award
The David Lehr Research Award is intended to extend funding for preclinical or
clinical research directed toward improving human health. This award is made possible
by an endowment to ASPET in 2014 from Mrs. Lisa Lehr in honor of her husband, the late
Dr. David Lehr, former chair of the Department of Pharmacology for New York Medical
College. The award is presented biennially.
Doo-Sup Choi, PhD
Mayo Clinic College of
Medicine, Rochester, MN
Dr. Doo-Sup Choi has been
named the recipient of the first
David Lehr Research Award.
Dr. Choi is professor of
Pharmacology and Psychiatry
at the Mayo Clinic College
of Medicine. He serves as the director of the
Samuel C. Johnson Genomics of Addiction
Program at Mayo Clinic. He received his bachelor’s
and master’s degrees in biochemistry at Yonsei
University in Korea. He went on to receive a
PhD in cellular and molecular biology at the
Université L. Pasteur, IGBMC in Strasbourg, France.
His postdoctoral fellowship in neurobiology of
addiction was completed in the Department of
Biopharmaceutical Sciences at the University of
California, San Francisco.
He is a member of the Neurotoxicology and
Alcohol Study Section of the National Institutes
of Health (2012–2016). He is on the editorial
board of Addiction Genetics, Journal of Addictive
Behaviors Therapy & Rehabilitation, Journal of
Medical Research and Practice, and PLOS ONE. He
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
10
received a Young Investigator Travel Award from
the International Behavioural and Neural Genetics
Society (IBANGS) in 2009 and the Outstanding
Young Investigator Award from IBANGS in 2005.
Dr. Choi has extensive experience in
molecular and neuropharmacology of alcohol
use disorders (AUD) and psychiatric disorders.
He has published more than 70 peer-reviewed
articles including many high impact papers in
journals such as Nature Neuroscience, Journal of
Clinical Investigation, Molecular Psychiatry, PNAS,
Biological Psychiatry, Development, Journal of
Neuroscience, and Neuropsychopharmacology.
He will use the award to research adenosinemediated glutamate signaling in neuro-glial
interaction and alcoholism. The purpose will be
to study molecular mechanisms of adenosineregulated glutamate signaling, which is an essential
component of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)striatal circuit and ethanol seeking behaviors.
Reynold Spector Award in Clinical Pharmacology
The Reynold Spector Award in Clinical Pharmacology was established in 2014 by ASPET
in recognition of Dr. Spector’s dedication and contributions to clinical pharmacology. The
award recognizes excellence in research and/or teaching in clinical pharmacology. It is made
possible by an endowment to ASPET from Dr. Reynold and Mrs. Michiko Spector. The award is
presented biennially.
Scott A. Waldman, MD,
PhD, FCP, FAHA
Thomas Jefferson
University,
Philadelphia, PA
Scott A. Waldman has been
named the first recipient of
the Reynold Spector Award in
Clinical Pharmacology.
Dr. Waldman obtained his
PhD from Thomas Jefferson University and his MD
from Stanford University. He was a postdoctoral fellow
at the University of Virginia and Stanford University in
the Division of Clinical Pharmacology in the laboratory
of Ferid Murad, MD, PhD (Nobel 1998).
He currently holds the endowed chair as
Samuel MV Hamilton Professor of Medicine
and is director of the Delaware Valley Institute
for Clinical and Translational Research, director
of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Program of the
Kimmel Cancer Center, director of the Institute
for Individualized Medicine, and chairman of the
Department of Pharmacology and Experimental
Therapeutics of Thomas Jefferson University.
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
Dr. Waldman also directs the MD-PhD Program,
the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored
Postdoctoral Training Program in Clinical
Pharmacology, and the Training Program in Human
Investigation (former NIH K30 Program) at Jefferson.
He is a past member of the American Board of Clinical
Pharmacology, a past Regent of the American College
of Clinical Pharmacology (ACCP), a past-president of
ASCPT, and chair of the Scientific Program Committee
and a council member of ASPET. He is a Fellow of the
ACCP (FCP) and American Heart Association (FAHA).
He is the editor-in-chief for Clinical Pharmacology
and Therapeutics and Biomarkers in Medicine, the
deputy editor-in-chief for Clinical and Translational
Science, and co-editor for Waldman and Terzic’s
Pharmacology and Therapeutics: Principles to
Practice. Dr. Waldman’s research interests focus on
clinical pharmacology and translational medicine in the
context of gastrointestinal malignancies and obesity.
Dr. Waldman will present the Spector Lecture
titled “Bench-to-Bedside Translation in Clinical
Pharmacology: From Knowledge Generation to
Healthcare Delivery” on Tuesday, March 31 from 8:30
am–9:20 am in Room 107C of the Boston Convention
& Exhibition Center.
11
Torald Sollmann Award in Pharmacology
The Torald Sollmann Award in Pharmacology was established in 1960 to
commemorate the pioneering work of Dr. Torald Sollmann in the fields of pharmacological
investigation and education. This award is presented biennially in odd-numbered years
for significant contributions over many years to the advancement and extension of
knowledge in the field of pharmacology.
James E. Barrett, PhD
Drexel University,
Philadelphia, PA
Dr. James E. Barrett has
been named the recipient
of the 2015 Torald Sollmann
Award in Pharmacology.
Dr. Barrett is professor and
chair of the Department of
Pharmacology and Physiology and founding director
of the Drug Discovery and Development Program
at Drexel University College of Medicine and of the
Clinical and Translational Research Institute, Drexel
University. He received his PhD from Pennsylvania
State University followed by postdoctoral training
in neuropsychopharmacology at the Worcester
Foundation for Experimental Biology.
He has served on the faculty at the University
of Maryland and at the Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences where he was
a Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry,
Pharmacology, and Medical Psychology. Dr. Barrett
joined Wyeth as vice president of Neuroscience
Discovery Research following the merger with
Lederle Laboratories where he had been director
of Central Nervous System Research. Prior to
his current position at Drexel University College
of Medicine, he was senior vice president, chief
scientific officer, and president of research at
Adolor Corporation, a company focused on pain
pharmaceuticals. He moved to Adolor after serving
as president of research and development at
Memory Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical
company dedicated to the development of drugs
for the treatment of debilitating central nervous
system disorders.
He has published more than 275 scientific
articles, books, and abstracts in the areas of
neuropharmacology, neurobiology, behavioral
pharmacology, translational research, and
neuroscience and serves on several editorial
boards. He has served as president of the
Behavioral Pharmacology Society and of ASPET.
He served as the chair of the ASPET Board of
Publication Trustees and has served on the
Board of Directors for the Federation of American
Societies for Experimental Biology, where he was
a member of the Science Policy Committee and
the Public Affairs Committee as well as chair of
the Breakthrough Series in Science and Horizons
in Bioscience series. Dr. Barrett recently became
series editor for the Handbook of Experimental
Pharmacology. He has received the Solvay-Duphar
Award for Research on Affective Disorders, the
George B. Koelle Award from the Mid-Atlantic
Pharmacology Society for contributions to teaching
and research, and, most recently, the P.B. Dews
Lifetime Achievement Award for Research in
Behavioral Pharmacology. Dr. Barrett is currently a
member of the External Scientific Advisory Board,
Preclinical Autism Consortium for Therapeutics.
He is also the president of the Association of
Medical School Pharmacology Chairs and was
recently elected to the Executive Committee
of the International Union of Basic and Clinical
Pharmacology. His current research emphasis is in
the area of pain, its comorbid pathologies, and on
basic mechanisms and new therapeutics.
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
12
Division for Drug Metabolism Early Career
Achievement Award
The ASPET Division for Drug Metabolism Early Career Achievement Award was established to recognize
excellent original research by early career investigators in the area of drug metabolism and disposition and is
presented biennially.
Namandjé N. Bumpus,
PhD
The Johns Hopkins
University School
of Medicine,
Baltimore, MD
Dr. Namandjé N.
Bumpus has been named
the recipient of the
2015 Division for Drug
Metabolism Early Career
Achievement.
Dr. Bumpus received a PhD in pharmacology
from the University of Michigan and performed
thesis research in the laboratory of Dr. Paul F.
Hollenberg where she investigated the effect of
a naturally occurring cytochrome P450 (CYP)
2B6 mutation on the ability of the enzyme to
become inactivated by known inactivators of the
wild-type enzyme.
As a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Eric F.
Johnson at The Scripps Research Institute,
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
Dr. Bumpus studied the regulation of CYP4A
and CYP4F genes in mice. She is currently
an assistant professor in the Department of
Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences and
the Department of Medicine – Division on
Clinical Pharmacology at The Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine. Her research
program is focused on defining the contribution
of drug metabolism to the pharmacology and
toxicology of drugs used to treat and prevent HIV
infection. She serves on the Drug Metabolism
and Disposition editorial board and is a regular
member of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Xenobiotic and Nutrient Disposition and Action
Study Section.
Dr. Bumpus will present the Drug Metabolism
Early Career Achievement Award Lecture on
Monday, March 30 from 2:00 pm–2:50 pm
in Room 109A at the Boston Convention &
Exhibition Center. The award will be presented to
her at that time.
13
We Are ASPET
Have you wondered what types of science professionals make up our Society? Take this word search
puzzle to find out! Word search puzzles are fun and easy to play. Just look for the words hidden in the
puzzle. You can find them up, down, diagonally, forward, or backward. And remember – a letter can be part
of two or more words.
VTKLXIMZPVBCXIFXBMEZGQMY
WQDFNLTCHEM I CALB I OLOG I ST
WGWF U A S I AQHH P X P DQDD E Z S S N
VO T E OY I H RQ P D T GWCWB H T L I X R
EVZ T KBGLMTXX J Z KXBTVXGPBO
BEHAV I ORA L PHARMACOLOG I S T
YRCEROLMCTSP I RXTPKLDOHNA
ON I RGCOHENS X SQOHCOOMJ EQC
HMS UCH I BUD F I I Y A S C K E F UY T U
UEGADEBETP I NTRC I SDERMNND
LNY L ZMRX I AHCMNXH I EOWEODE
R TQL S I AQCSGA I OECOS FDAQB P
HWGEJSLKAWCMTNA I CLUOTEY I
I OL BMTUD L I ZHS L A I CTOJ ROCB
JRAOQSCNSFHGSSELSSPGOPSY
HK TNPD E T C L E CQNK YCHE I I X E Z
SEELJJLGIDINTIGATHEFISDO
S RDM I YOX E E E I P HA RMD E N I Z T D
NP S J S PMHN I SMXYCDAHYMY L Z T
YJRXCENTTTRPHYS I OLOG I STU
F P LDSO I E I BX L JDBVESCTMSO I
FBHZSS I I SREHCRAESEROESTH
RZB J T J JOTS I GOLOCAMRAHPUL
T S I GOLOCAMRAHPORUENGURHV
Solved puzzle is on page 14
Neuroscientist
Pharmacologist
Toxicologist
Behavioral Pharmacologist
Biochemist
Biomedical Scientist
Chemical Biologist
Life Scientist
Medicinal Chemist
Molecular Biologist
Neuropharmacologist
Pharmaceutical Scientist
PharmD
Pharmacist
Physiologist
Psychologist
Educator
Nobel Laureate
Professor
Researcher
Government Worker
Student
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
14
We Are ASPET, puzzle from page 13
Answers:
B
G
O
V
E
R
N
M
E
N
T
W
O
R
K
E
R
H
E
T
A
E
R
U
A
L
L
E
B
O
N
V
B
I
O
C
H
E
M
I
S
T
S
T
S
I
G
O
L
O
I
B
R
A
L
U
C
E
L
O
M
C
R
M
T
T
I
S
T
S
I
G
T
O
L
O
C
P
H
A
R
M
A
C
E
U
T
I
C
A
L
S
C
I
E
N
T
I
S
T
A
E
M
I
C
A
L
B
I
O
L
O
G
O
G
G
O
I
S
S
I
L
T
P
H
P
S
D
A
R
R
S
I
I
C
A
C
T
M
I
T
I
Y
R
N
O
N
L
S
C
I
E
I
M
A
O
A
C
X
E
A
A
E
H
S
I
H
C
I
I
L
N
T
P
H
A
R
C
P
O
L
L
O
C
S
I
O
C
C
S
C
M
M
E
D
E
S
L
T
S
T
R
S
M
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
E
I
R
E
R
G
P
I
F
E
S
P
H
Y
S
I
O
L
O
H
G
A
C
O
H
R
L
P
A
O
O
E
C
R
S
A
U
E
M
E
R
R
N
T
N
D
O
E
H
D
E
U
R
O
F
U
O
I
B
S
N
S
I
T
M
G
I
L
S
S
A
H
P
T
T
T
R
O
T
A
C
U
D
E
15
Meeting News
Schedule subject to change. Check the EB 2015 program book and mobile app for final schedule.
All locations at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) unless otherwise noted.
Business Meeting and Opening Events
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Meeting/Event
Room
Time
ASPET Business Meeting and Awards Presentation
107AB
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
SW Pre-Function Area
7:30 PM – 9:30 PM
ASPET Opening and Awards Reception
Pharmacology Programming
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Session
Room
Time
Speed Networking for Careers Beyond the Academic Bench
Chairs: J.E. Clark and P. McGonigle
106
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
2015 Teaching Institute:
Training Students for Teaching Careers
Chairs: K. Karpa and K. Hardy
108
12:00 PM – 2:30 PM
109AB
2:45 PM – 5:15 PM
Graduate Student-Postdoctoral Colloquium: How to Get Started
Chairs: A.T. Hanna-Mitchell and H. Gottlieb
■ Lectures
■ Divisional Programming
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
16
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Session
Room
Time
ASPET Presidential Symposium:
Navigating the Future of Biomedical Research
Chair: A.E. Fleckenstein
107AB
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
106
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
109A
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Emerging Roles of Trace Amine Associated Receptor 1 (TAAR1) in Drug
Abuse and Mental Disorders
Chairs: J. Li and G.M. Miller
108
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Ion Channel Drug Discovery – Advancements and Current Challenges
Chairs: S.V. Kharade and M.F. Jarvis
107C
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
The Role of Protein-Protein and Protein-Membrane Interactions on
P450 Function
Chairs: W.L. Backes and J.P. Jones
109B
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Exhibit Hall
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Julius Axelrod Award In Pharmacology Lecture:
Arresting Developments in Receptor Signaling
Lecturer: J.L. Benovic
107AB
2:00 PM – 2:50 PM
Julius Axelrod Symposium: The Ins and Outs of G Protein-Coupled
Receptor Signaling
Chair: J.L. Benovic
107AB
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Westin-Grand
Ballroom D
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Elucidating the Molecular Underpinnings of Behavior Using
Pharmacological Knock-In Mouse Models
Chair: R.D. Blakely
108
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Interindividual Variability in CYP-Mediated Drug Metabolism
Chairs: H. Jeong and T.S. Tracy
109B
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
106
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
109A
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Bile Acids and Liver Disease in Pregnant Women and Neonates
Chairs: L.M. Aleksunes and G.L. Guo
Emerging Regenerative Therapies in Pulmonary Disease
Chairs: Y. Liu and J. Rehman
ASPET Poster Presentations
Division for Pharmacology Education Programming:
Active Learning: What’s Up with That Flipping Classroom
Chair: J.L. Szarek
Nanotoxicology: Small Particles, Big Concern
Chairs: J.S. Fedan and D.W. Porter
Vascular Stiffness, A Novel Therapeutic Approach for Hypertension
Chair: S.F. Vatner
■ Lectures
■ Divisional Programming
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
17
Monday, March 30, 2015
Session
Room
Time
John J. Abel Award in Pharmacology Lecture:
Creating the Facebook for Molecular Analysis
Lecturer: P.C. Dorrestein
107AB
8:30 AM – 9:20 AM
Membrane Transporters at the Interface of Drug Interactions, Biomarker
Monitoring, and Toxicity
Chairs: L.M. Aleksunes and Y. Lai
109A
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Monoamines and Neurotrophins in Inflammatory Bowel Disease/
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Chairs: H.I. Akbarali and S. Szabo
109B
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
New Therapies for an Old Problem: The NINDS-Sponsored
Anticonvulsant Screening Program
Chairs: J.H. Kehne and K.S. Wilcox
107C
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Pharmacology of Neuronal Regeneration and Repair
Chairs: J.S. Marchant and B. Grill
106
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Protein Trafficking and Drug Development
Chair: P.M. Conn
108
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
107AB
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Exhibit Hall
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Division for Drug Metabolism Early Career Achievement Award Lecture:
Drug Metabolism Considerations in HIV Treatment and Prevention
Lecturer: N.N. Bumpus
109A
2:00 PM – 2:50 PM
Division for Drug Discovery and Development Symposium:
Drug Development in Academic Centers
Chairs: R.J. Leadley and R.W. Caldwell
107C
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
New Roles of Mitochondria in Vascular Function
Chairs: D.W. Busija and P. Katakam
109B
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
ASPET Journal Symposium: Reproducibility in the Pharmacological
Sciences: Moving the Discussion Forward
Chair: D.R. Abernethy
107AB
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Division for Drug Metabolism James Gillette Award and Platform Session:
Biotransformation and Drug Transport
Chairs: E.E. Scott and L.C. Wienkers
109A
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Division for Molecular Pharmacology Postdoctoral Scientist
Award Finalists
Keynote: J.L Benovic
108
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Division for Neuropharmacology Postdoctoral Scientist Award Finalists
Keynote: B. Kieffer
106
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Psychomotor Stimulant Addiction: Lessons from Methamphetamine
Chairs: R.I. Desai and M.A. Nader
ASPET Poster Presentations
■ Lectures
■ Divisional Programming
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
18
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Session
Room
Time
Reynold Spector Award in Clinical Pharmacology Lecture:
Bench-to-Bedside Translation in Clinical Pharmacology: From Knowledge
Generation to Healthcare Delivery
Lecturer: S.A. Waldman
107C
8:30 AM – 9:20 AM
“Can We Talk?” Strategies for Collaborative Pharmacology Education
A.L. Gorman, J.S. Reuben and J.L. Szarek
Westin-Grand
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Ballroom C
Biased GPCR Signaling in Drug Development: From Theory to Physiology
Chairs: S. Rajagopal and A. Christopoulos
106
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
107AB
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
108
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Novel Therapeutic Targets and Preclinical Models of Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder
Chairs: C.K. Jones and M. Nedelcovych
109B
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Systems Pharmacology: Enhancing Translational Research by Network
and Pharmacodynamic Modeling
Chairs: D.E. Mager and D.R. Abernethy
109A
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
The Human Microbiome: Systems Pharmacology Insights and the
Potential for New Drug Discovery
Chairs: R. Corriden and C. LaRock
107C
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Exhibit Hall
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
107AB
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Division for Behavioral Pharmacology Symposium:
Sigma Receptors In Health and Disease
Chair: H. Khoshbouei
109A
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Presynaptic Autoreceptors and Improved Treatments of Major
Psychiatric Disorders
Chair: S.Z. Langer
109B
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Structural and Dynamic Basis of Receptor-Ligand Interactions
Chairs: E. Ortlund and S.F. Traynelis
106
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Division for Toxicology Symposium: Pharmacogenetics and Drug Toxicity
Chair: G.O. Rankin
108
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
107C
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
107AB
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Cardiac Fibroblasts: Fair-Weather Friends in Myocardial Fibrosis and Repair
Chairs: P.A. Insel and U. Meade
New Technologies to Measure Mitochondrial Changes
Chairs: C.C. Beeson and B.S. Cummings
ASPET Poster Presentations
Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology Trainee Showcase
Chairs: L.E. See Hoe and J.M Schilling
Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology Young Investigator
Awards Platform Session
Chair: M.A. Holinstat
Benedict R. Lucchesi Distinguished Lectureship in Cardiac Pharmacology:
Regenerative Therapy for the Failing Heart
Lecturer: A. Terzic
Note: As of January 2015, the Division for Integrative Systems,
Traslational and Clinical Pharmacology (ISTCP) changed its name to the
Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology (TCP).
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
■ Lectures
■ Divisional Programming
19
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Session
Room
Time
Norman Weiner Lecture: Structural Basis for Function and Pharmacology of
Voltage-Gated Sodium and Calcium Channels
Lecturer: W.A. Catterall
107AB
8:30 AM – 9:20 AM
Structural Basis for Ion Channel Pharmacology
Chair: W.A. Catterall
107AB
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
106
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Crossing the Line: Exploring the Borders between Physiological Redox
Signaling and Oxidative Stress
Chairs: T. Michel and M. Haigis
109A
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Moving Beyond Traditional Stimulants: Emerging Characteristics and
Therapeutic Applications of Atypical Reuptake Inhibitors
Chairs: L.P. Carter and B.E. Blough
107C
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
108
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
109B
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Exhibit
Hall
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Common Pathways and Mechanisms of Chronic Pain and Opioid Addiction
Chair: S.L. Ingram
Natural Products: Bioactive Molecules from Nature
Chairs: B.T. Green, B.E. Blough and M.A. Holinstat
Transporter-Mediated Drug Interactions: Clinical Significance
and Predictions
Chairs: M.J. Zamek-Gliszczynski and C. Lee
ASPET Poster Presentations
■ Lectures
■ Divisional Programming
ASPET Booth #1154
Visit the ASPET booth in the Experimental
Biology exhibit hall! Items for sale at “Shop
ASPET” include scarves, ties, plush donkeys, and
much more. Plus, pick up some free giveaways!
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
20
All Division Meetings and Activities
Schedule subject to change. Check the EB 2015 program book and mobile app for final schedule.
Friday, March 27, 2015
Division Meeting / Event
Room
Time
WestinRevere
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Room
Time
Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology
Executive Committee Meeting (By invitation only)
WestinAdams
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Division for Drug Metabolism
Executive Committee Meeting (By invitation only)
Westin-Executive
Boardroom
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Division for Drug Discovery and Development
Executive Committee Meeting (By invitation only)
Westin-Bulfinch
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Westin-Grand
Ballroom D
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
ASPET Council of Division Chairs (By invitation only)
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Division Meeting / Event
Division for Pharmacology Education Programming:
Active Learning: What’s Up with That Flipping Classroom
Chair: J.L. Szarek
Monday, March 30, 2015
Division Meeting / Event
Room
Time
Division for Behavioral Pharmacology
Executive Committee Meeting (By invitation only)
WestinAdams
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Division for Neuropharmacology
Executive Committee Meeting (By invitation only)
WestinBulfinch
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Division for Pharmacology Education
Executive Committee Meeting (By invitation only)
Westin-Executive
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Boardroom
Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology Executive
Committee Meeting (By invitation only)
WestinAdams
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Division for Molecular Pharmacology
Executive Committee Meeting (By invitation only)
WestinDouglas
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Division for Toxicology
Executive Committee Meeting (By invitation only)
Westin-Frost
Boardroom
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
107C
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Division for Drug Discovery and Development Symposium:
Drug Development in Academic Centers
Chairs: R.J. Leadley and R.W. Caldwell
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
21
Division for Drug Metabolism James Gillette Award and Platform
Session: Biotransformation and Drug Transport
109A
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Division for Molecular Pharmacology Postdoctoral Scientist Award
Finalists
Keynote: J.L Benovic
108
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Division for Neuropharmacology Postdoctoral Scientist Award Finalists
Keynote: B. Kieffer
106
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Division for Neuropharmacology Annual Meeting
(Open to all division members)
106
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Division for Drug Discovery and Development
Annual Meeting (Open to all division members)
107C
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Division for Molecular Pharmacology
Annual Meeting (Open to all division members)
108
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Division for Drug Metabolism
Annual Meeting (Open to all division members)
109A
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Division for Pharmacology Education
Annual Meeting (Open to all division members)
109B
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Divisions for Behavioral Pharmacology and Neuropharmacology
Joint Mixer
Westin-Lewis
Room
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Divisions for Drug Discovery and Development; Translational and
Clinical Pharmacology; and Pharmacology Education Joint Mixer
Westin-Carlton
Room
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Division for Molecular Pharmacology Mixer
Westin6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Burroughs Room
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Division Meeting / Event
Room
Time
ASPET Division for Cancer Pharmacology Discussion
(By invitation only)
WestinBulfinch
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology:
Meet the Experts Lunch: Benchside-to-Bedside Research
(By invitation only)
WestinDouglas
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
WestinExecutive
Boardroom
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
107AB
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Division Communications Officer’s Meeting
(By invitation only)
Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology Trainee Showcase
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
22
Division for Behavioral Pharmacology Symposium:
Sigma Receptors In Health and Disease
Chair: H. Khoshbouei
109A
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
108
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
107C
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
107AB
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
107C
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
108
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
109A
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology Mixer
WestinCommonwealth
Ballroom B
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Divisions for Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Joint Mixer
WestinCommonwealth
Ballroom A
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Division for Toxicology Symposium:
Pharmacogenetics and Drug Toxicity
Chair: G.O. Rankin
Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology
Young Investigator Awards Platform Session
Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology
Annual Meeting (Open to all division members)
Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology
Annual Meeting (Open to all division members)
Division for Toxicology
Annual Meeting
(Open to all division members)
Division for Behavioral Pharmacology
Annual Meeting (Open to all division members)
Activities of Interest for Students and Postdocs
Schedule subject to change. Check the EB 2015 program book and mobile app for final schedule.
Friday, March 27, 2015
Session / Event
Give a Day of Service to Boston at EB 2015
Location
Time
Cradles to Crayons
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Session / Event
Speed Networking for Careers Beyond the Academic Bench
Chairs: J.E. Clark and P. McGonigle
Graduate Student-Postdoctoral Colloquium: How to Get Started
Chairs: A.T. Hanna-Mitchell and H. Gottlieb
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
Room
Time
106
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
109AB
2:45 PM – 5:15 PM
23
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Session / Event
Room
Time
ASPET Diversity Mentoring Breakfast (By invitation only)
Keynote: J.S. Reuben
Westin-Faneuil
Room
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Division for Pharmacology Education Programming:
Active Learning: What’s Up with That Flipping Classroom
Chair: J.L. Szarek
Westin-Grand
Ballroom D
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
ASPET Student/Postdoc Best Abstract Competition
Westin-Galleria
Room
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
ASPET Student & Postdoc Mixer
Westin-Harbor
Ballroom III
8:30 PM – 11:00 PM
Session / Event
Room
Time
Division for Drug Metabolism James Gillette Award and
Platform Session
109A
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Division for Molecular Pharmacology Postdoctoral Scientists
Award Finalists
Keynote: J.L Benovic
108
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Division for Neuropharmacology Postdoctoral Scientist
Award Finalists
Keynote: B. Kieffer
106
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Westin-Lewis
Room
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Westin-Carlton
Room
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Division for Molecular Pharmacology Mixer
Westin-Burroughs
Room
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Young Experimental Scientists Y.E.S. Mixer
Westin-Galleria
9:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Monday, March 30, 2015
Divisions for Behavioral Pharmacology and Neuropharmacology
Joint Mixer
Divisions for Drug Discovery and Development;
Translational and Clinical Pharmacology; and Pharmacology
Education Joint Mixer
Don’t forget to attend your
Division’s Annual Meeting!
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
24
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Session / Event
Room
Time
ASPET Networking Walk
Weather permitting
Westin-Alcott
Room
7:00 AM – 9:00 AM
“Can We Talk?” Strategies for Collaborative Pharmacology Education
Chairs: A. Laurel Gorman, Jayne S. Reuben, and John L. Szarek
Westin-Grand
Ballroom C
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
107AB
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
107C
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology Mixer
WestinCommonwealth
Ballroom B
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Divisions for Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Joint Mixer
WestinCommonwealth
Ballroom A
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology Trainee Showcase
Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology:
Young Investigator Awards Platform Session
Social Events
Schedule subject to change. Check the EB 2015 program book and mobile app for final schedule.
Friday, March 27, 2015
Event
Location
Time
Cradles to Crayons
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Room
Time
SW Pre-Function Area
7:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Room
Time
ASPET Diversity Mentoring Breakfast (By invitation only)
Keynote: J.S. Reuben
Westin-Faneuil
Room
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
ASPET Student/Postdoc Best Abstract Competition
Westin-Galleria
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Westin-Commonwealth
Ballroom B/C
7:30 PM – 11:00 PM
Westin-Harbor
Ballroom III
8:30 PM – 11:00 PM
Give a Day of Service to Boston at EB 2015
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Event
ASPET Opening and Awards Reception
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Event
Board of Publications Trustees Joint Editorial Boards
Dinner (By invitation only)
ASPET Student & Postdoc Mixer
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
25
Monday, March 30, 2015
Event
Room
Time
Westin-Faneuil
Room
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Divisions for Behavioral Pharmacology and Neuropharmacology
Joint Mixer
Westin-Lewis
Room
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Divisions for Drug Discovery and Development; Translational and
Clinical Pharmacology; and Pharmacology Education Joint Mixer
Westin-Carlton
Room
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Division for Molecular Pharmacology Mixer
Westin-Burroughs
Room
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Young Experimental Scientists Y.E.S. Mixer
Westin-Galleria
9:00 PM – 11:30 PM
ASPET Past Presidents’ Dinner
(By invitation only)
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Event
Room
Time
Westin – Meet at the
Concierge Desk in Lobby
7:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology Mixer
Westin-Commonwealth
Ballroom B
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Divisions for Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Joint Mixer
Westin-Commonwealth
Ballroom A
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
ASPET Networking Walk
Weather permitting
ASPET Meetings
Schedule subject to change. Check the EB 2015 program book and mobile app for final schedule.
Friday, March 27, 2015
ASPET Meeting
Room
Time
ASPET Council Meeting (By invitation only)
Westin-Douglas
Room
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
ASPET Council of Division Chairs (By invitation only)
Westin-Revere
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
ASPET Meeting
Room
Time
ASPET Business Meeting and Awards Presentation
107AB
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Saturday, March 28, 2015
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
26
Sunday, March 29, 2015
ASPET Meeting
Room
Time
The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Associate Editors Meeting
(By invitation only)
Westin-Douglas
Room
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
ASPET Board of Publications Trustees Meeting
(By invitation only)
Westin-Douglas
Room
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Room
Time
Westin-Douglas
Room
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Westin-Executive
Boardroom
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
WestinBulfinch
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Westin-Executive
Boardroom
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Monday, March 30, 2015
ASPET Meeting
Molecular Pharmacology Editorial Board Meeting
(By invitation only)
ASPET/BPS Pharmacology Research & Perspectives
Editorial Board Meeting (By invitation only)
Pharmacological Reviews Editorial Board Meeting
(By invitation only)
Mentoring and Career Development Committee Meeting
(By invitation only)
Did You Know?
In 2014 ASPET awarded…
• O
ver $35,000 in support of ASPET Scientific Achievement and
Best Abstract Awards
• O
ver $180,000 in support of ASPET symposium speakers at
EB 2014
• O
ver $200,000 in individual and institutional summer
undergraduate fellowships
• O
ver $230,000 in travel awards for members to attend EB 2014
and IUPHAR WCP 2014 meetings
In total ASPET gave back over $640,000 to support our members
who have advanced the field of pharmacology.
To learn about all our membership benefits, visit:
www.aspet.org/membership/benefits/
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
27
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
ASPET Meeting
Room
Time
Westin-Douglas
Room
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Westin-Frost
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Westin-Bulfinch
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Westin-Executive
Boardroom
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Westin-Adams
7:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Westin-Hale Room
Sunday, March 29
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Private Event – See
invitation for location
Tuesday, March 31
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Drug Metabolism and Disposition Editorial Board Meeting
(By invitation only)
ASPET Nominating Committee Meeting
(By invitation only)
ASPET Science Policy Committee Meeting
(By invitation only)
ASPET/BPS Pharmacology Research & Perspectives
Management Committee Meeting (By invitation only)
ASPET Program Committee Meeting
(By invitation only)
Ancillary Functions at EB 2015
AMSPC Reception
Catecholamine Club Dinner
Michigan State University Pharmacology and
Toxicology Reception
Westin-Commonwealth Tuesday, March 31
Ballroom C
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
PhRMA Foundation Reception
Private Event – See
invitation for location
Monday, March 30
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Westin-Marina
Ballroom II
Saturday, March 28
9:00 PM – 11:30 PM
University of Michigan Department of Pharmacology and
Department of Biological Chemistry Social Hour
ASPET Guest Societies Participating at EB 2015
Behavioral Pharmacology Society (BPS)
Global GI Club Business and
Scientific Meeting
Separate registration
required. See BPS
confirmation for location
Friday, March 27 – Saturday, March 28
Westin-Faneuil Room
Sunday, March 29
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Follow ASPET’s Official Meeting Bloggers
KatieSci: sicknessisfascinating.blogspot.com
Elizabeth Sandquist: everydaybiochemistry.wordpress.com
Don’t forget to also follow ASPET’s tweets and Facebook posts.
Use #expbio and #ASPET.
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
28
How Paul Janssen’s
Drugs Saved the
Rebecca J. Anderson
The Chinese Terracotta Army,
dating from approximately the late
third century BCE, was discovered
on March 29, 1974 to the east of
Xi’an in Shaanxi Province, China.
Photo: Shutterstock
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
29
Chinese museum officials gazed with dismay
at their priceless army of ancient statues. For 22
centuries, the terracotta warriors had been protected
and preserved in the soil of China’s Yellow River
valley (1). Now, less than 20 years after these
old soldiers emerged from their subterranean
fortress, many of them had become infected and
were suffering from a mysterious rash (2). Local
archeologists suspected the warriors’ moldy rash was
due to fungi, but they lacked specialized laboratory
equipment and had only limited expertise to diagnose
and treat the ailment.
The detective who stepped forward to solve this
mystery and thwart an archeological catastrophe
was an unlikely hero: a businessman, physician,
and scientist who made and sold drugs. And most
unlikely of all, he was Belgian.
Next to Hercule Poirot, Paul Janssen was
probably the most famous Belgian of the 20th
century, and the two compatriots had much in
common. Poirot and Janssen both regularly
exercised their little grey cells, saw clues that others
missed, and pragmatically followed the trail of
evidence. They traveled widely, often downplayed
their own expertise in deference to colleagues, and
chalked up a consistent record of success.
But there was one big difference. Whereas Hercule
Poirot existed only in the fertile imagination of Agatha
Christie, Paul Janssen was real. A little boy who grew
up in war-torn Belgium, Paul had many interests, but
his journey leading to the ancient Chinese warriors
was anything but direct.
A Pharmaceutical Heritage
Paul Janssen was raised in a family whose
business was drugs. His father, Constant Janssen,
had given up a successful medical practice in
1938 to devote full time to developing his own
pharmaceutical business in the small Belgian
town of Turnhout (2-4). Constant was the Belgian
distributor of medicinal products from the Hungarian
company, Richter. The product line consisted mainly
of tonics, stimulants, vitamin preparations, and
organic extracts.
German occupation of Belgium during World War
II and the murder of Gedeon Richter (the Hungarian
company’s owner) by the Nazis forced Constant to
increase production of his own products under the
Janssen label (3). These included repackaging and
distributing generic penicillin and sulfonamides, which
were increasingly in demand after the war. Paul’s
mother, Margriet Fleerakers, served as office manager
and also supervised the production line, including
quality control (3).
Paul finished high school in 1943. To avoid forced
labor in the German factories, he secretly enrolled
in college (at the age of 16) with the help of his
uncle, Emiel Janssen (3). The 12 Jesuit teachers
at the Faculté Notre-Dame de la Paix in Namur,
Belgium, offered intensive courses in physics,
biology, philosophy, and chemistry to a handful of
students, including Paul, without the knowledge
of the German occupiers (2, 3). Paul received his
Bachelor of Natural Sciences degree in 1945 and
began studying medicine at Catholic University in
Leuven, Belgium (2-4). His medical studies and a
visit to the Dutch pharmaceutical company Organon
strengthened his interest in drug research and
introduced him to the concept of structure-activity
relationships (2).
The detective who stepped forward
to solve this mystery and thwart an
archeological catastrophe was an
unlikely hero: a businessman, physician,
and scientist who made and sold drugs.
Around the Janssen dinner table, the drug
business was a frequent topic of conversation. Paul
was impressed by the European pharmaceutical
giants Roche and Organon and urged his reluctant
father to innovate and modernize the family’s
Richter-Janssen product line (2). To gain a better
understanding of world-class pharmaceutical
research, Paul took a six-month leave during his
second year of medical school and visited medicinal
chemistry and pharmacology laboratories in the
United States (2-4). He covered his expenses, in part,
by playing competitive chess in “pick-up” matches as
he traveled across the country (3).
Paul first visited Harry Gold, the well-known
pharmacologist at Cornell Medical School, and then
Edwin Cohn at Harvard. He also attended lectures
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
30
third floor of the Richter-Janssen company’s building
in Turnhout. Paul was 27 years old.
As Paul later recalled, he started his research
“with a small group of researchers and an equally
small budget, to make new compounds that could be
synthesized and purified with simple methods and
equipment and which could be pharmacologically
tested at minimal expense” (5). His goal from the
beginning was to make his research self-sustaining:
to quickly produce medically important compounds
on which he could secure patents, license them to
large drug companies, and use the income to recruit
new associates and expand the scope of his research
(2, 3). “Things had to succeed. I did what I thought
had to be done: finding something that could be
patented. And things had to be simple, otherwise they
would get too big and take too long, and become too
expensive…It was all very primitive, but…from day one,
we lived off our income” (2).
Photo: Copyright Janssen Pharmaceutica (2015)
by Carl Pfeiffer, a well-known pharmacologist at
the University of Chicago, and took a summer
biochemistry course at the California Institute of
Technology in Pasadena (2, 3). He rounded out the
summer by visiting Searle, Upjohn, and Lederle to
observe commercial pharmacology research and
returned to Belgium in time to take his academic
examinations, which he passed with honors (3).
Paul completed his clinical training at Ghent
University and received his MD in 1951, graduating
magna cum laude (3). He also stayed engaged with
his family’s business. One Sunday afternoon in
1951, he used his knowledge of pharmacology and
pharmaceutics to concoct his first drug product.
Using a popular German analgesic as a reference,
he combined acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine
to create Perdolan. His father marketed the product,
which became the most widely used analgesic
in Belgium (2).
Paul fulfilled his compulsory military service
at a base near Cologne, where the Belgian army
formed part of the post-war allied forces (2-4). His
duties as an army physician were light, and he
continued his studies at the University of Cologne’s
Pharmacological Institute, where he synthesized his
first molecules: simple chemical reactions to produce
amines (2). From 1951 to 1954, he gained additional
medical training in Paris, Vienna, and Heidelberg,
made a number of trips to Oxford, London, and
Stockholm, and visited the United States for the
second time (3).
After his military service, Paul became a parttime research assistant at the Pharmacological and
Therapeutic Institute in Ghent under the supervision
of Nobel Laureate Prof. Corneille Heymans. In 1956,
Paul was awarded his teaching certificate and a PhD
in chemical pharmacology from the University of
Ghent, defending a thesis on the pharmacology of
propylamines (2-4).
Joining the Family Business, With a Twist
Instead of pursuing an academic career, Paul
wanted to establish an independent research facility
dedicated to developing new drugs (3, 4). Constant
Janssen was not interested in research himself, but
he wisely did not discourage his son’s ambitions. In
1953, he gave Paul 50,000 Belgian francs ($1000) in
start-up funds, and Paul set up a laboratory on the
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
Dr. Paul Janssen in his lab.
31
For pharmacological assessment that was beyond
their simple in vitro and in vivo assays, Paul and his
team sent their compounds to David K. de Jongh, a
physician in Amsterdam who, like Paul, had studied
with Prof. Heymans at Ghent. To distinguish those
compounds from the compounds generated in his
own laboratory, De Jongh assigned Paul’s compounds
an R number (for Richter) (2, 3). The Janssen company
subsequently adopted this nomenclature, Paul later
explaining that the R stood for research (5).
Paul’s small laboratory initially investigated
treatments for painful muscle spasms. The fifth
compound he synthesized was ambucetamide (R5),
which relaxed uterine smooth muscle. His father’s
company combined R5 with Perdolan and in 1955
marketed the combination product as Neomeritine for
menstrual pain (2, 3).
Success Comes Rapidly
In 1954, the laboratory produced isopropamide
(R79), a long-acting anticholinergic drug that
inhibited stomach and intestinal smooth muscle
spasms and blocked gastric secretion. Following his
business plan, Paul licensed the drug to Smith, Kline,
and French (now GlaxoSmithKline). The royalties
enabled Paul to expand his laboratory and carry out
more research.
Paul noted with interest the popular opiate drug
meperidine, a synthetic morphine analog that was
prescribed for moderate pain and for diarrhea (3).
After synthesizing and testing several hundred
meperidine analogs, Paul’s team noted a lack of
correlation between the compounds’ analgesic and
constipating properties (5). In 1956, his chemists
succeeded in synthesizing diphenoxylate (R1132), a
potent antidiarrheal compound that had low abuse
potential, and Paul sought a licensing partner.
G. D. Searle & Company was initially hesitant to
license the product. Despite the recommendation of I.
C. Winter, Searle’s highly respected medical director,
the company’s business leaders were skeptical. Paul
was a young, unknown doctor from a small European
country (2). During the negotiations, a cousin of Jack
Searle, the company’s vice president and general
manager, coincidently suffered a bout of severe
diarrhea. Dr. Winter administered diphenoxylate, and
Jack’s cousin made a speedy recovery. Searle (now
part of Pfizer) soon licensed the Belgian “wonder
drug” and marketed it in the US as Lomotil®. In the
1960s, Lomotil was included in the drug supplies that
accompanied the Apollo astronauts to the moon (2, 3).
By 1957, Paul had assembled a staff of 70
coworkers, and they had outgrown the lab space
in his father’s Turnhout factory. They moved to new
laboratory quarters in Beerse, Belgium, a campus
that could accommodate long-term expansion.
The following year, Paul’s research laboratories
merged with his father’s company to form Janssen
Pharmaceutica, and Paul became president and
director of research (3, 4). He was 32 years old.
Velvet Glove, Steely Fist
Paul built the company’s research reputation
by tapping the strengths of his people (2, 3). He
had both a natural authority and a deep respect
for his coworkers – scientists, lab technicians, and
administrative staff alike. He kept the organizational
structure flat, directly stimulating, encouraging, and
nurturing each person’s creativity and innovative
skills. Under his guidance, the younger scientists
grew into well-known experts in the pharmacological
treatment of a wide variety of diseases. Everyone
...he could sense opportunity
where others might see only a failed
experiment.
called him Dr. Paul (2).
A journalist for the industry publication Scrip
Magazine (reporting in a 1985 article) described the
Janssen organization as a collective of equals. “If
a researcher wants to do something new, then all
he or she needs to do is send a note to Dr. Janssen
describing his or her intentions and motivations. Paul
Janssen nearly always agrees. And if he doesn’t, he
just talks to the researcher directly to discuss things
further” (2).
During his daily walkabouts, Dr. Paul engaged
in lively discussions of chemistry, pharmacology,
and clinical medicine. He wanted to know what the
researchers were doing, the details of their results
– good and bad – and their strategies for solving
problems (2). Everywhere he went and of everyone
he met, he asked the same question, “Anything new?”
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
32
He had an insatiable curiosity, but whether intentional
or not, this simple question prompted extraordinary
responses. His researchers knew they would be
asked every day and stretched for fresh ideas – or at
least thought hard about what they were doing. Dr.
Paul’s simple question constantly reminded them that
research was all about finding something new (2).
Dr. Paul had an uncanny ability to amalgamate
in his head all the fragments of chemistry,
pharmacology, and clinical results spewing from his
laboratories, and he could sense opportunity where
others might see only a failed experiment. As director
of research, he personally set the direction of each
research project. Those projects always started with
two things: a carefully reasoned concept – often
inspired by unexpected laboratory observations –
and a compound whose chemical structure served as
a reference for targeted synthesis.
Cyclists and Psychosis
Dr. Paul’s observations and inspiration were not
limited to the laboratory (6). One day while walking
along a street in Belgium, his scientific curiosity
was piqued by a group of competitive cyclists.
Racing cyclists at that time often used high doses
of amphetamine to gain a competitive advantage.
However, with chronic amphetamine use, the cyclists
developed taut facial expressions that progressed to
grimaces. They also exhibited agitated behavior that
resembled the signs and symptoms of patients with
paranoid schizophrenia (2, 4).
Dr. Paul was skilled at recognizing
core chemical structures that were
biologically active and exploiting them
to create a wide variety of therapeutic
products.
The similarity between the cyclists’ behaviors
and clinical psychosis led Dr. Paul to speculate that
an amphetamine antagonist might be useful to
treat psychotic symptoms (2). His battery of simple
laboratory tests included an assessment of druginduced changes in animal behavior associated with
tranquilizers (such as catatonia and sedation).
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
After the success of Lomotil, the Janssen
chemists sought even greater separation between
the neurological and constipating effects of opiates.
They synthesized a series of meperidine analogs
with larger and larger chemical substituents.
“However,” Paul admitted, “we pushed our luck too
far” (5). Mice injected with these bulky molecules
exhibited less of the typical opiate-like behavior
(e.g., morphine-induced excitement, mydriasis, and
insensitivity to pain). Instead, the mice appeared
tranquilized; they became progressively calm,
sedated, and slightly catatonic.
Up to this time, reserpine, chlorpromazine,
and their analogs were the only compounds that
produced “tranquilizing” effects in Janssen’s
pharmacological screening tests (5). The bulky
meperidine analogs were an anomaly: compounds
with tranquilizing properties but chemically unrelated
to either reserpine or chlorpromazine. Dr. Paul
directed his researchers to pursue this interesting
series of compounds further. After synthesizing 438
analogs, the Janssen chemists produced R1625 in
1958. Better known as haloperidol, R1625 was devoid
of morphine-like properties and was several times
more potent than chlorpromazine as a tranquilizer. It
was also faster and longer acting and had almost no
antiadrenergic or other autonomic effects associated
with chlorpromazine (5). Haloperidol was the most
active neuroleptic yet discovered and became the
prototype for a new class of psychoactive agents,
the butyrophenones.
Janssen Pharmaceutica subsequently introduced
10 butyrophenone neuroleptics (including droperidol,
R4749, and spiperone, R5147) for human or veterinary
use (3, 5). Through further modifications of the
chemical structure, the Janssen chemists also
produced the long-acting neuroleptic, pimozide
(R6238) (2, 4).
Despite the side-tracked research prompted by
the butyrophenones, Dr. Paul continued his search for
analgesics that were more potent than meperidine.
Meperidine is hydrophilic and does not easily cross
the blood–brain barrier. The Janssen chemists
increased the lipophilicity of the molecule, and
after a series of additional chemical modifications,
they synthesized fentanyl (R4263) in 1960. It was
100 times more potent than morphine. Because of
its rapid onset, short half-life, and minimal effect in
33
depressing the heart, fentanyl was widely used by
anesthesiologists (2, 3).
At the other end of the meperidine spectrum, the
Janssen chemists produced loperamide (R18553),
which was devoid of analgesic activity because it
does not cross the blood–brain barrier. Screening
assays showed that loperamide was highly effective
in inhibiting gut motility. Marketed as an antidiarrheal
drug, loperamide (Imodium®) became one of
Janssen’s most well-known products (2, 6).
Janssen Pharmaceutica continued to grow: 377
employees and affiliated companies in Germany,
Holland, the Belgian Congo, Jordan, and Egypt. But
the corporate headquarters in Beerse, Belgium,
needed support for the company’s growing global
operations. Paul explained, “A drug that doesn’t
make it in America will never become an international
blockbuster” (3). In 1961, Janssen joined forces with
US-based Johnson & Johnson in a mutually beneficial
merger. For J&J, the consumer products company
best known for Band-Aids and baby shampoo now
included medical research and pharmaceutical
products. For Paul, the merger was a sort of insurance
policy (2). Janssen Pharmaceutica expanded its global
reach and acquired financial security but retained its
company identity.
Worms, Bugs, and Mold
In 1960, the Belgian Congo gained its
independence, and many Belgian expatriates were
forced to return to Belgium by the leaders of the
new country, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of
the Congo). Many of the expatriates were scientists:
pharmacologists, neurologists, veterinarians, and
other specialists with extensive knowledge about
parasites, fungi, and protozoa (2). Dr. Paul recruited
more than two dozen of them, the first in a long line
of distinguished scientists who came out of Africa
and developed Janssen Pharmaceutica’s expertise in
tropical medicine (2, 3).
Dr. Paul’s new parasitology team concentrated
on finding broad-spectrum anthelmintics because
various species of worms affect about half of the
world’s population (2). Newly synthesized compounds
were assessed in a simple animal model using
chickens, which by nature are often infected with
worms. After four years of optimizing the structureactivity of various compounds and their metabolites,
the Janssen chemists produced levamisole (R12564),
which was considered a major breakthrough in
parasitology (2, 6).
Similarly, the expatriate microbiologists developed
a huge library of fungi and fungal spores to screen
compounds for anti-mycotic activity, leading to the
discovery of miconazole (R14889) in 1967 (2, 6).
Miconazole was effective against a broad spectrum
of fungi, molds, and some bacterial strains, including
Candida albicans, which is responsible for vaginal
yeast infections.
Ketoconazole (R41400) was the first
orally active antifungal drug, a major
breakthrough
Dr. Paul was skilled at recognizing core chemical
structures that were biologically active and exploiting
them to create a wide variety of therapeutic products.
Lomotil, Imodium, and fentanyl were all generated
from the phenylpiperidine backbone of meperidine.
Similarly, levamisole and miconazole both contain
an imidazole ring, which became another workhorse
of Janssen chemistry. Further modifications of the
imidazole series produced mebendazole (R17635)
in 1968, another anthelmintic with broad-spectrum
activity against roundworm, hookworm, and
whipworm (2, 6).
The Janssen research initiatives to eradicate
fungal, parasitic, and bacterial infections in patients
evolved to include products that could also be used in
veterinary medicine and for plant protection. In 1969,
the Janssen chemists produced imazalil (R23979),
another imidazole analog. It proved to be effective
against a number of molds and fungi and was
developed as an agrochemical product to prevent
fungal decay in grain crops, fruits, and vegetables and
to treat mildew on roses (2).
The success of these efforts led to construction
of a greenhouse on Janssen’s Beerse campus in
1972 to do in vivo research on fruit trees, wheat,
and sugar beets and to facilitate development of
antifungal products to protect them. The following
year – the 20th anniversary of Dr. Paul’s laboratory
– Plant Protection was established as a separate
division within the Janssen research organization.
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
34
Dr. Paul’s staff had grown to 1,246 people, of whom
389 were researchers. They had synthesized
27,975 compounds, held 50 patents, had launched
37 commercial drugs, and were in the midst of
developing 17 more drugs (2).
In 1976, the Janssen chemists synthesized another
analog of miconazole with broad activity against
fungi and yeasts. Ketoconazole (R41400) was the first
orally active antifungal drug, a major breakthrough
(2, 6). It was widely prescribed to AIDS and cancer
chemotherapy patients who suffered from systemic
fungal infections.
In 1979, the Plant Protection division developed
propiconazole (R49362), an analog of imazalil, as an
agricultural product. Propiconazole is absorbed by
plants and protects them from the inside out – a more
efficient antifungal delivery than topical spraying. The
product is widely used to protect turf grasses, fruit
and nut trees, and grain crops (2).
The Orient Express
Photo: In the public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Paul made his first trip to China in 1976
as a member of a mission sponsored by the
Belgian Chemistry Federation (2). His wife, Dora,
accompanied him and was keen to explore local
Chinese history and art, especially some remarkable
artifacts that had been discovered just two years
earlier in Xi’an. A couple of farmers had been digging
a well in a persimmon orchard, but instead of water,
they pulled up some clay fragments that turned out
to be one of the 20th century’s most spectacular
archeological discoveries. When pieced together, the
Janssen Pharmaceutica unit in Xi’an, China.
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
fragments became the statue of a warrior from the
time of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.
The fledgling archeological site was not open to
tourists, but through Paul’s connections, he and Dora
were able to arrange a private visit. The archivists
were restoring the precious artifacts in a small lean-to
building made from corrugated sheet metal. So far,
they had assembled only two statues.
Dr. Paul subsequently made a number of trips to
China, spearheading arrangements to market Janssen
products in China. The Hanjiang Pharmaceutical
Company in Hanzhong (a city in China’s inland
Shaanxi province) handled local distribution.
The relationship matured, and in 1985 Janssen
Pharmaceutica finally reached an agreement with the
Chinese government to build a new manufacturing
facility in Shaanxi province. Rather than expanding
Janssen’s established operations in Hanzhong, the
Belgian company deferred to Chinese authorities,
who preferred Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi, as the
site for the new plant. Xi’an-Janssen Pharmaceuticals
opened in 1991 and was a joint venture with Shaanxi
Medical Industry Company, the China Medical
Industry Company, the China Pharmaceutical Foreign
Technical Cooperation Company, and the Hanjiang
Pharmaceutical Company (2).
The People’s Republic had already consummated
three other joint ventures with western
pharmaceutical companies (Japan’s Otsuka, the
American Bristol-Myers Squibb, and a Swedish
conglomerate), but the Xi’an-Janssen factory was
the largest such facility (2). The eight buildings in
the complex totaled 325,000 square feet
of manufacturing space and produced
medicines for shipment throughout China.
Chinese authorities proudly showcased the
Xi’an pharmaceutical plant as the example
of successful foreign investment in the
inland Chinese provinces. Much of that
success was due to the warm personal
relationship that Dr. Paul fostered with his
Chinese friends, and the feeling was mutual.
In 1993, he became the first foreigner
to receive a pharmaceutical honorary
doctorate in China (2, 3).
35
The Chinese Puzzle
As the Xi’an-Janssen factory grew in stature, an
army of ancient warriors was emerging from the
Chinese soil only 15 miles away. People knew that
emperors and their families had been buried in the
Yellow River valley near Xi’an, a city of great historical
significance. But the magnitude of what they were
uncovering at the excavation site was beyond belief.
In 221 BC, Qin Shi Huang united seven
independent Warring States to create China’s first
empire and established Xi’an as the new capital
(1). Although the 39-year-old emperor ruled this
empire for only ten years, the Qin dynasty was a
major turning point in China’s history. Qin Shi Huang
abolished the feudal system and established a central
government with state appointments based on merit.
He standardized weights and measures as well as
Small Seal Script (the form of Chinese handwriting).
He also dug canals – some of which are still in use –
and standardized the axle length of carts and wagons
to facilitate transportation and communication (1).
His massive construction projects each required
hundreds of thousands of laborers. One project
involved linking numerous existing small defensive
walls along the empire’s northern border to
discourage invaders, a precursor to what became the
Great Wall. Another major project was construction
of his own tomb. To safeguard his voyage into the
afterlife, Qin Shi Huang surrounded his mausoleum
with 8,000 terracotta warriors: life-sized reproductions
of soldiers, some standing with chrome-plated bronze
swords and spears, some kneeling with drawn bows
and arrows, and still others driving chariots behind
horses made out of clay (1).
What Paul Janssen saw when he stood at the edge
of the excavation pits in the late 1990s was much
different from his first visit. The small corrugated steel
shed had been replaced by a museum of multiple
Photo: In the public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Exposure to the 20th century
atmosphere and the breath of enthralled
tourists were decaying the fragile
terracotta statues at an alarming rate.
Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China.
buildings covering a site the size of 45 football fields
and permitting visitors to watch the archeologists at
work. In trenches below the visitors’ gallery in Pit 1,
long columns of soldiers stood in regimental order
four abreast – each painstakingly pieced together
from millions of terracotta fragments (1).
But they looked sick. The statues’ colors were
fading, and the mechanical properties of the
terracotta had weakened. Exposure to the 20th
century atmosphere and the breath of enthralled
tourists were decaying the fragile terracotta statues at
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
36
an alarming rate. The temperature in the museum was
typically above 70°F and the humidity ranged from 70
to 90 percent. Large areas of the gallery walls and dirt
floor were covered with mold. Curators of ceramics at
other museums had sometimes seen damage to their
artifacts from certain fungi that produce acids, but
little was known about the interaction between fungi
and terracotta (2). Fortunately, Dr. Paul was now on
the case.
In 1999, he returned to Beerse with a few samples
of the infected terracotta (7). Fungus experts in
the bioresearch laboratory of Janssen’s Plant and
Materials Protection division had already read about
the problem in news reports and eagerly applied their
extensive knowledge to these somewhat unusual
patients. They isolated 19 different mycotic species,
many of which were known to damage bricks and
plasterwork, and some produced acids (8). Because
these microbes also damage living organisms, they
threatened not only the terracotta statues but also
the museum personnel and the tens of thousands of
visitors to the museum (2).
Using old flowerpots as their test subjects, the
Janssen experts drew on their arsenal of antifungal
products and assessed the feasibility of repelling
the warriors’ infections (2, 7). The flowerpots (some
pretreated with antifungal agents) were contaminated
with a mixture of the Chinese fungal spores and
subjected to environmental conditions that mimicked
those at the Xi’an museum (25°C and high humidity).
After 12 weeks, the untreated control pots were
covered with fungi, but the pots pretreated with
Janssen’s anti-mycotic agents remained fungusfree (2). Imazalil and propiconazole were particularly
effective in counteracting the fungi (8).
Next, the researchers conducted field tests at the
Xi’an site to determine whether the ancient terracotta
could be protected like the Belgian flowerpots.
To minimize damage to the delicate warriors, the
scientists prepared water-based solutions of the
fungicides and applied them using a simple handspray. They established the half-life of the antifungal
effect and watched for side effects, including
chemical-induced alterations in the Chinese statues’
color and composition. This information led to an
initial treatment plan for the warriors. Measures were
also taken to control spores in the soil and air of the
museum (2, 7).
Photo: Shutterstock
James Black, himself a Nobel
Laureate, called Paul Janssen “the
most prolific drug inventor of all time…
not a single researcher of medicines
has done as much as he has”
A rank of soldiers from the excavated terracotta army.
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
Janssen Pharmaceutica provided its specially
formulated fungicides to the museum free of charge
for a two-year trial period. In addition, because of
the importance of these relics, Janssen and the
museum entered into a formal agreement in 2000,
and Dr. Paul personally presided at the signing
ceremony (2, 9). Under this “Agreement of Protection
37
Photo: Shutterstock
for the Site of Terracotta Army and Relevant Relics,”
Janssen Pharmaceutica not only provided its customformulated products but also trained several of the
museum’s scientists in antimicrobial techniques and
established a state-of-the-art microbiology laboratory
at the museum – the Dr. Paul Janssen Laboratory for
Advanced Material Protection (8).
The original 3-year cooperative agreement has
been renewed twice (currently running until 2017).
Wu Yongqi, the museum’s curator, describes the
relationship with Janssen as “jin shang tian hua,”
a Chinese idiom that suggests something perfect
benefitting from further perfection (10). With their
increased knowledge of terracotta microbiology, the
Chinese technicians ultimately identified 60 different
fungi growing on the statues (7, 10). Together with the
Janssen specialists, they have found optimal methods
for controlling fungal growth – treatment that is
closely overseen by the archeologists and has kept
the army fit for service (2, 10). The Chinese experts
now conduct scientific research with autonomy, and
the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses
has become a center of excellence for research on
bio-deterioration of cultural artifacts for the entire
People’s Republic of China (8, 9).
Decaying terracotta warriors infested with mold.
Major Products Developed under Paul Janssen’s Leadership
R-number
Name (Brand)
Date of Synthesis
Indication
R5
ambucetamide
1953
antispasmodic
R79
isopropamide (Darbid)
June 25, 1954
anticholinergic
R1132
diphenoxylate (Lomotil)
November 21, 1956
antidiarrheal
R1625
haloperidol (Haldol)
February 15, 1958
neuroleptic
R4263
fentanyl
December 8, 1960
analgesic
R4749
droperidol (Inapsine)
June 19, 1961
neuroleptic
R5147
spiperone (Spiropitan)
December 20, 1961
neuroleptic
R6238
pimozide (Orap)
January 23, 1963
neuroleptic
R12564
levamisole (Ergamisol)
February 8, 1966
anthelmintic
R14889
miconazole (Desenex, Lotrimin)
November 23, 1967
antimycotic
R17635
mebendazole (Vermox)
November 15, 1968
anthelmintic
R18553
loperamide (Imodium)
April 1, 1969
antidiarrheal
R23979
imazalil (Fungaflor)
March 28, 1969
antimycotic
R30730
sufentanil (Sufenta)
February 8, 1974
analgesic
R49362
(R35432)
propiconazole (Orbit, Tilt)
March 20, 1975
antimycotic
R41400
ketoconazole (Nizoral)
March 31, 1976
antimycotic
R64766
risperidone (Risperdal)
November 14, 1984
neuroleptic
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
38
Biosketch:
Rebecca J. Anderson
holds a bachelor’s
in chemistry from
Coe College and
earned her doctorate
in pharmacology
from Georgetown
University. She has 25
years of experience
in pharmaceutical
research and
development and now
works as a technical
writer. Her most recent
book is Nevirapine
and the Quest to End
Pediatric AIDS. Email
rebeccanderson
@msn.com.
Peerlessly Prolific
Dr. Paul relinquished his
responsibilities as Janssen
Pharmaceutica’s president and
director of research in 1991. Under
his leadership, the Janssen division
of J&J had grown to more than
11,000 employees and generated
100,000 R-numbered compounds,
of which 80 had been developed as
pharmaceutical products for human,
animal, and plant diseases (2). Those
drugs included compounds for pain
and anesthesiology, cardiovascular
disease, allergies, all sorts of mental
illnesses, and gastrointestinal
disorders, as well as infestations by
fungi and worms.
Dr. Paul remained an active
researcher for another decade,
focusing on the emerging field of
computer-assisted drug design and
serving as director of Janssen’s
Center for Molecular Design. At the
time of his death in 2003, the annual
revenues of the Janssen division of
J&J reached more than $9 billion,
approximately 25% of Johnson &
Johnson’s total sales (3).
Paul Janssen had received more
than 35 scientific awards and 22
honorary doctorates (ranging from
medicine to natural science, veterinary
medicine, pharmacy, and philosophy)
and was nominated several times for
a Nobel Prize. James Black, himself a
Nobel Laureate, called Paul Janssen
“the most prolific drug inventor of
all time…not a single researcher of
medicines has done as much as
he has” (2, 6). Surely, the Chinese
terracotta warriors would agree.
References
1.Lin Z (2005) The Qin Dynasty Terra-Cotta Army of Dreams (An H ed) Xi’an Press, Xi’an, China.
2.Magiels G (2004) Paul Janssen: Pioneer in Pharma & in China, Dundee University Press,
Dundee, UK.
3.Stanley TH, Egan TD, and Van Aken H (2008) A tribute to Dr. Paul A. J. Janssen: Entrepreneur
extraordinaire, innovative scientist, and significant contributor to anesthesiology. Anesthesia
& Analgesia 106(2):451-462.
4.Ban TA (2004) Obituary: Paul Adriaan Jan Janssen, 1926-2003. Neuropsychopharmacology
29:1579-1580.
In the next
issue of The
Pharmacologist…
Dr. Anderson will be
exploring a story about
how the blue blood of
the lowly horseshoe
crab guarantees the
purity of all injectable
drugs.
Don’t miss the exciting
June 2015 issue.
5.Janssen PAJ and Tollenaere JP (1983) The suppression of psychotic behavior: The discovery
of the butyrophenone-type neuroleptics, in Discoveries in Pharmacology: Psycho- and neuropharmacology (Parnham MJ and Bruinvels J eds) pp 181-196, Elsevier, New York.
6.Black J (2005) A personal perspective on Dr. Paul Janssen. J Med Chem 48:1687-1688.
7.Manila Standard Today (June 24, 2002) China’s 2,250-year-old terracotta army attacked by
fungus: Janssen Pharmaceutica fights fungal infection, Sect. A:3; available from: http://news.
google.com/newspapers?nid=1370&dat=20020624&id=Tg8iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=
EgsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6304,2549611.
8.Bosselaers J and Valcke A (2009) From wood protection to preservation of historic
monuments: the commitment of Janssen PMP to cultural heritage conservation, presented
at Intl. Conf. on Wooden Cultural Heritage: Evaluation of deterioration and management
of change, Hamburg, Germany; available from: www.woodculther.com/wp-content/
uploads/2009/09/Bosselaers.pdf.
9.Johnson & Johnson (2013) Cultural Protection; available from: www.jnj.com.cn/en/our-caring/
our-story/the_first_emperor.
10.Leow J, Wang SS, and Crow K (August 18, 2008) J&J wins favored status by curing
statue fungus woes. Wall Street Journal; available from: www.wsj.com/articles/
SB121901745077548227.
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
39
Science Policy
Momentum for NIH Funding?
The president’s $4 trillion budget
request in February kicked off what
promises to be another difficult political
road ahead for supporters of biomedical
research. To be sure, the president’s FY
2016 budget is positive for the National
Institutes of Health.
With just six months to go
before the start of the new
fiscal year on October 1,
realizing these proposed gains
for NIH will be difficult.
Overall, there is $146 billion, almost
6% more for research and development
for FY 2016. NIH would receive a 3.3%
or $1 billion increase, for a $31.3 billion
FY 2016 budget. NIH stated that this
increase would mean a “significant
portion of the $1 billion increase will be
devoted to raising the number of new and
competing research project grants (RPG).”
The agency estimates the president’s
budget would support 10,303 competing
RPGs (1,227 more than projected for FY
2015). RPGs would total 35, 447 (1,241
more than projected for FY 2015). The
average costs for new and competing
RPGs would remain steady at $461,000.
There is also new money to support
an additional 204 full time training
positions, a 2% increase for trainee
stipends, $95 million more for intramural
research, a $29 million increase for the
Director’s office – $20 million of which
is dedicated to the Common Fund, and
$129 million for buildings and facilities.
Additionally, $215 million is for NIH to
implement a new Precision Medicine
Initiative, and $70 million is directed to
the National Cancer Institute to expand
cancer genomics research. Finally, more
than $650 million is for research into
antimicrobial resistance.
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
40
All of this is really encouraging news but for
the fact President Obama’s budget blows through
the spending caps set in law back in 2011. In fact,
the budget exceeds those spending caps by more
than 7%, totaling about $74 billion more than
the spending limit set in 2011. This amount lifts
defense spending by $38 billion ($561 billion total
in FY 2016) and $37 billion ($530 billion total in
FY 2016) for non-defense discretionary spending
that includes the NIH. With just six months to go
before the start of the new fiscal year on October
1, realizing these proposed gains for NIH will be
difficult. Immediately following release of the
President’s budget on February 2, it was clear there
was great distance between the White House and
congressional Republicans.
Reconciling the president’s plan to lift the
spending caps with many Republican’s desire to see
them remain in place will be the prime time agenda
from now until September 30.
End of Sequestration?
ASPET members may recall – or want to forget
– that Congress established sequestration in the
2011 Budget Control Act (BCA). The BCA mandated
that spending cuts totaling $1.2 trillion were
scheduled to begin in 2013 and continue through
2021. Sequestration was the instrument to be used
if Congress failed to come to an agreement to find
$1.2 trillion in savings, through any combination
of new revenue and/or spending cuts. Congress
failed, and so the automatic cuts went into effect.
Sequestration was temporarily suspended with a
two year budget agreement that has now expired.
The BCA spending caps were only limited to
programs funded through the annual appropriations
process. The NIH, NSF, National Park Service,
Department of Defense, and all other federal
agencies and programs would bear the brunt of
these cuts. Mandatory or entitlement programs
like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security were
exempt from the BCA.
Now, with ongoing and emerging threats
overseas, many lawmakers are looking to relieve
defense spending from any further budget cuts.
However, some lawmakers do not want to see the
overall spending caps increased as proposed by
the president, which means that money to pay for
defense would have to come from non-defense
discretionary side. If that happens, it would be
difficult for any program on the non-defense
discretionary side of the ledger to escape additional
cuts, including the NIH.
For his part, the president has said that he
would veto any spending bill that does not remove
the automatic spending cuts that are part of the
BCA. The politics of this will be played out in the
coming months. There are a number of Republicans
who are eager to increase defense spending but
also realize that discretionary programs can’t be
cut anymore and that the nation needs to make
smart investments, including increasing support
for biomedical research, which gives some room
for optimism that a reasonable deal can be made
before October 1.
Real negotiations have begun. The story to follow
this spring and summer is whether any compromise
can be hatched satisfying Republicans’ desire
to increase military spending with some of the
president’s proposed increases.
Senator Elizabeth Warren’s “Medical Innovation Act”
Reflecting congressional concerns over diminished
federal investment at the NIH, a number of legislators
have introduced bills to increase funding for
biomedical research.
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has introduced
the “Medical Innovation Act” that would attempt
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
to increase funding for the NIH and FDA. The bill
requires drug companies that have violated the law
and entered into settlements with the U.S. Justice
Department to pay a percentage of their yearly profits
for five years to supplement funding for the NIH and
FDA. To ensure that the legislation results in a net
41
increase in funding for medical research, money from
the payments will be made available only in years that
annual appropriations to NIH and FDA keep pace with
inflation. A summary of the bill can be viewed here:
www.aspet.org/Medical_Innovation_Act.
The bill requires drug companies
that have violated the law and entered
into settlements with the U.S. Justice
Department to pay a percentage of their
yearly profits for five years to supplement
funding for the NIH and FDA.
Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) re-introduced the
American Cures Act, which intends to increase
funding for NIH, CDC, DoD medical programs, and VA
prosthetic research at a rate of GDP-indexed inflation
plus 5 percent. This would allow for steady, longterm investments and would allow the agencies to
plan and manage strategic growth while maximizing
efficiencies.
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
reintroduced the Accelerating Biomedical Research
Act. DeLauro’s bill is similar to the one that Sen. Tom
Harkin (D-IA) introduced last year allowing funding for
the NIH to be increased outside of the spending caps.
Reportedly, the legislation would increase funding by
10 percent in the first 2 years and 6 percent each year
through 2021 as long as Congress appropriates at
least $29.4 billion in regular appropriations.
While the prospect for passage of any of these
bills is unlikely, ASPET is supportive of Senators
Warren and Durbin and Rep. DeLauro’s innovative
efforts to supplement funding for biomedical research.
However, ASPET members should continue to
communicate to members of congress that the NIH
will not be able to address scientific opportunities
unless measures are taken to remove sequestration
and work toward a permanent solution to raise the
spending caps to allow more flexibility to meet the
nation’s funding priorities and to increase funding for
NIH and other non-defense discretionary programs
and agencies.
FASEB Report on Sustaining the Biomedical
Research Enterprise
After seeking considerable input from the
biomedical research community, FASEB released
an in-depth analysis of the real threats to
continued progress in biological and medical
science. “Sustaining Discovery in Biological and
Medical Science: A Framework for Discussion,”
offers several remedies to many of the challenges
facing our community. Noting that change is
taking place throughout the research enterprise,
the FASEB report documents how diminished
federal funding and rising regulatory costs
have constrained research budgets, creating an
increasingly unstable research enterprise and
delaying scientific discovery. The FASEB report
takes an in-depth look at three broad categories of
recommendations to consider:
• Increased advocacy for predictable,
sustainable growth in research budgets
while striving to make optimal use of existing
resources
•R
e-examination of the way research is funded,
making certain that the research community
provides incentives to encourage the best
science and reduce the amount of time spent
seeking funding, and
• Improved preparation and utilization of the
workforce.
FASEB is no longer soliciting comments to its
report which can viewed here: bit.ly/1u6CXpz
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
42
ASPET Advocacy Outreach Program Complements
Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Training
Are you interested in a real “inside baseball”
look at how Washington works? Ever wondered
how the NIH can enjoy bipartisan support while its
budget has stagnated and lost 23% of its purchasing
power over the last decade? ASPET’s Advocacy
Outreach Program is dedicated to educate and
train graduate students, post-docs, and faculty in
pharmacology departments on the importance of
grassroots advocacy in support of the National
Institutes of Health. The ultimate goal of ASPET’s
advocacy outreach program is to 1) develop a cadre
of interested individuals who will more effectively
advocate on critical issues of science funding
and science policy and 2) provide individuals the
skills needed to become informed and proactive
participants in these issues at whatever institution
they may find themselves in the near future. As a
scientist, you are the most effective advocate for the
biomedical science research enterprise – and the
most credible too. These skills are important for young
investigators as they begin their careers and for those
individuals considering pursuing career options in
science policy.
Today’s economic and political environment make
it imperative that biomedical scientists, particularly
graduate students and young investigators, become
more informed and involved in policy. ASPET’s
Advocacy Outreach Program is part of a continued
effort that must be made to help make the case
to Congress, the media, and the public about the
health and economic benefits of a robust biomedical
research enterprise and the need for steady and
sustained increases for NIH.
The ASPET Advocacy Outreach Program has met
with many postdoctoral associations and departments.
To date, ASPET has visited UT Southwestern, Emory
University, Wayne State for Michigan’s Annual
Research Colloquium, University of Louisville,
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Drexel University
College of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth
University, the University at Buffalo, University of
South Florida, Medical University of South Carolina,
UTHSC-San Antonio, Penn State University, and the
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
If there is an opportunity for ASPET to make a
presentation at your institution or for information on
ASPET’s Advocacy Outreach Program, contact us
at publicaffairs@aspet.org. There is no cost to your
institution as ASPET assumes all travel expenses for
this important effort.
ASPET Supports Coalition Effort to Replace
Sequestration with Balanced Approach to
Deficit Reduction
ASPET joined almost 3,000 organizations in a
letter to Congress urging lawmakers to support
investments in non-defense discretionary (NND)
programs and urge members of Congress to
replace sequestration with a balanced approach
to deficit reduction. ASPET joined NDD United, a
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
coalition group dedicated to preserving non-defense
discretionary programs from continued budget cuts
to vital agencies and programs.
A copy of the letter can be found here: www.
publichealthfunding.org/uploads/NDDUnited.
SignOn.Feb2015.FINALwithSigs.pdf
43
Congress Looks at Challenges to
Medical Innovation
21st Century Cures Initiative
Late in January, the House Energy and
Commerce Committee unveiled draft legislation
of the “21st Century Cures Initiative” that intends
to remedy roadblocks to medical innovation.
While acknowledging innovation is happening
at “lightning speed,” the committee notes that
although “health care research is moving quickly…
the federal drug and device approval apparatus
is in many ways the relic of another era. We have
dedicated scientists and bold leaders at agencies
like the NIH and the FDA, but when our laws
don’t keep pace with innovation, we all lose.” The
committee’s intent is to take a comprehensive look
at medical innovation from discoveries in basic
science to the drug development process and
beyond to treatment and delivery.
The bill would require NIH to
implement the National Pediatric
Research Network Act as well as
remove roadblocks for funding NCATS
clinical trials.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee
draft bill, while not an appropriations bill, does
contain a couple of funding provisions. The bill
would require NIH to implement the National
Pediatric Research Network Act as well as remove
roadblocks for funding NCATS clinical trials. The bill
includes language to require NIH grantees to share
their data and encourage greater collaboration
among NIH, FDA, industry, and the European Union
to help establish a pediatric clinical trial network.
Additionally, the legislation also has a proposal
to move NIH funds normally drawn from annual
“evaluation taps” and move those funds to grants
for first time grantees. The bill also addresses FDA
personnel issues and the drug approval process at
the agency.
Senate HELP
Shortly after the committee unveiled its draft
21st Century Cures legislation, a Senate Committee
released a companion report to the House’s 21st
Century Cures bill. Innovation for a Healthier
America: Identifying Opportunities for Meaningful
Reform to Our Nation’s Medical Products Discovery
and Development takes a look at the challenges
of ”getting safe treatments, devices, and cures to
patients more quickly and effectively.” Specifically,
the report looks at what is and is not working at
the Food and Drug Administration and the National
Institutes of Health.
The report begins a major initiative by the
Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
(HELP) committee to examine challenges with drug
and medical device development and identify ways
to better align policy to support medical innovation.
As stated in the executive summary, “This report
aims to examine the current process of drug and
device development and identify the inefficiencies
that stand in the way of a modern development
and review process. We take a close and honest
look at what is, and is not, working well at the NIH
and FDA. We want to know what successes we can
replicate, and what failures must be learned from
and fixed.”
The report looks at the role of basic research
in new medical products, how to improve clinical
trials, regulatory science, and the rising global
competition to U.S. medical product development.
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
44
2016 Washington
Fellows Program
Submit your application by September 2, 2015
S
Program Mission
Who Should Apply?
The mission of the ASPET Washington Fellows Program
is to enable developing and early career scientists
interested in science policy to learn about and become
more engaged in public policy issues. Fellows will
develop an understanding of how public policy decisions
made in Washington help shape and impact science
policy, such as funding for the National Institutes of
Health and other science agencies. Fellows will also
learn how to advocate effectively on Capitol Hill and
in their home districts. This program will help Fellows
develop the skills and insights to become future leaders
in science.
The ASPET Washington Fellows Program is open to any
graduate student, postdoctoral trainee, or researcher
no more than four years past the completion of his/her
postdoctoral training. Applicants must be members of
ASPET in good standing and have a strong interest in
science and its intersection with public policy. Fellows will
be selected by the ASPET Science Policy Committee.
What Will ASPET Fellows Do?
All applications must contain
the following information and
be submitted by September
2, 2015, as a single combined
PDF:
 Advocate on Capitol Hill: ASPET Fellows will come
to Washington, DC, to meet with their congressional
delegation to advocate for biomedical research and
increased funding for the NIH. Fellows will be well
trained by ASPET and prepared with the appropriate
message to deliver to Congress. ASPET will cover
transportation costs, hotel, and other reasonable
expenses that follow ASPET’s reimbursement policy.
 Become Advocates in their Home Districts: ASPET
Fellows will meet with Members of Congress in their
home district, act as a conduit to inform colleagues
within their departments/institutions about federal
legislative matters, write op-ed pieces to local papers,
etc. All these activities will be undertaken with the
support and advice of ASPET.
 Attend the ASPET Annual Meeting at Experimental
Biology 2016: ASPET Fellows will attend the 2016
ASPET Annual Meeting in San Diego and any related
policy program sessions assigned. Fellows will receive
an ASPET travel award to attend the meeting.
Application Information
ASPET anticipates up to 10 Washington Fellows Program
participants in 2016. Fellows serve one-year terms.
 A letter (no more than two
pages) from the applicant
stating their interest in
public policy and why they
are interested in the ASPET
Washington Fellows
Program
 A Curriculum Vitae
 A letter of support from the
candidate’s mentor and/or
department chair
Incomplete applications and/
or applications received after
September 2, 2015, will not be
considered.
For more info:
www.aspet.org/2016_ASPET_Washington_Fellows_Program
(301) 634-7060
publicaffairs@aspet.org
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
as pet.org
45
Education News
Getting the Most Out of Academic Conferences
By Uyen Chu and Members of the Mentoring and Career Development Committee
Whether you have attended conferences in the
past or Experimental Biology (EB) 2015 is your first
foray into scientific meetings, most people find
large scientific conferences daunting. As a budding
scientist, conferences are one of the few opportunities
you have to meet other scientists in your field, present
your research, and build new research collaborations.
It is also a chance to interact with representatives
from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
who could become your future employer. ASPET’s
Mentoring and Career Development committee
has developed the following guide to help you be
proactive at conferences, expand your network, and
build professional relationships to develop your career
as a scientist.
Preparing for the Conference
Lodging: Should I stay at a hotel that is farther away
but has a great price or one near the convention
center but costs a little bit more?
There are many advantages of staying at a hotel
close to the convention center. First, a nearby hotel
allows you to take short breaks when you have a full
day. Second, many of the social/networking events
occur in the evenings. These events are a great
place for meeting new people but may end late. If
you choose a hotel more distant from the convention
center, be sure your hotel has safe transportation
options. If you are tight on traveling funds but still
want to stay at a hotel nearby, consider getting a
roommate. EB has a roommate matching website
that you can use – it’s also a great way to meet new
friends. A complimentary shuttle service will be
provided at EB 2015 between the Boston Convention
and Exhibition Center and the contracted EB hotel
community. For more information, visit www.aspet.
org/Annual_Meeting_EB_2015/Experimental_
Biology_2015_Shuttle_Service/.
Attire: What should I wear and pack for the
conference?
At EB you’ll find a spectrum of business casual
to informal attire. Wear comfortable but professional
clothes (and shoes) because you will be interacting
with people 10–12 hours on average each day for the
duration of the conference.
Business Cards: Should I bring business cards?
Business cards are useful to give your contact
information to people you meet. If you don’t have
professionally prepared business cards, you could
prepare your own in advance of the meeting. It is a
good idea to carry a small notebook and pen with
you at all times to jot down information about people
you meet.
Science Pitch: Is a science pitch (or elevator
speech) necessary?
That depends on how comfortable you feel giving
a spiel of your work to a complete stranger in less
than five minutes. Remember that the purpose of a
science pitch is to get your audience interested in
your science so that they want to learn more about
your research. The California Stem Cell Agency held
a Science Pitch Competition a few years ago and
archived the contestants’ entries on a website. Follow
the link at the end of this article for examples of
science pitches to help you prepare yours.
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
46
Itinerary: How should I spend my time at EB?
The key purposes for attending conferences are to
expand your knowledge of current science, expand
your professional network, and build collaborative
relationships. Scientific conferences are where leaders
from many fields gather together to present cuttingedge research, discuss the current trends and future
directions of science in each field, and determine
strategies to promote research funding. It can be
overwhelming, and it is easy to lose focus of your goal.
Thus, it is useful to have a checklist of people you
want to talk to and events you want to attend before
you get to the meeting.
Below is a general overview of key features and
events that take place at EB.
1.
Scientific lectures/talks (ranging from 15
minutes to 1 hour) organized into nanosymposia,
minisymposia, and symposia. These symposia
are generally focused around a specific
scientific topic.
2.Poster presentations sectioned first into their
sponsoring societies and grouped into scientific
topics.
3.Exhibitions hosted by pharmaceutical and
biotech companies, publishers, funding
agencies, scientific societies, and science
equipment vendors.
4.Career development events organized by
participating societies on a wide range of career
topics.
5.Recurring career development workshops
hosted by the Federation of American Societies
for Experimental Biology (FASEB), including
grant writing, negotiating for your start-up
package, writing an effective resume, etc. These
events and job postings are located at the
“Career Center” in the exhibition hall.
6.Social/networking events organized by
participating societies inside the Conference
Center and at nearby hotels in the evening.
Considering these events, an agenda of your
meeting schedule might look similar to the following:
Science-Related Events
•P
resent your oral/poster presentation and connect
with people who show interest in your research.
•A
ttend talks by scientists in your research area and
connect with them at the meeting.
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
• Attend award-winning talks to expand your
scientific knowledge.
• Attend your division’s annual meeting and
networking events.
• Learn about a science technique that you are
interested in for your research by connecting
with people (either at a different institution or at a
company) who are experts in that technique.
• Connect with members of the ASPET Council.
Career-Related Events
• Attend ASPET’s Graduate Student-Postdoctoral
Colloquium and connect with other graduate
students/postdocs.
• Attend ASPET and FASEB career symposia and
workshops (depending on your interests and
needs).
• Check the job bulletin board every day (if you are
in the job market).
• Connect with people outside of academia in career
paths that interest you.
Attending the Conference
Present Your Research
As graduate students and postdocs, giving a
talk or presenting a poster may be one of the few
opportunities you have to showcase your work to
people outside of your department or institution, and
these events may be the only impression they have
of you and your work (i.e., your reputation). Practice
giving your presentation with lab members in advance.
However, keep in mind that your audience at national
conferences may not be familiar with your area of
research so be deliberate in conveying the importance
of your research. Know your presentation day and
time and invite potential postdoc advisors and people
you meet to attend your talk or visit your poster. If you
brought business cards, write this information on the
back before you hand them out.
Attend Oral and Poster Presentations:
Attend presentations by scientists in your field: It
is important for the growth of your career to recognize
key figures in your field and learn about their work. Be
proactive in introducing yourself to these individuals
at the conference. If you are interested in working with
them in the future (e.g., for postdoc training), consider
scheduling a meeting with them in advance and invite
them to your talk/poster.
47
Attend award-winning presentations: Awardwinning presentations are good ways to expand
your scientific knowledge in areas outside of your
fields. These talks generally are given by researchers
who are pioneers in their fields and often are quite
inspirational. Consider making an impression by
asking insightful questions at the end.
Attend career talks sponsored by ASPET: ASPET
(and other participating societies) organizes many
career development talks and workshops each year.
This is a good way to learn about nonacademic
careers and to connect with scientists who followed
interesting career paths. It is also a venue where you
will meet peers from similar graduate programs at
universities around the world. These people may be
helpful in future job searches.
Attend your sponsoring society’s business
meeting(s) and consider getting involved by
volunteering for committees: Scientific societies are
similar to many organizations; there is a governing
body and many committees made up of scientists
who volunteer their time to organize events for
the conference. There are committees that tackle
contemporary issues affecting the scientific
community, such as how to train future scientists, how
to promote diversity, best practices in undergraduate
and graduate science education, etc. It is useful
for your career to understand the workings of such
societies and to get involved to make the changes you
want to see. Volunteering to serve on a committee
is one way to network with scientists who are as
passionate as you about similar issues and a great
strategy to build relationships with colleagues outside
of your department or institution.
Visit exhibition booths from companies,
publishers, government laboratories, and scientific
societies: For many graduate students and
postdocs who do not live in cities that are home to
pharmaceutical and/or biotechnology companies, it
can be difficult to network with scientists in industry.
Exhibits from companies are good opportunities to
meet and learn from scientists and nonscientists
working in companies ranging from small start-ups
to large pharmaceutical companies. Connect with
these individuals to find out about the culture of their
organization and the benefits and disadvantages of
working there. Don’t be shy about asking them to
connect you with colleagues within their companies
who have a job that you are interested in learning
more about. Perhaps you are interested in career
paths related to publishing, government, and/or the
military – also consider visiting these booths to learn
more about these career paths.
A few words on networking etiquette:
• Food and drinks: As mentioned earlier, organized
networking events happen in the evenings,
normally with an abundance of free food and
drinks. A caution on eating and drinking at these
events: know your limits! Remember that you are
likely to see these people in the future if you stay
in the field, and you want to leave the conference
with a good impression.
• What should I talk about? Start with your research,
then talk about conference activities, interesting
talks you attended, your career goals, and interests
outside of science – scientists are people with
interesting hobbies outside of work, too. Finally,
you don’t always have to talk. Listening is a key
skill for successful networking.
Following Up After the Conference
Consider revisiting your checklist of individuals
you set out to connect with at the meeting and send
follow-up emails after you return home. Also follow
up with people you met at networking events and
your poster/oral presentation. If you get the chance to
attend the next EB meeting, send an email prior to the
meeting requesting a meeting. Building a professional
relationship takes time and effort, especially with
colleagues you see only once a year.
These guidelines are a first step to getting the
most out of a meeting such as EB. If you find these
techniques to be valuable, share them with your
colleagues and use them to build professional
relationships even at your own institution. The best
way to be good at something is practice!
Additional Resources
Ferrazzi K and Raz T (2005) Never Eat Alone,
Crown Business, New York.
California’s Stem Cell Agency Science Pitch
Competition. We recommend the following science
pitches: William Kim, Lina Nih, Mirina Bershteyn,
Andrew Goldstein, John Zaia, Deepak Srivastava,
and Carrie Micella, Stanley Nelson. www.cirm.ca.gov/
our-progress/stem-cell-videos?&&field_voc_video_
event_tid%5B0%5D=746.
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
48
Pharmacology Educators: Don’t Miss These
Events at the 2015 ASPET Annual Meeting
Emphasizing ASPET’s continued commitment to
improving pharmacology education, the following
events will combine practical advice with interactive
demonstrations and discussions. Whether you are
new to teaching or are an experienced educator
looking to refine your skills, mark your calendar for
the following pharmacology education events at the
2015 ASPET Annual Meeting.
2015 Teaching Institute: Training
Students for Teaching Careers
Saturday, March 28, 12:00 pm–2:30 pm
Boston Convention Center
Summary
The number of tenured academic positions
has declined in recent years as basic science
departments have been downsized and
merged; simultaneously, the pharmaceutical and
biotechnology industries have announced drastic
cut-backs in their workforces. As a result, concern
has been voiced about over-production of PhDs.
However, it may not be that we must stop “producing”
PhDs but rather, perhaps, we must reform our current
PhD training programs to better align our trainees
with the job opportunities that are available – even if
that means training students differently than we were
trained – to prepare them for success in “researchrelated” careers.
The “-omic” revolution of the last two decades
has led to a decline in the number of scientists
trained with systems pharmacology and integrative
physiology skill sets in favor of molecular biologists.
This shift has resulted in a shortage of individuals
equipped to teach in pharmacy, medical, and other
health profession schools who can train the next
generation of healthcare providers, and this shortage
of teaching faculty for health profession programs is
only projected to increase. Therefore, we currently
have an opportunity to train students and postdocs in ways to specifically fill a known demand in
the workforce. There are, however, two underlying
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
issues that must be addressed to successfully bridge
this gap: first, the lack of training opportunities
in “systems” pharmacology must be addressed,
and second, our trainees must be provided with
opportunities to engage in meaningful teaching
experiences before they land their first faculty
positions. To address the first issue, programs funded
by both the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and
the NIH have been designed to expose graduate
students, post-docs, and intramural fellows to clinical
pharmacology in an effort to enhance the bench-tobedside translational research endeavors and be
more “marketable” as health professions educators.
The second issue is currently being addressed
by both NIH IRACDA programs, as well as new
programs springing up at individual institutions that
provide PhD students and postdoctoral trainees with
mentored-teaching experiences so trainees can begin
developing their own individual teaching philosophies
and design appropriate assessment measures.
Overall, linking clinical /systems-based pharmacology
training programs with career development programs
in teaching may be a way to fill the shortage of
teaching faculty that currently exists within health
professions programs.
This symposium will explore these ideas further by
considering the following topics:
1)How is PhD training beneficial (and is a PhD
necessary) for individuals who embark in
careers teaching health professions students?
2)How do we develop learners to think about
teaching as scholarship and why is the PhD
useful in this regard?
3)What are examples of successful certificateteaching programs for undergraduate PhD
trainees?
4)What are graduates of a teaching fellowship
for post-docs currently doing and how was the
teaching fellowship instrumental in landing new
faculty positions?
5)How can PIs use Individual Development Plans
(IDPs) as tools to prepare trainees for teaching
careers?
49
Chairs
Kelly Karpa – Penn State Univ. Coll. of Med.
Klarissa Hardy – Lipscomb Univ. Coll. Pharmacy
• Why Train Our Trainees to Train?
Wayne T. McCormack – Univ. of Florida Coll.
of Med.
• Giving STEM Doctoral Students a FAST
(Future Academic Scholars in Teaching) Start
for Academic Careers
Henry (Rique) Campa, III – Michigan State Univ.
• Your Future Craft: How Gaining Experience in
the Classroom is Essential for Life Outside
the Lab
Johnathan Neiswinger – NIA/NIH
• Mentoring Future Educators
Cynthia Fuhrmann – Univ. of Massachusetts
Med. Sch.
fosters collaboration, which are essential skills for
future health care providers. There is a continuum of
implementation from embedding one active learning
technique in a lecture to fully flipping a session or
block. After participating in this session, participants
will be able to:
1)Define active learning and explore barriers to
active learning in health sciences teaching
2)Describe methods for introducing active
learning into large group settings
3)Engage in demonstrations of active learning
including the “flipped” classroom and develop
strategies for introducing it into their own
teaching
4)Discuss the limitations and debunk myths and
misunderstandings about active learning and
the “flipped” classroom, and summarize best
practices.
Chair
John L. Szarek – Commonwealth Med. Coll.
Active Learning: What’s Up With That
Flipping Classroom?
Sunday, March 29, 3:00 pm–5:30 pm
Boston Convention Center
Summary
The one hour lecture remains the traditional unit
of health professions education, particularly for the
foundational sciences. A number of factors contribute
to the preeminence of the lecture: it is an efficient
way to accomplish the goal of knowledge transfer to
the student, it is the easiest and most familiar format
for students and faculty, and is the most economically
feasible mechanism for the college to accomplish
its teaching goals. However, it is generally agreed
that most lectures limit engagement and therefore
promote only “passive” learning and do not promote
long-term retention. A variety of active learning
techniques have emerged as a way to expand
the boundaries of learning within the confines of
the traditional large group setting. This approach
maximizes the use of student and faculty time and
focusses learners on application and retention
of new knowledge and skills. In addition, active
learning often permits or enables teamwork and
• Doing is Better: The Concept of Active
Learning and the Flipped Classroom
William B. Jeffries – Univ. of Vermont College
of Medicine
• The Continuum from a Single Active Learning
Technique to the Flipped Classroom:
Implementation Along the Continuum
John L. Szarek – Commonwealth Med. Coll.
• Does It Work: Evaluating Your Flipped
Classroom Experiences and Scholarship
Kathryn Huggett – Creighton Univ. Sch. of Med.
• Facilitated Small Group Activities
• Taking it Back Home: Limitations, Myths and
Misunderstandings About the Active Learning
and the Flipped Classroom
Panel: William B. Jeffries, John L. Szarek,
Kathryn Huggett
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
50
“Can We Talk?” Strategies for
Collaborative Pharmacology Education
Tuesday, March 31, 9:30 am–12:00 pm
Boston Convention Center
Summary
Effective pharmacology teaching is more than a
didactic transferal of drug facts; it involves promoting
the learning of pharmacotherapeutics in the
context of clinical values such as professionalism,
communication, teamwork, and tolerance of diversity
in opinion or background. Implementing collaborative
learning processes is essential to developing group
problem-solving skills pertinent to safe patient
treatment as decisions are often made clinically by
teams of physicians and related healthcare personnel.
Evidence suggests that many heads are better than
one in improving patient outcomes and decreasing
medication errors. Unfortunately, educational
processes often promote competition and individual
achievements over collaborative group learning.
However, healthcare students must learn early in the
education process how to put their heads together
without banging them in an effort to find collaborative
solutions. This symposium discusses some innovative
and practical educational strategies that will help
pharmacology educators to enhance the collaborative
learning of pharmacology including high fidelity
simulations, small group clinical cases that promote
rich and diverse discussion, and team-based learning
that incorporates both small and large group learning.
Both a didactic and a modified team-based learning
(TBL) format will be used to engage the audience
and enhance their collaborative learning as we
concurrently present practical suggestions.
Chairs
. Laurel Gorman – Univ. of Central Florida
A
Coll. of Med
Jayne S. Reuben – Univ. of South CarolinaGreenville Sch. of Med.
John L. Szarek – Commonwealth Med. Coll.
• Simulations as a Tool to Enhance Collaborative
Pharmacology Learning in the Context
of Professionalism, Interprofessional
Communication, and Teamwork
John L. Szarek – Commonwealth Med. Coll.
• Using Small Group Case Studies to Teach
Pharmacotherapeutics for a Diverse World
Jayne S. Reuben and Peggy Wagner – Univ. of
South Carolina-Greenville Sch. of Med.
• Many Heads Are Better Than One:
It’s TBL Time
A. Laurel Gorman – Univ. of Central Florida
Coll. of Med.
Postdoctoral Trends Highlighted in New Report
from the National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences recently released “The Postdoctoral Experience Revisited,” which builds on
the 2000 report “Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers.” Since the original report,
greater numbers of PhDs are pursing postdoctoral training, and for longer periods of time. The Postdoctoral
Experience Revisited reexamines postdoctoral programs in the United States, focusing on how postdocs are
being guided and managed, how institutional practices have changed, and what happens to postdocs after they
complete their training. The book explores trends in postdoctoral practices and provides specific recommendations
for institutions, students, mentors, federal agencies, and professional societies. The full text is available from the
National Academies Press: www.nap.edu/catalog/18982/the-postdoctoral-experience-revisited.
ASPET is particularly interested in what professional societies can do better to support their postdoctoral
members. To that end, we are interested in hearing from our postdoctoral members about their experiences –
please watch for a survey later this spring.
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
51
Journal News
Preventing Plagiarism
ASPET’s journals are screening manuscripts for
plagiarism through CrossCheck. Using iThenticate
text comparison software from iParadigms,
manuscripts are compared against the CrossCheck
database of current and archival scholarly literature.
The full-text content from a wide range of STEM
societies and publishers are in the database. The
articles from ASPET’s journals have been included
for some time. A list of CrossCheck members is at
www.crossref.org/crosscheck_members.html.
The CrossCheck website notes that “the vast
majority of authors and researchers are ethical” but
“the intentional misconduct of a single individual can
seriously damage the reputation of a department, an
institution, and a publication.” By using CrossCheck,
ASPET will work to prevent those less-than-original
manuscripts from slipping through the peer
review process.
For ASPET’s three primary research journals,
manuscripts that are accepted at initial submission
or that are invited for revision are screened.
Pharmacological Reviews manuscripts are screened
at two stages because they may undergo extensive
revision between original submission and the final
manuscript. In consultation with ASPET’s editors, the
peer review workflow in Bench>Press was altered to
accommodate the new screening step. The process
should extend the time to final decision by only a very
short time, if at all.
Visual Abstracts
our compositor on the project. ASPET will be only
the second HighWire-hosted publisher to provide
visual abstracts.
Consisting of one image, a visual abstract is
uploaded as a data supplement during manuscript
submission and is visible to reviewers, the associate
editors, and the editor during peer review. Visual
abstracts must be submitted in their final form. File
and size specifications are available from each
journal’s Instructions to Authors.
The use of a visual abstract is optional and is in
addition to a text abstract. They will be displayed on
tables of contents, in the abstract view of an article,
and in the HTML full-text view. This new feature
became available at the end of February, and the first
visual abstract was submitted a couple of days later.
During the 2014 editorial board meetings, a
number of attendees asked that ASPET’s journals
allow for visual abstracts. Readers of journals
published by the American Chemical Society and the
American Association for Cancer Research may be
familiar with these, which are also called graphic or
graphical abstracts. Some readers find that an image
provides the gist of an article faster than reading a
text and cite them as being particularly useful to scan
a table of contents.
The Board of Publications Trustees decided last
May to add this feature. ASPET’s journals staff have
been working since then with HighWire Press and
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
52
Members in the News
Achievements, Awards, Promotions, and
Scientific Breakthroughs
Dr. Leonard Howell
Emory University
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
Leonard Howell, PhD, was
appointed associate director for
scientific programs for the Yerkes
National Primate Research Center
at Emory University on September
1, 2014. In his new position, Howell
is working with Yerkes’ new
director Paul Johnson, MD, and
the center’s leadership to manage
the center’s scientific research
programs, establish scientific
priorities, and enhance support for
Yerkes research.
Howell, an Emory alumnus,
has been a researcher at Yerkes
since 1987. He currently serves
as chief of the center’s Division
of Neuropharmacology and
Neurologic Disease and director of
the Yerkes Imaging Center. Howell
also holds a tenured appointment
as professor in the Emory
University School of Medicine’s
Department of Psychiatry and
Behavioral Sciences, and a joint
appointment as professor in the
School of Medicine’s Department
of Pharmacology.
Howell is an expert in
nonhuman primate models of
drug addiction. His interests
range from basic neurobiology
of the central nervous system
to medication development
for treatment of cocaine
addiction in humans. Howell’s
research program focuses on
the neuropharmacology of
abused stimulants and includes
basic neurobiological studies
of drug mechanisms as well as
medications development to treat
stimulant abuse. The program
is translational in its focus and
bridges preclinical, nonhuman
primate models with therapeutic
applications in humans.
An ASPET member since
1992, Dr. Howell is a member of
the ASPET Program Committee
and editorial board of JPET. He
holds memberships in numerous
professional organizations,
including the American College
of Neuropsychopharmacology
(ACNP) and the Society for
Neuroscience (SfN). He is
also a fellow of the American
Psychological Association (APA)
and the College on Problems of
Drug Dependence (CPDD).
At ASPET, he is affiliated with
the Division for Behavioral
Pharmacology, the Division for
Neuropharmacology, and the
Division for Translational and
Clinical Pharmacology.
53
Membership News
New Members
REGULAR MEMBERS
Ravikumar Arvapalli
Marshall Univ, WV
Mohammad Asghar
Univ of Houston, TX
Katharina Brandl
Univ of California-San Diego
Joseph Cotten
Massachusetts General Hospital
AnnMarie DelliPizzi-Citardi
Dominican College, NY
Shobhan Gaddameedhi
Washington State Univ
Bridget L. Morse
Bristol-Myers Squibb, NJ
Kendra K. Nordgren
Univ of Minnesota Medical School
Duluth
Amit V. Pandey
Univ of Bern-Pediatric Endocrinology,
Switzerland
John Papageorgiou
Washington State Univ
Vanishree Rajagopalan
Touro Univ California-College
of Pharmacy
AFFILIATE MEMBERS
Jason Beckwith
The Jackson Laboratory, ME
Myungwon Jin
LG Life Sciences, South Korea
Keng-Chang Tsai
National Research Inst of Chinese
Medicine, Taiwan
POSTDOCTORAL MEMBERS
Afolabi C. Akinmoladun
Federal Univ of Technology, Nigeria
Gilles Gallant
BioMarin, CA
James R. Reed
Louisiana State Univ Health
Sciences Center
Kurt Giles
Inst for Neurodegenerative
Diseases-UCSF, CA
Brent A. Reynolds
McKnight Brain Institute-Univ of
Florida College of Medicine
Howard Gutstein
Univ of Texas MD Anderson
Cancer Center
Lisa K. Brents
Univ of Arkansas for Medical
Sciences
Paul E. Sawchenko
The Salk Institute, CA
Young hee Choi
Dongguk Univ Korea, South Korea
Hana M. Hammad
The Univ of Jordan
Christopher D. Schmoutz
Lousiana State Univ Health Sciences
Center
Vincent DiGiacomo
Boston Univ School of Medicine, MA
Xiaonan Han
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Medical Center, OH
Ivan P. Uray
Univ of Texas MD Anderson Cancer
Center
Vanessa Ho
St George’s Univ of London,
United Kingdom
Kai Wang
Quintiles, Bioanalytical & ADME
Laboratories, IN
Daniel J. Lodge
Univ of Texas HSC-SA
Wing Tak Jack Wong
Houston Methodist Res Inst, TX
Qingkun Liu
Stanford Univ Med Sch, CA
Declan P. McKernan
National Univ of Ireland-Galway
Yingmin Zhu
Univ of Texas Health Science Center
at Houston
Shuangtao Ma
Houston Methodist Res Inst, TX
Henriette E. Meyer zu Schwabedissen
Univ of Basel, Switzerland
Pranaya Mishra
American Univ of the Caribbean
School of Medicine, Nicaragua
Sherifat B. Anafi
Ahmadu Bello Univ, Nigeria
Claudio A. Erratico
Belgium
Eman Gohar
Univ of Alabama at Birmingham
Ghada E. Haggag
Univ of Alberta, Canada
Nandini D. Manne
Marshall Univ, WV
Geeta Rao
Univ of Oklahoma HSC
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
54
Kara R. Vogel
Washington State Univ
Hui Wang
Univ of Texas, Houston
Lauren S. Whyte
Univ of Toronto, Canada
GRADUATE STUDENT
MEMBERS
Chowdhury S. Abdullah
South Dakota State Univ
Adewale Bakre
College of Medicine, Univ of
Ibadan, Nigeria
Abdelaziz Ghanemi
Univ of Chinese Academy of
Sci- Kunming Inst of Zoology, China
Tina Hofmaier
Medical Univ Vienna, Austria
David N. Huynh
Univ de Montreal, Canada
Karim S. Ibrahim
Alexandria Univ, Egypt
Chibueze K. Ikeh
Niger Delta Univ, Nigeria
Arpit Jain
King George’s Medical Univ, India
Elimas Jere
Univ Teaching Hospital, Zambia
Adam R. Blanden
SUNY Upstate Medical Univ, NY
Florence L. Johnson
WHRI, QMUL, United Kingdom
Ariana Campos
Cypress College, CA
Liliane Menard
Univ de Montreal, Canada
Morgan L. Cocke
Univ of Texas HSC at San Antonio
Sarah M. Mosaad
Suez Canal Univ, Egypt
Cedrick M. Daphney
Mercer Univ, GA
Obinna N. Obianom
Univ of Maryland
Pradeep Dwivedi
King George Medical Univ, India
Lesley D. O’Brien
Virginia Commonwealth Univ
Dominique B. Figueroa
Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine, MD
Shekins O. Okere
Ahmadu Bello Univ, Nigeria
Are you not receiving ASPET emails? Be sure to add
us to your address book or safe sender list! Whitelist
our sending email addresses aspet@multibriefs.com
and membermail@aspet.ccsend.com so our emails get
to your inbox. If you have any questions, email us at
membership@aspet.org.
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
Carrie E. Rubel
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Kennedy Saini
Univ of Zambia
Mohammad Saleem
Univ of Houston, TX
Xitao Wang
Univ of Houston, TX
UNDERGRADUATE
MEMBERS
Syed Ameena Afrose
Deccan School of Pharmacy, India
Aila Haraleli
Chicago State Univ, IL
Jose O. Mantilla
Univ de Los Andes, Colombia
Christopher R. Stang
Univ of Findlay, OH
David Tandio
King’s College London, UK
Kyleigh A. Twaroski
Univ of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
In Sympathy
ASPET notes with
sympathy the passing of the
following members:
Morton E. Goldberg
Mmalebuso L. Mokoena
Raymond H. Lindsay
55
Member Benefit Highlight:
ASPET Journals
Are you taking full advantage of your ASPET membership? ASPET’s
journals provide the Society’s members with valuable benefits.
Full Journal Access
Membership includes access to the four journals Drug Metabolism
and Disposition, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental
Therapeutics, Molecular Pharmacology, and Pharmacological Reviews.
Members can access these highly rated journals by logging in as a
member at the ASPET website www.aspet.org/publications.aspx or by
activating a member subscription and creating a separate user name
and password to log on at the journals. Members can also access
the mobile version of each journal through a member subscription.
Whether logging on through the ASPET site or through a membership
subscription at the desktop or mobile sites, members can access the full
content of ASPET’s journals from anywhere they have internet access.
ASPET staff is available at subscriptions@aspet.org to help with any
access questions.
Reduced Publication Fees
Have you ever wanted to publish your article in an ASPET journal?
As a member you get significant discounts to publish your paper. The
$75 manuscript submission fee for DMD, JPET, and MOL is waived
for ASPET members. In addition, page charges are only $50 per page
for members versus $90 for nonmembers. With articles averaging 10
pages, publishing one paper a year in any of the ASPET journals will
save a member $475 – almost three times the cost of membership dues.
Members also get a 10% discount on author publication charges
when publishing in Pharmacology Research & Perspectives, the open
access journal published jointly by ASPET, British Pharmacological
Society, and Wiley.
Take advantage of the journals-related benefits of ASPET
membership!
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
56
ASPET at Pharmacology 2014
The Society expanded its efforts to reach new members last
December by exhibiting at the British Pharmacological Society’s
meeting, Pharmacology 2014, in London. Held December 16-18, the
meeting attracted approximately 900 attendees at the Queen Elizabeth
II Centre, across the street from Westminster Abbey. Researchers came
primarily from the UK but also Europe, the US, and other parts of the
world.
ASPET was a bronze level sponsor of the meeting and had a well
situated booth (or “stand” as it is called in the UK) in the exhibit area
staffed by Judy Siuciak and Rich Dodenhoff, ASPET’s executive officer
and journals director, respectively. Twenty-four people completed
membership applications and many more stopped to discuss the
Society’s programs, journals, travel awards, and member benefits. A
Management Committee meeting for the ASPET/BPS/Wiley jointly
published journal Pharmacology Research & Perspectives was also
held during Pharmacology 2014.
Many attendees were surprised to learn of the geographic diversity
of ASPET’s membership and that the American Society welcomes
members from every country.
Thank You to All Participants of the
MGM Program
This year we recruited 20 new
members through the ASPET MemberGet-a-Member Program. All participants
received an ASPET lunch bag and John
Hepler was the grand prize winner of
the $150.00 Amazon.com gift card. A
big thank you to all members listed
below who participated in this program
to make it a success!
• Lauren Aleksunes
• William Banks
• Hamid Boulares
• Meritxell Canals
• Ross Corriden
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
• Ahmed El-Yazbi
• Annette Fleckenstein
• R. Benjamin Free
• Smita Ghare
• James Hammond
• John Hepler
• Popat Patil
• Esther Penni Black
• Benita Sjogren
• Jeff Stevens
• Douglas Tilley
• Andrew Wiemer
57
VISIT THE ASPET CAREER CENTER TODAY!
WWW.ASPET.ORG/CAREERCENTER/
WHAT YOU NEED: ASPET’S CAREER CENTER HAS IT
Jobseekers:
Employers:
 No registration fee
 Searchable résumé database
 Advanced search options
 Hassle-free posting; online account management tools
 Sign up for automatic email notifications of new jobs that
match your criteria
 Reach ASPET’s Twitter followers (over 650) and
LinkedIn Members (over 1,500)
 Free & confidential résumé posting
 Post to just ASPET or to entire NHCN network
 Access to jobs posted on the National Healthcare Career
Network (NHCN)
 Sign up for automatic email notifications of new
resumes that match your criteria
 Career management resources including career tips,
coaching, résumé writing, online profile development,
and much more
 Job activity tracking
ASPET is committed to your success:
The ASPET Career Center is the best resource for matching job
seekers and employers in the pharmacology and related health
science fields. Our vast range of resources and tools will help
you look for jobs, find great employees, and proactively manage
your career goals.
9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3995
Main Office: 301.634.7060
www.aspet.org
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
58
Division News
2015 Division Elections
The 2015 elections concluded with an enthusiastic response from ASPET members for the following Divisions.
• Division for Behavioral Pharmacology
• Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology
• Division for Drug Metabolism
• Division for Molecular Pharmacology
• Division for Toxicology
Please join us in welcoming all newly elected chairs and secretary-treasurers to their respective Division’s
executive committee. The new officers will begin their terms on July 1, 2015.
Division for Behavioral Pharmacology
Secretary/Treasurer-Elect
Chair-Elect
Bill Fantegrossi, PhD
Associate Professor of
Pharmacology and Toxicology,
University of Arkansas
Carol Paronis, PhD
Assistant Professor of
Biopsychology,
Harvard Medical School
Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology
Secretary/Treasurer-Elect
Chair-Elect
Walter J. Koch, PhD, FAHA
William Wikoff Smith Endowed
Chair in Cardiovascular
Medicine; Professor and
Chairperson, Department of
Pharmacology; Director,
Center for Translational
Medicine, Temple University
School of Medicine
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
Sarah Lindsey, PhD, FAHA
Assistant Professor of
Pharmacology,
Tulane University
59
Division for Drug Metabolism
Secretary/Treasurer-Elect
Chair-Elect
Tim Carlson, PhD
Scientific Director,
Pharmacokinetics and
Metabolism, Amgen
John P. Harrelson, PhD
Associate Professor,
Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Pacific University
Division for Molecular Pharmacology
Secretary/Treasurer-Elect
Chair-Elect
Jin Zhang, PhD
Professor of Pharmacology,
Department of Pharmacology
& Molecular Sciences; Solomon
H. Snyder Department of
Neuroscience and Department
of Oncology, The Johns
Hopkins University School
of Medicine; Department of
Chemical and Biomolecular
Engineering, The Johns
Hopkins University Whiting
School of Engineering
Katerina Akassoglou, PhD
Professor, Department of
Neurology; Senior Investigator,
Gladstone Institute of
Neurological Disease; Director,
Center for In Vivo Imaging
Research, Gladstone Institutes,
University of California,
San Francisco
Division for Toxicology
Secretary/Treasurer-Elect
Chair-Elect
Serrine S. Lau, PhD
Professor of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, College
of Pharmacy, University of
Arizona; Director, Southwest
Environmental Health Sciences
Center; Director, Arizona
Board of Regents Center
for Toxicology, College of
Pharmacy, University of Arizona
The Pharmacologist • December 2014
Alison Harrill, PhD
Assistant Professor
of Environmental and
Occupational Health,
Regulatory Sciences Program,
University of Arkansas for
Medical Sciences
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
60
Division for Neuropharmacology
Announces Winners of the 2015 Early
Career Investigator Awards
The Division for Neuropharmacology is pleased to
announce their 2015 Early Career Investigator Award
winners. Out of several outstanding applicants, the
first place went to Daniel J. Lodge from the University
of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. The
award recognizes and honors a young investigator
who is working in any area of neuropharmacology
and is open to early career stage investigators
from all types of organizations, including academia,
industry, private, or government institutions. The
two runners-up are Guillermo Yudowski from the
University of Puerto Rico and Matthew James
Kennedy from the University of Colorado, Denver.
Daniel Lodge, PhD
University of Texas Health
Science Center, San
Antonio, TX
Daniel J. Lodge obtained
his PhD in pharmacology
from Monash University,
Australia and completed his
postdoctoral training in the lab
of Dr. Anthony Grace at the
University of Pittsburgh. He is currently an assistant
professor in the Department of Pharmacology at
the University of Texas Health Science Center, San
Antonio. His research is focused on understanding
the neurophysiological alterations that lead to
psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia. The
broader aim of this work is to improve current
therapeutic approaches. He has recently published
on a number of novel approaches including deep
brain stimulation (a surgical approach used clinically
to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease) and a cell
based transplantation technique that attempts to
replace the damaged cells thought to contribute to
the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
The award winners will receive a plaque, free
registration to the EB meeting, and up to $1000
to use toward attending the subsequent meeting.
In addition, they become a member of that year’s
program committee with the expectation that they will
put together an early career award symposium on a
theme of their choosing. The inaugural award will be
presented at the ASPET Annual Meeting
at EB 2015.
Have You Joined a Division?
Take full advantage of ASPET Membership by joining a Division!
• Participate in creating scientific programming for the annual meeting
• Network with people in your field at mixers, Division programs, and on each
Division’s LinkedIn group
• Participate in running the Division and planning activities
• Receive special notices about events and activities of interest in your field
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
December 2014 • The Pharmacologist
61
Division for Toxicology Announces
Winners of the 2015 Junior and Career
Investigator Awards
The Division for Toxicology is pleased to
announce its 2015 award winners. The division’s
Junior Investigator Award was presented to Jason
Richardson from Rutgers University to recognize
his original research in the area of toxicology as an
early career researcher. The Career Investigator
Award was presented to Curt Omiecinski from
Penn State University to recognize his original
research contributions to toxicology as an
established researcher.
Jason Richardson, PhD
Rutgers University
Jason Richardson is an
associate professor in the
Department of Environmental
and Occupational Medicine
at Rutgers University Robert
Wood Johnson Medical
School and a member
of the Environmental
and Occupational Health Sciences Institute. He
received his graduate and doctoral degrees
from Mississippi State University and completed
postdoctoral training at Emory University.
Dr. Richardson currently serves as director of the
Joint Graduate Program in Toxicology at Rutgers
University. His research is focused on geneenvironment interactions in neurological disease.
He received the Outstanding New Environmental
Scientist Award from NIEHS and a Young Scientist
Award from ASPET. Through the conduct of basic,
clinical, and epidemiological studies, Dr. Richardson
has contributed several significant findings
that have broad implications for environmental
health. These include the identification of specific
pesticides linked to Parkinson and Alzheimer
diseases, the association of developmental
pesticide exposure in ADHD, and the role of ER
stress in pesticide-induced behavioral dysfunction.
Dr. Richardson serves on the editorial boards
of several major scientific journals; he also
serves as a reviewer for several NIH panels, the
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson Disease
Research, Health Canada, and the United Kingdom
Parkinson Disease Society. Most recently he was
named to the Environmental Health Sciences
Review Committee at NIEHS and the Committee
on Emerging Science for Environmental Health
Decisions at the National Academy of Science.
Curt Omiecinski, PhD
Penn State University
Curt Omiecinski is
professor of Veterinary &
Biomedical Sciences and
the H. Thomas and Dorothy
Willits Hallowell Chair in
the College of Agricultural
Sciences and the Center
for Molecular Toxicology
& Carcinogenesis at Penn State University. He
received his doctoral degree in pharmacology from
the University of Washington in Seattle and then
completed postdoctoral training in biochemistry at
the University of Vermont. He began his academic
career in the Department of Environmental Health
at the School of Public Health and Community
Medicine at the University of Washington before
moving to Penn State.
Dr. Omiecinski’s research is focused in molecular
genetics, genetic polymorphism, and the regulation
of the xenobiotic biotransformation network of
genes, in particular epoxide hydrolases and the
cytochrome P450s. His laboratory was the first to
identify functional genetic polymorphisms in the
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
62
human microsomal epoxide hydrolase gene and
among the first to use transgenic mouse models
in toxicological research. His research has been
continually funded by grants from the NIH.
Dr. Omiecinski has received numerous awards
for his work including the Burroughs Wellcome
Toxicology Scholar Award, the SOT Zeneca
Scholars Award, and the SOT Board of Publications
Best Paper Award. He was also recently elected a
fellow in the Academy of Toxicological Sciences.
He has been actively engaged in a number of
scientific societies including SOT and ASPET and
previously served as Chair of ASPET’s Toxicology
Division. He serves on the editorial board of a
number of top quality scientific journals and on
various NIH review panels. Dr. Omiecinski is also
actively involved in research training and teaching.
The award winners will receive a $500 reward,
a plaque, complimentary registration, and partial
travel expenses to EB 2015. The inaugural awards
will be presented at the ASPET Annual Meeting at
EB 2015.
Division for Pharmacology Education
Announces Winners of the 2015 Travel
Awards for Pharmacology Educators
The primary goal of this travel award is to
promote participation in an ASPET Meeting by
pharmacology educators and to foster career
development in pharmacology education. This
award is intended to help defray the costs of travel
and housing to attend the ASPET Annual Meeting
at EB 2015. Each year, two awards are given: one
to an early career candidate and one to a senior
candidate. ASPET congratulates this year’s winners:
Diane M. Calinski, PhD
Manchester University
College of Pharmacy
Diane Calinski is an
assistant professor of
Pharmaceutical Sciences at
the Manchester University
College of Pharmacy in
Fort Wayne, IN. She is the
presenting author for a
poster entitled “Linking Pharmacology to Clinical
Therapeutics: An Interdisciplinary Laboratory
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
Experience in Optimizing Antiplatelet Therapy
using Pharmacogenetic Data”, which will be
presented at EB 2015.
Rochelle SchwartzBloom, PhD
Duke University
Rochelle SchwartzBloom is a professor of
Pharmacology and Cancer
Biology, and, director of the
Duke Center for Science
Education at Duke University
in Durham, NC. She is the
presenting author for a poster entitled “LEAP:
Launch into Education About Pharmacology - A
Pharmacology-based Enrichment Program for
College Students at Duke”, which will be presented
at EB 2015.
63
Division for Integrative Systems,
Translational and Clinical Pharmacology
Announces Name Change
We are pleased to announce a name change to the Division for Integrative Systems, Translational and
Clinical Pharmacology (ISPTCP) to the Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology (TCP). The
division’s executive committee believes this shortened name will facilitate recruitment of new members and
also provide easier recognition of the goals and mission of the division.
Figure 1: Translational research integrates data derived from
molecular, cellular, tissue and integrative systems approaches
in a way that is more likely to predict the clinical response
to experimental therapeutics.Clinical research leads to
new therapeutics.Biomarkers are predictors of drug-target
engagement or disease progression and provide an important
link between preclinical and clinical research. In clinical postmarketing studies new mechanistic insights can feed back
(arrows) into preclinical research for second generation drugs
or new targets.
The new name, Translational and Clinical
Pharmacology:
• Reduces the complexity of the division name and
will be more instantly identifiable to non-members,
who may then become future members.
• Is inclusive of the diversity of our member’s
research expertise, including integrative systems
biology. While there have been considerable
concerns about the loss/lack of whole animal in
vivo approaches in the last decade, some of those
have abated. That important aspect has largely
been incorporated into the concept of ‘translational
pharmacology’ (Figure 1).
• Represents the fundamental mission of our division
to promote basic research translation to clinical
utility for the improvement of health and discovery
of new medicines to cure diseases. It encompasses
both clinicians and patient-oriented researchers
whose approaches are conceptually Bedside-toBench-to-Bedside research.
Members of the division were asked to provide
feedback on the name change and based on positive
feedback, the name change was presented to the
ASPET Council and approved on January 28th, 2015.
New in 2015: Division for Cancer Pharmacology
The ASPET Council has approved the formation of a new division for Cancer Pharmacology.
More information about the newly formed division will be coming soon. Stay tuned for details!
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
64
Chapter News
Upstate New York
Pharmacology Society
4th Annual Scientific Meeting
The Upstate New York Pharmacology Society
(UNYPS) Chapter of ASPET will hold its 4th Annual
Scientific Meeting on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at the
University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester,
NY. The theme of the scientific meeting is “G-Protein
Coupled Receptor Signaling Systems in Health
and Disease.”
Dr. J. Silvio Gutkind is
the keynote speaker of the
meeting and will speak on
G-protein coupled receptors
and cancer. Dr. Gutkind is
currently chief of the Oral
Pharyngeal Cancer Branch of
the National Institute of Dental
and Craniofacial Research.
His current research focuses
Keynote Speaker
on how cancer cells gain the
ability to co-opt the potent pro-migratory activity of
chemokines and their G-protein coupled receptors
to metastasize to distant sites. These advances have
enabled identification of novel mechanism-based
anti-cancer treatments.
Special invited thematic speakers are Xianhua Piao
MD, PhD of the Harvard Medical Center and Boston
Children’s Hospital and Peter A. Friedman PhD of the
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Information about the 4th Annual UNYPS Meeting
including program, registration, abstract submission,
and map links for the University of Rochester
Medical Center can be found at the chapter’s 2015
annual meeting website: www.aspet.org/2015_
UNYPS_Annual_Meeting.
About ASPET Chapters
ASPET has three regional chapters that provide opportunities, particularly for students, to meet at regional venues
to discuss their research. Poster competitions for students and postdoctoral fellows are a feature of the regional
chapter meetings.
The Great Lakes Chapter (GLC) serves areas surrounding the Chicago metro area to promote scientific
communication among local research scientists and pharmacologists. To learn more, please visit: www.aspet.org/GLC/.
The Mid-Atlantic Pharmacology Society (MAPS) serves the mid-Atlantic region around the greater Philadelphia metro
area. The chapter provides scientists in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware a forum to discuss recent advances in
pharmacology, related medical disciplines, and therapeutics. To learn more, please visit: www.aspet.org/MAPS/.
The Upstate New York Pharmacology Society (UNYPS) serves the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany,
NY. It provides opportunities for scientific exchange to pharmacologists at institutions and research organizations in
upstate New York. To learn more, please visit: www.aspet.org/UNYPS.
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
65
SAVE THE DATE – June 26, 2015
28th Annual Meeting
Great Lakes Chapter of ASPET
Feinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University
Hughes Auditorium, Lurie Building
303 E Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60611
SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM
Epigenetics and Human Disease: From Etiology to New Therapeutics
Keynote address
John W. Christman, MD
Director of the Critical Care Signature Program
Chief of the Section of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
“Epigenetic Regulation of Macrophage Gene Expression in ARDS Associated with Severe Sepsis”
Gary Chiang, PhD
Sr. Group Leader at AbbVie, Greater Chicago Area
“Targeting Histone Methyltransferases in Cancer”
Tao Pan, PhD
Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The University of Chicago
“Dynamic RNA Modifications in the Regulation of Gene Expression”
Ali Shilatifard, PhD
Chairman, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
Robert H. Lurie NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
“Enhancer Malfunction in Cancer”
Jindan Yu, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine-Hematology/Oncology
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
“IncRNA Regulation of Androgen Receptor Signaling and Prostate Cancer”
 Young Investigator Symposium featuring early career scientists
 Lunch and Learn Workshop - Meet with scientists in different fields
 Poster Presentation Deadline for abstract submission June 15, 2015
 Vendor Exhibits
For more information go to www.aspet.org/GLC Meeting
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
66
Meetings & Congresses
March 2015
Gut Microbiota Modulation of Host
Physiology: The Search for Mechanism
www.keystonesymposia.org/
index.cfm?e=web.Meeting.
Program&meetingid=1342
Mar. 1–6, Keystone, CO
Heart Disease & Regeneration: Insights
from Development
www.keystonesymposia.org/
index.cfm?e=web.Meeting.
Program&meetingid=1319
Mar. 1–6, Copper Mountain, CO
Amer. Soc. for Clinical Pharmacology
& Therapeutics
6th World Cong. on Women’s
Mental Health
Mechanisms of Pro-Inflammatory
Diseases
www.congre.co.jp/iawmh2015
Mar. 22–25, Tokyo, Japan
www.keystonesymposia.org/
index.cfm?e=web.Meeting.
Program&meetingid=1334
54th Ann. Mtg. of the Soc. of Toxicology
Apr. 19–24, Olympic Valley, CA
www.toxicology.org/ai/meet/am.asp
Mar. 22–26, San Diego, CA
Exploiting the New Pharmacology &
Application to Drug Discovery
Cartilage Biology & Pathology
www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=13111
www.bps.ac.uk/meetings/
NewPharmaDrugDiscovery
Mar. 22–27, Galveston, TX
Apr. 20–21, Edinburgh, UK
Experimental Biology 2015
The Human Proteome
experimentalbiology.org/2015/Home.aspx
www.keystonesymposia.org/
index.cfm?e=web.Meeting.
Program&meetingid=1259
Mar. 28–Apr. 1, Boston, MA
Apr. 24–29, Stockholm, Sweden
www.ascpt.org/ASCPT-2015-Annual-Meeting
Mar. 3–7, New Orleans, LA
April 2015
Hybrid Methods in Structural Biology
17th Intl. Neuroscience Winter Conf.
www.keystonesymposia.org/
index.cfm?e=web.Meeting.
Program&meetingid=1285
www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.
aspx?EventID=1579592
Apr. 7–11, 2014, Sölden, Austria
Mar. 4–8, Tahoe City, CA
Mechanisms of HIV Persistence:
Implications for a Cure
www.keystonesymposia.org/
index.cfm?e=web.Meeting.
Program&meetingid=1345
Apr. 26–May 1, Boston, MA
14th Ann. New England Science Symp.
ENDO 2015
www.New EnglandScienceSymposium.org
www.endocrine.org/endo-2015
Apr. 11, Boston, MA
Mar. 5–8, San Diego, CA
May 2015
BNA2015: Festival of Neuroscience
ARVO Ann. Mtg.
Soc. for Brain Mapping & Therapeutics
www.bna.org.uk/events/?page=2
www.arvo.org/Annual_Meeting/
www.worldbrainmapping.org/
Apr. 12–15, Edinburgh, UK
May 3–7, Denver, CO
24rd Ann. Cong. for Endosurgery
in Children
Ann. APHMG Workshop & Special Interest
Groups Mtg.
www.ipeg.org/meeting/
www.aphmg.org/#!2015-workshop/c1n4f
April 14–18, Nashville, TN
May 6–8, Clearwater, FL
Amer. Assn. of Cancer Res. Ann. Mtg.
AAI Ann. Mtg.
www.aacr.org/Meetings/Pages/
MeetingDetail.aspx?EventItemID=25#.
VNT5IGc5CUk
aai.org/meetings/index.html
April 18–22, Philadelphia, PA
Hypoxia: From Basic Mechanisms to
Therapeutics
Mar. 16–20, Tahoe City, CA
Crossroads of Lipid Metabolism
& Diabetes
9th World Immune Regulation Mtg.
www.keystonesymposia.org/
index.cfm?e=web.Meeting.
Program&meetingid=1317
www.keystonesymposia.org/
index.cfm?e=web.Meeting.
Program&meetingid=1323
Mar. 6–8, Los Angeles, CA
European Col. of Neuropsychopharmacol.
www.ecnp.eu/meetings/workshops/
workshop2015.aspx
Mar 12–15, Nice, France
Pathways of Neurodevelopmental
Disorders
www.keystonesymposia.org/
index.cfm?e=web.Meeting.
Program&meetingid=1359
www.wirm.ch/
Mar. 18–21, Davos, Switzerland
Apr. 19–24, Copenhagen, Denmark
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
May 8–12, New Orleans, LA
May 12–17, Dublin, Ireland
67
22nd Int’l Stress & Behavior
Neuroscience & Biopsychiatry Conf.
Amer. Diabetes Assn. 75th Scientific
Sessions
Summer School on Stress
www.stress-and-behavior.com
professional.diabetes.org/Congress_Display.
aspx?TYP=9&CID=95010
June 29–July 2, Grenoble, France
May 16–19, St. Petersburg, Russia
www.stresseducation.org/
June 5–9, Boston, MA
Digestive Disease Week 2015
www.ddw.org/
MicroRNAs & Noncoding RNAs in Cancer
May 16–19, Washington, DC
www.keystonesymposia.org/
index.cfm?e=web.Meeting.
Program&meetingid=1316
Anticonvulsant Drug Development (ADD)
Program Symp.
June 7–12, Keystone, CO
www.addsymposium.com
May 17–20, Park City, UT
2015 AAPS Nat. Biotechnol. Conf.
www.aaps.org/nationalbiotech/
ASCEPT-BPS Joint Scientific Mtg.
ascept-bps2015.com/?_
cldee=a3NAYnBzLmFjLnVr&urlid=1
May 19–21, Hong Kong, China
Intl. Behavioural & Neurogenetics Soc.
Ann. Mtgs.
June 8–10, San Francisco, CA
Apoptotic Cell Recognition & Clearance:
Responses to Apoptotic Cells Leading to
Inflammatory Resolution & Pathogenesis
www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=14625
June 13–14, Biddeford, ME
www.ibangs.com/
May 19–23, Uppsala, Sweden
DIA 2015
Canadian Pain Soc. Ann. Mtg.
www.diahome.org/en-US/Flagship-Meetings/
DIA-Annual-Meeting/About-the-Conference.
aspx
www.canadianpainsociety.ca/en/meetings_
cps.html
May 20–23, 2013, Charlottetown, Prince
Edward Island, Canada
Assn. for Psychological Science Ann. Mtg.
www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/
convention#.VFFSwmctCUk
June 14–18, Washington, DC
Apoptotic Cell Recognition & Clearance:
Physiological Significance & Pathological
Consequences
www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=13127
June 14–19, Biddeford, ME
May 21–24, New York City, NY
2015 Int’l Narcotics Res. Conf.
Cannabinoid Function in the CNS:
Endocannabinoid Signaling in
Neurobiology: From Molecules to
Networks
www.inrcworld.org/2015/2015mtg.htm
www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=14641
May 23–24, Lucca, Italy
www.keystonesymposia.org/
index.cfm?e=web.Meeting.
Program&meetingid=1322
5th World Cong. On ADHD
June 19–24, Breckenridge, CO
June 15–19, Phoenix, AZ
Autophagy
www.adhd-congress.org
May 28–31, Glasgow, Scotland
Amer. Soc. for Microbiology 115th
General Mtg.
gm.asm.org/
Animal-Microbe Symbioses: Identifying
the Common Language of Host-Microbe
Associations
www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=16842
June 21–26, Waterville Valley, NH
May 30–June 2, New Orleans, LA
5th Int’l Regional Stress & Behavior
Neuroscience & Biopsychiatry Conf.
June 2015
24th Ann. Mtg. of the Int’l Behavioral
Neuroscience Soc.
www.ibnsconnect.org/?page=2015_Meeting
June 2–7, Victoria, British Columbia,
Canada
www.stressandbehavior.com
June 22–24, Miami, FL
July 2015
Soc. for Develop. Biology 74rd Ann. Mtg.
www.sdbonline.org/2015mtg
July 9–13, Snowbird, UT
Tuberculosis Drug Discovery &
Development: New Strategies to Fight an
Old Enemy
www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=15775
July 11–12, Girona, Spain
The TGF-ß Superfamily: Signaling in
Development and Disease
www.faseb.org/SRC-TGFB/Home.aspx
July 12–17, Snowmass, CO
Drug Metabolism: Solving Knowledge
Gaps in Drug Metabolism &
Pharmacokinetic Prediction, Improving
Translational Medicine
www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=11186
July 12–17, Holderness, NH
Melatonin Biology: Actions &
Therapeutics
www.faseb.org/SRC-Mela/Home.aspx
July 19–24, Lisbon, Portugal
Protein Kinases & Protein
Phosphorylation
www.faseb.org/SRC-PKPP/Home.aspx
July 19–24, Itasca, IL
Protein Lipidation, Signaling &
Membrane Domains
www.faseb.org/SRC-ProLip/Home.aspx
July 19–24, Saxtons River, VT
15th Int’l Fragile X Conf.
www.fragilex.org/community/internationalfragile-x-conference
July 20–24, San Antonio, TX
29th Symp. of the Protein Soc.
www.barcelocongresos.com.es/protein2015/
welcome.html
July 22–25, Barcelona, Spain
Int’l Soc. for Stem Cell Res.
www.isscr.org/home/annual-meeting/
isscr2015
June 24–27, Stockholm, Sweden
March 2015 • The Pharmacologist
68
Int’l Acad. of Cardiology Ann. Sci.
Sessions 2015/20th World Cong. of
Heart Disease
Catecholamines: Frontiers in
Catecholamine Function from Synapses
to Disease
www.cardiologyonline.com/wchd2015/index.
html
www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=14061
September 2015
Amer. Physiological Soc. 14th Ann. Conf.
on Endothelin
Aug. 8–9, Newry, ME
www.the-aps.org/et-14
6th Int’l Neuroscience & Biological
Psychiatry ISBS Conf
Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms of
Toxicity: Advanced In Vitro Models in
Mechanistic Toxicology
2015 DIA/FDA Oligonucleotide-based
Therapeutic Conf.
www.stressandbehavior.com
www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=15534
July 26–27, Kobe, Japan
Aug. 8–9, Andover, NH
Sept. 9–11, Washington DC
42st Ann. Mtg. & Expo. of the Controlled
Release Soc.
Molecular & Systems Integration of
Genomic & Nongenomic Steroid
Hormone Action
67th Clin. Endocrinology Update
July 25–27, Vancouver, BC
www.controlledreleasesociety.org/meetings/
annual/overview/Pages/default.aspx
www.faseb.org/SRC-Steroid/Home.aspx
Sept. 2–5, Savannah, GA
bit.ly/16NZaOM
www.endocrine.org/ceu
Sept. 10–12, Miami, FL
July 26–29, Edinburgh, Scotland
Aug. 9–14, Big Sky, MT
Eurotox: 51st Cong. of the Europ. Socs.
of Toxicol.
Japan Neurosci. Soc. 37th Ann. Mtg.
NAD+ Metabolism & Signaling
www.eurotox2015.com
www.neuroscience2015.jnss.org/e/outline.
html
www.faseb.org/SRC-NAD/Home.aspx
Aug. 9–14, Timmendorfer Strand, Germany
July 28–31, Kobe, Japan
Hormone-Dependent Cancers:
Mechanisms to Tailored Therapeutics
www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=13373
August 2015
Epigenetics: Mechanisms of Mitotic &
Meiotic Epigenetic Inheritance
www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=17018
Aug. 1–2, Waltham, MA
Gastrointestinal Tract XVI: GI
Homeostasis: The Microbiome & the
Barrier, Development, & Disease
www.faseb.org/SRC-Gastro/Home.aspx
Aug. 2–7, Steamboat Springs, CO
Amer. Psychological Assn. Ann. Conv.
www.apa.org/convention
Aug. 6–9, Toronto, ON
The Pharmacologist • March 2015
Aug. 16–21, Newry, ME
Histone Deacetylases & Sirtuins in
Biology, Disease, & Aging
www.faseb.org/SRC-HDAC/Home.aspx
Sept. 13–16, Porto, Portugal
21st Scientific Symp of the Austrian
Pharmacological Soc.
www.bps.ac.uk/meetings/14844de2424
Sept. 16–18, Graz, Austria
The Mobile Genome: Genetic &
Physiological Impacts of Transposable
Elements
bit.ly/1DIHbDq
Aug. 16–21, Timmendorfer Strand, Germany
Sept. 16–19, Heidelberg, Germany
Lysophospholipids & Related Mediators –
From Bench to Clinic
Int’l Soc. for Eye Res. XXII Biennial Mtg.
www.faseb.org/SRC-LysoLipid/Home.aspx
Aug. 23–28, Banff, Canada
www.iserbiennialmeeting.org
Sept. 26–30, Tokyo, Japan
Amer. College of Clin. Pharmacology
Ann. Mtg.
accp1.org/2015_meetings_welcome.shtml
Sept. 27–29, San Francisco, CA