Workshop

• Workshop: Calcium Signaling
  Blanca P. Ayala, PhD,
  Oregon Health & Sciences University
  (November 17, 2005)
  
  The calcium (Ca2+) second messenger regulates a wide array of fundamental eukaryotic processes such as growth, differentiation, motility, synaptic transmission, fertilization, apoptosis and necrosis. Many intracellular signaling events are triggered by transient changes in the cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration. The levels of Ca2+, the number and duration of the Ca2+ transients and the point of origin of the Ca2+ flux all serve to influence the responses elicited from the cell. Ca2+ signals originate from external and internal sources, and selective membrane channels regulate their release into the cytosol. Ca2+-triggered events are critical for both normal cellular activity and for pathophysiological changes in cell function. Therefore, the manipulation of the processes that govern the passage of Ca2+ through the cytoplasm could have a substantial impact on the cellular activity. There are many available pharmacological tools to perform experiments that would allow this assumption to be tested. However, making an accurate prediction about the impact of modifying Ca2+ buffering requires an understanding of the various mechanisms involved in the regulation of intracellular Ca2+, and also an appreciation of the benefits and limitation of the pharmacological tools that are available. In this workshop, we will review the cellular Ca2+ transport pathways and some examples of the key sites for pharmacological manipulation. Examples of cell signaling pathways influenced by Ca2+ transients will be also addressed.
  
  
• Workshop: Functional expression of parasitic plasma membrane transporters in Xenopus laevis oocytes
  Marco A. Sanchez, PhD,
  Oregon Health & Science University
  (November 15, 2005)
  
  Functional characterization of membrane transport proteins is simplified by the availability of multiple heterologous expression systems, of which the Xenopus laevis oocyte is the most extensively employed. The Xenopus expression system has been used successfully to characterize parasitic permeases, such as transporters for glucose, myo-inositol and nucleosides. In this workshop we will discuss the biochemical basis and methodological approaches to perform the functional expression of parasitic purine transporters in Xenopus oocytes.
  
  
• Workshop: Emerging viruses: Examples from the Flavivirus family
  Rebeca Rico-Hesse, PhD, MPH,
  Scientist,
  Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research
  (April 11, 2005).
  
  
• Workshop: Identification of T-cell target epitopes and vaccine candidates
  Rick L. Tarleton, PhD,
  Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Disease
  University of Georgia
  (March 15, 2005).
  
  
• Workshop: Current Concepts and Techniques for Protein Biomarker Discovery and Identification
  Mr. James E Evans
  Director of the Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Facility
  University of Massachussets Medical School
  
  Dr. James A. Mobley
  Research Instructor
  Vanderbilt University
  
  Dr. Irene Bosch
  Assistant Professor
  Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research
  University of Massachussets Medical School
  (September 27, 2004)
  The topics covered where: (1) SELDI vs. MALDI - When to apply each and why, (2) the pros, cons, and current techniques in profiling mass spectrometry, (3) assessing and applying instrumental, experimental, and population error prior to data analysis, (4) biomarker analysis, (5)the importance of maintaining a Top Down approach in protein ID, (6) mass Spectrometry Instrumentation for Proteomics, (7) protein Identification by MALDI Mass Mapping, (8) protein Identification by nano-LC-MS/MS, and (9) techniques for identification and quantification of proteins in mixtures by nano-LC-MS/MS.
  
  
• Workshop: Whole genome scans for vaccine candidates in Trypanosoma cruzi
  Rick L. Tarleton, Ph.D.
  Distinguished Research Professor
  Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases
  University of Georgia
  (March 9, 2004)
  With the completion or expected completion of genome sequencing projects for a growing number of human pathogens, one of the key sets of raw materials for the discovery of vaccines for these organisms is or will soon be widely available. This workshop will discuss how we have approached collecting and using genome, proteome, expression profiling and bioinformatic tools to identify vaccine candidates for the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi.
  
  
• Workshop: Comparative Genomics of the Malaria Parasite and Drug Resistance
  Jane Carlton, Ph.D.
  The Institute for Genomic Research
  (February 12, 2004)
  A landmark in the global fight against malaria was reached recently with the simultaneous publication of the genome sequences of two malaria parasites and of their mosquito vector. Plasmodium falciparum, the most fatal species of malaria parasite that infects humans, and Plasmodium yoelii yoelii, a species of rodent malaria used as a model to study the disease, are the first malaria parasite genomes to be published and represent a wealth of data for comparative genomic analysis of this genus. Five other Plasmodium genomes are in various stages of completion and are likely to be published within the year. Comparative genomics of related species has the potential to uncover greater knowledge than analysis of a single genome alone can provide. For example, the construction of genome-wide 'synteny maps' between Plasmodium species are particularly valuable for a number of studies: (1) as a means to chart the evolution of the genus, since syntenic break-points represent ancient evolutionary events that most likely occurred prior to speciation of the organisms being compared; (2) as a method of identifying true orthologs between species, for the comparison of molecular mechanisms underlying shared phenotypes for example drig resistance; (3) for refinement of gene predictions through simultaneous annotation of multiple Plasmodium genomes; (4) for comparative analysis of gene expression, for example through identification of conserved non-coding regions of the Plasmodium genome ('phylogenetic footprinting'), and the evaluation of coordinated gene expression; and (5) as a means for the classification of genes under different evolutionary pressures. This workshop will review ongoing comparative analysis of Plasmodium genomes, with the help of an interactive CR-ROM, and with particular emphasis on parasite genes involved in antimalarial drug resistance in the rodent models of malaria.
  
  
• Workshop: How to Use your Metamorph System for the Acquisition of Images, the Automation of Experiments, the Analysis of Data, and Art for Presentation and Publication Jim Sims
  Universal Imaging
  (November 17, 2003)
  
  
• Workshop: Overview of the Gel Doc EQ System and its Capabilities
  Scott Moore
  Bio Rad Laboratories, Life Science Group
  (October 2003)
  
  
• Workshop: The Proteomeworks System: Tools and Technologies
  Christina Pavlick, Ph.D.
  Bio Rad Laboratories
  (June 2003)
  
  
• Workshop: Sequencing of Microbial Genomes
  Malcom Gardner, Ph.D.
  The Institute of Genomic Research (TIGR)
  (April 2003)
  
  
• Workshop: A 21st Century View of Complex Genes Workshop
  Mariano García Blanco, M.D., PhD.
  Duke University Medical Center, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
  (August 28, 2002)
  Discusión sobre la estructura de los genes usando modelos de virología por lo del HIV-1.
  
  
• Workshop: Have a Blast! A Practical Course on the Basic Local Alignment Searching Tool
  Peter Cooper, Ph.D., Wayne Matten, Ph.D.
  National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and NIH
  (May 26, 2002)
  Included topics such as sequence alignments, basic web BLAST, advanced options, Megablast, PSI and RPS-BLAST, genomic BLAST pages and Standalone BLAST and BLAST client.
  
  
• NCBI Workshop: A Field Guide to GenBank and NCBI Molecular Biology Resources
  Peter Cooper, PhD., Wayne Matten, PhD.
  National Center for Biotechnology Information, NLM, NIH
  (May 14-15, 2002)