ASBMB 2014 Annual Meeting [PDF]

Your Guide to the

ASBMB 2014 Annual Meeting April 26-30 • San Diego, CA

Sponsored by

2000-2465

Reasons to Submit an Abstract to the ASBMB 2014 Annual Meeting 1. Oral presentations: You can be considered for one of 50 volunteered talks in the ASBMB platform sessions.

2. Presenting a poster develops your presentation skills and confidence and also helps build your CV.

3. Collaborations: Presenting your research can help expand your professional network and spark beneficial relationships with other labs.

4. 14,000 attendees are expected at EB2014. Get great exposure presenting to this expansive target audience.

5. Thematic Best Poster Awards: Showcase exceptional research by junior scientists. Winning posters receive cash prizes of up to $500.

6. Travel Awards: Eligibility for more than $300,000 in ASBMB travel-award funding requires you to submit your abstract, as the first author, to an ASBMB topic category (#2000-2427), by the Nov. 8 deadline. Award descriptions and criteria are available online.

7. Undergraduate Poster Competition: You can compete for a cash prize, as long as you’re the first author on an original abstract submitted to an ASBMB topic category (#2000-2427).

For more information, please visit www.asbmb.org/meeting2014.

ASBMB Annual Meeting

www.asbmb.org/meeting2014

Dear Fellow Scientists and Educators, We would like to warmly welcome you to attend the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from April 26 to April 30 in San Diego. The annual meeting provides an outstanding opportunity for researchers and educators at all stages of their careers to hear from leaders in their respective fields, to explore diverse biological questions and to participate in stimulating discussions about a variety of career paths. The 2014 annual meeting will feature 12 broad themes, each composed of symposia that cover various aspects of a research area or issue. In addition to the latest exciting discoveries in established fields, the 2014 meeting will feature themes in emerging fields, including mitochondrial dynamics, in which recent discoveries dramatically have changed perceptions of the biological role of this organelle. The ASBMB meeting also will offer a special session on online education and the rise of massive open online courses, or MOOCs. Short platform presentations will be chosen from the poster abstracts, and there will be poster competitions with cash awards for each scientific theme. Competitive travel awards are available for undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and we encourage eligible participants to take advantage of those generous awards. We have attended several ASBMB annual meetings and found them to be uniquely rewarding in terms of learning about new areas of biology, forging new collaborations and sharing our latest research with a broad audience. If you are able to attend only one meeting in 2014, we strongly encourage you to make the ASBMB annual meeting, held in conjunction with Experimental Biology 2014, your must-attend meeting. In the following pages, you will find synopses of the annual meeting themes, giving you a preview of the exciting science you will hear about next year. Please submit your abstract today and plan on presenting your most exciting work at this meeting!

Sincerely, Enrique M. De La Cruz and Geeta Narlikar Co-chairs, ASBMB 2014 Annual Meeting

Abstract-Submission Deadline: Nov. 8, 2013 Use ASBMB abstract category numbers 2000-2465 Travel-Award Deadline: Nov. 19, 2013, 5 p.m. EST

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Table of Contents

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DNA Replication, Recombination and Repair

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The three R’s of genome stability

4 5

Protein Synthesis, Folding, Localization and Quality Control

High-performance proteins are not born; they are made

6

Post-Translational Protein Regulation and Modification

Lost in (post)translation: protein modification throughout lifetimes and across kingdoms

7 Glycobiology

Frontiers in glycobiology

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-omics, Systems Biology and Their Translational Applications

Integrating the bioscience data tsunami: probing the -omic frontiers

9 10 12

Providing the missing link between genomics and proteomics and the tools to reveal novel chemistry and cellular function

RNA Processing and Transcription

How organisms extract meaning from their genomes

Membrane Biology

Into and through the membrane

Social Media

We welcome social media gurus and new-bies!

Emerging Roles of Mitochondria in Cell Signaling, Physiology and Disease

Enzyme Mechanisms and Chemical Biology

14 15

Signal Transduction

New frontiers in cell signaling

The Science of Addiction

The emerging idea that addiction is a disease

16 21st-Century Approaches to

Teaching and Communicating BMB

Mapping your future and learning new ways to get there

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Public Policy

18

ASBMB Award and Plenary Lecturers

Discussing the sustainable research enterprise

Prepare to be inspired

19 20

Undergraduate Programming

Start Trek: The next generation of scientists

Registration and Special Events Make the most out of your meeting experience

★ San Diego Attractions

What’s not to love about San Deigo?

The rise of the mitochondria: the new shape of power!

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DNA Replication, Recombination and Repair Theme organizers:

M. Todd Washington, University of Iowa, and Virginia A. Zakian, Princeton University

#DNA

ASBMB Abstract Topics #: 2000-2032

The three R’s of genome stability The three R’s — DNA replication, repair and recombination — are an overlapping set of pathways responsible for maintaining genome stability. The four sessions in this theme will highlight a diverse set of topics exploring recent advances in our understanding of the three R’s. Telomeres protect linear chromosomes from recombination and are substrates for noncanonical replication mechanisms. In contrast, double-strand breaks are DNA lesions that likely pose the greatest threat to genome integrity. How do cells distinguish between good ends, such as telomeres, and bad ends, such as strand breaks? Speakers in our first session will discuss different mechanisms for dealing with both normal and damage-induced ends.

R’s are controlled by a broad range of post-translational modifications that also include ubiquitylation, SUMOylation and ADP-ribosylation. Speakers in our final session will discuss the importance of post-translational modifications in the DNA damage response, recombination, and base-excision repair. n

Thematic Sessions n Replication and Protection of DNA Ends n Coping with Barriers to DNA Replication n Architecture and Dynamics of Replication, Repair, and Recombination Complexes n Post-translational Modification in Replication, Repair, and Recombination

A variety of factors can impede fork progression during DNA replication. These include stable protein complexes, RNA-DNA hybrids, DNA secondary structures, converging replication forks and DNA lesions. Speakers in our second session will highlight recent advances in understanding how cells handle these naturally occurring replication roadblocks. Many aspects of the three R’s are carried out by large, macromolecular complexes. Elucidating the architecture and dynamics of these multiprotein structures presents a formidable challenge to biochemists and molecular biologists. Speakers in our third session will present new work in understanding the organization of replication-initiation complexes, the eukaryotic replisome and multiprotein complexes involved in repair and recombination. In contrast with many cellular processes that are regulated largely by phosphorylation, the three


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RNA Processing and Transcription

Theme organizers:

Karen M. Arndt, University of Pittsburgh, and Karla M. Neugebauer, Yale University

#RNA


How organisms extract meaning from their genomes The old textbook versions of how RNA transcripts are made, processed, transported, and utilized fail to describe the exquisite coordination of the many steps in gene expression. We now know that the life cycle of RNA involves a choreographed series of events from the earliest steps in synthesis to the final stages in maturation. Many of these events are carried out in unison, and the cell ensures coordination of transcription, RNA processing and chromatin modification through regulatory checkpoints, intricate feedback loops, and multifunctional protein complexes. In acknowledgment of the interconnections among these processes, we designed each of the four sessions in this annual meeting session to address important topics in both transcription and RNA processing. Our discussions will begin with a focus on regulatory mechanisms that couple transcription and RNA processing within cells. The proteins that alter

the restrictive yet dynamic chromatin environment play a key role in this regulation. In recent years, whole-genome studies of chromosome architecture and RNA synthesis have yielded mechanistic insights not readily apparent at the single-gene level while also revealing an abundance of new regulatory phenomena. Genomewide and single-cell analyses of gene expression will be our focus in the second session. In the third session, we will turn our attention to recent, exciting advances in the structural and biochemical analysis of factors that carry out RNA synthesis and processing. In our final session, we will transition from the molecular to the cellular level and discuss the interplay between gene expression and subcellular organization, including dynamic structures such as chromosomes and nuclear and cytoplasmic bodies. The regulation of gene expression at all steps is vital to the development and health of all organisms. Deregulation of this process is linked to altered stem-cell differentiation and a multitude of human diseases, notably cancers. We are looking forward to your participation in our discussions through submission of exciting abstracts, oral and poster presentations, and lively interactions. n

Thematic Sessions n Regulation of Transcription, Chromatin, and RNA Processing n Probing Mechanisms in Gene Expression with Global Methods n Structural and Mechanistic Insights into Transcription and RNA Processing n The Cell Biology of Transcription, Chromatin and RNA

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Protein Synthesis, Folding, Localization and Quality Control Theme organizers:

Ruben L. Gonzalez Jr., Columbia University, and Shu-ou Shan, California Institute of Technology

#protein


High-performance proteins are not born; they are made Accurate manufacturing, assembly and quality control of every component in a formula 1 race car is perhaps the most important factor for ensuring the highest level of performance from this incredible machine. Likewise, the integrity and quality of proteins are critical for ensuring the proper functioning of the most sophisticated machine known to humankind, our bodies. This series of sessions will present the frontiers of our understanding of these critical events during a protein’s production. More than a passive platform for protein synthesis, the ribosome actively monitors and regulates translation. The “Mechanism and Regulation of Protein Synthesis” session will examine the intricate inner workings of the ribosomal machinery, from the mechanisms used to accurately identify where to begin translation to the mechanisms used to rescue ribosomes that have become arrested during translation.

accurately deliver nascent proteins to their correct subcellular destinations. Mistakes during protein production are nonetheless unavoidable and necessitate quality-control mechanisms. The “Protein Quality Control” session will discuss how misfolded, mislocalized, or damaged proteins are sensed and identified by the cell, marked by ubiquitylation and processed for regulated protein degradation. n

Thematic Sessions n Mechanism and Regulation of Protein Synthesis n Protein Folding and Processing n Protein Localization: Targeting and Translocation n Protein Quality Control

The correct folding of a nascent protein within the crowded cellular environment poses a tremendous challenge. The “Protein Folding and Processing” session will discuss how cells address this issue. The topics range from decisions of the nascent protein to fold or not to fold on the translating ribosome to novel molecular chaperones that enable the folding of proteins in extreme environments. Compartmentalization is a crucial strategy for cells to establish order and organization; it also demands that proteins be correctly localized to distinct subcellular compartments upon protein synthesis. The “Protein Localization: Targeting and Translocation” session will describe sophisticated protein-targeting machines that efficiently and


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Post-Translational Protein Regulation and Modification Theme organizers:

Randy Hampton, University of California, San Diego, and Andreas Martin, University of California, Berkeley

#protein


Lost in (post)translation: protein modification throughout lifetimes and across kingdoms One thing we teach biology students early and often is that biology doesn’t read textbooks, meaning that restricting biological thinking to previous categories or description is done at one’s own peril. The world of post-translational modification is one where our prior categorical expectations go unmet by the widely unabashed creativity of biology. This theme at the ASBMB annual meeting will have four parts.

Ubiquitin: living up to its name This modifier has redefined proteome dynamics. The variety of assembled linkages, the flexibility of ligases and the breadth of its functions put poor little phosphate to shame and continue to defy prediction as the field booms along.

Prokaryotes: pros at protein modification We thought that ubiquitination was restricted to eukaryotes, where it is clearly important. Now we are learning that similar modifications operate in

more streamlined domains, including distinct modifications produced by parallel evolution and distant archaeal cousins of the eukaryotic flavor. Furthermore, pathogens have learned to usurp and employ or inhibit the eukaryotic processes as part of their own strategies to best their hosts.

Autophagy: wholesale management of invaders and infrastructure The explosive growth of the autophagy field tells us that nary a process is free from this evolutionarily conserved self-consumptive fad diet. Autophagy has moved from its original arena of frugal self-recycling to a broadly used way to maintain organelle quality, a mechanism to destroy invaders and an underlying process in numerous diseases.

Proteasomes: yesterday’s food processor, tomorrow’s nanomachine Early models of proteasomes likened them to food processors, allowing safe grinding of foods with minimal damage to the operator. This picture has undergone spectacular revision as we learn about the proteasomes’ remarkably dynamic action as an ATP-dependent protein destruction center and its broad-minded collaboration with enzymes of both ubiquitination and deubiquitination. n

Thematic Sessions n Protein Modification in Prokaryotes and Pathogens n Autophagy n Ubiquitination n Proteasomes

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Glycobiology

Theme organizers:

Lara Mahal, New York University, and Natasha Zachara, Johns Hopkins University

#glycobiology


Frontiers in glycobiology Carbohydrates, glycans and sugars: These terms encompass a class of biomolecules that are diverse in both form and function, ranging from polysaccharide capsules on bacteria to glycolipids sheathing neurons, glycoproteins that regulate signal transduction and the glycosaminoglycan matrices underpinning developmental cues. While it long has been accepted that glycans are essential for life and affect all living organisms, interest in the field of glycosciences has lagged behind interest in other biomolecules, such as DNA and proteins. One rationale for this lack of interest is that carbohydrates are intrinsically difficult to study. This is due to several factors, including their complex biosynthesis, which is not directly encoded by the genome; their branched polymeric structures; the heterogeneity of glycan isoforms observed and the presence of structural isomers that complicate structural deconvolution.

ease in regulating the glycome; the roles that a variety of glycoconjugates play in inflammation, injury, immunity and development; and finally how misregulation of glycans can contribute to the etiology of diseases such as autism and Alzheimer’s disease. n

Thematic Sessions n Glycan Control Mechanisms: From Genome to Glycome n Glycans in the Brain and Nervous System n Glycans in Injury and Inflammation n Glycans in Vaccine Development and the Immune System

New tools and technologies, including novel animal models and techniques, that have arisen from foundations laid by years of research are starting to resolve the difficulties in studying the glycome. This is resulting in an unparalleled increase in our understanding of the nature of glycans and their roles in physiological processes. Because of the incredible diversity of forms and functions for glycans, it is impossible to cover in one meeting every aspect of the glycosciences. At the ASBMB annual meeting, our speakers will introduce work that pushes the frontiers of our understanding in four themes that collectively cover the role of epigenetics, microRNA and dis-


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-OMICS, Systems Biology and Their Translational Applications Theme organizers:

Ralph Bradshaw, University of California, San Francisco, and Michael Snyder, Stanford University

#omics


Integrating the bioscience data tsunami: probing the -omic frontiers After half a century of reductionist approaches to unraveling the mysteries of cell and molecular biology, unbiased global analyses of complex samples of transcripts, proteins and metabolites using sequencing-based and mass-spectrometric-based technologies are producing vast amounts of data that have revealed great new insights into cellular organization and function. The so-called -omic sciences (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics) represent the cutting edge of bioscience research and its translational applications to understanding human disease and medicine. This theme at the ASBMB annual meeting will explore aspects of all these fields in four sessions.

Systems biology This area is a direct manifestation of the -omic approach and is the synthesis of its outputs. It

seeks to use global analyses to bring a higher level of understanding about how cells regulate their activities. The first session in this theme will provide extensive insight into the state of the art and what can be expected from these approaches in the next several years in understanding basic biological phenomena.

Translating basic biology to the clinic The other three sessions of this theme are intended to address the status of converting -omic data into clinically useful information. There have been notable successes in this regard already. The first of these sessions will address genomic/transcriptomic studies, while the second will introduce metabolomics, which is a more recent source of diagnostic (and eventually therapeutic) leads. The final session, which includes proteomics and the development of useful biomarkers using avantgarde technologies like single/multiple reaction monitoring, or SRM/MRM, will emphasize personalized medicine as the ultimate goal of acquiring and using -omic data as the principal basis for future clinical management of disease. This is the best manifestation of the long-sought bench-tobedside objective and makes -OMICS the exciting field it is today. n

Thematic Sessions n Systems Biology n Genomics/Transcriptomics in Disease n Metabolomics n Omics and the Development of Personalized Medicine

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Membrane Biology

Theme organizers:

Karen G. Fleming, Johns Hopkins University, and Vinzenz Unger, Northwestern University

#membranes


Into and through the membrane Do you believe that the odds of winning the lottery are low? If so, how come cells reproducibly can accomplish feats that have odds at least a million times less favorable than those of hitting a Powerball jackpot? The answer is easy: Cells have membranes, without which life would be impossible. Even though bilayer formation and functional properties appear simple, more than a century of research draws a different picture, revealing that membranes and their interfaces with aqueous compartments present unmet challenges at every level of inquiry.

lighting how membranes are critical to help cells overcome seemingly impossible odds. Finally, a session on the movement of membrane proteins within the lipid environment addresses how proteins access distinctly different conformations required for drug and ion transit across the greasy regions of the bilayer. n

Thematic Sessions n Membrane Interfaces: A New Frontier n Membrane Protein Folding n Heavy Metals Rock n Movin’ in the Membrane: Membrane Protein Dynamics

The four sessions in this annual meeting theme will take a closer look at recent advances in the understanding of structural and functional complexity of cellular membranes and how they are exploited to enable life. Dynamics and thermodynamics are two themes interwoven across all the talks. Each session will try to provide an integrated picture to showcase new areas of biological investigations that have arisen from recent advances in biophysical studies of membranes and their resident proteins. Starting with a session on membrane interfaces, the spotlight will be on the mind-boggling spatial and temporal complexity of membrane-associated scaffolds and scaffold-dependent membrane dynamics. In the second session, talks will focus on how the beast of the unfolded state is tamed by chaperones to enable incorporation of the nascent polypeptide chain into the bilayer in its folded and functional form. The third session will fuse two understudied areas in contemporary biology, membranes and heavy metals, high-


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Social Media This year’s annual meeting offers more ways than ever to stay connected and informed. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and The Interactome and make the most out of your meeting experience.

Bloggers Wanted! Are you interested in being an official meeting blogger for ASBMB at the Experimental Biology 2014 conference? Email ASBMB Today Editor Angela Hopp ([email protected]) to learn about the application requirements and the on-site responsibilities. Official meeting bloggers receive free registration and full access to the pressroom in San Diego.

www.twitter.com/asbmb We’re dispatching a team of ASBMB staff “tweeters” at the meeting, and they will be tweeting about sessions, events and changes to the program. Follow us at www.twitter.com/asbmb or with the hashtag #asbmb2014. You also can get general Experimental Biology meeting information at www.twitter.com/expbio or with hashtag #EB2014. And, don’t forget to use these hashtags to tweet about the meeting yourself or to upload photos from the meeting. If you tag @ASBMB in your tweet, we’ll do our best to retweet you to our followers.

Looking for specific thematic sessions? Search these hashtags! n DNA Replication, Recombination and Repair: #DNA

http://theinteractome.wordpress.com The Interactome was created to compliment ASBMB’s annual meeting in 2013. This blog is most active during the months of March and April, directly leading up to and during the annual meeting. The Interactome is a great venue to update attendees about meeting information. Bloggers include EB2014 official meeting bloggers, columnists for ASBMB Today and ASBMB staff contributors.

www.linkedin.com We will create an event to include discussion threads and notifications that you can follow by becoming a member of the ASBMB group on LinkedIn. Joining the community is also a good way to meet people interested in biochemistry and molecular biology and to view job postings in your field.

n RNA Processing and Transcription: #RNA n Protein Synthesis, Folding, Localization and Quality Control: #protein n Post-Translational Protein Regulation and Modification: #protein n Glycobiology: #glycobiology n -OMICS, Systems Biology and Their Translational Applications: #omics n Membrane Biology: #membranes n Emerging Roles of Mitochondria in Cell Signaling, Physiology and Disease: #mitochondria n Enzyme Mechanisms and Chemical Biology: #enzymes n Signal Transduction: #signaling n The Science of Addiction: #addiction n 21st-Century Approaches to Teaching and Communicating BMB: #education n Public Policy: #SBRE n Public Outreach and Science Communication: #scicomm n Undergraduate Programming: #starttrek

www.facebook.com/asbmb If you haven’t become a fan of ASBMB on Facebook, you’re going to miss out during the meeting. We’ll be posting photos and videos daily on the ASBMB Facebook fan page. You also can write comments about the meeting on ASBMB’s wall or use the wall to ask other ASBMB meeting attendees about places to eat and fun things to do in San Diego. Before the meeting, you can use the Facebook page to set up carpools or even find hotel shares.

App for 2014 Annual Meeting Use the EB2014 app to get session information, create your itinerary and navigate the convention center. Available to download April 2014.

Emerging Roles of Mitochondria in Cell Signaling, Physiology and Disease Theme organizers:

Craig E. Cameron, Pennsylvania State University, and Heidi McBride, McGill University

#mitochondria


The rise of the mitochondria: the new shape of power! The mitochondrion is best known for its awesome biochemistry, especially as it relates to this organelle’s roles as the powerhouse of the cell and the hub of metabolism. However, there is so much more to the mitochondrion than its biochemistry! The regulation and coordination of mitochondrial tasks is complicated by the fact that each cell has 100 to 10,000 mitochondria. Mitochondrial research is experiencing a renaissance, with paradigm-shifting discoveries touching on all aspects of this fascinating organelle. This series of seminars at the ASBMB annual meeting will focus on an exploration of these new facets of mitochondrial function, including the integration of the mitochondria within cellular signaling and disease paradigms.

In the first session, discussions on mitochondrial gene expression will shed new light on mitochondrial DNA inheritance and a number of surprising new links between mitochondrial translation, antibiotics and deafness. In the second session, we will examine the functional implications of mitochondrial dynamics, from mitochondrial vesicle transport to the reasons why mitochondria fuse and divide. The third session will highlight the mechanisms by which mitochondrial function is integrated within diverse cellular signaling pathways. The final session will offer a clinical perspective on the contribution of mitochondrial dysfunction to diseases. The scheduled speakers all have made fundamental new discoveries that have reshaped the field – from the discovery of how mitochondrial DNA is inherited to the critical roles of the mitochondria in immunity, neurodegeneration and stem-cell fate. There is much more to mitochondria than that present in our biochemistry textbooks, and we are thrilled to present a new face of mitochondria to the research community. Biochemistry will be key to deciphering mechanisms of mitochondrial molecular and cellular biology. We are optimistic that this theme will leave the audience with a new perspective on mitochondria, hopefully inspiring some to enter this field and contribute to its reinvigoration. n

Thematic Sessions n mtDNA Genetics, Replication and Expression n Mitochondrial Dynamics n Mitochondrial Function in Cell Fate n Michondrial (Dys)Function and Disease

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Enzyme Mechanisms and Chemical Biology Theme organizers:

Karen S. Anderson, Yale University, and Kevin D. Walker, Michigan State University

#enzymes


Providing the missing link between genomics and proteomics and the tools to reveal novel chemistry and cellular function This theme at the annual meeting will showcase four sessions that span multiple disciplines and will highlight innovative investigations of enzyme chemistry and signaling. Information on molecular dynamics, mechanistic and structural analyses, and directed evolution has enhanced dramatically the potential for discovering novel protein and enzymatic properties. Nature provides proteins and enzymes that do remarkable chemistry. Sometimes altered function of a natural catalyst is desired to access unknown transformations or to improve catalytic properties. Directed protein evolution is an engineering strategy that models natural selection to modify proteins with desirable functions. In one session, speakers will highlight approaches to manipulate proteins and talk about the outcomes of such strategies. This session also will feature discussion of how enzymes have evolved to confer resistance against antibiotics.

In the “Probing Enzyme Structure & Catalysis” and “Molecular Tools for Protein Signaling” sessions, talks will cover new methodologies and strategies for exploring macromolecule interactions and the dynamics of these processes at the molecular and cellular levels. This program will feature notable speakers from across the world and should attract mechanistic enzymologists, structural biochemists, protein evolutionists, and those interested in molecular dynamics and protein signaling. n

Thematic Sessions n Biocatalysis and Enzyme Mechanism n Probing Enzyme Structure and Catalysis n Chemical Biology and Enzyme Evolution n Molecular Tools for Protein Signaling

A practical application of enzyme characterization is to assess substrate and product specificity. It is also important to understand the basic chemistry defining these specificities during catalysis. Thus, speakers in another session will focus on describing the cryptic chemistry of enzyme mechanisms involving C-H activation, oxygen insertion and amino-acid isomerization. When their mechanisms and kinetic parameters are known, some enzymes can be used to biocatalyze interesting molecules.


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Signal Transduction

Theme organizers:

Kim Orth, the University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, and Sivaraj Sivaramakrishnan, University of Michigan

#signaling


New frontiers in cell signaling The human body is a complex system made up of trillions of cells that function in unison, provided that they can perceive and respond to cues from their surrounding environment. This process of cellular communication or signaling employs vast interconnected networks of proteins, with varying patterns of transient interactions employed to translate distinct extracellular stimuli to distinct outputs. While much is known about the structure and function of the individual components of signaling networks, our understanding of the decision-making employed by the cell and the spatiotemporal deployment of signaling networks is still in its infancy.

Dynamics of signaling complexes With this exciting frontier in mind, scientists at the ASBMB annual meeting will examine the link between the structural plasticity and the cellular function of G-protein−coupled receptors, kinases and ion channels. Bridging the gap between crystal structure and cellular function is essential for nuanced targeting of these proteins in a wide range of disease states.

Conversation across the nuclear envelope We will delve deeper into the cell by examining signaling across the nuclear envelope that affects the cell cycle, chromatin modifications and cytoskeleton changes. Insights about how disrupting these processes can result in severe disorders will be provided.

Mechanosensations This session will highlight the emerging importance of mechanical forces in triggering well-known signaling cascades without the need for canonical neurohormonal or small-molecule stimuli. We will dissect the structural function of mechanotransducers and examine how the cell cytoskeleton establishes long-range communication across diffusion barriers.

Pathogen’s targeted missiles We also will explore cell signaling through the eyes of the pathogen. Understanding the molecular mechanisms used by a parasitic or bacterial pathogen to hijack signaling pathways provides novel insight into the signal-transduction mechanisms used by the host cell. n

Thematic Sessions n Manipulation of Cell Signaling by Pathogens n Signaling Across the Nuclear Envelope n Structural Dynamics in Cell Signaling n Mechanotransduction: Cytosol to Nucleus

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The Science of Addiction

Theme organizers:

Squire J. Booker, Penn State Univ., and Habibeh Khoshbouei, Univ. of Florida

#addiction


Sponsored by the ASBMB Minority Affairs Committee

The emerging idea that addiction is a disease This symposium at the ASBMB annual meeting will address the emerging idea that addiction is a disease of learning and memory. The general consensus is that the rewarding properties of addictive drugs depend on their ability to target dopamine transporter and ultimately increase dopamine in synapses made by midbrain ventral tegmental area, or VTA, neurons on the nucleus accumbens. The VTA dopamine projections to other forebrain areas such as the prefrontal cortex and amygdala also play a critical role in shaping drug-taking behaviors. Extensive work at the behavioral, physiological, computational and molecular levels has attempted to elucidate the mechanisms by which dopamine’s action in the brain might elevate the incentives for drug taking to the point at which control over drug taking is lost. However, despite the extensive work done so far, the cumulative data still does not adequately explain: 1. how repeated episodes of dopamine release consolidate drug-taking behavior into compulsive use,

evidence that addiction partly represents a pathological usurpation of processes undergirding longterm memory. In particular, the specificity of drug cues and their relationship to specific behavioral sequences suggest that at least some of the mechanisms underlying addiction must be associative and synapse specific. In addition, the symposium will present new data on the role of dopamine transporter in the neurobiology of addiction. These mechanisms have been hypothesized to play critical roles in many forms of experience-dependent plasticity, including various forms of learning and memory. Thus, the question of how memories persist is highly relevant to addiction and not yet satisfactorily answered. n

Thematic Sessions n Molecular Basis of Addiction: Neurocognitive Deficits and Memory n Molecular Basis of Addiction: Transporters n Molecular Basis of Addiction: Synaptic Modification n Careers in Science Policy

2. how the risk of relapse from a drug-free state can persist for years, 3. how drug-related cues come to control behavior, and 4. what the molecular mechanism of drug addiction are. This has necessitated the need to think outside of the box and consider other factors that may answer the above questions. This is the subject of the symposium, which will present new data providing


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21st-Century Approaches to Teaching and Communicating BMB Theme organizers:

Marilee Benore, University of Michigan, and Frederick Hughson, Princeton University

#education


Sponsored by the ASBMB Education and Professional Development Committee

Mapping your future and learning new ways to get there Does a change in career direction sound appealing to you? If so, the ASBMB Education and Professional Development Committee has put together a theme for the 2014 meeting that you won’t want to miss! In one session, “Career Choices: Roads Less Traveled,” speakers will discuss the opportunities for scientists to have impactful careers in areas like writing for a mainstream audience, science and the law, as well as general tips on approaching career exploration and preparation.

Not ready to change your career path but interested in new ways of learning? In another session, “Online Education and the Rise of the MOOC,” the focus will be on rapidly developing trends in online teaching and massive open online courses. Are MOOCs disruptive technologies with the potential to upend education as we know it? Or much ado about nothing? Where is online education headed? Is it effective for some topics and disastrous for others? Questions of effectiveness also will be raised in the session “Measuring Success in Undergraduate Education” aimed at students and educators. Speakers will discuss innovative new laboratory courses, creative introductory courses for freshmen and more. How do we kindle an interest in scientific discovery? How do we keep this interest from withering in the face of competitive pressures? How do we structure science education so that students of all backgrounds flourish? Finally, a session focusing on mentoring and networking will tackle tough questions about communication and success in the world of science and the way we live now. All these sessions are designed to generate buzz and excitement, with time for questions and social interactions. n

Thematic Sessions n Measuring Success in Undergraduate Education n Mentoring and Networking: Preparing for the Future n Online Education and the Rise of the MOOC n Career Choices: Roads Less Traveled

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Public Policy

Sponsored by the ASBMB Public Affairs Advisory Committee

Discussing the sustainable biomedical research enterprise In his August column in ASBMB Today, President Jeremy Berg described the Public Affairs Advisory Committee’s work on creating a sustainable biomedical research enterprise. The first stage of this project was to draft a white paper on ASBMB’s vision for this enterprise. The second stage will take place at the Experimental Biology 2014 meeting in San Diego. We will bring together panelists from different sectors of the research community to discuss with one other and the audience the ASBMB white paper and other crucial attributes of a sustainable biomedical research enterprise. The panel will include the following people: Lana Skirboll, vice president of academic and scientific affairs at Sanofi. Skirboll spent more than two decades at the National Institutes of Health, where she worked on a variety of science policy issues. Her most recent post at the NIH was as director of

#SBRE

the Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives. Skirboll joined Sanofi in 2010. Michael Marletta, president and chief executive officer of The Scripps Research Institute. Marletta has had a distinguished career in academia, including election to the National Academy of Sciences. Marletta also has served on the boards of several biotechnology firms and is the co-founder of Omniox Inc. Paula Stepha, a professor of economics at Georgia State University and author of “How Economics Shapes Science.” Stepha’s substantial work on behalf of young scientists led to her being named Science Careers’ 2012 Person of the Year. Lita Nelsen, the director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Technology Licensing Office. Nelsen has worked for several biotechnology companies and has advised a number of companies and federal agencies, including the NIH and the NAS, on technology issues. n


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ASBMB Award and Plenary Lectures

Herbert Tabor Research Award The origin recognition complex and the initiation of DNA replication Bruce W. Stillman, Cold Spring Harbor Lab.

DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences Solving large and difficult structures with less experimental data Michael Levitt, Stanford Univ.

Alice and C.C. Wang Award in Molecular Parasitology

Earl and Thressa Stadtman Scholar Award

RNA editing and other delights in trypanosomal parasites Ken Stuart, Seattle Biomedical Inst.

Reconstructing regulatory circuits: lessons from immune cells Aviv Regev, HHMI/Broad Inst.

ASBMB Award for Exemplary Contributions to Education

Herbert A. Sober Lectureship

Stimulating attitudes of inquiry Harold B. White, III, Univ. of Delaware

ASBMB Merck Award Activity-based proteomics Benjamin F. Cravatt, The Scripps Research Inst.

Genome engineering with targetable nucleases Dana Carroll, Univ. of Utah School of Medicine

Mildred Cohn Award Biological Chemistry Towards enhanced understanding of protein folding in the cell Lila M. Gierasch, Univ. of Massachusetts— Amherst

ASBMB Plenary Lecture Globally watching translation one codon at a time through ribosome profiling Jonathan Weissman, HHMI/Univ. of California, San Francisco

ASBMB Young Investigator Award

Ruth Kirschstein Diversity in Science Award The Meyerhoff Scholars Program: A successful approach for building a diverse STEM workforce Freeman Hrabowski and Michael F. Summers, Univ. of Maryland, Baltimore County

Imaging RNA and RNA biology using RNA mimics of green fluorescent protein Samie R. Jaffrey, Weill Cornell Medical Col. of Cornell Univ.

Avanti Award in Lipids Molecular basis of infantile batten disease: impact of disordered palmitoylated protein degradation on the nervous system Sandra L. Hofmann, UT Southwestern Medical

Walter A. Shaw Young Investigator Award in Lipid Research The unexpected sphingolipid and cholesterol distribution in the plasma membrane Mary L. Kraft, Univ. of Illinois

Center at Dallas

Bert and Natalie Vallee Award in Biomedical Science (New) Exploring the complexity of multidrug resistance in cancer Michael M. Gottesman, National Cancer Inst.

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William C. Rose Award Alu strious effects on human mRNA metabolism via 3’UTR sequences and lncRNAs Lynne E. Maquat, Univ. of Rochester Medical Center School of Medicine and Dentistry


Undergraduate Programming

Start Trek: The next generation of scientists The ASBMB Annual Meeting can be a fun, exciting and educational experience for undergraduate students. There will be hundreds of scientific talks, free networking events and plenary lectures delivered by well-established scientists in various fields. Attendees may even run into the author of their favorite biochemistry textbook or a Nobel Laureate! The ASBMB has put together the following series of activities to help students get more out of the meeting.

#starttrek

Trekking for Tribbles What are Tribbles? That’s one of the questions you’ll have to answer in order to complete the inaugural ASBMB undergraduate scavenger hunt. More information will be made available during the orientation session on Saturday, April 26. The first 25 winners can claim their prize at the ASBMB Booth #1401. n

Beam Me Up, Scotty! A Galactic Overview of the Annual Meeting The ASBMB Undergraduate Affiliate Network Committee will host an orientation for all undergraduates attending the meeting. The event will highlight the most stimulating scientific talks, networking events and must-attend workshops during the meeting.

The Vulcan Mind Probe — The 18th Annual Undergraduate Student Research Poster Competition This is an annual event at which undergraduates are invited to present their research to fellow students and scientist judges for a chance to win commendations and cash prizes. All undergraduate abstract first authors who submit their abstracts by the Nov. 8 deadline will be invited to participate.

Boldly Go Where No Scientist Has Gone Before What are the career opportunities available to biomedical scientists? Do you need a Ph.D. to embark on your dream career? With graduation on the horizon, this is your chance to ask scientists who are pursuing both traditional and nontraditional scientific career paths. Meet a biochemist patent lawyer, a science policy analyst, a science writer and others who will give you tips on how to jump start your career at this careers speed-dating event.


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Special Events and Registration Details

Special Events

ASBMB Welcome & Networking Reception Sponsored by the ASBMB Minority Affairs Committee

Professional Development Program for Trainees

Saturday April 26 Energize your career objectives with insider perspectives on career options, panel discussions that respond to your burning questions, and networking opportunities that will benefit you in the future. (Advance event registration required).

Fostering Partnerships Among Colleges, Universities and K-12 Schools Saturday April 26 This workshop is designed for junior-high and high-school teachers and college/university faculty members and researchers who are interested in forming collaborative partnerships to bring creative, cutting-edge, and hands-on science into K–12 classrooms. (Advance event registration required)

Sunday April 27 The ASBMB Minority Affairs Committee welcomes primary investigators, industry professionals, educators, young scientists and students to enjoy this networking and mentoring reception.

Y.E.S. Mixer (Young Experimental Scientists)

Monday April 28 The Y.E.S. Mixer brings together trainees and students from all Experimental Biology disciplines for a fun, club-like, dance party.

Women Scienstists Networking Event

Tuesday April 29 Each year, the ASBMB sponsors a session at which women scientists reflect on some aspect of their careers or issues related to women’s participation in science.

Visit www.asbmb.org/meeting2014 for more.

Opening Reception & Science Outreach Posters Saturday April 26

(Immediately following the Opening Lecture)

Kick-start your meeting experience by enjoying refreshments while connecting with friends and fellow attendees at the ASBMB Opening Reception. Science outreach activity posters will be on display during the reception.

Building a Sustainable Research Enterprise Sponsored by the ASBMB Public Affairs Advisory Committee

Sunday April 27 Moderator: Jeremy M. Berg, Univ of Pittsburgh Michael Marletta, Scripps Res Inst Lita Nelson, MIT Lana Skirboll, Sanofi Paula Stephan, Georgia State Univ

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ASBMB Members Enjoy Registration Discounts!* Early Registration Deadline............. Feb. 21* Society Members.........................................$375 Emeritus Society Members......................$135 Graduate Student Members..................... $85 Postdoctoral Trainees............................... $360 Undergraduate Students..........................Free High School Teachers/Students........... Free * Rates reflect early, member registration discount.


San Diego Attractions

While attending the ASBMB Annual Meeting, be sure to make the most out of your time in San Diego! www.sandiego.org

SIGHTSEEING

Balboa Park San Diego Zoo Seaport Village Cabrillo National Monxument SeaWorld

MUSEUMS

San Diego Museum of Man San Diego Museum of Art San Diego Natural History Museum Museum of Photographic Arts

NEIGHBORHOODS & NIGHTLIFE

Gaslamp Quarter: Scene and be Seen Old Town San Diego: Where History Meets Entertainment East Village: Vibrant Urban Life Little Italy: A Delicious Place for Food and Culture Hillcrest: An Eclectic Hotspot North Park: Hipster Happening


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Inflammatory caspases, such as caspase-1 and -11, mediate innate immune detection of pathogens. Caspase-11 induces pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death, and specifically defends against bacterial pathogens that invade the cytosol. During endotoxemia, however, excessive caspase-11 activation causes shock. We report that contamination of the cytoplasm by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the signal that triggers caspase-11 activation in mice. Specifically, caspase-11 responds to penta- and hexa-acylated lipid A, whereas tetra-acylated lipid A is not detected, providing a mechanism of evasion for cytosol-invasive Francisella. Priming the caspase-11 pathway in vivo resulted in extreme sensitivity to subsequent LPS challenge in both wild-type and Tlr4-deficient mice, whereas Casp11deficient mice were relatively resistant. Together, our data reveal a new pathway for detecting cytoplasmic LPS.

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