The Physiologists in Industry Committee (PIC) met at the EB11 meeting in Washington, DC. The Committee is chaired by Kelly Pitts and is composed of representatives from each of the APS sections, who are nominated to serve by their sections. The current committee membership is John T. Liles (Cardiovascular), David Breckenridge (Cell & Molecular Physiology), Michael Finley (Central Nervous System), Kenneth Olson (Comparative Physiology), Joe Broznick (Endocrinology and Metabolism), Karen Mittelman (Environmental and Exercise Physiology), Shaila Basavappa (Gastrointestinal & Liver), Alison Strack (Neural Control and Autonomic Regulation), Bill Noonan (Renal), Rebecca Persinger (Respiration), Nancy Pelaez (Teaching of Physiology), and Eugene Shek (Water and Electrolyte Homeostasis).
At EB2011, Committee sponsored the “Stem Cells in Physiology and Drug Discovery” symposium. Recent breakthroughs have allowed the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) from somatic cells which maintain all the potential of embryonic stem cells without using embryos, eliminating ethical concerns. These findings have generated excitement and interest in the biomedical research community as well as the pharmaceutical industry. The first stem cell trial in the US has recently been approved by the FDA for severe spinal cord injury. Beyond therapeutics, the promise of using differentiated human stem cells in drug discovery as disease relevant and toxicology models is maturing. Stem cells and cell lines derived from iPS cells of patients can accelerate the development of existing targets for different diseases and provide opportunity to explore innovative treatments in regenerative medicine. This symposium reviewed the current use of pluripotent stem cells as enabling technology in drug discovery as well as provided examples of therapeutic approaches.
In addition, the APS Translational Physiology Group and PIC co-sponsored a symposium entitled “The Cardiac Sarcomere as a Therapeutic Target”. The cardiac sarcomere is the core structure responsible wafor active mechanical heart function and dynamics. A better understanding of the interactions at the crossbridge level has led to the discovery of novel pathways and to the development of new clinical targets. In this symposium, key opinion leaders in the field reviewed the sarcomere components associated with regulating basic cardiac function, discussed the effect of calcium signaling on sarcomere proteins, addressed the clinical consequences of certain genetic mutations of the sarcomere, and reviewed the successes and challenges that sarcomeric modulators are experiencing in the clinic. Attendees gained an appreciation for the translational nature of studying and targeting the cardiac sarcomere.
The PIC Novel Disease Model Award is now sponsored by Plato BioPharma, Inc., a world leader in in vivo model development and execution. The PIC Novel Disease Model Award is granted to a graduate student and a postdoctoral fellow who submit the best abstracts to the EB meeting that describes a novel disease model. The model can be in vitro or in vivo but should clearly emphasize the potential utility of the system for future research related to a disease. The award is $500 for the graduate student and $800 for the postdoctoral fellow. This year, the awards were presented by Craig F. Plato, Ph.D., President and CEO of Plato BioPharma, Inc. The 2011 Postdoctoral awardee was Nicole L. Nichols, Univ. of Wisconsin and the Predoctoral awardee was Emily Young, Univ. of Mississippi Medical Center.
The Committee hosted the 11th Annual Physiologists in Industry Committee Mixer at EB 2011. At the mixer, a slide deck presentation on Drug Discovery and Science in Industry was projected in the room allowing for discussion and mentoring of new scientists. Trainees expressed significant gratitude and a newfound awareness of “what goes on in industry.”
At EB2012, PIC will sponsor the symposia entitled “MicroRNAs in Human Disease and as Novel Therapeutics” that will be chaired by Rebecca Persinger, and John Liles. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short (-19-25 nucleotides), single-stranded RNAs that have been shown to regulate gene expression through irregular base pairing to the 3'-untranslated region of target mRNAs. Although miRNAs do not code for proteins, they play an important role in post translational gene expression regulating families of genes involved in developmental, cell death, metabolism, and disease. First described by Victor Ambros in c.
elegans, miRNAs have been found in nearly every biological system examined with more than 800 described in humans. A number of companies have developed strategies targeting miRNAs as a novel class of therapeutics to treat cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular and renal systems. The proposed symposia speakers include: Eric Nelson, Univ. of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, will provide an overview of miRNAs and their role in human disease; Eva van Rooij, Miragen Therapeutics, will discuss miRNAs as a novel treatment for cardiovascular disease; Eric G. Marcusson, Regulus Therapeutics, will review miRNA as a therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma; and Zheng Dong, Medical College of Georgia, will review the role of miRNAs in renal disease. Attendees will gain a broad appreciation for the role of miRNA in pathophysiology of disease along with an appreciation for how miRNAs may be novel therapeutic targets.