This workshop is an inaugural event of the Confometrx Research Foundation.

Goals

The goal of the workshop is to establish an open channel of communication between academia and industry, and to encourage mutual sharing of ongoing research results, both successes and failures, so as to facilitate progress in the development of more effective therapeutics for G protein coupled receptor targets. Specifically we want to explore ways to make structure based drug discovery practical for G protein coupled receptors.

Most academic scientists with interests in GPCR structure, pharmacology and signaling have little experience in the practical aspects of structure based drug discovery as is currently applied to soluble protein targets such as kinases and proteases. Similarly, scientists in the pharmaceutical industry with expertise in structure-based drug discovery (NMR spectroscopists, crystallographers, computational chemists) are often unaware of the possibilities and limitations of structural approaches to GPCRs. The goal of the workshop will be to facilitate communication between these two groups of scientists with the hope of fostering collaborations that will lead to more focused efforts to enable innovative approaches to structure-based drug discovery for GPCRs.

Workshop Format

The format for this workshop will differ from more conventional conferences where scientists typically present a combination of previously published work and recently completed unpublished work. We would like to establish a format where there will be a free flow of ideas centered around the problems of structure-based drug discovery, and a discussion of what different investigators have tried, what has worked, and what has failed. The conference will follow the principles of the Gordon Research Conferences, where the participants will hold data and ideas discussed at the workshop in confidence.

Anticipated Outcome

To create a better understanding of problems faced and more focused approaches to resolve drug discovery problems. Establish long-term interactions between academics and industry.

How to Apply

• For your security, you first need to create an account on our site before submitting your application to our workshop. Register here.
• Once you have confirmed your site registration (created an account) please log in to access the workshop application
• You will be notified via email of your acceptance into the workshop and then given access to sign up for the course.
• If you have any questions please contact us via email: gpcrworkshop@gmail.com

Workshop Sponsorship

All contributions will be used to defray the cost of organizing and administering the event and to enable the attendance of participants from academic labs. Any amount of contribution will be much appreciated.
For a contribution of US $5000.00 a company may send one attendee registration-free.
For a contribution of US $10,000.00 a company may send 2 attendees registration-free.

Conference Fees

Registration fee for participants from industry is US $1000.00 per person.
Registration fee for participants from academia is US $500.00 per person.
This fee allows you to participate in all sessions for the duration of the workshop; it will also include some meals but not travel or lodging.

Attendees will be selected by the organizers from the pool of applicants. In selecting the attendees, an effort will be made to include a diverse spectrum of expertise, and a balance between academic and industrial representation. We invite anyone interested in attending the workshop to apply for a spot.

Workshop Contacts

Please feel free to contact us, Brian Kobilka or Tong Sun Kobilka with any questions: gpcrworkshop@gmail.com