ΘΕΜΑ: IMBB - ICS Open Lecture - Conor CAFFREY, July 3rd
2014 @ 09:00
ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΕΑΣ: Maria Stiakaki - IMBB Secretariat
[mailto:mariast@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
IMBB - ICS OPEN LECTURE
Paramet
Summer School - Computational Sciences in Drug Discovery
Conor
CAFFREY
Associate Professor
Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases
Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco
Title: "Helminthic
diseases: strategies and technologies for drug discovery".
Thursday, July 3rd 2014 @
09:00 (please note that the lecture starts exactly at 09:00)
Seminar Room 1, FORTH's bldg
Information: Inga
Siden-Kiamos (inga@xxxxxxxxxxxxx),
Ioannis Tsamardinos (tsamard@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
Abstract:
Focusing on parasitic helminths, I will briefly review some of the projects our
center is engaged in regarding drug target discovery and validation, and small
molecule development. I’ll describe a number of the tools at our disposal
ranging from the fundamental (yet, non-trivial) RNA interference to more
technology-driven platforms such as high throughput and high-content screening.
I’ll emphasize how strategic engagement by the pharmaceutical industry,
including access to either privileged or public small molecule libraries, can
accelerate small molecule development for this and other helmintic diseases. An
example of employing C. elegans as a functional screening tool for schistosome
drug discovery is presented and this approach bodes well for future drug
discovery efforts. Throughout, I’ll discuss the cross-disciplinary and
interactive nature of our work and how this has been a key driving force for
our research.
Short Bio:
Dr. Conor Caffrey is an Associate Adjunct Professor at
the Department of Pathology at the School of Medicine, UCSF and a Senior
Scientist at the Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases
(CDIPD), UCSF. He received his Ph.D. in Mol. & Biochemical Parasitology
from the University College Dublin, Ireland.
A 20-year research track record reflects his strong interests in the basic
(molecular, cell and chemical) and applied (diagnostics and drug development)
biology of the tropical parasitic diseases, in particular, schistosomiasis,
hookworm disease, African trypanosomiasis, and lately, cryptosporidiosis.
Three broad themes underpin his research; (1) the identification and validation
of protein targets (e.g., proteases and kinases) for potential drug
development, (2) the pre-clinical and translational development of drugs,
including the development and application of associated technologies (e.g.,
high-content and high-throughput screening platforms, RNA interference, C.
elegans as a surrogate for screening anti-parasitics, protein _expression_,
animal models of infection), and (3) development of point-of care (POC)
diagnostics.
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