FASEB SRC on Protein Phosphatases

Federation Of Amer Soc For Exper Biology, Bethesda MD

Investigators

Abstract

Virtually all biological processes are regulated through the reversible phosphorylation of proteins, a modification controlled by the opposing activities of protein kinases and phosphatases. Although protein phosphatases are essential components of these regulatory networks, they remain among the least well understood. This application requests support for the 2018 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Summer Research Conference on Protein Phosphatases, the sole meeting in North America on this topic. This conference is a recurring series of bi-annual meetings, held continuously since 1990. It provides an intense but collegial environment for researchers to discuss and explore cutting-edge areas of current research on protein phosphatases and their roles in cellular regulation. The 2018 conference aims to 1) present the most current work on the structure, regulation and function of the protein phosphatases with particular attention to their diverse physiological and pathophysiological roles; 2) highlight major achievements, new approaches, and opportunities in the field and generate conduits to integrate this with other fields of research; and 3) to renew and refresh the community of phosphatase researchers by engaging new and junior scientists. To achieve this, the 2018 conference will focus on recent advances in our understanding of the form and function of protein phosphatases in normal and disease physiology, with scientific sessions structured around two themes. Theme 1 is centered on the forms and properties of some of the more than 1000 forms of these complex enzymes ?their structure, regulation, and core signaling functions. Theme 2 examines protein phosphatases in diverse physiological systems--metabolism, the nervous and immune systems-, providing integrated platforms for discussion of normal and pathological roles within specific cellular contexts. A major focus on phosphatases in cancer forms a cross- cutting theme that features in all sessions. A session on therapeutic targeting of phosphatases unites these themes, as emerging evidence linking specific protein phosphatases to human disease is revealing the major therapeutic potential of these enzymes, while in-depth knowledge of phosphatase structure and function is required to develop drugs with appropriate specificity. Speakers include experts from academia and industry, and talks on late-breaking advances and short talks selected from submitted abstracts will be given by new investigators, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and those from outside the field with a goal of increasing representation by women and minority scientists. The Snowmass Base Village Conference Center in Colorado provides a secluded venue that fosters informal interaction, discussion, and collaboration between the expected 120-135 participants. Altogether, the impact of the 2018 FASEB Conference on Protein Phosphatases will be to augment the understanding of fundamental protein phosphatase biology that will contribute to the development of new therapies to improve human health.