Conference--Systems Biology Methods &Environment Resear

West Virginia University, Morgantown WV

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant) Systems biology has become a major field -coming on the heels of the rise in prominence and acceptance of genomics and proteomics. Toxicoproteomics and toxicogenomics are become increasing important techniques in the arsenal of toxicologists -allowing us to assay the effects of environmental xenobiotics ultimately on the entire genome or proteome instead of isolated genes and their products. The role of systems biology in this paradigm is to develop and deploy the "tools" needed to analyze the vast amounts of data that is generated using these techniques. These tools include new bioinformatic techniques for analyzing these data to determine which genes and/or their products that have been altered by the environmental agents but also modeling software that allow us to conduct experiments in silica. In silica modeling will likely be instrumental in the understanding of the toxicology of mixtures. The purpose of this conference is to provide a mechanism for the effective exchange of ideas and methods between scientists that are conducting toxicoproteomics, toxicogenomics, bioinformatics and biological modeling environmental research. The overall plan for the agenda is to highlight relevant environmental exposure models that are appropriate for new toxicogenomic/toxicoproteomic data collection, presentations and discussion of cutting-edge research using toxicogenomics and toxicoproteomics and then follow this with presentations on state-of-art bioinformatic programs and techniques. Finally, the latest biological modeling tools will be introduced and discussed. The general plan also calls for the allocation of a 50 minute time block for a plenary presentation for each session, reserving approximately 10 minutes of that time for questions and discussion. The plenary presentation will be followed by three 30 minute presentations, each with a 10 minute question time. The session will be concluded with a panel discussion led by the primary speaker/chair. The advantage of smaller meetings, such as this, is that they are more conducive to discussion and exchange of ideas in contrast to larger national meeting formats, e. g., Society of Toxicology (SOT). The final session is reserved for presentations by representatives of commercial companies to highlight state-of-art equipment that will allow toxicologists to perform environmental research. We plan to contact editors of relevant journals to find a venue to publish the proceedings of this conference, thus, the benefactors of this conference will extend far beyond the participants of the conference to environmental researchers worldwide.