5th Annual Monoclonal Antibodies Conference: March 24–25, 2009, London,UK

The conference, which was organized by Visiongain and held at the BSG Conference Center in London, provided an excellent opportunity for participants to exchange views on the development, production, and marketing of therapeutic antibodies, and discuss the current business environment. The conference included numerous interactive panel and group discussions on topics such as isotyping for therapeutic antibodies (panel chair: Nick Pullen, Pfizer), prospects for fully human monoclonal antibodies (chair: Christian Rohlff, Oxford BioTherapeutics), perspectives on antibody manufacturing and development (chair: Bo Kara, Avecia), market impact and post-marketing issues (chair: Keith Rodgers, Bodiam Consulting), and angiogenesis inhibitors (chair: David Blakey, AstraZeneca).     

Antibody Engineering and Therapeutics: December 8-12, 2013, Huntington Beach,CA

The 24^th Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics meeting brought together a broad range of participants who were updated on the latest advances in antibody research and development. Organized by IBC Life Sciences, the gathering is the annual meeting of The Antibody Society, which serves as the scientific sponsor. Preconference workshops on 3D modeling and delineation of clonal lineages were featured, and the conference included sessions on a wide variety of topics relevant to researchers, including systems biology; antibody deep sequencing and repertoires; the effects of antibody gene variation and usage on antibody response; directed evolution; knowledge-based design; antibodies in a complex environment; polyreactive antibodies and polyspecificity; the interface between antibody therapy and cellular immunity in cancer; antibodies in cardiometabolic medicine; antibody pharmacokinetics, distribution and off-target toxicity; optimizing antibody formats for immunotherapy; polyclonals, oligoclonals and bispecifics; antibody discovery platforms; and antibody-drug conjugates.     

Antibody Engineering and Therapeutics

The 24^th Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics meeting brought together a broad range of participants who were updated on the latest advances in antibody research and development. Organized by IBC Life Sciences, the gathering is the annual meeting of The Antibody Society, which serves as the scientific sponsor. Preconference workshops on 3D modeling and delineation of clonal lineages were featured, and the conference included sessions on a wide variety of topics relevant to researchers, including systems biology; antibody deep sequencing and repertoires; the effects of antibody gene variation and usage on antibody response; directed evolution; knowledge-based design; antibodies in a complex environment; polyreactive antibodies and polyspecificity; the interface between antibody therapy and cellular immunity in cancer; antibodies in cardiometabolic medicine; antibody pharmacokinetics, distribution and off-target toxicity; optimizing antibody formats for immunotherapy; polyclonals, oligoclonals and bispecifics; antibody discovery platforms; and antibody-drug conjugates.     

IBC’s 23rd Annual Antibody Engineering, 10th Annual Antibody Therapeutics International Conferences and the 2012 Annual Meeting of The Antibody Society

The 23rd Annual Antibody Engineering, 10th Annual Antibody Therapeutics international conferences, and the 2012 Annual Meeting of The Antibody Society, organized by IBC Life Sciences with contributions from The Antibody Society and two Scientific Advisory Boards, were held December 3–6, 2012 in San Diego, CA. The meeting drew over 800 participants who attended sessions on a wide variety of topics relevant to antibody research and development. As a prelude to the main events, a pre-conference workshop held on December 2, 2012 focused on intellectual property issues that impact antibody engineering. The Antibody Engineering Conference was composed of six sessions held December 3–5, 2012: (1) From Receptor Biology to Therapy; (2) Antibodies in a Complex Environment; (3) Antibody Targeted CNS Therapy: Beyond the Blood Brain Barrier; (4) Deep Sequencing in B Cell Biology and Antibody Libraries; (5) Systems Medicine in the Development of Antibody Therapies/Systematic Validation of Novel Antibody Targets; and (6) Antibody Activity and Animal Models. The Antibody Therapeutics conference comprised four sessions held December 4–5, 2012: (1) Clinical and Preclinical Updates of Antibody-Drug Conjugates; (2) Multifunctional Antibodies and Antibody Combinations: Clinical Focus; (3) Development Status of Immunomodulatory Therapeutic Antibodies; and (4) Modulating the Half-Life of Antibody Therapeutics. The Antibody Society’s special session on applications for recording and sharing data based on GIATE was held on December 5, 2012, and the conferences concluded with two combined sessions on December 5–6, 2012: (1) Development Status of Early Stage Therapeutic Antibodies; and (2) Immunomodulatory Antibodies for Cancer Therapy.     

Cancer Immunotherapy 2005: Mainz, Germany, 12–13 May 2005

Cancer Immunotherapy 2005 was the third international meeting organized by the Association for Immunotherapy of Cancer (AIC). About 200 participants were attracted by the excellent scientific program that consisted of overview lectures from 25 international speakers in the plenary auditorium and four guided poster sessions during both days of the meeting. The first day of the symposium mainly focused on experience with, and new perspectives in, antibody therapy. On the second day of the meeting, organized as a joint conference together with the Combined Research Grant “Mechanisms of Tumor Defense and Therapeutic Intervention” funded by the German Research Council, the participants had the chance to gain deeper insights into the principles of antigen processing and the regulation of immune responses. Further topics that were discussed mainly in the poster sessions and in the special lecture given by M. Nishimura (Chicago, USA), were “cellular therapies” and “vaccination against cancer”. The lectures selected for this report aim to provide an overview of the complete scientific program and give an impression of the lively atmosphere that could be felt from the first until the last session of CIMT 2005. C.M. Britten and C. Gouttefangeas contributed equally to this report.     

Revised classification/nomenclature of vitiligo and related issues: the Vitiligo Global Issues Consensus Conference

During the 2011 International Pigment Cell Conference (IPCC), the Vitiligo European Taskforce (VETF) convened a consensus conference on issues of global importance for vitiligo clinical research. As suggested by an international panel of experts, the conference focused on four topics: classification and nomenclature; definition of stable disease; definition of Koebner's phenomenon (KP); and 'autoimmune vitiligo'. These topics were discussed in seven working groups representing different geographical regions. A consensus emerged that segmental vitiligo be classified separately from all other forms of vitiligo and that the term 'vitiligo' be used as an umbrella term for all non-segmental forms of vitiligo, including 'mixed vitiligo' in which segmental and non-segmental vitiligo are combined and which is considered a subgroup of vitiligo. Further, the conference recommends that disease stability be best assessed based on the stability of individual lesions rather than the overall stability of the disease as the latter is difficult to define precisely and reliably. The conference also endorsed the classification of KP for vitiligo as proposed by the VETF (history based, clinical observation based, or experimentally induced). Lastly, the conference agreed that 'autoimmune vitiligo' should not be used as a separate classification as published evidence indicates that the pathophysiology of all forms of vitiligo likely involves autoimmune or inflammatory mechanisms.     

Tenth Enzyme Mechanisms Conference

The tenth biennial conference on enzyme mechanisms was organized by T. Fink (chairman), R. Abeles, W. Cleland, B. Metcalf, and N. Oppenheimer. It was held at the Asilomar Conference center in Pacific Grove, California. Session topics included: 1, Bioorganic mechanisms; 2, structural mechanisms; 3, mechanisms through mutagenesis; 4, mechanism-based inhibition; 5, mechanisms—general; and 6, bioinorganic mechanisms. In addition to the lectures, two poster sessions were held which included topics from several areas of mechanistic enzymology. A brief summary of the lectures and a few references are presented below. As in the past, the authors and titles of the posters will also be listed.     

Forest ecosystem genomics and adaptation: EVOLTREE conference report

This article is a summary report of the international conference "Forest ecosystem genomics and adaptation" organized by the EVOLTREE Network of Excellence in San Lorenzo de El Escorial (Madrid), Spain, from 9 to 11 June 2010. Main achievements and results of the network are presented for the eight thematic sessions and a stakeholder session. The conference has shown that adaptive responses of trees to biotic or abiotic selection pressures can now be investigated at the gene level for traits of adaptive significance. Candidate genes have been catalogued for phenological and drought-related traits in important tree families (Salicaceae, Fagaceaea and Pinaceae), and their variation in natural populations is being explored. Genomics can now be integrated in ecological research to investigate evolutionary response to climate changes in a wide range of species. New avenues of research were also highlighted as the exploration of gene networks involved in adaptive responses and the combination of experimental and modelling approaches to disentangle components of evolutionary changes triggered by climate change. The main focus of the conference was the adaptation of trees to environmental changes. The conference was organized in eight thematic sessions ranging from genomic approaches aiming at identifying genes of adaptive significance to practical issues regarding mitigation options for combating climate change. A dialogue between scientists and end users took place in the form of an ad hoc stakeholder session. A panel of end users from various forest and policy-making institutions expressed their expectations, and the discussions with the scientists addressed the potential applications of research findings to the management of genetic resources in the context of climate changes. The conference was introduced by two keynote speakers Dr. Pierre Mathy from the European Commission, Directorate General of Research, and Dr. Allen Solomon, former National Program Leader for Global Change, US Forest Service. All the thematic sessions were introduced by high-level invited speakers from the respective fields.     

Upcoming meetings

The fall conference season provides abundant opportunities to attend conferences that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions, and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.     

Upcoming meetings

The winter conference season provides ample opportunities to attend conferences that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions, and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.     

2012 upcoming meetings

The Summer 2012 conference season provides ample opportunities to attend meetings that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.     

Probiotics: from bench to market

"Probiotics: From Bench to Market" was a one-day conference convened by the New York Academy of Sciences on June 11, 2010, with the goal of stimulating discussion of the physiological effects of probiotics on the gastrointestinal, nervous, and immune systems. The program included speakers from academia, industry, and government to give conference participants a full understanding of the state of the field of probiotics. The overall goal of the program was to increase communication and collaboration among these groups to advance probiotic research and probiotic contributions to public health. The conference was divided into three sessions and included both oral and visual presentations as well as panel discussions.     

2010 upcoming meetings

The spring/summer 2010 conference season provides ample opportunities to attend conferences that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions, and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.     

2012 Upcoming Meetings

The Fall/Winter 2012 conference season provides ample opportunities to attend meetings that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.     

2012 Upcoming Meetings

The Summer/Fall 2012 conference season provides ample opportunities to attend meetings that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.     

2012 Upcoming Meetings

The Fall/Winter 2012 conference season provides ample opportunities to attend meetings that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.     

2012 Upcoming Meetings

The Summer/Fall 2012 conference season provides ample opportunities to attend meetings that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.     

2010 upcoming meetings

The summer and fall 2010 conference seasons provide ample opportunities to attend conferences that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions, and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.     

Upcoming meetings

The winter/spring 2010 conference season provides ample opportunities to attend conferences that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions, and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.     

2012 upcoming meetings

The Summer 2012 conference season provides ample opportunities to attend meetings that feature topics relevant to antibody research and development (R&D). Meetings such as these serve critical informational and educational functions and are key networking opportunities. Locations are spread throughout the world, reflecting the global nature of antibody R&D.