The Ubiquitin System: From Basic Science to Drug Discovery (A2)

Ubiquitination, the covalent ligation of target proteins by the 76-amino acid protein ubiquitin, regulates the fate and function of the substrate proteins. Aberrant ubiquitination promotes numerous disease states, but the mechanisms by which the ubiquitin system regulates cellular signaling and pathogenesis remain largely unknown.
This meeting will:
1) Highlight recent basic science advances in the field of ubiquitin research;
2) Reveal gaps in our understanding of how the ubiquitin system regulates human disease, and how we can best apply our knowledge to answer these questions; and
3) Update attendees on the efficacy of drugs that target the ubiquitin/proteasome system. Initial plenary sessions will focus on the basic science of the ubiquitin system, including lectures describing ubiquitin modifications and the enzymology of the ubiquitin system.
The role of ubiquitination in cellular signaling, with a focus on enzyme sub-classes and specific pathways, will next be explored. Workshops highlighting model systems and technological advances used to investigate the ubiquitin system are also incorporated. The meeting will culminate with sessions focused on the role of the ubiquitin system in human disease and as a drug target.
The meeting format will encourage interaction between clinicians, translational researchers and basic scientists with interests ranging from the biophysics to the cellular biology of the ubiquitin system.
The anticipated outcomes will be increased understanding of the interrelated roles that the ubiquitin system plays in normal homeostasis and in disease, and of the next steps required to target the ubiquitin system for patient benefit.