Conference takes next step in genetic analysis

Now that the human genome has been deciphered, many scientists are turning to study the myriad proteins that are encoded in tens of thousands of genes — a field called proteomics.

On Aug. 4-6, the Human Proteomics Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute will present the Wisconsin Human Proteomics Symposium: Proteomics Technologies and Applications to Human Disease.

“State-of-the-art proteomics techniques have laid the foundation for enormous advances in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields,” says Richard L. Moss, honorary chair of the symposium and senior associate dean for basic research, biotechnology, and graduate studies at the UW–Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. “The outstanding program assembled for the Wisconsin Human Proteomics Symposium highlights ways in which these advances will beneficially impact human health.”

At the symposium, 21 nationally recognized researchers in emerging techniques for studying proteomics will address a range of proteomics applications in basic biomedical research, instrumentation and technique development and clinical practice.

Attendees will hear about cutting-edge proteomics technology developments and applications to cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases from experts from UW–Madison, Johns Hopkins, UCLA and elsewhere.

As noted by Ying Ge, a symposium coordinator and director of mass spectrometry for the medical school’s Human Proteomics Program, “We anticipate participation of 200 to 300 conferees from academia, clinics and industry. The symposium schedule includes many opportunities for networking.”

The symposium, which is open to the public (registration fee is $150), begins on the afternoon of Thursday, Aug. 4 with open houses at several mass spectrometry facilities and a reception on the UW–Madison campus. It continues Friday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 6 with presentations at the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center (Promega Corporation campus), 5445 E. Cheryl Parkway, Fitchburg, Wis. For more information, click here.