SLAS2015: Come Transform Your Lab

The SLAS2015 meeting home page invites the user to “Come Transform Research,” but the meeting is much broader than just research. Applied chemistry for regulation, medical diagnostics and QA/QC is essential to our economy and society. The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) is at the intersection of two major market drivers: 1) the need for better data quality and 2) the need for more data, and automation is a key enabling technology for both. Usually it reduces cost, especially for labor.

Dr. Steven Hamilton, Director of Education for SLAS (and no relation to Hamilton of Reno, Nev.) cites the keynote lectures as the most conspicuous examples. Topics include human-on-a-chip, managing Ebola and automation. These lectures will be supported in depth during technical sessions to more fully develop the topic. The formats include lectures, Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and posters.

Lecture highlights

Human-on-a-chip

The meeting will open with a keynote lecture by Prof. Donald E. Ingber of Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass.) on his lab’s progress making human organs on microchips. The first was a lung-on-a-chip that mimics lung structure and function sufficiently to be useful in screening drug candidates for toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of aerosols. Organs-on-a-chip offer many advantages over current technology involving live animals. Too often animal models are not transferable to humans. In addition, there are obstacles in the area of privacy and ethics.

The value was quickly recognized. In 2013, Dr. Ingber received the prestigious 3Rs Prize for his lung-on-a-chip from the U.K.’s National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs).

Other organs-on-a-chip include kidney, spleen and heart. Indeed, NIH (Bethesda, Md.) has funded development of an integrated heart and lung device in which the heart function provides liquid flow to the lung section. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency  (DARPA) has funded Ingber’s lab to integrate 10 different human organ chips, each representing critical organs in pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies. The goal is to replace animal testing and its associated problems.

In a quick scan of the lecture schedule, I noticed two lectures from other labs describing organs-on-a-chip. Also, one session in the SIG program is on stem cells and 3-D micro tissues organized by Marcie Glicksman (Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center) and Sitta Sittampalam (Therapeutics for Rare & Neglected Diseases Program [TRND] at NIH). The goal of this SIG is to create a bridge between scientists working in the fields of regenerative medicine, stem cell biology, chemical biology and drug discovery. This is a multidisciplinary effort where networking between disciplines is essential.

Ebola

What scientist is not interested in using our STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills to save the planet? In the fall of 2014, Ebola emerged as a real health threat. Ms. Laurie Garrett (author, journalist and authority on global health issues) is scheduled to give the closing plenary. Ms. Garrett is the only person to win the 3Ps in journalism (Pulitzer, Peabody and Polk Awards). She is an accomplished speaker who integrates science with economics and politics. Her blog of October 2, 2014 points out that America’s 43.3 million uninsured are a weak point in the Ebola defense. Her fact-filled prognosis is that, without rapid action in public health, Ebola carriers will fly under the radar as the normal flu season begins. Ebola and other common flu strains have similar symptoms during the first few days of illness. How to triage the waiting room? Talk about a timely lecture!

Automation

Dr. Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the National Institutes of Health, is scheduled to give his keynote lecture on Wednesday, February 11, from 8:30 to 9:30 am. Since Dr. Collins led the Human Genome Project and other scientific endeavors, his views on automation and screening come from experience.

Special events

The annual meeting of SLAS is held in San Diego, Calif., in even years, and in Washington, D.C., in the odd. While there have been several meetings of the old SLA series in San Diego and Palm Springs, the 2015 event in Washington, D.C., is a first. This location facilitates greater involvement of federal institutions such as the National Institutes of Health. For example, the NIH is hosting “An Evening with NIH” on Monday, February 9th, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The agenda includes lectures on the following:

  • Facilitated Translation Within NCATS’ TRND and BrIDGs Programs. Presenter: John McKew, NIH. TRND is a grant program designed to promote development of Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases. NCATS is the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. BrIDGs (Bridging Interventional Development GAPS) projects enable the drug developer to use NIH resources and contractors at no charge to conduct presynthesis, formulation, pharmacokinetic and toxicology services at no cost to the investigator.
  • NIH-Industry Partnership to Discover New Therapeutic Uses for Existing Molecules. Presenter: Christine Clovis, NIH. It will be interesting to see how “off-label” therapeutics may improve patient outcome. (A related Special Interest Group on drug discovery and repurposing is scheduled for Tuesday from 8:00 to 9:15 am, and will be chaired by Andrew Napper and Roger Bosse.)
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) SBIR and STTR Programs: Valuable Resources for Small Businesses. Presenter: Lili Portilla, NIH. Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants have an enviable reputation for providing seed money to commercialize technical advances.
  • NCI Experimental Therapeutics Program. Presenter: Barbara Mroczkowski, NIH.

Special Interest Groups

Establishing and maintaining a network of professional colleagues is essential to a successful career. According to Steve Hamilton of SLAS, the Special Interest Groups described above are designed “so birds of the feather can flock together.” Many groups meet yearly at SLAS. SIGs for 2015 include:

  • Academic Drug Discovery and Drug Repurposing Joint Session
  • ADMET
  • Automation Quality Control
  • HCS/HCA Data and Informatics
  • Screen Design and Assay Technology
  • Technology Transfer and CRO/CMO Project Management
  • Women Professionals in Science and Technology
  • Automated Sample Preparation of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms
    Informatics
  • Phenotypic Drug Discovery
  • Labware Leachables
  • Standards Initiatives
  • Sample Management
  • Stem Cells and 3D Microtissues

Please monitor http://www.slas2015.org/program/sigs.cfm for updates.

Technical program

Traditionally, the technical program at SLAS has focused on 6‒8 parallel tracks. This year, the program lists 133 lectures in seven tracks. Program co-Chair Elliot Hui of the University of California at Irvine anticipates about 400 posters. Topics include Assay Development and Screening, Automation and High-Throughput Technologies, Bioanalytical Techniques, Biomarkers, Informatics, Drug Target Strategies and Micro/Nano Technologies.

Under each track, the sessions will address particular aspects. I plan to attend the following sessions: Bioanalytical Techniques: “Recent Advances in Membrane Protein Characterization,” Automation: “HTS of Membrane Bound Targets,” Informatics: “Facing the Challenges of Data Quality and Reproducibility,” Biomarkers: “Biomarker Discovery Technologies,” Micro/Nano Technologies: “Overcoming Nanotechnology’s Challenges,” and Drug Target Strategies: “New Approaches for Interrogating High Value Targets.” SLAS also has an application for mobile phones that can be used to help plan and execute your schedule.

Tutorials

Vendor tutorials are a convenient way to access the latest technology and applications. ARTEL, Lucite, Agilent, Promega, and Thermo Scientific are examples of the more than 20 offerings. The list is expected to grow, so please watch http://www.eventscribe.com/2015/SLAS2015/exhibitors/.

Exhibition

The exhibition at SLAS is an essential part of the meeting, since the focus is on applied automation, which enables high-throughput experiments, including screening. The exhibition starts Sunday night with a reception from 4:30 to 7 pm in the Exhibit Hall. On Tuesday night, Hamilton Robotics is sponsoring a reception at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum from 7 to 10 pm.

View from a vendor

According to Debbie Bowers, VP of Robotic Operations at Hamilton Robotics (Reno, Nev.), Hamilton’s staff recognizes that the SLAS meeting attracts the leading scientists from automated laboratories, particularly the exhibition. The “right people” are on the floor. These automation experts appreciate the opportunity to view new developments in one venue. The Hamilton staff is looking for emerging needs and participates in peer-to-peer dialog that is essential to the company’s focus.

Bowers added, “What better way to introduce new products than to show them at this meeting? Occasionally, Hamilton will do a soft introduction at a prior vertical meeting such as AACC, when the product has a strong fit with the audience. However, SLAS is the big bang. Plus it helps the product development teams to focus on a visible, external, firm launch date.”

Hamilton is sponsoring the reception at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Bowers noted that Hamilton is a major vendor in this high-tech market segment, and the museum has a similar high-technology focus. She is certain that the technology on display will be especially relevant to the scientists and engineers at SLAS. “It is an ideal event and a great opportunity for Hamilton to show appreciation to those who have supported them for the past six decades.”

Conclusion

SLAS2015 promises to satisfy with a unique roster of prestigious presenters and participants. For the most up-to-date information, please visit www.slas2015.org.

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