2012 World Congress Scientific Program

Program is subject to change

Tuesday, June 5

8:00 am – 10:00 am

Nutraceuticals in the 21st Century: Identification, Production, and Demonstration of Efficacy and Safety

Plenary Symposium

Conveners: Mary Ann Lila, North Carolina State University, and John W. Harbell, Mary Kay Inc.

Traditional medicine has relied on indigenous plants and other natural products to address a wide range of human needs (nutrition and medicinal).  Through the empirical process of biodiscovery, wildcrafted plants were identified with the capacity to prevent or provide therapy for chronic human diseases, heal wounds, or, to bolster metabolism.    In a great many cases, the traditional discoveries have a very strong pharmacological basis and this has attracted interest from academic and commercial entities. Already, a large number of bioactive botanical-based ingredients, drawn from traditional medicine, are found in nutritional supplements, nutraceuticals and cosmetics. Bringing a traditional medical approach to commercialization as a nutraceutical or “active ingredient” faces many challenges. These include, identifying promising technology from the array of traditional practices, sourcing the botanical material, determining the active constituents, measuring their potency across lots and establishing the legal right to use the technology (bio-sustainability and the Nagoya Protocol). This symposium will focus on the application of in vitro approaches to addressing sourcing of the active molecules, efficacy and potency testing, and toxicology/safety testing.

Speakers:
Botanical Ingredients in Medicinal, Nutritional and Cosmetic Applications: Sourcing, Quality and Safety Issues
Larry Walker, The University of Mississippi
The Use of In Vitro GI Models to Estimate Food Matrix Effects on Phytochemcial Bioavailability
Mario G. Ferruzzi, Purdue University
Skin Regenerating Active Produced from Rosa Dedifferentiated Cell Culture
Barbara Schmidt, L’Oreal USA

 

10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Identifying Environmental Endocrine Disruptors: Do In Vitro Models Predict Relevance?

Animal Symposium

Conveners: Eugene Elmore, University of California – Irvine, and Lyle D. Burgoon, US EPA

The endocrine disruptor program began with the formal announcement in 2000 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s effort to validate various in vitro test methods for identifying agents with the potential to modify or interfere with the function of various hormones in the endocrine system.  Subsequent validation efforts have demonstrated that estrogen and androgen agonists and antagonists can be detected in vitro.  This session will overview various endocrine disruptor screening assays, including novel approaches and will include practical applications for the environment.  Examples will be presented to illustrate how endocrine disruptor activity can be detected using a variety of technologies. The screening assays utilize human cells with natural or engineered receptors and/or response elements to facilitate detection.  The lack of sufficient numbers of reference chemicals that have consensus agreement regarding activity (or lack thereof) for the various endpoints has lead to challenges in data interpretation. The validation process has demonstrated a spectrum of activity with most agents showing some activity in one or more of the assays.   However, the absence of a unified methodology for assessing activity (e.g. Positive/Negative, calculation of potency and/or efficacy) is complicating the analysis and acceptance of data.   Once issues of data analysis are addressed, the ultimate challenge will be interpreting data in terms of exposure that results in functional disruption of the endocrine system. The assays that have been validated for use in ED screening programs (get references prior to publishing) are generally classified as low throughput. High throughput methods which are capable of generating many thousands of measurement per day are currently being explored (i.e., US EPA’s ToxCast and Tox21) and are thought by many to be the answer to solving the problem of interpretation by providing insight on multiple “toxicity pathways”.   Although these methods do generate a tremendous amount of data, the analysis and interpretation of the data, in terms of metazoan physiology, remains to be demonstrated.  Much effort has been put into developing low and high throughput methods to detect in vivo activity of chemicals that may cause adverse changes in the endocrine system of humans and animals.  The challenge now is not so much in generating data, but reaching consensus on how to analyze and interpret these data in terms of protecting public health and the environment. This session will overview the current status of the endocrine disruptor screening assays and will include validated and new in vitro methods as well as high-through put promoter assays to identify possible endocrine disruptor chemicals.

Speakers:
Utilization of Direct Receptor Visualization For Endocrine Activity Tests In Non-Targeted Environmental And Chemical Screening
Martin L. Pietila, Cellomics, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Stably Transfected Estrogen Receptor Alpha Transactivation Assay Using HeLa9903 Cell Line as In Vitro Method to Screen the Endocrine Disruption Potentials of Chemicals
Atsushi Ono, NIHS, Japan
EDSP21:  The Incorporation of In Silico Models and In Vitro High Throughput Assays in the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) for Prioritization and Screening
Scott G. Lynn, US EPA
Validating Test Methods for Tox21; the Technology Has Changed, but the Objective Remains the Same
Warren Casey, NICEATM, NTP

 

Next Gen Transformation Technologies

Plant Symposium

Conveners: Ajith Anand, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., and Delene Oldenburg, University of Washington

Since the introduction of the first plant biotechnology trait with application in 1995, the last fifteen years has seen an increase in traits and types of transgenic plants. Primarily, this was achieved by improvements in the transformation technologies such as direct DNA uptake, particle bombardment or Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation. Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation is the preferred method for commercial biotech product development, in part because of its simplicity and propensity to produce cleaner events. There are, however, specific areas such as variable-copy insertions, presence of backbone and random integration of the transgenes that needs to be addressed in a timely fashion.  Agro-mediated transformation and T-DNA vectors are still important tools for plant genetic engineering, and recent advances will be highlighted. This session will also bring forth an assortment of newer tools currently being developed and deployed for improved transgene integration and trait development. Advances made in the areas of targeted gene delivery, co-operative transformation of organisms, and organelle transformation will be highlighted by eminent speakers from the academia and industry.

Speakers:
Increasing Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation by manipulating the plant genome
Stanton Gelvin, Purdue University
Trait stacking in future transgenic corn products; implications for transformation
Christopher Scelonge, Pioneer Hi-Bred International
Endophytes for Enhanced Plant Growth, Pollutant Degradation, and Biofuels (Co-Operative Transformation)
Sharon L. Doty, University of Washington
Brief Overview of Next Gen Transformation Technology and Vector Design to Improve Plastid Transformation Efficiency
Delene Oldenburg, University of Washington 

 

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Student Networking Luncheon

Education Workshop

Conveners: Vinita Daniel, Midwestern University, and Kerri Neugebauer, Kansas State University

Networking is a vital part of a student’s career. Relationships and connections established while perusing degrees will help to further advance student’s careers. The formation of strong bonds between members of an organization is an ideal opportunity to start the networking process. As leaders and innovators in their field, the professionals of the Society for In Vitro Biology are in the forefront of the rapidly changing scientific profession. These members are going to shape the industry where students will spend their careers. Join us to hear what these professionals have to say about the changing needs of our world. Meet and talk with other students and SIVB members to discuss the latest trends in science with leaders in the field in this relaxed roundtable session.

Speakers:
Mae Cianco, Midwestern University
Michael J. Fay, Midwestern University
Ted Klein, Pioneer Crop Genetics
Baochun Li, Bayer CropScience
Joe Petolino,Dow Agrosciences
T. Michael Spencer, Monsanto Company

 

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Advanced 3-D Tissue Culture Systems Workshop
Animal Workshop

 

DNA Recombination Based Tools for Plant Genetic Engineering

Plant Symposium

Conveners:  James Thomson, USDA and Hong Luo, Clemson University

Plant genetic modification and improvement using recombinant DNA- and transgenic based biotechnology approaches become increasingly important for modern agriculture. GM products with modified characteristics have been widely accepted contributing significantly to agriculture production. Effective trait modification of important crop species for enhanced performance calls for development of novel technologies of plant genetic engineering. New strategies developed for gene targeting to specific genetic locus and for simultaneous transfer of multiple genes into plant as well as for transgene containment are among the most important breakthroughs that would dramatically impact the efficacy and effectiveness of plant genetic modification. Recent progress in studying site-specific recombination systems for use in plants has opened the door for innovative approaches of plant genome modifications. Site-specific DNA recombinases are enzymes that recognize specific DNA sequences, and depending on how the two recombination target sites are located they can catalyze site-specific recombination of DNA strands for excision, inversion or integration. With examples, speakers in this session will explore the use of site-specific DNA recombination systems in developing novel strategies for gene targeting, gene stacking and gene containment as well as other important aspects of plant genetic engineering.

Speakers:
Development of Site-specific Recombinase Technology for precise Crop Plant Genome Modification
James Thomson, USDA-ARS
An Integrated Dual Recombination System for Use in Producing Clean Transgenic Plants
Hong Luo, Clemson University
Plant Genome Editing: Knockout, Gene Stacking and Targeting
L. Alexander Lyznik, Pioneer Hi-Bred International
Application of FLP-FRT System for Site-specific Gene Integration in Rice
Vibha Srivastava, University of Arkansas

 

In Vitro Tools for Plant Conservation

Plant Symposium

Convener: Valerie C. Pence, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Conserving plant biodiversity is a complex challenge requiring a variety of tools.  While in situ conservation is of primary importance, current rates of habitat loss create a pressing need for ex situ propagation and germplasm preservation as a supplement and back-up to plants in the wild.  In vitro techniques provide several methods that are being utilized in conservation efforts, including micropropagation and tissue cryopreservation.  This session will provide examples of current research directed at maintaining and preserving endangered taxa, illustrating the potential and challenges of in vitro approaches.

Speakers:
In Vitro Conservation Tools in the Age of Extinction
Kingsley Dixon, Kings Park and Botanic Garden
Ex Situ Plant Conservation in global Biodiversity Hotspots and Island Countries: Importance of In Vitro Methods
Sarasan  Viswambharan, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Optimizing Cryopreservation Protocols for Plant Conservation and Restoration: The Genotypic Effect
James J. Sadler, University of Florida

 

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Gene Knockdown and Gene Knockout

Animal Symposium

Conveners: Michael J.  Fay, Midwestern University, and Paul J.  Price, Consultant, ThermoFisher Scientific

Speakers:
Efficient Genome Engineering with Zinc-Finger Nucleases
Dana Carroll, University of Utah School of Medicine
RNA Interference: A Tool to Elucidate Gene Function in Mammalian Cells
Annaleen Vermeulen, Thermo Fisher Scientific

 

Research Integrity Workshop

Plant Workshop

Convener: Pamela J. Weathers, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The stakes of successful research are high.  Publication of data in international, high quality journals can make the difference when it comes to obtaining a good job in a tight market, or getting a grant renewed or gaining acceptance into a prestigious lab.  The emphasis to publish data in high-impact journals has resulted in pressure to commit falsification, fabrication, and plagiarism (FFP). This workshop will focus on best practices for performing science and being a successful scientist, with an emphasis on integrity and ethics.  Beyond FFP, research integrity includes data management, peer review and confidentiality, authorship, collaboration, and conflicts of interest or commitment.  Even the seemingly cut-and-dry topic of plagiarism has gray areas involving self-plagiarism and text recycling.The same technologies that facilitate FFP also make it easier to detect.  Journal editors and reviewers have a duty to watch for and report instances of FFP.  The workshop will not only inform the participant regarding research rules and best practices, but will also encourage critical thinking about the various gray areas that will enable successful, ethical science.  Participants will receive syllabi currently used for training.

Panelists:
Todd Jones, Pioneer Hybrid, Johnston IA
C. Neal Stewart, University of Tennessee
Pamela J. Weathers, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA

Selected Plant Biotechnology Presentations from Volunteered Abstracts
Moderator: John Finer, The Ohio State University