Repurposing: That Is a Feature of Cardiovascular Disease
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Register & submit your research from 3 June ISSN No: 1757-8175 PHARMACOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF Volume 9, issue 2 – June 2016 MICROVASCULAR CELL-CELL SIGNALLING AND CVS DISEASE 21−22 September 2016 Oxford, UK There has been a dramatic increase in our understanding of cell signalling over the last five years, with key papers indicating the importance of endothelial cell projections as signalling microdomains, which appear subject to disruption by cardiovascular disease. This focused meeting will provide a forum for scientists working in vascular biology, with a particular interest in identifying novel therapeutic targets in endothelial cell dysfunction Repurposing: that is a feature of cardiovascular disease. beyond one use Deadlines for your diary: For further information about Abstract submission: 10 August attending or presenting at this meeting, Early registration: 26 August please email [email protected] or Bursaries (available for members visit www.bps.ac.uk/cvs. of the British Pharmacological Society): 10 August Drug repurposing I Alemtuzumab in multiple sclerosis I EU referendum LastSave chancethe date to register INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS RESEARCH CONFERENCE (INRC) 10−14 July Bath Assembly Rooms, Bath, UK The International Narcotics Research Conference, founded in 1974, is an organisation whose purpose is to run an annual scientific meeting on the topic of opioid research bringing together scientists from around the world to discuss aspects of opioid research ranging from genetic and molecular to in vivo studies. For more information about attending or presenting please contact [email protected] or visit www.bps.ac.uk. INRC save the date.indd 1 05/04/2016 12:41:01 Pharmacology Matters I June 2016 Contents Editorial Your BPS 4 Jono Brüün Back to school for a former 5 pharmacology lab update Felicity N.E. Gavins Katharine Steer Editor-in-Chief, Pharmacology Matters Save the date Drug repurposing to enable 8 accelerated access to new therapies In this latest edition of Pharmacology surrounding the fact that although David Cavalla & Matters, the theme is one of many journals have endorsed the ARRIVE Rick Thompson INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS ‘repurposing in pharmacology’ – this idea guidelines few have actually done that a drug has more than one use has anything to assure compliance. I am Europe – the final countdown many advantages, including reducing pleased to say that the BJP does not fall to the referendum 10 RESEARCH CONFERENCE (INRC) R&D time, increasing success rate into that category. Chinara Rustamova, David Webb, and reducing cost. David Cavalla from Stephen Hill, Robin Plevin, 10−14 July Numedicus Limited tells us more. Vedia Can writes about the latest news & Iain Greenwood Bath Assembly Rooms, Bath, UK from the Young Pharmacologists, and Representing Young 17 We have the latest news from Jono, we have an article from Artysha Tailor, Pharmacologists at Voice of who discusses one of the Society’s major a student at King’s College London, the Future projects at present, that being Focus about her exciting venture of setting Vedia Can on Pharmacology. This will be familiar up a society called ‘ThinkMental’. We to many of you, but in this edition of also have an Ambassador update from Leading the way in raising Pharmacology Matters, Jono unveils the Anne Leaver, Steve Tucker and Kayley publication standards 18 true meaning of this major endeavour. Scott regarding a super event that was Elliot Lilley organized by Ambassadors from both Moulding minds with jelly 20 Following this, Katharine Steer tells us a Aberdeen and Edinburgh to promote Melissa McNaughton lovely story about one of the successes understanding of drug development of the Putting UK Pharmacology on the and therapy. Setting futures in STEM 22 Map Society initiatives, involving the Crystal Ann Thompson James Black Foundation laboratory, This is followed by an article written by Going (Brazil) nuts about 24 which has now been transformed into Zoya Georgieva and Alasdair Coles, in pharmacology and nanomedicine the Judith Kerr primary school. which they discuss alemtuzumab (the Sophie Bradley & André Luis Branco de humanized monoclonal antibody against Barros We all have an opinion regarding CD52) as a positive treatment How to set up a Society that 28 whether we want to be a part of Europe for multiple sclerosis. Thinks Mental or not. It is hard to escape the media Artysha Tailor frenzy regarding the topic, particularly Finally Barbara McDermott and Talja as we are only a few weeks away Dempster provide our regular meetings British Pharmacological Society 30 before we cast our vote. Even for me, updates, and we also have the initial Ambassador Update although I am based across the pond details about our annual meeting in Anne Leaver, Steve Tucker in the USA, there is a great fascination December. & Kayley Scott as to whether the UK will leave. In the Alemtuzumab in multiple 34 very enlightening article by Chinara We hope that you enjoy this latest sclerosis: a whistle-stop tour Rustamova, David Webb, Stephen Hill, packed edition of Pharmacology Matters! Zoya Georgieva & Alasdair Coles Robin Plevin and Iain Greenwood, we are provided with a breakdown of unbiased Best Wishes, Meetings update 38 evidence regarding this hot topic, and it Barbara McDermott is certainly food for thought. Felicity & Talja Dempster The International Narcotics Research Conference, founded in Elliot Lilley, senior scientific officer at 1974, is an organisation whose purpose is to run an annual the RSPCA, then discusses the issues scientific meeting on the topic of opioid research bringing together scientists from around the world to discuss aspects of Editorial Team Editorial Board opioid research ranging from genetic and molecular to in vivo Vedia Can studies. Editor-in-Chief Margaret Cunningham Disclaimer Felicity Gavins Mike Curtis Opinions expressed in Pharmacology Matters are not necessarily those of the British Pharmacological Society.. The publishers, authors, and printers cannot accept liability for Karolina Gherbi errors or omissions. All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced in Managing Editor Fraz Mir any form without the prior written permission of the copyright holder and the publisher, Sophia Griffiths application for which should be made to the publisher, The British Pharmacology Christopher Tsantoulas Society. Registered office: The Schild Plot, 16 Angel Gate, City Road, London, EC1V 2PT. Steven Tucker Tel: +44(0)20 7239 0171; Fax: +44(0)20 74170114; Website: www.bps.ac.uk. British Pharmacological Society is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England with No. 2877400, registered charity No, 1030623. For more information about attending or presenting 3 please contact [email protected] or visit www.bps.ac.uk. INRC save the date.indd 1 05/04/2016 12:41:01 Your BPS Jono Brüün Chief Executive I wanted to take this opportunity to academic framework; to bring the we held a workshop to discuss the discuss one of our major projects at pharmacology teaching community interim report that we’ve developed the moment – Focus on Pharmacology. together; to help ensure our students so far. I have mentioned Focus a few times have more opportunity to create previously in this column, or you may impact and to provide services that We still need your help to understand have heard about it if you attended support the teaching of pharmacology, the spread of pharmacology in the Pharmacology 2015. There has been mapped to an understanding of the UK, and we would greatly value your a great deal of work going into this skills needs of industry and other input on two surveys we’re conducting project and I wanted to ‘lift the curtain’ potential employers. at the moment. You can participate to give you a glimpse into just some of on both surveys on www.focus.ac.uk. what is going on. To begin to address these objectives, Information gathered from the first we have undertaken a large survey will help us to identify the UK Focus is a multi-faceted programme scale and consultative review of pharmacology teaching community of work that is intended to help the pharmacology curriculum. and pharmacology modules in broader us understand the impact that In September 2015, we held a life sciences degrees. The other pharmacology makes in the UK, higher education workshop where survey results will help us to develop and ensure that its underpinning professionals in pharmacology educational support for educators knowledge and skills are supported teaching shared what they believed and users alike, so if you would value – now and into the future. The to be the core knowledge, skills additional teaching resources in project represents an ambitious new and attitudes in undergraduate pharmacology, please let us know. phase of the Society’s investment pharmacology education. These in pharmacology as a responsive, were then developed into the first If you’d like more information about integrated and proactive discipline. statements, which were then scored Focus or would like to share your views This is no easy feat – we are undertaking by a group of individuals working or any information you think may a number of different projects to help across the pharmacological spectrum be relevant, please don’t hesitate to us gauge this. This has led to a number (our Expert Group), using the Delphi contact Dr Anna Zecharia, Head of of collaborations and the opportunity process. On 24 June, we will be Education, Training & Policy, on to hear from hundreds of people within holding another core curriculum [email protected] or visit the pharmacology community. implementation workshop to examine www.bps.ac.uk/focus. these results, explore the challenges Focus naturally divides into two in delivery, and work out how to frame This is just a glimpse at the work we’ve themes: one focusing on the value of the final curriculum. From then until been doing to understand and support pharmacology in society and the other the launch of the curriculum, we will pharmacology teaching in the UK.