SHORT COURSES

Dinner Short Courses* 

Sunday, January 20, 5:00-8:00 pm

SC1: Protein Charge Measurement: Why, What and How - Detailed Agenda 

Having a sufficiently high protein charge is central to the development of stable, low-viscosity solutions. There are many misconceptions about protein charge: what constitutes a protein's charge and how charge is affected by the temperature and the solvent. Most importantly, protein charge cannot be calculated with any certainty, but it can be measured accurately. This workshop will introduce you to the different ways protein charge can be measured, to the advantages and disadvantages of each method and to some of the surprising results.

What you will learn:

• Different ways to measure protein charge
• Advantages and disadvantages of each method
• Results of each method

Instructor:
Thomas Laue, Ph.D., Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Director, Biomolecular Interaction Technologies Center (BITC), University of New Hampshire

SC2: Buffer Optimization for Purifying Proteins - Detailed Agenda 

When purifying a protein, it’s crucial to keep the protein soluble and active. Designing a buffer that prevents unfolding and aggregation is paramount. This course will address the key issues to consider and bring to the right balance in order to achieve success in protein purification.

What you will learn:

• pH
• Salt
• Stabilizing elements
• Reducing agents
• Buffering system
• Analyzing quality
• Identifying solubility-promoting buffers

Instructors: 

Mario Lebendiker, Ph.D., Head, Protein Purification Facility, Wolfson Centre for Applied Structural Biology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 

Sarah E. Bondos, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center

SC4: Protein Production in the Baculovirus/Insect Cell Expression System - Detailed Agenda  

This short course will discuss the fundamentals of protein expression in insect cells using baculoviruses to generate micrograms to grams of recombinant proteins for various downstream purposes. The course will feature discussions on the basic tools needed for baculovirus expression, and the latest in technologies to improve quantity and quality of proteins made in the system. Both basic instruction on baculovirus techniques and specific case studies will be presented.

What you will learn:

• The history and biology of baculovirus as a protein expression tool
• When, why, and how to use baculovirus as an expression system
• Advances in baculovirus expression technology for protein production
• Optimizing yield and quality of proteins produced in the baculovirus system
• The use of insect cell derived proteins for vaccine production and gene therapy

Instructors:
Dominic Esposito, Ph.D., Director, Protein Expression Laboratory, SAIC-Frederick, Inc.
Donald L. Jarvis, Ph.D., Professor, Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming
James M. Groarke, Ph.D., Biortus Biosciences

Dinner Short Courses* 

Tuesday, January 22, 4:30-7:30 pm

SC5: How to Obtain Reliable Information from Light Scattering: Theory, Practical Advice and Data Interpretation - Detailed Agenda 

Dynamic light scattering (DLS), in particular, has occupied a position of increasing popularity within the area of protein aggregate detection and characterization, due in large part to the non-invasiveness of the technique, the minimal sample volume & concentration requirements, and the ease-of-use as well as speed of data collection. While modern instrument design and software have removed much of the barriers traditionally associated with the technique, data interpretation is still an area of frustration for many DLS users. This workshop covers the basic theory behind DLS instrumentation and multi-detector SEC, with a focus on the do’s & don’ts when it comes to data interpretation for biophysical characterization.

What you will learn:

• DLS and multi-detector SEC: Theory & Data Interpretation
• Dynamic Light Scattering – Hydrodynamic Mean Size & Polydispersity – Intensity-Volume-Number Distributions – Accuracy, Precision, Resolution – Common Issues & Frustrations – Data Interpretation Tools – Multi-detector SEC-LS
• Working DLS and SEC Examples
• Data Interpretation Case Studies – Working with DLS data in the lab – Making sense of multi-detector chromatograms with (and without) DLS

Instructors:
Kevin Mattison, Ph.D., Principal Scientist Bioanalytics, Malvern Instruments
Ulf Nobbmann, Ph.D., Product Manager, GPC/SEC Technologies, Malvern Instruments
Mark Pothecary, Ph.D., Product Manager for Light Scattering Products, Malvern Instruments

SC6: Filtration – An Important Step in Protein Purification - Detailed Agenda 

Filtration is an essential element in protein purification, yet is not always a simple task.  This course will provide an overview of varying approaches to filtration, as well as insights into streamlining filtration protocols.  Improving efficiencies particularly for large-scale production will also be discussed.

What you will learn:

• Diafiltration/Ultrafiltration
• Depth filtration
• Tangential flow filtration (TFF)
• Differential filtration
• Protein purity and quality

Instructors: 

C. Perry Chou, Ph.D., P.Eng., Professor, Canada Research Chair in Biomanufacturing, Chemical Engineering and Biology, University of Waterloo

Wei Wang, Ph.D., Research Fellow, Pharmaceutical R&D, Pfizer Global R&D

SC7: Antibody-Drug Conjugates – Engineering for Safety & Success - Detailed Agenda 

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are demonstrating promise as cancer therapies both in development and in the clinic. This course will take a look at ADCs’ current successes, as well as delve into the engineering of ADCs, including conjugation, linker technology, target selection, specificity, and potency.  A focus on safety will also be presented.

What you will learn:

• Safety Issues
• Conjugation
• Target selection
• Specificity
• Linker technology
• Applications for cancer
• Empowered antibody therapeutics

Instructors: 

Robert S. Kahn, M.D., CPI, Safety Science Leader, Licensing and Early Development, Global Safety Risk Management, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group

Christopher D. Thanos, Ph.D., Director, Protein Engineering, Sutro Biopharma

Thomas Rohrer, Senior Director, ADC & Biochemical Technology, Lonza Walkersville, Inc.
 

SC8: Transient Protein Production in Mammalian Cells - Detailed Agenda 

This short course will introduce both the fundamental concepts and technologies needed to establish transient protein production in mammalian cells. This will allow for the rapid generation of milligram to gram quantities of secreted or intracellular recombinant proteins for therapeutic, functional, and structural studies. The course will combine instruction and case studies in an interactive environment.

What you will learn:

• A brief overview and comparison of protein expression systems
• An in-depth introduction to mammalian transient expression systems
• Examination of the key elements necessary for the establishment of a mammalian transient production system
• Scaling transient protein production to accommodate a wide range of recombinant protein requirements
• Optimizing the transient protein production process

Instructors:
Henry C. Chiou, Ph.D., Senior Manager, Product Development, Life Technologies
Dominic Esposito, Ph.D., Director, Protein Expression Laboratory, SAIC-Frederick, Inc.
Richard Altman, M.S., Research Scientist, Alexion Pharmaceuticals

SC9: Integrating Human Factors Engineering (HFE) into Drug Delivery: Get It Right the First Time

Early integration of Human Factors is now a critical element of your drug’s success in the market. While the field of Human Factors is not new, the application of its principles within the drug delivery market is, and is evolving quickly. This short course will provide a baseline understanding of the regulatory need, common practices and real world examples of integrating HFE into a drug development activity.

What you will learn:

• Why you should care: Regulatory expectations for the application of HFE
• What to avoid: Right and wrong ways to apply HFE to your project
• Lessons from the field: Real world examples of HFE

Instructors:
R. Reade Harpham, Manager, Human Centric Design, Health and Life Sciences, Battelle
David Wourms, Human Factors Lead, Health and Life Sciences, Battelle
Chad Gibson, Quality System Manager, Health and Life Sciences, Battelle 

*Separate registration required