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Retreat 2023 About Program Registration Logo Contest Committee Sponsors GPCR Retreat Program < Back to schedule Developing a PROTAC to Degrade the Constitutively Active Onco-GPCR in Uveal Melanoma Date & Time Friday, November 3rd / 4:20 PM About Victoria Rasmussen "Victoria Rasmussen is a graduate fellow in Dr. Thomas Sakmar’s laboratory at Rockefeller University, where she studies the signaling and degradation of G protein-coupled receptors. She completed her undergraduate education at Providence College, receiving a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Psychology. During her time at Providence College, she received the Walsh Grant Fellowship to develop novel methods of synthesizing 2-imidazoline scaffolds to be used as proteasome modulators in the laboratory of Travis Bethel. Victoria started her Ph.D. at the Tri-Institutional Ph.D. program in Chemical Biology, where she joined the lab of Thomas Sakmar at Rockefeller University. She is currently working to understand the signaling and degradation of GPCRs in disease states to help test the feasibility of using protein-targeted degradation as a therapeutic strategy. " Victoria Rasmussen on the web Tri-Institutional PhD Program Chemical Biology LinkedIn Dr. GPCR Previous Event Next Event Great Lakes GPCR Retreat and Club des Récepteurs à Sept Domaines Transmembranaires du Québec Great Lakes GPCR Retreat and Club des Récepteurs à Sept Domaines Transmembranaires du Québec 22nd GPCR Retreat Sponsored by

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners A Brief History of allosteric modulation with Dr. Arthur Christopoulos About Dr. Arthur Christopoulos " Arthur Christopoulos is the Professor of Analytical Pharmacology and the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Australia. His research focuses on novel paradigms of drug action at GPCRs, particularly allosteric modulation and biased agonism, and incorporates computational and mathematical modelling, structural and chemical biology, molecular and cellular pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and preclinical models of behaviour and disease. His work has been applied to studies encompassing neurological and psychiatric disorders, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, chronic pain and addiction. He has received substantial, long-term support from international and national competitive, charitable and commercial sources, as well as being academic co-founder of three GPCR-focussed biotechnology companies. Professor Christopoulos has over 360 publications, including in leading international journals such as Nature,Science and Cell, and has delivered over 180 invited presentations. He has served on the Editorial Board of 8 international journals and was a Councillor of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR). He has also been the recipient of multiple awards, including the John J. Abel Award and the Goodman and Gilman Award from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics; the Rand Medal from the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists; the British Pharmacological Society’s Gaddum Memorial Award; the IUPHAR Sir James Black Analytical Pharmacology Lecturer; the GSK Award for Research Excellence and a Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) from the University of Athens. Since 2014, Clarivate Analytics have annually named him a Highly Cited Researcher in ‘Pharmacology & Toxicology’, and in 2021 also named him a Highly Cited Researcher in the additional category of ‘Biology & Biochemistry’. In 2017, he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, in 2018 as a Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society, and in 2021 he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science for his seminal contributions to drug discovery. In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. " Dr. Arthur Christopoulos on the web Monash University Wikipedia Google Scholar LinkedIn Dr. GPCR AI Summary Quick recap Yamina and Arthur discussed Arthur's career journey in pharmacology, including his mentors and significant discoveries related to allosteric receptors. They explored the evolution of the field, allosteric modulation concepts, and potential therapeutic approaches involving autoantibodies and allosteric modulators. Additionally, they covered the importance of target product profiles, reproducibility in experiments, and collaborative efforts such as a potential book on GPCR history. Next steps - Arthur will continue to collaborate with other researchers and drug companies to advance the understanding and application of allosteric modulation. - Arthur will work on designing ligands for specific receptors, aiming to create biased agonists for therapeutic use. Summary Arthur's Career Journey and Allosteric Receptors Yamina and Arthur discussed Arthur's career journey and his contributions to the field of pharmacology, with a focus on allosteric receptors and their modulation. Arthur highlighted his mentors' influence, such as Fred Mitchelson and Nigel Burch, and significant discoveries like the concept of synthetic allosteric modulators by Bruns and Fergus. He also discussed the evolution of the field, from biochemical radioligand binding assays to cell-based functional assays, and the influence of Terry Kenakin and chemical programs on his later work. The conversation ended with Arthur's ongoing research and his development of a new operational model. Yamina emphasized the importance of understanding the historical context of the field and the significance of Arthur's contributions. Allosteric Modulation and Hybrid Molecules Arthur and Yamina discussed the development of an operational model for allosteric modulation, emphasizing the balance between mechanism and empiricism. Arthur shared his career journey, including his collaboration with Patrick Sexton and Jim Burch, and the discovery of hybrid molecules with functional selectivity. They also discussed the re-emergence of interest in certain programs, the importance of connections across receptor families, and the potential of hybrid molecules. Arthur's strategy of consulting drug companies and targeting their posters at conferences was also shared with Yamina. Pharmaceutical Industry Experiences and GPCR History Arthur shared his experiences in the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting the differences between big pharma and biotech. They discussed strategies for analyzing large compound screening data, emphasizing robust assays and addressing issues like shifting curves. Arthur recounted a 2004 visit to a pharma company using replicates in assays. Yamina proposed compiling a book on GPCR history through collaborative interviews, considering a symposium to align terminology. For their upcoming project, Yamina favored a conversational approach, while Arthur suggested a kickoff meeting, with Yamina planning chapters and interviews. Bias Mitigation in Symposium Ideas Arthur and Yamina discussed the concept of bias in the context of the history of the Symposium idea. They reviewed significant early papers related to the topic, including work by Brian Roth, Terry Kenakin, Bill Clarke, and Kelly Burke. They also discussed their own research on chemokine receptors and the importance of understanding the natural environment in drug discovery. Lastly, they touched on a project with Nicola Smith that challenged their previous theories. Allosteric Modulation and Drug Discovery Yamina and Arthur delved into the complexities of protein-protein interactions, specifically allosteric modulation. They discussed various modulatory elements, such as RAMPs, G proteins, and GRKs, with Arthur recounting his initial collaboration with Patrick Sexton on RAMPs and amylin receptors. They also delved into the different signaling of Class B receptors and the potential for modulation at various levels. The discussion underscored the potential of allosteric modulators as drugs, despite challenges in the past due to a lack of understanding about the principles involved. They highlighted the importance of fine-tuning the approach to suit different diseases and interdisciplinary collaboration. The discussion also emphasized the need for a disease-specific approach, considering the clinical context and dialing in the desired effect, as well as the significance of rational drug design principles. Allosteric Modulation and Autoantibodies Discussion Arthur and Yamina discussed the potential of autoantibodies and allosteric modulation in the context of disease and therapeutic approaches. Arthur explained the concept of endogenous allosteric ligands and the possibility of using a neutral allosteric ligand as a preferred therapeutic approach, emphasizing the importance of looking for low level cooperativity factors. They also discussed the potential of certain drugs, like flumazenil, as 'nails' or compounds that could be developed into medicines. The conversation highlighted the importance of establishing the correct disease context, setting up appropriate assays, and understanding the models for their work. They both agreed on the necessity of understanding the target product for an allosteric modulator and working backwards from there. TPP, Allosteric Modulators, and Reproducibility Yamina and Arthur discussed the concept of a target product profile (TPP) in drug development, with Arthur explaining its application in other contexts as well. Yamina appreciated Arthur's expertise and indicated she would be creating an outline for an episode on allosteric modulators. They highlighted the importance of reproducibility in scientific experiments, sharing personal experiences and anecdotes. They also discussed their upcoming trips to the GPCR Colloquium in California and current research in their fields. Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Yao Lu (Jackie) About Yao Lu (Jackie) "Jackie is a Ph.D. student, at Monash University, Australia, investigating the role of functional selectivity in a novel class of potential antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia. Her work involves the pharmacological and structural characterisation of novel putative antipsychotic small molecules. Her research aims to provide a molecular explanation of small molecules for their pre-clinical efficacy and to support the design of novel therapeutics. " Yao Lu (Jackie) on the web Monash University Georgina Sweet Fellowship Authorea Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Richard Premont About Dr. Richard Premont "Dr. Premont obtained his B.S. in Biology and Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1985, and M.Ph . and Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences (Pharmacology) at Mount Sinai School of Medicine (City University of New York) in 1990 and 1992, working with Ravi Iyengar on regulation/desensitization of the liver glucagon receptor and glucagon-stimulated adenylyl cyclase system. In 1992, he won a Helen Hay Whitney Foundation fellowship to support his post-doctoral work with Robert Lefkowitz and Marc Caron at Duke University. His initial project to identify and clone taste receptors was unsuccessful, but led to the identification of GRK5 and continued focus on GRKs (particularly GRKs 4,5,6) and arrestins as GPCR regulators and as mediators of distinct signaling pathways through partners including GIT1. In 1999, obtained an independent faculty position at Duke in Gastroenterology, where he remained until 2018 studying GPCRs and their signaling pathways in the liver and in liver disease. In 2018, he moved to Harrington Discovery Institute and Case Western Reserve University, where he studies GPCR regulation by S-nitrosylation. My research focus is on understanding how distinct cellular signaling pathways interact and are coordinated to produce integrated physiological responses, and how dysregulation of this coordination results in pathophysiology. For this, we have worked in three main areas: the regulation of G protein-coupled receptor signaling particularly by the G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK) – beta-arrestin system, the coordination of heterotrimeric G protein, small GTP-binding protein and protein kinase pathways by GIT/PIX scaffolding complexes during cellular signaling, and characterizing the role of protein S-nitrosylation as a signaling post-translational modification in mediating and regulating cellular signaling pathways, particularly in conjunction with better characterized signaling systems. In our work, we utilize methods including structural biology and proteomics, molecular biology and biochemical enzymology, primary and model cell culture, and transgenic, knockout, knock-in and conditional models of mouse physiology and behavior." Dr. Richard Premont on the web Google Scholar LinkedIn Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Bryan Roth About this episode Dr. Bryan Roth is the Michael Hooker Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine. After receiving his MD and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from St. Louis University in 1983, he subsequently trained in pharmacology (NIH), molecular biology, and psychiatry at Stanford. Bryan leads a $26.9 Million project to create better psychiatric medications, among other things. But, it wasn’t always this way. Bryan got fascinated with receptors after attending the lecture of a visiting professor on neurotransmission while in college in Montana, where he is from. He was determined to work on psychiatric disorders and persevered even when he was told several times he would never make it as a basic scientist and would never publish anything important. Join me and learn more about Bryan and his work. Dr. Bryan Roth on the web UNC School of Medicine / Pharmacology Roth Lab Roth Leads $26.9 Million Project to Create Better Psychiatric Medications LinkedIn Bryan Roth on Twitter Roth Lab on Twitter Google Scholar Pubmed Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Kathryn E Livingston About Dr. Kathryn E Livingston Dr. Kathryn E Livingston is currently a Product Manager at Gator Bio , a biotechnology company providing solutions to researchers studying protein-protein interactions. Kathryn obtained her BS in Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University and went on to receive a Ph.D. in Pharmacology at the University of Michigan. Working under the supervision of Dr. John Traynor , Kathryn worked to develop and understand first-in-class allosteric modulators of opioid receptors. Research into their mechanism of action in purified systems formed the base of her thesis work. Following this, Kathryn did a post-doctoral fellowship at UCSF in the laboratory of Dr. Mark von Zastrow . There she researched the beta-2 adrenergic receptor and developed assays to investigate real-time activity in intact cellular systems. Kathryn’s passion is developing solutions to problems in whatever form is most efficient: novel instrumentation, novel methods, or novel communication. Dr. Kathryn E Livingston on the web LinkedIn ResearchGate Pubmed Google Scholar Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Tobi Langenhan About Dr. Tobi Langenhan "I studied medicine at the University of Würzburg, where I obtained my license to practice and my Dr. med. degree in neuroanatomy. Then I moved to the University of Oxford on a 4-year Wellcome Trust Scholarship in Neuroscience, through which I gained an M.Sc. from Somerville College and a D.Phil. from Magdalen College Oxford, both in Neuroscience. For my doctoral studies, I joined the lab of Dr Andreas Russ at the Department of Biochemistry and first came across GPCRs, particularly the receptor family I have been investigating ever since: adhesion GPCRs. After returning to Germany I set up my own lab at the Institute of Physiology at Würzburg, where I later became Heisenberg Professor for 'Physiology and pathophysiology of mechanoceptive signalling pathways'. Shortly after was recruited to the Medical Faculty of Leipzig University, where I now head the Department of General Biochemistry at the Rudolf Schönheimer Institute. I work with invertebrate animal models (mainly D. melanogaster) and in vitro techniques to pick apart the physiological and pharmacological principles that underlie the workings of adhesion GPCRs in health and disease. This entails the deciphering of cellular and organ functions, which require individual adhesion GPCRs, and extends to the development of novel screening approaches to identify pharmacological modulators of human adhesion GPCRs." Dr. Tobi Langenhan on the web Langenhan Lab ORCID LinkedIn University of Leipzig Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

The Practical Assessment of Signaling Bias Dr. Terry Kenakin Get Started Premium Members benefits: - Subscribe and save 25% on every GPCR Course - Early-bird access - Recordings will be available < Back to GPCR courses Watch recording Your Instructor Dr. Terry Kenakin

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Gregory Tall About Dr. Gregory Tall " Dr. Gregory Tall earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from U.T. Southwestern Medical Center with Bruce Horazdovsky, Ph.D. They worked on the interactome of yeast and mammalian Rab5 homologs including identification of Rab5 GEFs. In 2000, Dr. Tall moved upstairs to conduct his postdoctoral work on heterotrimeric G proteins and the novel interactor, Ric-8 with Alfred Gilman, M.D. Ph.D. In 2007, Dr. Tall joined the faculty in the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, there establishing his lab and major research directions. Dr. Tall moved to the University of Michigan in 2016 as an Associate Professor of Pharmacology and is a current active member of the department. The current goals of the Tall lab are to understand the basic mechanism by which Ric-8 proteins fold all heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunits, to exploit a Ric-8-based technology to purify recombinant G proteins and to use the G proteins in assays to explore the mechanisms of action of the 33-member adhesion GPCR family or Family B2 GPCRs. We found that adhesion GPCRs are activated by a tethered peptide agonist mechanism that differed from the common example known at the time, protease activated receptors (PARs). PARs have an N-terminal leader sequence that is clipped by exogenous proteases to reveal a new N-terminus that serves as the tethered agonist. Adhesion GPCRs pre-cleave themselves and the two resultant fragments of the receptor remain together to conceal the tethered peptide agonist. Mechanical dissociation of the two fragments aided by protein binding ligands and cell movement serves to decrypt the tethered agonist for binding to its orthosteric site. Our current goals are to explore this mechanism in detail and to understand how it may happen for the 33 adhesion GPCRs in complex physiological contexts…one being our discovery that GPR56 is the platelet receptor that senses collagen and shear force to initiate the platelet activation program. Dr. Tall has been continuously funded by the NIH since receiving an early RO1 award at Rochester. He has continued funding at Michigan through the MIRA R35 program. Dr. Tall has presented his work at 59 invited seminars including national and international meetings and academic departmental seminars. " Dr. Gregory Tall on the web The Tall Lab University of Michigan Google Scholar Twitter Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Steve McCloskey About Steve McCloskey Steve McCloskey is an Alumni from the first class of Nanoengineering at the University of California, San Diego. Steve’s work is focused on emerging technologies applied to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). During his time at UC San Diego Steve worked directly with the founding Chair of the Nanoengineering Department, Ken Vecchio helping set the foundation for the Nanoengineering Materials Research Center and developing thermodynamic processing methods for Iron-based Superelastic alloys. After graduating from UCSD he founded Nanome Inc to build Virtual Reality solutions for Scientists and Engineers working at the nanoscale, specifically protein engineering and small molecule drug development. Steve McCloskey on the web Website LinkedIn Twitter ResearchGate Medium Orchid Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Silvia Sposini About Dr. Silvia Sposini " I'm originally from Rome, Italy, where I studied Biological Sciences as a BSc student. I moved to London as a short experience (3 months) during my MSc but I ended up staying for a full year and and a PhD! During my time in London I investigated regulatory mechanisms of GPCR action, namely dimerization and membrane trafficking, in Dr Aylin Hanyaloglu 's lab at Imperial College London. In 2018 I got married and moved to France, to join the Interdisciplinary Institute for Neurosciences in Bordeaux. Still working on GPCR trafficking but this time in neurons. In 2021 I became mum of a gorgeous baby girl, Elena. I am currently funded by a postdoctoral fellowship from Wellcome Trust, working on a collaborative project (Dr Hanyaloglu's lab at ICL + Dr Perrais' lab at IINS) focused on understanding the interplay between GPCR signalling and trafficking in neurons using microscopy and proteomics based techniques. " Dr. Silvia Sposini on the web Bordeaux Neurocampus LinkedIn ResearchGate X (Twitter) Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Caron Tribute Part 2 About Marc Caron Dr. Caron and his family moved to Durham, NC in 1977, following receipt of his BSc in Chemistry from Laval University and his Ph.D. from the University of Miami. He joined the faculty of Laval University School of Medicine in 1975 and then returned to join Duke’s faculty, where he remained as a James B. Duke Professor until his death. He and his laboratory members studied the mechanisms of action and regulation of hormones and neurotransmitters and how they might underlie brain and behavior disorders such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders, and addiction. Among his many honors, Dr. Caron was an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute from 1992 to 2004, a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a recipient of the Julius Axelrod Award. An authoritative and prolific scientist, with over 650 scientific publications, he is most beloved as a mentor and his relentless encouragement that shaped the careers of hundreds of scientists worldwide. About our panelists in alphabetical order and the year they first met Dr. Caron Dr. Larry Barak (1994) Dr. Kathleen Caron - Co-host- (1970) Dr. Steve Ferguson (1995) Dr. Neel Freedman (1994) Dr. Jacob Jacobson (2003) Dr. Stephane Laporte (1999) Dr. Stuart Maudsley (1997) Dr. Richard Premont (1993) Dr. Jie Zhang (1990) Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Thomas P. Sakmar About Dr. Thomas P. Sakmar Tom Sakmar is a physician-scientist and professor at Rockefeller University in New York. While a chemistry undergraduate student at the University of Chicago, he attended a NATO Advanced Study Institute in Les Houches, France in 1979 where he was exposed for the first time to the nascent field of membrane biophysics and intercellular communication. Instructors at the course included Marc Chabre , Harden McConnell , Richard Henderson , Martin Rodbell , Jean-Pierre Changeux , and Martin Karplus . After medical school and clinical training at Massachusetts General Hospital, Tom joined the laboratory of H. Gobind Khorana at the Department of Chemistry at M.I.T. for postdoctoral training, where he learned gene synthesis, cDNA cloning, site-directed mutagenesis, and heterologous expression in mammalian cells. Khorana’s lab made early key contributions and developed strategies to express, reconstitute and assay engineered GPCRs using the visual pigment rhodopsin as a model system. Tom initially focused on structure-activity relationships underlying spectral tuning and identified a glutamic acid residue in rhodopsin that serves as the retinylidene Schiff base counterion. He also went on to discover a “counterion switch” in visual pigments and to develop strategies to assay receptor-G-protein interactions and activation kinetics. After moving to Rockefeller University with a Howard Hughes Medical Institute appointment, Tom advanced a series of novel biochemical and biophysical assay platforms, including FTIR and Raman microprobe spectroscopy to study micro-quantities of expressed visual pigment mutants. This work involved active long-term collaborators, including Richard Mathies and Fritz Siebert , and contributed substantially to elucidating the physical chemistry of spectral tuning, and to a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of activation of GPCRs. Many of the conceptual advances that stemmed from this work, such as the concept of “functional micro-domains” and the “helix movement model of receptor activation” were confirmed later when crystal structures became available. Tom’s lab also pioneered the early use of computational homology modeling, molecular dynamics simulations and coarse-grain sampling approaches for membrane proteins in collaborations with Thomas Huber , Xavier Periole , and Siewert-Jan Marrink . Tom’s lab also developed an amber codon suppression method to genetically encode unnatural amino acids into membrane proteins expressed in mammalian cell culture. The genetic code expansion strategy for unnatural amino acid mutagenesis is a key enabling technology for the field and is being used by many laboratories. Early applications included “targeted photo-crosslinking,” and more recently, the parallel development of bioorthogonal labeling strategies to couple fluorophores to expressed receptors and other membrane proteins has allowed the creation of novel sensor constructs and single-molecule detection strategies. Recently, Tom’s lab discovered, along with Yu Chen and Ping Chi , that a mutant of CYSLTR2 is a driver oncogene in uveal melanoma, the most common eye cancer in adults. The CysLTR2 oncoprotein displays biased constitutive activity – it activates Gq/11 but does not undergo β-arrestin-mediated down-regulation. Dr. Thomas P. Sakmar on the web LinkedIn ResearchGate Pubmed ORCHID Google Scholar Rockefeller University Wikipedia Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Ross Cheloha About this episode Dr. Ross Cheloha is an Investigator at the National Institutes of Health in the Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry in Bethesda, MD, where he started in October 2020. He completed his postdoctoral training at MIT and Harvard Med School in the lab of Hidde Ploegh , where he developed new applications of single-domain antibodies (nanobodies). He earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the lab of Sam Gellman on the study of analogs of the GPCR peptide ligand parathyroid hormone. Work in his independent laboratory is focused on developing new pharmacological tools via chemistry and protein engineering to interrogate GPCR signaling. Ross and I chatted about his work and transition to an independent investigator; join me to learn more about class B GPCRs and Dr. Cheloha’s work. Dr. Ross Cheloha on the web NIDDK Cheloha Lab Google Scholar LinkedIn Twitter ResearchGate Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners You never know where your GPCR takes you with Dr. Brian Hudson About Brian Hudson Brian is a lecturer in the School of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Glasgow. He has more than 20 years of experience in GPCR, primarily focused on drug discovery and developing new tools to study this receptor family. He leads a research group that is focused on understanding the pharmacology and function of a group a GPCRs that are activated by metabolic intermediates. Brian Hudson on the web University of Glasgow Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

Retreat 2023 About Program Registration Logo Contest Committee Sponsors GPCR Retreat Program < Back to schedule Breakfast 1 Date & Time Friday, November 3rd / 7:30 AM Previous Event Next Event Great Lakes GPCR Retreat and Club des Récepteurs à Sept Domaines Transmembranaires du Québec Great Lakes GPCR Retreat and Club des Récepteurs à Sept Domaines Transmembranaires du Québec 22nd GPCR Retreat Sponsored by

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Hannes Schihada About Dr. Hannes Schihada Following studies in Pharmacy in Regensburg, Germany, I joined the receptor pharmacology group of Martin Lohse at the Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology in Würzburg, Germany, in 2015. My project involved the development of FRET/BRET -based GPCR conformational biosensors, which can be employed in high throughput ligand screening. After my Ph.D. defense in 2019, I moved with a DFG (German research council) PostDoc fellowship to Stockholm, Sweden, in order to focus my research on class Frizzled GPCR s in the lab of Gunnar Schulte at the Karolinska Institute. I spent 2 1/2 years in his lab and developed novel conformational sensors for these intriguing receptors, allowing us to better understand their mode of action. By the end of 2021, I moved back to Germany and joined the pharmaceutical chemistry group of Peter Kolb in Marburg. I was recently awarded a Marie Sklodowska Curie PostDoc Fellowship in order to investigate and find better ligands for the orphan class A GPCRs , GPR3 , GPR6 , and GPR12 . Dr. Hannes Schihada on the web Karolinska Institutet Twitter Adher´n Rise LinkedIn Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

Discover how Celtarys Research is transforming GPCR assay development with fluorescent ligands in this episode featuring CSO Dr. Maria Majellaro—and learn what their new partnership with Dr. GPCR means for the global research community. << Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Custom Molecules, Fluorescent Probes: When Chemists Think Like Biologists with Dr. Maria Majellaro from Celtarys A Partnership Rooted in Scientific Innovation In this episode, Dr. Maria Majellaro, CSO of Celtarys Research, shares the story behind the company’s journey from academic curiosity to biotech force. But this conversation also marks something new: a strategic partnership between Dr. GPCR and Celtarys, built on a shared commitment to empowering the GPCR research community. At Celtarys, the focus is on enabling fast, customizable development of fluorescent ligands and chemical probes for GPCR assays. What started as a PhD project has grown into a commercial technology that helps scientists interrogate receptor pharmacology with greater speed and flexibility. “We started with GPCRs, but now we’re expanding to many new targets. Every time, it’s a new world—and we’re still learning.” — Maria Majellaro Through this partnership, Celtarys becomes an integral part of the Dr. GPCR ecosystem, contributing both expertise and tools that align directly with the needs of scientists at the bench and in translational drug discovery. Decision-Making: From Researcher to Scientific Leader Maria’s story is one of trusting her instincts while embracing change. She began as a medicinal chemist in Italy, but a postdoc opportunity in Santiago de Compostela—and a mentor’s timely suggestion—changed her trajectory. When the time came to decide whether to leave the lab and lead Celtarys into biotech, she took the leap. “It was my shift from the lab to leadership. I wasn’t sure at first, but I realized I could do this too.” — Maria Majellaro Her decisions, often made intuitively rather than analytically, have led to key inflection points—including Celtarys’ formal launch in 2021, just as the world was emerging from the pandemic. Now, she leads a team of six scientists and continues to build momentum through collaborations like the one with Dr. GPCR. Translating Science into Business Like many scientists-turned-entrepreneurs, Maria faced the challenge of learning the business side of biotech on the fly. Celtarys had the technology—but not the roadmap for commercialization. That changed with support from Galicia’s robust biotech network, and the company quickly defined its value: building better tools for drug discovery assays. “As scientists, we know how to make molecules. But we had to learn everything else—IP, market positioning, customer discovery.” — Maria Majellaro This year, as part of its partnership with Dr. GPCR, Celtarys will bring those lessons to the broader community, providing insight into assay development, probe design, and the realities of scaling innovation from lab bench to product launch. The Complexity Behind Every “Successful” Probe Maria is candid about the technical challenges behind fluorescent ligand development. “It’s not just attaching a fluorophore,” she says. Each probe must retain activity, remain soluble, and be compatible with a given assay format. There were moments of doubt and repeated optimization. The payoff? Enabling companies and academic labs to avoid the costly dead ends often associated with probe development. “You can have a great ligand—but if you can’t solubilize it, it’s useless.” — Maria Majellaro Celtarys’ unique chemical platform shortens development timelines and allows tailored modifications—critical for labs starting new GPCR-related projects. Their work directly supports the tool-building mission that aligns with the Dr. GPCR ecosystem. Pivoting: From Chemistry Company to Discovery Partner Initially focused on tool production, Celtarys has evolved into something more: a scientific collaborator. Their approach is highly consultative—they don’t just sell ligands, they co-develop solutions. The company works with clients from pharma, CROs, and academia, including MD Anderson and several leading GPCR labs. “We always start with the problem, then generate the right compound using our chemistry. It’s about enabling biology.” — Maria Majellaro Through its partnership with Dr. GPCR, Celtarys will expand its visibility and impact—offering its expertise, tools, and real-world insight to researchers tackling today’s most pressing GPCR-related questions. Summary made with AI ________ Key Takeaway This episode is more than a conversation—it’s the official kickoff of a one-year partnership between Dr. GPCR and Celtarys. Together, we’re combining chemistry, biology, and business insight to empower the GPCR research community like never before. Whether you're designing assays, developing probes, or seeking better tools for GPCR drug discovery, Celtarys and Dr. GPCR are now working hand-in-hand to help you do it faster, better, and more reproducibly. Keyword Cloud GPCR research community , Dr. GPCR ecosystem , GPCR drug discovery , fluorescent ligands , GPCR scientist network , custom ligand development , GPCR assay development , G protein-coupled receptors , GPCR podcast , Celtarys partnership Summary created by AI ________ About Maria Majellaro Dr. Maria Majellaro obtained her PhD with the distinction of Doctor Europeus from the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Bari (Italy) in 2018. During her doctoral studies, she spent one year as a predoctoral visiting student at the CIQUS Research Center—Campus of International Excellence—in Santiago de Compostela (Spain). In 2018, she returned to CIQUS to work as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the group of Prof. Eddy Sotelo, where together with Dr. Jhonny Azuaje they laid the groundwork for the future creation of Celtarys Research. Since the founding of Celtarys in 2021, she has served as the company’s Chief Scientific Officer, leading all scientific activities—from the development of Celtarys’ proprietary products to the ideation and execution of custom research projects. She also oversees the company’s scientific collaborations across Europe and beyond, being responsible for securing and managing national and international research grants. To date, she has successfully led seven funded projects. Her scientific expertise is rooted in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry, with a particular focus on GPCR modulators. She has played a central role in the development and validation of Celtarys’ proprietary synthetic technology and is both a co-author of the related patent and a co-founder of the company. Maria Majellaro on the web LinkedIn ResearchGate Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Lauren M. Slosky About Dr. Lauren M. Slosky Lauren Slosky is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and a member of the Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, a multidisciplinary initiative within the University of Minnesota’s Medical School to advance research and treatment in the field of drug addiction. Dr. Slosky’s research is focused on understanding how neuropeptide G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) regulate motivated behavior and how these receptors can be targeted for therapeutic benefit. Dr. Slosky was awarded a B.S. with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Psychology from The University of Arizona in 2011. She received a Ph.D. in Medical Pharmacology from The University of Arizona in 2015 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. Marc G. Caron at Duke University. Dr. Slosky opened her laboratory at the University of Minnesota Medical School in 2021. While a postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Slosky characterized a new class of β-arrestin biased allosteric modulators (BAMs) for the neurotensin receptor 1. These ligands stimulate receptor β-arrestin recruitment without activating canonical G protein signaling. Critically, these ligands reduce addiction-associated behaviors in animal models without the side effects characteristic of balanced receptor activation. Because BAMs engage less well-conserved allosteric sites and exert pathway-specific effects on receptor signaling, they are exciting tools for linking distinct signaling pathways with their physiological effects and may serve as the basis for more selective therapeutics. This work was made possible by the optimization of longitudinal intravenous self-administration paradigms for genetically modified mice. Integrating GPCR biology, behavioral pharmacology, and systems neuroscience approaches, the Slosky Lab is now working to understand how the principles of receptor allosterism and functional selectivity can be leveraged in the development of safe and effective treatments for stimulant and opioid use disorders. Dr. Slosky’s work has been recognized through several travel and research awards, including the William James Psychology Award, the Hank Yamamura Endowed Fellowship in Pharmacology, an NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship, and an NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award. In addition to research, Dr. Slosky is passionate about training the next generation of scientists and increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in science. An advocate for trainees at all levels, she served as Service Chairperson and Interim President of the Duke University Postdoctoral Association. She is currently a faculty trainer for the University of Minnesota's MS and Ph.D. programs in Pharmacology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, and Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program and is working to build relationships with key stakeholders through institutional and community service. Dr. Lauren M. Slosky on the web Twitter University of Minnesota Department Page LinkedIn Google Scholar PubMed Research Gate Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners The Role of Quantitative Sciences in GPCRs with Dr. Nagarajan Vaidehi About Dr. Nagarajan Vaidehi "Nagarajan Vaidehi, Ph.D., is professor and chair of the Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine (DCQM) at the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope in Los Angeles, CA. She is also the Associate Director of the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Vaidehi received her Ph.D. in quantum chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology in India, where she was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016. Following her postdoctoral studies on protein dynamics simulation methods at University of Southern California, and at Caltech, she became the director of biomolecular simulations at the Materials and Process Simulation Center, Beckman Institute at Caltech. Dr. Vaidehi joined the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope in 2006 as a Professor and became chair of DCQM in 2018. She has advanced the use of computational methods to meet the challenges of designing therapeutics with lower off target effects. She is an internationally recognized biophysicist for her contributions in developing constrained molecular dynamics simulation methods with emphasis on application to G-protein coupled receptors and drug design." Dr. Nagarajan Vaidehi on the web City of Hope Google Scholar LinkedIn Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Dr. Patrick Sexton About Dr. Patrick Sexton Patrick Sexton is a Professor of Pharmacology, National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Senior Principal Research Fellow, and Director of the Australian Research Council Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins ( www.ccemmp.org ). He is a leader in the study of GPCRs, biased agonism, and also on allosteric interactions between GPCRs and other proteins and small molecule ligands. More recently, his team has been at the forefront of the application of cryo-EM to elucidate of the structure and dynamics of GPCRs. Prof. Sexton has published over 320 peer-reviewed journal articles and has been cited >26,000 times (Google Scholar). He is a 2021 Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher in two disciplines: Pharmacology & Toxicology and Biology & Biochemistry, a corresponding member of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology Committee on Receptor Nomenclature and Drug Classification, and a member of the Faculty of 1000 (Molecular Pharmacology division) and an elected Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society (BPS). Prof. Sexton’s awards include the Australasian Society for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT) Lecturer award, Endocrine Society of Australia Senior Plenary award, Rand Medal (ASCEPT), Paxinos-Watson Award (Australian Neuroscience Society), Vane Medal (BPS), Gordon Hammes Lectureship Award (American Chemical Society) and the GSK Research Excellence award. Prof. Sexton is also a co-founder of the San Francisco-based biotechnology company Septerna Inc . Dr. Patrick Sexton on the web CCeMMP Monash University Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

Retreat 2023 About Program Registration Logo Contest Committee Sponsors GPCR Retreat Program < Back to schedule Complex Allosteric Cannabinoid Receptor Pharmacology Date & Time Friday, November 3rd / 11:30 AM Abstract Coming Soon About Robert Laprairie "Dr. Robert Laprairie is an Associate Professor and the Saskatchewan Research Chair in Drug Discovery and Development at the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan. Robert was the President and Director of Education for the Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids (CCIC) and the 2021 Recipient of the William A. Devane Young Investigator Award from the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS). Robert and his lab have been interested in the molecular pharmacology of cannabinoids for nearly 10 years and he has published more than 50 studies in the field." Robert Laprairie on the web University of Saskatchewan Pubmed Twitter Instagram ResearchGate Google Scholar Dr. GPCR Previous Event Next Event Great Lakes GPCR Retreat and Club des Récepteurs à Sept Domaines Transmembranaires du Québec Great Lakes GPCR Retreat and Club des Récepteurs à Sept Domaines Transmembranaires du Québec 22nd GPCR Retreat Sponsored by

Full Agenda Adhesion GPCR workshop 2024 CINVESTAV, Mexico City, Mexico October 23-25 Download PDF Program HERE < Back to Full Agenda Coffee Break with lights snacks Complimentary < Previous Session Next Session >

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Annabelle Milner About Annabelle Milner Annabelle completed her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Bath. As part of the degree, she undertook a 1-year research-based placement at the Charles Perkins Centre in Sydney, investigating the effects of dietary carbohydrates on metabolic health with Dr. Jibran Wali. From here, she returned to the UK. She began her Ph.D. at Imperial College London with Prof Aylin Hanyaloglu, Prof Gary Frost, and Dr. Alastair Brown (Sosei Heptares), where she is currently a final year Ph.D. student. Annabelle’s Ph.D. work focuses on microbial-derived metabolites that signal through GPCRs expressed in the GI. In particular, she is looking at L- and D-lactate-activated HCAR1 signaling. She presented her Ph.D. work at the Society of Endocrinology Conference 2022 and was awarded the best oral poster prize. Outside the lab, she enjoys baking and swimming and has recently taken up paddle boarding. Annabelle Milner on the web Linkedin Researchgate Pubmed Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

Retreat 2023 About Program Registration Logo Contest Committee Sponsors GPCR Retreat Program < Back to schedule Coffee Break 1 Date & Time Thursday, November 2nd / 2:45 PM Previous Event Next Event Great Lakes GPCR Retreat and Club des Récepteurs à Sept Domaines Transmembranaires du Québec Great Lakes GPCR Retreat and Club des Récepteurs à Sept Domaines Transmembranaires du Québec 22nd GPCR Retreat Sponsored by

Full Agenda Adhesion GPCR workshop 2024 CINVESTAV, Mexico City, Mexico October 23-25 Download PDF Program HERE < Back to Full Agenda Dr. GPCR Community Presentation Breaking Barriers: My Journey from Mexico to the Heart of the Dr. GPCR Ecosystem and beyond About Monserrat Avila Zozaya "My doctoral research was focused on investigating the cellular effects of missense lung cancer-mutations in the G-protein-coupled receptor Autoproteolysis-Inducing (GAIN) domain of Latrophilin 3 receptor under the mentorship of Dr. Antony Boucard. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher fellow in Dr. Kathleen Caron's laboratory at UNC. My research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of adhesion GPCRs (aGPCRs) in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), a cellular model with unique junction arrangements where aGPCRs are mainly unexplored. " Monserrat Avila Zozaya on the web LinkedIn Caron Lab Antony Boucard Lab Dr. GPCR < Previous Session Next Session >

Sokhom Pin shares how he built a biotech career around GPCRs, designed a custom PhD path, and led teams through empowerment and purpose. << Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners GPCR Pharmacology, Career Twists & Serendipity with Sokhom Pin 1. From the Bench to the Boardroom Sokhom Pin’s story begins not with prestige or privilege but with grit and commitment. From his early work as a technician at Johns Hopkins Hospital to leading biology at Servo Therapeutics, Sokhom’s journey is rooted in practicality and purpose. He shares: "All my industry experience has been GPCR-focused." Starting at DuPont, then BMS, Novartis, and eventually founding in vitro pharmacology departments, Sokhom always stayed anchored to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). 2. Family First, Always The decision to shift from academia to industry wasn’t driven by disillusionment—it was about responsibility. “I had two kids and realized I just couldn’t support a family on a technician’s salary.” This pragmatic decision led him to high-throughput screening at DuPont, proving that scientific ambition doesn’t have to mean sacrificing personal commitments. 3. Falling in Love with GPCRs GPCR pharmacology captured his scientific curiosity. Sokhom recalls how binding assays at BMS introduced him to the depth and complexity of receptor pharmacology: “It’s not just about IC50s. There’s allosterism, receptor desensitization… it opened a whole new world.” This moment became pivotal—transforming technical proficiency into passion. 4. Designing a Non-Traditional PhD While working full-time, Sokhom architected a one-of-a-kind PhD program between BMS and UConn. “I had to find a way. I wanted a PhD, but I couldn’t quit my job.” Through strategic coordination, he executed a PhD entirely in the industry setting—efficient, targeted, and rooted in real-world projects like CGRP receptor antagonists. 5. From Scientist to Leader At Alkermes, Sokhom took his first leadership role and finally experienced the power of empowerment . “That’s the moment that changed my entire career. I was trusted to build a team from scratch.” He focused on culture—ensuring passion and purpose drove performance. 6. The Power of the Right Culture Whether it was Alkermes or Cerevel, Sokhom emphasized that team culture trumps individual genius . “It doesn’t matter how brilliant someone is—if they’re toxic, I don’t want them on the team.” He built what others called the “happiest team at Alkermes,” showing that joy and scientific rigor aren’t mutually exclusive. 7. Network or Miss Out One powerful shift came when Sokhom leaned into networking—despite being an introvert. “I changed from being an extreme introvert to someone who thrives on connection.” His story underscores how something as simple as forwarding a resume or reaching out for coffee can change careers. 8. The Lifecycle of GPCR Popularity Sokhom has witnessed the waves of scientific fashion: “There was a time GPCRs were hot, then ignored. Now they’re back.” His unwavering dedication through these cycles became an asset—many others shifted focus, leaving a smaller, highly skilled group of GPCR specialists. 9. Lessons from Molecules and Mentors He draws inspiration from scientific complexity and colleagues like Arthur Christopoulos and Terry Kenakin. “What fascinates me is how the same molecule behaves differently depending on one amino acid.” He blends classical receptor pharmacology with biosensor technology, always adapting to new tools and insights. 10. Don’t Let Weakness Define You The episode ends with a deeply human reflection: “Don’t let your weakness define your life. Overcome it. I used to sweat thinking about presentations. Now I love them.” Whether it’s networking, leadership, or technical mastery, Sokhom’s message is clear: keep evolving, and don’t settle. ________ Key Takeaway Sokhom Pin's journey is a masterclass in scientific persistence , non-traditional success , and values-driven leadership . For any scientist navigating career uncertainty—his story is both roadmap and inspiration. Keyword Cloud GPCR research community , Dr. GPCR ecosystem , GPCR scientist network , GPCR drug discovery , GPCR training program , GPCR online course , G protein-coupled receptors , GPCR podcast , GPCR webinar series , GPCR data platform Summary created by AI ________ About Sokhom Pin Sokhom Pin is a receptor pharmacologist with over 20 years of drug discovery research in the pharmaceutical industry, where he works mainly on GPCRs as therapeutic targets. He is passionate about mechanistic profiling of therapeutic molecules as well as drug discovery in general. Outside of science Sokhom enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, boating, fishing, and biking. Sokhom Pin on the web LinkedIn Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Dr. GPCR Podcast Strategic Partners Mark Schmeizl About Mark Schmeizl Mark leverages 30 years in various life science laboratories & commercial roles with his network of VC & PE contacts to help senior-level life science executives identify new opportunities. He has successfully built numerous global life science, leadership teams, & works closely with both clients & candidates to understand their unique needs & culture. Mark believes professional placement should be about matching talented people with companies where they will thrive, “when the match is right, the results are astonishing.” Dr. Mark Schmeizl on the web Website LinkedIn Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles How GPCR Collaboration Built an Innovation Engine From Pipettes to Platforms: The Evolution of GPCR Research How GPCR Spatial Signaling Sparked a Scientific Journey Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

Home → Flash News → Dr. Maria Majellaro perfected her focaccia recipe. Then, with Celtarys, the team did the same for ligand-linker-fluorophore chemistry. It’s not just culinary precision, it’s a metaphor for drug discovery done right. In Ep. 168, she shares how Celtarys went from a thesis idea to a biotech reality. Meet Dr.GPCR’s new partner: Celtarys 🙌 👉 See what they’re cooking up now: Ep 168 with Dr. Maria Majellaro from Celtarys #GPCRresearchCommunity #DrGPCR #StartupScience #BiotechFounders #GPCRscientistNetwork Published on June 12, 2025 Category Dr. GPCR Podcast Dr. Maria Majellaro perfected her focaccia recipe. Then, with Celtarys, the team did the same for ligand-linker-fluorophore chemistry. It’s not just culinary precision, it’s a metaphor for drug discovery done right. In Ep. 168, she shares how Celtarys went from a thesis idea to a biotech reality. Meet Dr.GPCR’s new partner: Celtarys 🙌 👉 See what they’re cooking up now: Ep 168 with Dr. Maria Majellaro from Celtarys #GPCRresearchCommunity #DrGPCR #StartupScience #BiotechFounders #GPCRscientistNetwork Previous Next Recent Articles

Home → Flash News → What if you could map GPCR-RAMP interactions across the entire superfamily in a single experiment? That’s precisely what Dr. Kotliar from the Sakmar lab made possible! In Ep.167 of the Dr. GPCR Podcast, we chat with Drs. Tom Sakmar and Ilana Kotliar about how their lab developed: A multiplexed Luminex assay to screen hundreds of interactions at once A 220-clone DUET-tagged GPCR library, available on Addgene An online interface to search GPCR-RAMP data and antibody validations This is open-access science at its best, built for the GPCR research community. ✳️ Listen to the episode: Ep 167 with Drs. Tom Sakmar & Ilana Kotliar #GPCRresearch #DrGPCRecosystem #GPCRdrugdiscovery #GPCRtrainingprogram #GPCRpodcast Published on May 27, 2025 Category Dr. GPCR Podcast What if you could map GPCR-RAMP interactions across the entire superfamily in a single experiment? That’s precisely what Dr. Kotliar from the Sakmar lab made possible! In Ep.167 of the Dr. GPCR Podcast, we chat with Drs. Tom Sakmar and Ilana Kotliar about how their lab developed: A multiplexed Luminex assay to screen hundreds of interactions at once A 220-clone DUET-tagged GPCR library, available on Addgene An online interface to search GPCR-RAMP data and antibody validations This is open-access science at its best, built for the GPCR research community. ✳️ Listen to the episode: Ep 167 with Drs. Tom Sakmar & Ilana Kotliar #GPCRresearch #DrGPCRecosystem #GPCRdrugdiscovery #GPCRtrainingprogram #GPCRpodcast Previous Next Recent Articles