Skaggs Biomedical Research Symposium

Thank you for joining us as we celebrated and explored the groundbreaking science emanating from labs across the west – all empowered by the generosity of the Skaggs family. Relive the symposium through the photo gallery and videos below.

View event photo gallery

Agenda

August 21-23, 2024
La Jolla, California

WEDNESDAY – August 21, 2024
*Welcome*– Faculty Club and Deck, 3300 N Torrey Pines Cir, La Jolla, CA 92037
5:30-8:00 p.m.	Check-in and Welcome Reception

THURSDAY – August 22, 2024
*Breakfast*– Beckman Center for Chemical Sciences, 10650 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
8:15-9:15 a.m.	Breakfast
*Opening Session*– Hazen Auditorium, 10620 John J. Hopkins Dr, San Diego, CA 92121
9:30-9:45 a.m.	Welcome Remarks Peter Schultz, PhD, President and CEO; Department of Chemistry Keary Engle, PhD, Professor, Department of Chemistry; Dean, Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences
9:45-10:45 a.m.	Keynote Address Ardem Patapoutian, PhD, Professor, Department of Neuroscience
10:45-11:05 a.m.	Coffee Break
*Scientific Session 1*– Hazen Auditorium
11:05-11:25 a.m.	Travis Wheeler, Professor Accelerating Drug Discovery with Artificial Intelligence
11:25-11:45 a.m.	Elizabeth Winzeler, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, Professor Accelerating antimalarial drug discovery
11:45 a.m.-12:05 p.m.	Danny Xu, Associate Professor / Director of Graduate Programs In silico and in vivo phenotypic drug screening for mitigating noise-induced hearing loss
12:05-12:25 p.m.	Travis Young, Vice President, Biologics, Calibr-Skaggs Bench to Bedside Development of Cancer Immunotherapies at Calibr-Skaggs
*Lunch*– Hazen Courtyard
12:25-1:45 p.m.	Lunch
*Poster Session 1*– Hazen Courtyard
1:30-2:00 p.m.	1. Hector Esquer, Postdoctoral Fellow “Center for Drug Discovery” 2. Sofia Endzhievskaya, Postdoctoral Fellow “Unlocking the therapeutic potential of orphan GPCRs using AI” 3. Priyanka Ghule, Graduate Research Assistant “The impact of the out-of-pocket cost of insulin on healthcare resource utilization and all healthcare-related costs using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2016-2018” 4. Ayuri Kirihennedige, Pharm.D. Student “Medicare Drug Price Negotiation: The Complexities of Choosing Therapeutic Alternatives and Developing an Initial Offer” 5. Albebson Lim, Graduate Student “Turnercyclamycins, anti-Gram-negative bacteria-specific lipopeptides isolated from a shipworm symbiont has different resistance mechanisms compared to colistin” 6. Morgan Marsh, Graduate Student “Re-engineering of a β-lactamase Protein Switch for Targeted Drug Delivery” 7. Christopher Nicolet, Graduate Student “In silico Guided Modulation of Mechanotransduction Channels in Zebrafish” 8. Camille Rubel, Graduate Student “Green Chemistry: Air-Stable Nickel(0) Precatalyst Development and Catalysis”
*Scientific Session 2*– Hazen Auditorium
2:10-2:30 p.m.	Solomon Zeleke, Assistant Professor Targeting Cyclin Dependent Kinases (CDKs) in Cancers: From CDK Inhibitors to Cyclin Degraders
2:30-2:50 p.m.	Martin Golkowski, Assistant Professor Disabling Polarity Switches to Combat Cancer Metastasis
2:50-3:10 p.m.	Katharine Diehl, Assistant Professor Using “designer” chromatin to profile interactors of acyl modifications
3:10-3:30 p.m.	Monica Serban, Professor Skin Reconstruction Device for Austere Environments
3:30-3:50 p.m.	Break
*Scientific Session 3*– Hazen Auditorium
3:50-4:10 p.m.	Kelly Anderson, Assistant Professor, Director, Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research PhD Program Measuring the Effects of Pharmacy Closures on Medication Adherence
4:10-4:30 p.m.	Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk, Professor Projected Cost Savings from Optimal Medication Adherence in Cardiovascular Disease Patients Requiring Lipid Lowering Therapy: a Multi-National Economic Evaluation Study
4:30-4:50 p.m.	Inma Hernandez, Professor Insulin Prices and Manufacturer Discounts: Implications for Patients and Policy Reform
4:50-5:10 p.m.	Hayley Blackburn, Associate Professor Extreme Heat and Wildfire Smoke Exposure in the Western US: A Geospatial Analysis
*Poster Session 2*– Hazen Courtyard
5:10-5:40 p.m.	9. Ian Newman, Graduate Student “Assessing the importance of transcriptional coordination in aging” 10. Thibault Alle, Postdoctoral Fellow “CNS-active Microtubule Stabilizing Triazolopyrimidines as Candidate Therapeutics for Neurodegenerative Tauopathies: from Discovery to IND-enabling Studies” 11. Sarah Asby, Student “Development of Preclinical and Clinical Strategies for the Detection of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Mediated Nephrotoxicity” 12. Janhabee Shrestha, Graduate Student “Towards Selective Inhibition of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 11 for Cancer Therapy” 13. Marwan Ghanem, Graduate Student “MicroRNA mechanisms of cerebellar development” 14. Vu Nguyen, Postdoctoral Fellow “Dual Targeting of DNA and Energy Metabolism by AIMS in Leukemia”
5:40-6:30 p.m.	Break
*Banquet Dinner*– Hazen Courtyard
6:30-8:30 p.m.	Dinner

FRIDAY – August 23, 2024
*Breakfast*– Hazen Courtyard, 10620 John J. Hopkins Dr, San Diego, CA 92121
8:15-9:15 a.m.	Breakfast (courtyard level)
8:15-9:15 a.m.	Skaggs Deans Networking Breakfast (upper level)
*Scientific Session 4*– Hazen Auditorium
9:30-9:50 a.m.	Rui Xiong, Assistant Professor Developing Papain-Like Protease (PLpro) Inhibitors as Broad-Spectrum Coronavirus Treatments
9:50-10:10 a.m.	Jesse Jones, Assistant Professor Discovery and characterization of microbial protein nanocompartments encoded in natural products gene clusters
10:10-10:30 a.m.	Kristina Brooks, Assistant Professor Advancing Pediatric Treatment Options in Children with HIV: Insights from the IMPAACT 2019 Study
10:30-10:50 a.m.	Walid Abdelwahab, Research Associate Professor Advanced Development of a Novel synthetic Mincle Adjuvant, UM-1098, in Combination with a Clinical Stage Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen (M72) to Induce Robust Protective Th1/Th17 Immunity Against TB
10:50-11:10 a.m.	Nathan Cherrington, Associate Dean Phenoconversion in drug transporter function provides a novel strategy to diagnose MASH
11:10-11:30 a.m.	Break
*Scientific Session 5*– Hazen Auditorium
11:30-11:50 a.m.	Danielle Grotjahn, Assistant Professor Structural mapping of mitochondrial co-translational import in cells
11:50 a.m.-12:10 p.m.	Dmitri Simberg, Professor, CO Center for Nanomedicine and Nanosafety Co-Director Mechanisms of accumulation of nano-drugs and nanoparticles in the skin
12:10-12:30 p.m.	Jeffery Kelly, Professor Pharmacological Adaptation of Proteostasis to Ameliorate Neurodegenerative Diseases
12:30-12:50 p.m.	Brad Moore, Distinguished Professor Mining Nature’s chemistry from the ocean to improve human health
12:50-1:00 p.m.	Closing Remarks Katja Lamia, Associate Dean, Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences
*Lunch*– Hazen Courtyard
1:00 p.m.	Lunch

Click here to view abstracts

We can’t wait to host you at our beautiful La Jolla campus overlooking Torrey Pines Golf Course and the Pacific Ocean.

This year, Scripps Research is celebrating 100 years of Science Changing Life. Since its founding by philanthropist and journalist Ellen Browning Scripps in 1924, Scripps Research has remained at the forefront of science and medicine with six research departments, multiple Nobel laureates and a top-ranked graduate school.

Visit our centennial celebration website to hear scientists’ stories and discover the latest research in immunology, chemistry, drug discovery, infectious disease, neuroscience and individualized medicine. Dive into the institute’s world-renowned educational efforts, explore an interactive timeline and stay up to date on the latest scientific news.

Explore campus before you see it for yourself!

Refer to the map below as you’re navigating campus, and note the yellow stars indicating primary event locations.

Click to download event map in PDF format.

The Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines is just a 4-minute drive or 15-minute walk to the Scripps Research campus. We will have transportation provided during key times throughout the symposium (see below).

For any updates to your reservations at the Hilton, use the central reservations phone number: 1-877-414-8020. The hotel check-in time is 4:00pm and check-out time is 11:00am.

If you plan to drive yourself to the symposium, there will be ample parking available at each of the venues:

Faculty Club Parking – Park in the directly in front of the Faculty Club, which can be accessed from North Torrey Pines Road via North Torrey Pines Court. Parking is free and you do not need a permit or pass to park in the lot for this event (please disregard the posted signs).
Beckman Center Parking - Park in the spaces marked for Skaggs Symposium visitors directly in front of the building.
Hazen Auditorium Parking - Park in the Hazen Parking, located at 10332 John Jay Hopkins Drive.

Shuttle times

Wednesday, August 21

3:30pm Pick up at the Hilton, drop off at Scripps Research Auditorium (for those attending the Front Row lecture with Arnab Chatterjee, PhD)
5:30pm Pick up at Scripps Research Auditorium, drop off at Scripps Research Faculty Club
6:00 - 8:00pm Looping between the Hilton and Scripps Research Faculty Club

Thursday, August 23

8:10 - 8:50am Looping between the Hilton and Beckman Center for Chemical Sciences
9:00am Pick up at the Hilton, drop off at Scripps Research Auditorium
12:25-1:45pm Looping between the Hilton and Scripps Research Auditorium
5:30pm Pick up at Scripps Research Auditorium, drop off at Scripps Research Faculty Club (Dean Designates only, for VIP Reception)
5:40pm Pick up at Scripps Research Auditorium, drop off at the Hilton
6:30pm Pick up at the Hilton, drop off at Scripps Research Auditorium
7:00pm Pick up at Scripps Research Faculty Club, drop off at Auditorium
7:30-8:30pm Looping between Scripps Research Auditorium and the Hilton

Friday, August 23

8:10-9:15am Looping between the Hilton and Scripps Research Auditorium
1:05-2:00pm Looping between Scripps Research Auditorium and the Hilton

Which schools will be represented at this event?
We are excited to welcome guests from Idaho State University, University of Arizona, University of Colorado, University of Montana, University of Utah and University of California, San Diego. Members of the Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences at Scripps Research will also be participating.

Who is the featured speaker at this event?
Keynote remarks will be provided by Scripps Research professor and Nobel laureate Ardem Patapoutian.

When will I receive my event materials?
Welcome packets will be distributed at the welcome reception from 6:00-8:00pm on Wednesday, August 21.

What is the dress code for this event?
Business casual attire with layers is suggested. Keep in mind the traditional weather for San Diego's coastal climate; you can expect it to be quite warm during the day and chilly in the evenings.

Where should I park on campus?
Complimentary parking will be provided in the Scripps Research Auditorium parking garage, located at 10332 John Jay Hopkins Drive.

When is the deadline to submit my materials?
If you are presenting a poster, please submit your poster title and print files (48" x 36") by July 19. If you are a speaker, please submit your presentation abstract and title by July 19, and your slides by August 16.

Are there close-by spots for dining and entertainment?
Meals will be provided during the event, but if you would like to venture out, we have plenty of options nearby. On campus, we have Parakeet Cafe, Oriste Fairway Cafe and Cargo Cafe. Off-campus, downtown La Jolla, Westfield UTC shopping center and Del Mar Village all have food and beverage options within a 15 minute drive.

The options for entertainment are endless in beautiful La Jolla as well as the greater San Diego County area. Visit the sea lions in La Jolla Cove, explore Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve or simply take a stroll along the boardwalk and take in views of the Pacific.