Meetings Held in 2011
Please note: We do not make public any information about our current year's program.
| February 18-21 Leadership in Bioscience Workshop Funded by: The American Express Foundation Organized By: Carl Cohen, Science Management Associates, Newton, Massachusetts Dannielle Kennedy, WorkLab, LLC, New York, New York |
A scientist running a laboratory is essentially a running a business, small to begin with but likely to get larger with time. And so scientists need to develop skills akin to those needed to run a business–identifying and resolving conflicts; dealing with difficult people; leading effective and productive meetings; and communicting effecetively within the laboratory and with the outside world. These skills, if acquired at all, are usually learned haphazardly, after the fact. How much better to learn them systematically and in advance of needing them!
| March 15-17 SCOR Retreat Funded by: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Organized By: Scott Lowe, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York |
SCOR (Specialized Center of Research) is a program of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The cornerstone of the SCOR program is its collaborative structure: every recipient works with a cross-disciplinary team of leading researchers from their own and other universities and medical institutions. In this case, researchers from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory collaborate with researchers at the Universities of Minnesota, California, San Francisco, and Chicago. This meeting provided an opportunity for those involved to present their data and to interact with each other in person.
 E. Kandel |
March 18-21 The 3rd NIMH Sponsored Brain Camp Funded by: National Institute of Mental Health Organized By: Thomas Insel, NIMH, Bethesda,Maryland Mayada Akil, NIMH, Bethesda,Maryland |
 L. Garrawy, R. Nusse, H. Varmus |
March 22-25 Curing melanoma and other cancers by targeted therapies Funded by: Hazen Polsky Foundation Melanoma Research Alliance Organized By: Joseph Schlessinger, Yale University James D. Watson, CSHL |
A wealth of genetic and biochemical analysis combined with novel approaches for drug discovery are offering, for the first time, hope for effective new therapies for untreatable cancers such as melanoma. The goal of the Banbury meeting was to present new data about targeted therapies that have been recently developed for the treatment of melanoma and other cancers. Genetic and biochemical studies describing novel targets and new approaches for targeted therapies were also described. Finally, molecular mechanisms underlying drug resistance that take place in patients treated with targeted therapies and new approaches for overcoming this problem were reviewed.
 V. Dragoi |
April 3-6 Neuronal response variability and cortical computation Funded by: The Swartz Foundation The Gatsby Charitable Foundation Organized By: Laurence Abbott, Columbia University John Reynolds, Salk Institute for Biological Studies |
It is becoming increasingly clear that neuronal response variability, in particular low frequency response correlations, have a profound impact on how populations of neurons encode information and that they provide an important window into neural circuit function. The goal of the meeting was to bring together experimentalists and theorists seeking to understand neuronal response variability and its implications for cortical computation, and to provide a more unified way to think about variability and correlations. Participants examined such questions as: Is variability “noise” or is it a signature of important computations that we have yet to understand? How do neural circuits distinguish intrinsic variability in the neural signal from the stimulus-induced variability? How can we best exploit our ability to measure variability and correlations to maximize what we learn about neural circuits?
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April 10-13 Lyme Disease in the Proteomics-Genomics Era Funded by: Time for Lyme Inc. Organized By: Steven Schutzer, UMDNJ Bruce Budowle, University of North Texas |
We are now in the Proteogenomic Era characterized by a revolution in high throughput technologies, most notably in DNA sequencing and protein identification. These new technologies not only do more faster, they enable us to think about doing things differently, to exploit their power to devise new strategies. The goals of this meeting were to explore how new technologies might be used in conjunction with existing techniques, to develop new diagnostic strategies, to forecast promising future tests, and to identify the problems that need to be overcome including supporting biorepositories. Participants included not only those with experience in Lyme disease but also a number of individuals whose expertise in proteomics, genomics and other areas can help move the field forward.
 Fellows at work |
April 29-May 5 Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds Fellows Retreat Funded by: Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds Organized By: Claudia Walther, Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds Anja Hoffmann, Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds |
The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds has an international program of support for Ph.D. fellowships and it first brought its fellows to the Banbury Center for their annual North American retreat in 2005. It has been a great pleasure to have them return and their 2011 stay at Banbury was the fourth occasion that they have been here. At Banbury, they receive intensive instruction in matters such as giving presentations and writing papers, topics usually learned by default (and often poorly) during graduate research.
 S. Levy, J. Miller, J. Davis |
May 15-18 Antibiotic Resistance: Past, present, future Funded by: National Institute of Mental Health Organized By: Julian Davies, University of British Columbia Stuart Levy, Tufts University of Medicine Jeffrey H. Miller, UCLA James D. Watson, CSHL |
Antibiotics (together with vaccines) are biomedical research's greatest contribution to human health. But the introduction of antibiotics in the early 1940s was paralleled by the development of antibiotic resistance. Today, the need for novel antibiotics and methods of suppressing resistance has never been greater and the Banbury conference addressed these needs. Participants examined the history of the emergence of antibiotic resistance and of the strategies which have been pursued to combat it. This historical background provided a context for discussion of current practical approaches to restoring effective antimicrobial therapy and what paths may prove promising in the future.
 K. Mockaitis |
May 18-20 NSF Workshop: The Future of Plant Genome Sequencing and Analysis Funded by: The Wellcome Trust Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Organized By: W. Richard McCombie, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Michael C. Schatz, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Jan A. Witkowski, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory |
In just the past few years, sequencing instrument capabilities have increased more than 1000 fold and are likely to continue to increase about five-fold each year for the next several years. However, analysis methods have not improved nearly as much during the same time period and a variety of technical limitations of these new instruments make it even more difficult to carry out whole genome sequencing of novel genomes (de novo sequencing). The goals of this meeting were to assess the current state of de novo sequencing, predict what can be expected to develop in the near future, and determine how these exciting technologies could be used to carry out de novo sequencing of entire complex plant genomes.
 T. Tlsty |
June 23-24 The Future of Biomarker Discovery and Biobanks in Cancer Diagnosis, Prognosis and Therapy Funded by: SWOG Organized By: Laurence Baker, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan Scott Lowe, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York |
The availability of suitable biomarkers to identify appropriate patient populations and tissue specific drug activation indices is crucial for maximizing the efficacy of many existing and developing therapies and for trial design for drug development. In turn, the successful identification and validation of new biomarkers requires the availability of biospecimens for clinical research. Patient specimens obtained from clinical trials sponsored by NCI-designated cooperative groups such as SWOG provide an incredibly rich source of tissue for the advancement of cancer research, biomarker discovery, and patient care. The Banbury meeting examined the optimization of biospecimen repositories as well as the cutting edge approaches and technologies that may be brought to bear on biomarker discovery.
 D. Wallace |
September 11-13 Translation of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Aging to Geriatric Disorders Funded by: Sanofi US Organized By: Cecilia Marta, Bruce Baron & Ed Tamer, Sanofi-Aventis, Bridgewater, New Jersey |
| The Center and the Laboratory are indebted to members of the CSHL Corporate Sponsor Program and we are pleased when members of the Program make use of the benefits of the Program. One of these is to hold meetings at Banbury on a topic of their own choosing, and we were happy to welcome members of the Sanofi Therapeutic Strategic Unit of Aging. The meeting brought together key experts with Sanofi scientists to critically evaluate two areas with major implications for aging: 1) the contribution of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress to aging and its associated disorders and, 2) the impact of aging on the immune system and immunosenescence. The focus was on connecting clinical observations to underlying mechanisms and using this knowledge to compare the relevance of potential interventions and to predict the most appropriate patient populations and outcome parameters. |
 J. Richardson, W. Lipkin, D. Fish |
September 18-21 Scientific and Technological Barriers to Global Real Time Risk Assessment of Vector-borne Infections Funded by: Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Department of Defense Organized By: Roger Breeze, Global Security Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California Durland Fish, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut Don Barnard, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Gainesville, Florida Alan Rudolph, Chemical and Biological Defense Directorate, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Virginia |
| This meeting supported by the US Department of Defense, which has long focused on protecting the health of its forces deployed overseas from numerous infectious diseases not indigenous to the US, examined what is being and what could be done to detect such diseases. Questions discussed included: What data are available from existing and evolving vector borne disease surveillance and risk assessment activities and how might these data be enhanced? How might data be generated in low resource countries, mega cities and remote regions without long term and costly investments in human and physical capital? What do we need to know about the ecology of the microbes, vectors and hosts – including microbial variants that provide early indications of disease activity? |
 S,. Vernon |
September 25-27 Strategic Research Initiative for CFS Funded by: CFIDS Association of America Organized By: K. Kimberly McCleary, CFIDS Association of America, Charlotte, North Carolina Suzanne Vernon, CFIDS Association of America, Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Banbury Center has held several meetings on chronic fatigue syndrome and related disorders and the Center was pleased to be the site for the inaugural meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board of the CFIDS Association of America. Over the past few years, CFS research has received high-profile media attention, generating both increased interest and unprecedented opportunities for progress. The Association was looking to its new SAB for guidance on research strategy, so as to encourage innovative research focused on early detection, objective diagnosis and effective treatment. Banbury takes great pride in the role the Center has played in helping foster research on CFS. |
| September 30-October 2 FEBS Journal Editorial Board Meeting Funded by: FEBS Journal, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Organized By: Nicholas Tonks, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York Vanessa Wilkinson, FEBS Journal, Cambridge, United Kingdom |
| The Banbury Center takes a broad perspective on it’s mission to promote biomedical research. We have, for example, held meetings to discuss scientific fraud, funding for research, and open access journals. This meeting provided an opportunity for the editorial board of FEBS Journal to meet with the journal’s staff and discuss the performance and future direction of the journal. |
 M. Freeling |
October 10-13 Dosage, Epigenetics, and the Biology of Hybridization and Hybrids Funded by: Cold Spring Harbor/Pioneer DuPont Joint Collaborative Project Organized By: Zachary Lippman, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York Robert Williams, DuPont Experimental Station, Wilmington, Delaware Robert Martienssen, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York |
| Each year, members of the Cold Spring Harbor-Pioneer DuPont Joint Collaborative group meet to review the progress of the collaboration. In addition, a small number of researchers not part of the collaboration come to the meeting for discussion of an important topic related to the work of the collaboration. This year the topic dealt with the molecular biology of hybridization, exploring the roles of gene expression in phenotypic variation, with a particular emphasis on changes not easily explained by simple nucleotide changes, for example chromosome structure, genome organization, epigenetics and regulatory RNA. These mechanisms are likely to have effects on plant development, response to stress, heterosis and evolution. |
 P. Hines |
October 16-19 Genotype to Phenotype: Deriving Biological Knowledge from Large Genomic Datasets Funded by: The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Corporate Sponsor Program Organized By: Todd Michael, Monsanto Company, Chesterfield, Missouri Patrick Schnable, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa |
| In the past few years, sequencing instrument capabilities have increased more than 1000 fold and are likely to continue to increase about five-fold each year for the next several years. However, analysis methods have not improved nearly as much during the same time period and a variety of technical limitations of these new instruments make it even more difficult to carry out whole genome sequencing of novel genomes (de novo sequencing). The goals of this meeting were to assess the current state of de novo sequencing, predict what can be expected to develop in the near future, and determine how these exciting technologies could be used to carry out de novo sequencing of entire complex plant genomes. |
 S. Telang, G. Vande Woude |
October 30-November 2 Metformin and Neoplasia Funded by: Oliver Grace Cancer Fund Organized By: Michael Pollak, McGill University, Montreal, Canada Craig Thompson, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York |
| In recent years it has become clear that proliferative and survival signaling pathways can be made redundant by compensatory signaling through alternative pathways. Many of receptor tyrosine kinase networks are subject to dynamic feedback controls through other pathways which impact the efficacy of single agent targeted therapies. Similarly, many of the pathways specifically targeted by recent cancer therapeutics are intersected by metabolic control networks which can dynamically alter pathway inhibition and efficacy. This discussion meeting reviewed what is known of signaling networks affecting feedback control of energy utilization, receptor tyrosine kinase signaling and their intersection nodes, and the modeling and imaging of networks and nodes. The goal was to develop a better understanding of how combinations of targeted antitumor agents can overcome compensatory and feedback control which limits their use as single therapies. |
 V. Chandler |
November 2-4 Workshop: The Future of the Epigenomics of Plants International Consortium (EPIC) Funded by: Epigenomics of Plants International Consortium Organized By: Doris Wagner, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Craig Pikaard, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana Robert Martienssen, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York |
| Plant research is leading the way in many areas of epigenomics and EPIC is an NSF funded research co-ordination initiative to form an International Consortium to decipher the plant epigenome. It has been clear for many years that epigenetic interactions with the environment shape the plant body plan during development and control growth and survival responses of these sessile organisms. As a result, plants have a sophisticated epigenomic ‘toolkit’ that modulates genome accessibility. Deciphering the plant epigenome is a large task and will be most effectively achieved via an internationally coordinated effort. This Banbury conference discussed both the intellectual questions, transformative methodologies and infrastructure needs required to achieve this goal, as well as the means to engage funding agencies and the international research community as a whole. |
 R. Young, J. Watson |
November 6-9 Myc and the Pathway to Cancer Funded by: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Corporate Sponsor Program Organized By: J Robert Eisenman, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington Chi Dang, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Myc was discovered 30 years ago and was recognized as being a key player in cancer development. While a great deal has been learned about Myc interactions and functions we still lack a detailed understanding of how Myc activity influences normal vs. cancer cell behavior. Specific topics covered at the meeting included regulation of myc gene transcription; the role of Myc in normal and tumor stem cells; transcriptional and non-transcriptional activities of Myc; and functions of the extended Myc network (including Mlx and Mondo proteins). Participants included experts in cancer models who provided perspective concerning potential roles of Myc in different tumor systems. The meeting explored ways through which myc, as a pivotal oncogene in human cancers, and its associated pathways can provide targets for the development of therapies. |
 D. Goldgaber, J. Collinge |
November 29-December 2 Transmissible Amyloidoses Funded by: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Corporate Sponsor Program Organized By: John Collinge, University College London, United Kingdom Dmitry Goldgaber, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York |
| After succeeding in demonstrating the transmission of kuru and Creutzfeld Jacob Disease in the late 60s, Carleton Gajdusek suspected that other late onset diseases of the brain might also be transmissible. In the 70s he inoculated hundreds of animals with brain tissues of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease and other diseases, and kept them under observation for many years, some of them for decades. Using the same criteria that worked for kuru and CJD, namely, clinical symptoms and gross pathological changes in the brain, he found not a single case of transmission. In the 1990s, however, data began to accumulate that Alzheimer’s disease amyloidosis can be transmitted to primates, and in transmission of beta-amyloid to transgenic mice was demonstrated. The time was clearly right for a critical review of the data on transmission of the amyloidoses, the mechanisms involved, and the implications for human health. |
 H. Zakon |
December 7-9 Evolution of Neural Circuits and Behavior Funded by: Marie Robertson Memorial Fund Organized By: Stephen Shea, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York Michael Owen, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom |
| Nervous systems have evolved under unique sets of selective pressures driving adaptive changes, and thus their structure and function reflect the organism’s environment. The ultimate expression of these forces on the brain is diversity of behavior. Empirical studies of the interaction between environment, neural processing, and behavior have largely consisted of neuroethological, comparative, and molecular genetic approaches. Participants in the meeting discussed how the synthesis of these complementary approaches might enrich our understanding of nervous system function and further aid in the interpretation of experimental findings across animal phyla. |
 M-C King |
December11-14 Psychiatric Genomics Funded by: The Stanley Research Foundation Organized By: W. Richard McCombie, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York Kyle Honegger, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York |
| The first Banbury Center meeting on molecular human genetics was held in 1982 at a time when RFLPs linked to human genetics diseases were first being sought and a complete human gene had yet to be squenced. How times have changed! And yet it is still difficult to find the genes underlying psychiatric and other complex disorders. However, new high through-put DNA sequencing techniques have made, or are about to make, it possible to sequence the whole exomes and genomes of large numbers of individuals. This will provide opportunities to develop new gene hunting strategies for complex genetic disorders. This meeting brought together experts to critically assess current strategies and to outline how genome scale sequencing can be used most effectively and efficiently. |
