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Featuring talks by

Prof. Georgios Skiniotis

Stanford University, U.S.A.

Topic: Time-resolved cryoEM of G protein activation by a GPCR

Prof. Aashish Manglik

UC San Francisco, U.S.A.

Topic: Seeing scents: Towards a structural basis of olfaction

Chaired by

Prof. Carol Robinson

University of Oxford, UK

Topic: From recombinant complexes in detergent micelles to receptor signaling across native membranes – The promises and pitfalls of native mass spectrometry

About the Session

This session aims to delve into the fascinating world of membrane proteins and their crucial role in cellular communication. This session features three distinguished speakers, who will explore into different aspects of cellular signaling and molecular recognition. One lecture focuses on the dynamic process of G protein activation by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), showcasing the application of time-resolved cryoEM techniques. One lecture aims to uncover the structural basis of olfaction, exploring the challenges in understanding odorant recognition. Another lecture examines the promises and challenges of using native mass spectrometry in studying receptor signaling across cell membranes, highlighting its potential in deciphering complex interactions. Overall, this session will offer dynamic insights into receptor signaling, keeping attendees informed of the latest advancements.

About the Speakers

Carol Robinson, Ph.D., is Dr. Lee's Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oxford and is the first Director of Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery. She is recognized for establishing mass spectrometry as a viable technology to study the structure and function of proteins. Robinson graduated from the Royal Society of Chemistry in 1979 and completed her Ph.D. at Cambridge University. After a career break of eight years to focus on her family, she became a Professor of Mass Spectrometry at Cambridge, returning to Oxford in 2009 to take up her current position. Her work has attracted numerous awards, including the 2022 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry, the 2022 Louis Jeantet Prize for Medicine, and most recently, the ASMS John B. Fenn Award for Distinguished Contribution in Mass Spectrometry. Robinson is the former President of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A., and an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She was awarded a DBE in 2013 for services to science and industry.

Georgios Skiniotis, Ph.D., is Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology and of Structural Biology at Stanford University. He is also the Scientific Director of the Stanford CryoEM Center (cEMc) at Stanford University. Skiniotis is a structural biologist with expertise in electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM). Skiniotis has exploited the power of cryoEM to study a wide range of important biological "machines" or macromolecular assemblies. His main interests are on the mechanisms of transmembrane signal instigation with a particular focus on G protein-coupled receptors and cytokine receptors. The application of cryoEM to such systems has also driven him to explore and refine approaches for resolving technically challenging problems.

The Skiniotis laboratory seeks to resolve structural and mechanistic questions underlying biological processes that are central to cellular physiology. Their investigations employ primarily cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) and 3D reconstruction techniques complemented by biochemistry, biophysics and simulation methods to obtain a dynamic view into the macromolecular complexes carrying out these processes. The main theme in the lab is the structural biology of cell surface receptors that mediate intracellular signaling and communication. The current main focus is the exploration of the mechanisms responsible for transmembrane signal instigation in cytokine receptors and G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) complexes.

Aashish Manglik, M.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Anesthesia at UC San Francisco. Manglik received his B.A. in Biology and Chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis and his M.D./Ph.D. from Stanford University. His lab seeks to understand how cells sense and respond to their external environment, with a focus on transmembrane signaling coordinated by G protein-coupled receptors. Manglik was named a Pew, Searle, Klingenstein, and Vallee Scholar and is a recipient of the NIH Director's Early Independence Award and the Amgen Young Investigator Award.