Keystone Symposia: Therapeutic Targeting of Hypoxia-Sensitive Pathways

Oxford, GB

Attendance type(s): In Person

Event Dates: 10—14 Apr 2018

Tissue oxygen gradients contribute to morphogenesis and in health cells in different tissues function under differing ambient oxygen conditions. Diseases or environmental challenges can reduce oxygen supply or increase demand, resulting in tissue hypoxia. Adaptive mechanisms have evolved that range from almost instantaneous acute ventilatory changes, through transcriptional events entrained in hours, to epigenetic events with slower effects and genetic adaptations selected across species and over generations. The role of the 2-oxoglutarate dependent dioxygenase enzyme family in influencing many, but not all, of these pleiotropic processes is increasingly recognized, and drugs targeting these enzymes are being evaluated in both experimental and clinical settings. The conference aims to combine the Keystone Symposia brand with the European HypoxiaNET consortium to bring together experts in hypoxia biology from clinical, academic and industrial backgrounds, including trainees, to: 1) Address gaps in our knowledge of responses to hypoxia across these timeframes and in different tissues; 2) Benefit the field by sharing techniques and reagents to enhance therapeutic targeting of the hypoxic response in general, including via inhibition of oxygen-sensitive enzymes; 3) Consider the utility of harnessing these pathways in organ dysfunction, in regenerative medicine and to influence immune and inflammatory responses; and 4) Disseminate outcomes of ongoing clinical trials and enhance plans for future trials. The most important anticipated outcome from the conference is that, through sharing knowledge, enhancing collaborations and training participants from diverse backgrounds, the likelihood of successful manipulation of hypoxia pathways to produce clinical benefits in a variety of fields including, but not restricted to, renal anaemia will be significantly enhanced.

Contact Details

Email: info@keystonesymposia.org