The FULL 2020 agenda has not yet been announced. Please check back in the coming days for updates or join our mailing list HERE. Below are featured presentations scheduled to date. The timeline for this event will be released the week of January 13th, 2020.

APRIL 21, 2020

Designing Living Diagnostics and Therapeutics for the Microbiome
We can engineer the microbiome to report on the health of the gut microbiome and report on the presence of pathological states such as inflammation. These sensor bacteria can also be engineered to deliver therapeutics on demand. We also use targeted bacteriophage to shape and program the gut microbiome. In doing so, we have developed novel targeted therapeutic strategies.
Pamela Silver, Ph.D., Elliot T. and Onie H. Adams Professor of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School

Targeted Delivery and Controlled Release of Bacteriophages and Bacteriocins
This talk will present scalable approaches available for micro- and nano- encapsulation of bacteriophages and bacteriocins. In vitro and in vivo results from studies in mice and poultry will be presented showing the benefits of targeted delivery and controlled release of biotherapeutics to improve bioavailability and overcome environmental stresses including gastric acidity and enzymatic degradation.
Danish Malik, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, Chemical Engineering Department, Loughborough University

Gut Microbiome Perturbation is Associated with Vaccine Hypo-Responsiveness (non-CME presentation)
Emerging evidence suggests that antibiotics have direct and indirect effects on mucosal and systemic immunity. However, the microbiome-mediated effects of antibiotic use on vaccine responses are not fully characterized. Using translational pre-clinical models including germ-free and antibiotic treated mice, we show that microbiome perturbation leads to reduced vaccine outcome. Current mechanistic studies are aimed at investigating microbial and immune pathways that are differentially modulated in germ-free & antibiotic treated mice. An increasingly detailed understanding of host and microbiome-derived factors that are critical for optimal outcome of vaccines will significantly influence the future design of vaccines & immunotherapies.
Gokul Swaminathan, Ph.D., Associate Principal Scientist, Merck Exploratory Science Center

Presentation to be Announced (non-CME presentation)
Sebastien Guery, Ph.D., Pharm.D., Human Microbiome Venture Leader, Dupont Nutrition and Health

Challenges in Commercially Developing Phage Therapies to Target Drug-Resistant Bacteria
Increasing prevalence and severity of multi-drug-resistant bacterial infections requires novel antibacterial strategies. One possibility is a renewed approach to ‘phage therapy’. This presentation concerns the discovery of phages (bacteria-specific viruses) that associate with virulence factors of target bacterial pathogens. Dr. Turner will present empirical support for this hypothesis, and will showcase results of FDA approved emergency treatment in humans, harnessing various phages that drive evolutionary trade-offs in bacterial pathogens.
Paul Turner, Ph.D., Rachel Carson Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University

Use of Phage Cocktail in Chronic Disease Indications (non-CME presentation)
In this presentation, Mr. Oron will discuss the following:
♦ A clinical trial for evaluating BX001 for acne prone skin
♦ BX002 targeting a novel proinflammatory target in inflammatory bowel disease
Assaf Oron, Chief Business Officer, BiomX

Optimized Microbiome Workflow: Towards Microbiome-Based Diagnostics & Therapeutics Solutions (non-CME presentation)
The human gut microbiome has been described as the most complex ecosystem on earth. As microbiome research evolves, more and more health conditions are being linked to an unbalanced microbial composition. As microbiome research gradually moved from association to causation, the complexity increases as we move from genome to transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and beyond. Because the methods and tools to make measurements of the microbiome vary widely, results produced by different laboratories are often not comparable. Standards and validated protocols are crucial for gaining a full picture of the microbiome’s basic features, as well as translating it into therapeutic strategies.
Michal Daniely, Ph.D., Research and Development Director, MilliporeSigma

Ultra-high Resolution Microbiomics and Derived Functional Insights as a Tool to Maximize the Outcome in Clinical Studies (non-CME presentation)
Henrik Bjorn Nielsen, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Clinical Microbiomics

BARDA DRIVe: Partnering with the USG on Health Security Innovations (non-CME presentation)
BARDA provides a comprehensive integrated portfolio approach to the advanced R&D and acquisition of medical countermeasures (vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics) against public health emergencies that involve CBRN threats, pandemic influenza, and emerging infectious diseases. Ms. Boston’s most recent work with BARDA’s Division of Research, Innovation and Ventures (DRIVe) aims to revolutionize the current state of health security products and technologies by supporting promising, early-stage innovations with a venture-capital approach and commercial best practices.
Donna Boston, Program Manager, Division of Research, Innovation & Ventures (DRIVe), Biomedical Advanced R&D Authority (BARDA), Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response (ASPR), US Dept. of Health & Human Services (HHS)

APRIL 22, 2020

Considerations for Gut-Based Brain Research
Much research in neuroscience has neglected the rest of the body, until recently, when the “gut-brain axis” has come to light. From the perspective of a neuroscientist, this talk will cover considerations in clinical trials and basic science research to incorporate questions about the gut to more holistically assess neurological disease. Lessons learned from our research on Alzheimer's disease will serve as a concrete reference.
Amy Feehan, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Ochsner Health System

Gut Microbiota Mediates the Vascular Beneficial Effects of Dietary Anthocyanins
Clinical studies support the cardiovascular benefits of berry anthocyanins. This presentation will focus on how dietary blueberry anthocyanins shift the composition and functional potential of the gut microbiome and improve vascular health in preclinical models. This presentation will also discuss the role of the gut microbiome and anthocyanin-derived microbial metabolites in mediating the vascular effects of blueberries.
Anandh Babu Pon Velayutham, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Nutrition & Integrative Physiology, University of Utah

Panel Session: Challenges and Solutions in the Development and Application of Microbiome Standards
While research on the microbiome has provided valuable insights into how microbial communities shape human health and disease, there are still many outstanding questions left to be answered. Join us for a collaborative discussion on the hurdles that microbiome researchers face during each stage of the workflow, challenges and solutions in the development and application of microbiome standards, and current gaps and future trends in microbiome research.
Nick Greenfield, Founder and CEO, One Codex
Sam Minot, Ph.D., Staff Scientist, Microbiome Research Initiative, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Gokul Swaminathan, Ph.D., Associate Prinicipal Scientist, Merck Exploratory Science Center

The Continued Struggle to Fund Women's Healthcare (non-CME presentation)
Rachel Teitelbaum, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Hervana

ACS Extramural Research: Portfolio, Programs and Funding Opportunities
Lynne Elmore, Ph.D., Director, Translational Cancer Research Program, American Cancer Society

Development, Validation, and Unique Applications of Species-specific Microbiome Assay & Database that together Provide True Pan-Domain Molecular Diagnostics
Garth Ehrlich, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, Professor of Otolayngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine

A Survivor’s Perspective: The Bigger Picture of the Patient Journey.
Too often, manufacturers of therapeutics forget that the patient is more than simply someone taking a pill, but a person on an often long and arduous journey; a journey in which a therapeutics manufacturer can and often should become more than simply a supplier, but a trusted partner. In this presentation, Nancy C. Caralla, Founder of the C Diff Foundation and three-time C. difficile infection survivor, will share first-hand knowledge of one patient's journey that will bring needed perspective to the audience and new insights that should be front of mind for anyone developing new microbiome therapies.
Nancy Caralla, Founding President, Executive Director, C Diff Foundation

Data Driven Design of Microbiome-Based Therapeutics and Diagnostics Using Gene-Level Metagenomics
The human microbiome contains an incredibly diverse collection of microbes which can have a large impact on host health and disease. Surveys of the microbiome have identified broad associations with disease, but have yet to robustly identify individual strains with probiotic potential. Dr. Minot will discuss innovations in gene-level metagenomic analysis which may enable an entirely new approach to the design of microbiome-based therapeutics and diagnostics.
Sam Minot, Ph.D., Staff Scientist, Microbiome Research Initiative, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Standards for Microbiome and Metagenomics
In spite of the huge potential impact of microbiome science, current measurement capabilities are insufficient, particularly for translating discoveries and correlations observed in the lab into commercially viable products and services that improve our quality of life. Data are difficult to compare between experimenters, laboratories, or institutions. Emerging capabilities (e.g., next generation sequencing, metabolomics) are new and not fully characterized for microbiome investigations. Reference samples (i.e., for calibration or quality control) that mimic the complexity of naturally occurring communities are not available. Bioinformatic analysis packages and reference databases remain incomplete.
Scott Jackson, Ph.D., Group Leader, Complex Microbial Systems, NIST (National Institute of Standards & Technology)

Microbiome Therapeutics at Takeda: Leveraging External Partnerships to Explore Multiple Modalities and Hypothesis-Driven Approaches (non-CME presentation)
Henry Haiser, Ph.D., Associate Scientific Director, GI Drug Discovery, Microbiome Sciences, Takeda

Presentation to be Announced (non-CME presentation)
Steve Schnittger, VP Global Microbiology R&D, Estee Lauder

Gut Microbiota Induces Anti-Tumor Immunity Restricting Tumor Growth – The RNF5-UPR-Inulin Journey
This presentation will highlight studies in which we have demonstrated the importance of the ubiquitin ligase RNF5 in the control of gut microbiota composition with a concomitant effect on anti-tumor immunity and tumor growth inhibition. The role of Unfolded Protein Response in RNF5-mediated changes in gut microbiota and ant-tumor immunity will be discussed, and finally, the identification of prebiotics that are capable of inducing anti-tumor immunity and restrict tumor growth.
Ze'ev Ronai, Ph.D., Professor, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

Gut Microbiome and Intestinal Permeability as the Novel Criteria for Toxicological Risk Assessment
Exposure to ingested xenobiotics including drugs, as well as, chemical additives/contaminants on edible items could lead to dysbiosis in the gastrointestinal tract. A comprehensive understanding of the toxicologic effects of such exposure on the intestinal microbiome is crucial when evaluating the safety of these products since they play an important role in maintaining health. In this presentation, Dr. Khare will discuss the challenges and opportunities to establish gut microbiota, intestinal permeability - xenobiotic interactions as novel criteria to include in toxicological risk assessments.
Sangeeta Khare, Ph.D., Research Microbiologist, Division of Microbiology, National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration

The Use of Wild Mouse Models to Further Microbiome Research
Laboratory mice are paramount for understanding basic biological phenomena but also have limitations in preclinical studies. Based on the concept that natural microbiota co-evolved with their respective hosts under evolutionary pressure of common environmental immune stimuli, Dr. Rehermann will describe and discuss new mouse models that combine the natural microbiota of wild mice with the tractable genetics of laboratory mice. Wild mouse microbiota are stable over multiple generations in the laboratory mouse colonies, promote host fitness and disease resistance (Cell, 2017;171:1015-1028) and increase the translatability of immunological results from preclinical studies to humans (Science, 2019;365(6452).
Barbara Rehermann, MD, Section Chief, Immunology Section, Liver Diseases Branch, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health

APRIL 23, 2020

Data-Driven Personalized Nutrition to Modulate Gut Microbiome Functions: Towards Prevention of Chronic Diseases (non-CME presentation)
Gut microbiome dysbiosis has been studied in the context of taxonomy, but research in this area has yielded very little actionable information. Viome focuses on the microbial functional dysbiosis, which we have tied to several chronic diseases. Not only is the functional dysbiosis more predictive of chronic diseases, it is very actionable. Microbial functions are mostly determined by the molecules in the foods we consume. Therefore, microbial functions can be modulated by adjusting each person's diet to support healthy microbial functions, and shut down those associated with disease. Viome's systems biology platform and results from several large studies will be presented.
Momo Vuyisch, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Viome

Act Locally, Think Globally: Understanding Microbiome-Related Modulation of Systemic Immune Responses (non-CME presentation)
Interactions between the immune system and the gut microbiome have a pivotal role on the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. A growing body of knowledge shows that microbiome diversity, with enrichment of specific microbial species, is the strongest predictor of checkpoint inhibitor response. However, the link between specific enteric populations and the immune response within the tumor microenvironment is poorly understood. We are performing comprehensive and integrated analysis of the microbiome populations, immune system modulation and changes on inflammatory markers and metabolic profiles and its relationship with tumor growth and ICI efficacy. In addition, we are expanding this approach to understand the relevance of the microbiome/immune system interaction in other relevant therapeutic areas like liver diseases or diabetes.
Sara Ferrando Martinez, Ph.D., Research Scientist, AstraZeneca

Microbiome Funding Opportunities with the ISS
Rachel Clemens, Ph.D., Commercial Innovation Manager, Life Science Lead, ISS US National Lab, Center for Advancement in Science in Space

Science to Market: From a Bacterial Strain to a Skincare Product (non-CME presentation)
Interactions between the immune system and the gut microbiome have a pivotal role on the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. A growing body of knowledge shows that microbiome diversity, with enrichment of specific microbial species, is the strongest predictor of checkpoint inhibitor response. However, the link between specific enteric populations and the immune response within the tumor microenvironment is poorly understood. We are performing comprehensive and integrated analysis of the microbiome populations, immune system modulation and changes on inflammatory markers and metabolic profiles and its relationship with tumor growth and ICI efficacy. In addition, we are expanding this approach to understand the relevance of the microbiome/immune system interaction in other relevant therapeutic areas like liver diseases or diabetes.
Lionel Breton, Ph.D., DSc., Scientific Director, L'Oreal Advanced Research, L'Oreal

Long-Term Benefit of Microbiota Transfer Therapy on Autism Symptoms and Gut Microbiome
Over the last couple of decades, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have become substantially prevalent, but the etiology of these complex neurobiological disorders remain poorly understood. Accumulating evidence revealed that children with ASD have disrupted gut microbiome, which suggests that modifying it is a potential route to improve ASD behavioral symptoms. Thus, we designed and performed an open-label trial of Microbiota Transfer Therapy (MTT) that combined antibiotics and fecal microbiota transplant. Notably, children with ASD experienced significant improvements in GI symptoms and autism-related symptoms, even two years after treatment was completed. Their gut microbiome was transformed toward a healthy one, including significant increases in bacterial diversity and relative abundances of Bifidobacteria and Prevotella. Our observations support MTT as a promising safe and efficient approach to change the gut microbiome and improve GI and behavioral symptoms of ASD.
Dae-Wook Kang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toledo

Reverse Translation in the Microbiome: Leveraging Clinical Data to Identify Microbes Driving Patient Outcomes (non-CME presentation)
Data from whole-community microbial transfers in patients can provide proof-of-concept to retire risk early in the development of novel microbial therapies. Leveraging data from thousands of patients, Finch has developed a Human First Discovery platform to rapidly translate clinical data into new products in diverse therapeutic areas ranging from ulcerative colitis to autism spectrum disorder.
Sonia Timberlake, Ph.D., Vice President of Research, Finch Therapeutics

Bacteriome and Mycobiome Interactions: A Model for Promoting Human Health and Combating Disease
It is now well established that the bacterial and fungal communities residing in and on our body play a significant role in our health and disease status. The next step is how we can modulate these communities to maintain balance leading to better wellness. In this presentation Dr. Ghannoum will use his team’s discoveries in Crohn’s disease (CD) patients as a model of how to achieve this goal.
Mahmoud Ghannoum, Ph.D., EMBA, Professor, Department of Dermatology, Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

Immunotherapeutic Approaches to Selective Modification of Microbiome Structure and Function (non-CME presentation)
This presentation will highlight the ways that conventional antibody science has advanced conventional organ/system research and then outline ways in which we can now intervene quite specifically in dysbiosis-driven pathogenesis. Several examples of emerging discrete pathways that are enlightening us will be presented on colorectal cancer pathogenesis and undesirable drug metabolism of levodopa, and use these as examples of direct application of our IgY (avian antibody) technology.
Julius Goepp, MD, Chief Executive Officer, Scaled Microbiomics

Lupus and Dysbiosis in the Gut Microbiome: Cause or Effect or Both?
Throughout our lives we are immersed in, and colonized by, immense and complex microbial communities. Yet, at times imbalances within microbiota contribute to metabolic and immune regulatory abnormalities that underlie the development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Recent progress in investigations of the microbiome are beginning to illuminate aspects of the pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, and may suggest that interconnections with specific disease-associated patterns of dysbiosis within gut communities could be bidirectional and mutually reinforcing.
Gregg Silverman, MD, Professor of Medicine & Pathology, New York University School of Medicine

A New Era in Microbiome Research: The Prospector Array Based Microbial Cultivation and Screening Platform (non-CME presentation)
Deep insights into microbiome structure and function are the foundation for microbial applications in human health, agriculture, environment, and industry. Antiquated, labor intensive methodologies currently used to cultivate microbes are a significant barrier to access microbes from microbiome samples for research and product development. The Prospector platform with its highly dense array of > 6000 nanoscale cultivation chambers integrated with an instrument that automates the cultivation workflow can enable researchers to isolate 1000s of microbes in parallel for microbiome analysis at an unprecedented scale.
Peter Christey, Ph.D., CEO and Co-Founder, General Automation Technology Labs (GALT)

A Translational Approach to Exploiting the Gut-Brain Axis in Autism Spectrum Disorder (non-CME presentation)
This talk will present the approach Axial Biotherapeutics is taking to develop novel treatments for problematic symptoms that occur in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Axial is evaluating AB-2004 in a clinical setting based on a clear mechanism of action hypothesis supported by translationally relevant preclinical data.
A. Stewart Campbell, Ph.D., Vice President, Early Stage Development, Axial Biotherapeutics

Please Note the Above is a Partial Agenda. Please Check Back in the Coming Weeks for Additions to this Agenda