The 2019 Conference of the United States Human Proteome Organization (US HUPO)

We request partial funding support for the Conference of the United States Human Proteome Organization (US HUPO) to be held at the Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel & Executive Meeting Center in Bethesda/Rockville, MD on March 3-6, 2019. This meeting has established itself as a highly valued contribution to the interdisciplinary scientific field of proteomics, with a particular focus on current technologies in the field and their application to solving biological and clinical questions relevant to human health. The topics covered at the US HUPO conference reflect the multiple disciplines, strategies, and technologies encompassing the proteomics field, and their use to address complex biomedical problems and enable new discoveries aimed at advancing diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of human disease. The title of the conference, “Proteomics at the Frontiers of Biology and Medicine," encapsulates this interplay between technology (e.g. mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, clinical/cellular assays) and biological discovery inherent to the proteomics field. The 2019 conference co-organizers are Ileana Cristea (Princeton University), Steve Carr (Broad Institute), and David Fenyo (New York University). The topics of the oral sessions have been carefully selected to provide attendees exposure to the latest proteomic technologies and their application to biomedical research questions – in particular in the fields of cancer, infectious disease, immunity, microbiome, aging, and clinical diagnostics and assays. Oral presentation sessions with biological and clinical focus include: Glycoproteomics in Biology and Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Immunity and the Microbiome, Cancer Early Detection and Prevention, Metabolism and Disease, Protein Proteoforms in Health and Disease, Aging and Neurological Diseases, and Posttranslational Regulation and Signaling. Additionally, sessions dedicated to technology developments include Multi-Omics, Proteome Organization in Space and Time, Advances in Technology, Structural/Chemical Proteomics, and Informatics: Emerging/ New Approaches. Poster sessions will offer a less formal format for presentation and discussion of scientific topics. Organized social activities will provide opportunities for further discussion and collaborative networking between attendees. A Business Meeting will provide an open forum to hear about the mission of US HUPO and give feedback. Attendance is expected to be 350-400, including 100150 students/postdocs. A special effort will be made to recruit minority and industrial participants, and also provide a venue for young investigators to present their work – through mechanisms such as “lightning” talks. Funding requested through this R13 mechanism will help support minority and young investigator participation in the conference. Short courses and workshops will also be offered to either train attendees in advanced proteomic technologies or provide a forum for discussing career options and other timely scientific topics.