UGA Center for Drug Discovery Mission

The Center for Drug Discovery (CDD) at the University of Georgia is deeply committed to its mission to fulfill a critical national and international need for the discovery and development of new chemical and biological entities for combating a variety of existing and emerging life-threatening diseases for which the etiological agents are infectious viruses (e.g., HIV, HBV, HCV, avian influenza viruses, emerging DNA and RNA viruses) and infectious microbial agents (e.g., antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis). Other therapeutic areas, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and stroke, Alzheimer's disease and additional targets, are also of interest to the CDD. The CDD contributes not only to the research and teaching mission and increased national stature of UGA, but also enhances research connections between UGA and other research institutions, government agencies and pharmaceutical companies at the regional, national and international levels.

Call for Posters

There will be a Poster Session and Poster Award Ceremony the afternoon of the conference. Please visit the conference web site at www.uga-cdd.org/conference.php for more information. The deadline for abstract submissions is October 19, 2009. All submissions must be made electronically. For more information, please contact CDD administrative specialist Robyn Ansley at ransley2@uga.edu.

Agenda

Conference Speakers

Raymond Schinazi, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Dr. Schinazi is the Frances Winship Walters Professor of Pediatrics and Chemistry, Senior Research Career Scientist and Core Director of Emory University's Virology/Drug Discovery CFAR Center for AIDS Research. Dr. Schinazi is the founder of several biotechnology companies focusing on antiviral drug discovery and development, has published over 420 peer-reviewed papers and 7 books, and holds more than 70 US patents. He is best known for his innovative and pioneering work on d4T (stavudine), 3TC (lamivudine), FTC (emtriva), D-D4FC (reverset), RCV (racivir), and DAPD (amdoxovir), drugs that are now approved by the FDA, or are at various stages of clinical development.

Jeffrey Glenn, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Glenn is the Director of the Center for Hepatitis and Liver Tissue Engineering at Stanford School of Medicine, and Associate Professor of Medicine, Gastroenterology & Hepatology at Stanford University. Dr. Glenn's primary research interest is in molecular virology, with a strong emphasis on translating this knowledge into novel antiviral therapies. Other interests include exploitation of hepatic stem cells, development of a small animal model for HCV, and engineered human liver tissues. He has many patents in his field of research and is an active consultant for a variety of biotechnological and pharmaceutical companies.

Jilly Evans, Ph.D.
Dr. Evans is a founding member and lead biologist of Amira Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company in San Diego that has rapidly developed small molecule compounds for clinical assessment in inflammatory diseases. She received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of British Columbia in 1978, working with Michael Smith who won the Nobel Prize in 1993 for the development of site-specific mutagenesis. Prior to working at Amira Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Evans was at Merck Frosst Canada where she was a lead biochemist in the Merck team that worked on COX-2 inhibitors. She led the Merck orphan GPCR ligand identification group for five years, during which time they solved the identity of ligands for several orphan GPCRs including the motilin receptor and the CysLT1 and CysLT2 receptors.

About Your Event

The Georgia Center
The Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center & Hotel, located on the beautiful, historic campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, provides educational conferences, courses, and programs for lifelong learners. A total living and learning environment, the Georgia Center includes a 200-room hotel, restaurants, banquet areas, conference rooms, auditoriums, a fitness center, and a computer lab — all under one roof. As a unit of UGA's Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, the Center brings the University's teaching, research, and service expertise to the people of Georgia and beyond! For more information, visit www.georgiacenter.uga.edu.

Special Needs
If you require special services or have dietary restrictions, contact your event coordinator, Melanie Baer, at 706-542-6638 or melanie.baer@georgiacenter.uga.edu, at least five business days before your event.

Lodging at the Georgia Center Hotel
For your convenience, a block of rooms is being held for your event until 5:00 p.m. ET, October 14, 2009. Policies: (1) Tax Exemption — The State of Georgia only allows tax-exempt charges for a payment by a state-issued credit card or check or by a direct bill to a state agency (with a Georgia State Tax Exemption Certificate). (2) Lodging Cancellation — Cancel your reservation by 4:00 p.m. ET the day prior to your scheduled arrival to avoid being charged one night's room and tax. (3) Check-in is 4:00 p.m. ET; checkout is 11:00 a.m. ET. (4) At check-in, you must present your method of payment or a completed credit card authorization form (call 800-884-1381 for a copy, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET).

Travel Information
Athens, Georgia, is located about 60 miles northeast of Atlanta. For directions and airport shuttle information, see www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/directions. A parking deck is located adjacent to the Center ($10 per night; vehicle height limit, 7 feet). Athens is served by Athens-Ben Epps Airport as well as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which is located about 90 minutes southwest of Athens. Scheduled ground shuttle service and rental car services are available between Hartsfield-Jackson and the Georgia Center.

Event Cancellation Policies
(1) If you need to cancel your conference registration, please contact us on or before October 22, 2009. (2) To change or cancel your registration, call 800-884-1381, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. (3) If an event is cancelled for any reason, the Georgia Center will not be responsible for any charges related to travel.

Registration

Registration is complimentary for this conference; however, please complete the registration form so we can plan appropriately for lunch, breaks, and materials.