Targeting GPCR to generate life, preserve the environment and improve animal breeding: technological and pharmacological challenges

The conference will start on Wednesday 16th October at 12:30 and end on Friday 18th at noon.

Reproduction is the key event in biology and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) are deeply involved therein. Mastering the processes governing animal and human reproduction ensures sustainable animal breading and allows fertility control, infertility therapy and demographic equilibrium. This interdisciplinary workshop analyzes the current challenges around this theme and, bringing the GPCR in the center of the scene, envisions novel pathways not only to optimize reproduction at large but also to reduce the environmental and societal burden of the current technologies.

This international conference is organised in the framework of the ARD 2020 Biopharmaceuticals Programme.

Convenors

• Prof. Manuela Simoni, LE STUDIUM / Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow
  FROM: Unit of Endocrinology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia - IT
  IN RESIDENCE AT: Physiology of Reproduction and Behaviour (PRC) / Centre INRA Val de Loire, CNRS, University of Tours, IFCE - FR
• Dr Frédéric Jean-Alphonse, LE STUDIUM Research Fellow / ARD 2020 BIOPHARMACEUTICALS Programme
  FROM: Laboratory for GPCR biology, University of Pittsburgh - US
  IN RESIDENCE AT: Physiology of Reproduction and Behaviour (PRC) / Centre INRA Val de Loire, CNRS, University of Tours, IFCE - FR
• Dr Pascale Crépieux & Dr Eric Reiter, 
  Physiology of Reproduction and Behaviour (PRC) / Centre INRA Val de Loire, CNRS, University of Tours, IFCE - FR

Slideshow

Confirmed speakers

• Dr Livio Casarini, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia - IT
• Dr Pauliina Damdimopoulou, Karolinska Institute - SE
• Dr Marc-Antoine Driancourt, AstekConsult - FR
• Prof. Stephen Franks, Imperial College London - UK
• Dr Aylin Hanyaloglu, Imperial College London - UK
• Dr Clara Lazzaretti, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia - IT
• Dr Yann Locatelli, National Museum of Natural History - FR
• Dr Salvatore Longobardi, Merck Group - DE
• Dr Marie-Christine Maurel, ReproPharm - FR
• Prof. Maurizio Mori, University of Turin - IT 
• Prof Paolo Netti,  University Federico Il of Naples - IT
• Dr Elia Paradiso, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia - IT
• Dr Eric Reiter, University of Tours, IFCE - FR
• Dr Rachel Richardson, Hammersmith Hospital Campus - UK
• Prof. Adolfo Rivero-Müller, Medical University of Lublin - PL
• Prof. Patrice Rodien, University Hospital Centre of Angers - FR 
• Dr Jan-Bernd Stukenborg, Karolinska Institute and University Hospital - SE
• Prof. Juha Tapanainen, University of Helsinki - FI
• Prof. Evelyn Telfer, University of Edinburgh - UK
• Prof. Manuel Tena-Sempere, University of Cordoba - ES
• Abigail Walker, Hammersmith Hospital Campus - UK

Oral presentations & posters

Abstracts for oral presentation and poster should be submitted before Monday 23rd September 2019. Please upload your abstract during the registration or send it before the deadline to maurine.villiers@lestudium-ias.fr.

The number of oral presentations is limited, convenors will process a selection and confirm your presentation not later than Friday 27th September 2019.
Please note that we do not print the posters, but racks & pins will be provided for up to A0 sizes, portrait format.

Please download the template for oral presentation.
Please download the template for poster presentation.

Location

Villa Rabelais : 116 boulevard Béranger, 37000 TOURS

The Villa Rabelais XIXth century building used to host Tours’ Faculty of Law. Recently renovated, this building now hosts the Loire Valley International city of Gastronomy, the European Institute for Food History and Cultures and the Fooding Department of the University of Tours. They all contribute to a rich activities programme offered to a large variety of publics.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

• List of recommended Hotels in Tours

Programme

Wednesday October 16th 2019

• 12:30    Welcome lunch & registration
• 14:30    Official Opening

​Session 1: GPCR in Reproduction: Mechanistic aspects

Chairman Frederic Jean-Alphonse

• 15:00    Dr Livio Casarini - GPER and Gonadotropin action
• 15:40    Prof. Adolfo Rivero-Müller - Gonadotropin action
• 16:20    Dr Aylin Hanyaloglu - Gonadotropin receptor activation and trafficking
• 17:00    Prof. Manuel Tena-Sempere - Kisspeptin signaling
• 19:00    Public Lecture in French (Tours city hall) : Prof. Robert Barouki - Les perturbateurs endocriniens et la nouvelle toxicologie
• 20:30    Wine & cheese cocktail - Hôtel de ville

Thursday October 17th 2019

• 08:45    Welcome coffee

​Session 2: GPCR in Human Reproduction: Challenges and Opportunities

Chairman Manuel Tena-Sempere

• 09:00    Prof. Stephen Franks - GPCRs in PCOS
• 09:40    Prof. Juha Tapanainen - Challenges in ovarian ageing
• 10:20    Prof. Manuela Simoni - Challenges in the treatment of male infertility
• 11:00    Coffee break

​Session 3: New technologies for reproduction

Chairman Pascale Crepieux

• 11:20    Dr Jan-Bernd Stukenborg - 3D spermatogenesis in vitro
• 12:00    Prof. Evelyn Telfer - Models to investigate foliculogenesi and oocyte maturation in vitro
• 12:40    Lunch

Session 4: Animal Reproduction

Chairman Yves Combarnous

• 13:30    Dr Marc-Antoine Driancourt - Hormone use in animal breeding
• 14:10    Dr Marie-Christine Maurel - Modulation of gonadotropins activity with potentiating antibodies
• 14:50    Coffee break

​Session 5: Industry and environment

Chairman Manuela Simoni

• 15:10    Dr Salvatore Longobardi & Prof. Paolo Netti - Industrial challenges in reproductive drug development
• 15:50    Dr Paulina Damdimopoulou - Impact of environmental chemicals on female fertility
• 16:30    Prof. Patrice Rodien - Direct effects of endocrine disruptors on gonadotropin receptors
Departure by bus for Vouvray - Visit of the Cave des Producteurs de Vouvray
• 19:30    Gala dinner at L'Auberge du Croissant - Rochecorbon

Friday October 18th 2019

• 08:45    Welcome coffee

​Session 6: Societal correlates of reproduction

Chairman Eric Reiter

• 09:00    Prof. Maurizio Mori - Bioethics aspects of reproduction: challenges and scenarios
• 09:40    Dr Yann Locatelli - Reproductive technologies for the conservation of wild threatened species
• 10:20    Coffee break

Session 7: Free communications

Chairman Aylin Hanyaloglu

• 10:40    Dr Clara Lazzaretti - Aminoacidic residues discriminating human choriogonadotropin (hCG) and luteinizing hormone (LH) binding to the human receptor (LHCGR)
• 10:55    Dr Elia Paradiso - S1P induces PI3k-dependent CREB phosphorylation uncoupled to steroidogenesis, in human granulosa cells
• 11:10    Dr Rachel Richardson - Divergent G protein signal control at the very early endosome from the dually coupled luteinizing hormone receptor
• 11:25    Abigail Walker - Reprogramming prostaglandin EP2 signalling in the pregnant human myometrium from an anti- to a pro-labour receptor via crosstalk with the oxytocin receptor. 

Session 8: GPCR in Reproduction: Signaling aspects

Chairman Livio Casarini

• 11:40    Dr Eric Reiter - Exploiting biased signaling of GPCR in reproduction
• 12:20    Dr Frédéric Jean-Alphonse - Endosomal signalling by GPCR: Mechanisms and function
• 13:00    Conclusions

PRICING

(Including two lunches, a Wine & Cheese cocktail and the coffee breaks)