2009 RiboClub Program in partnership with
The Gairdner Foundation 50th Anniversary

September 21-23, 2009

Chair: Benoit Chabot, Département de microbiologie et d'infectiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Sherbrooke

Monday, September 21, 2009 (Day 1)

08:00 - 10:00 Registration

PLEASE REGISTER AT: www.riboclub.org/registration BEFORE JUNE 26, 2009

Public session: The Societal Impact of RNA Research (Moderator: Benoit Chabot)
10:00 - 10:10 Official opening of the public session of the RiboClub. Sherif Abou Elela
10:10 - 10:20 Presentations by representatives of the Gairdner Foundation
10:20 - 10:40 Invited government leaders (to be confirmed)
10:40 - 11:00 "The Practical Benefits of Ribonucleic Acid ". Jean-Pierre Perreault and Gilles Boire, Université de Sherbrooke
11:00 - 11:30 "Designing Life" Jack Szostak, Harvard Medical School A. H. Heineken Prize 2008, Lasker Award 2006 (Introduction by Peter Unrau)
11:30 - 12:00 "Ribonucleotides in Life" Phillip Sharp, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Gairdner Award 1986, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1993 (Introduction by Ben Blencowe)
12:00 - 12:30 Question Period

Beginning of the scientific meeting
14:00 - 14:10 Welcome Notes, Sherif Abou Elela
14:10 - 14:30 Introduction: Timothy W. Nilsen, Case Western Center for RNA Molecular Biology Editor of "RNA" "Overview of the current state of RNA based research" (Introduction by François Bachand)

Session 1: RNA evolution and its impact on the function of modern cells
14:30 - 14:40 Introduction by Session Chair Jack Szostak, Harvard Medical School (A. H. Heineken Prize 2008, Lasker Award 2006)
14:40 - 15:05 Ford Doolittle, Dalhousie University (Henry Friesen Award 1996, Roche Diagnostics prize 2001)
15:05 - 15:30 Sidney Altman, Yale University (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1989)
15:30 - 15:55 Jack Szostak, Harvard Medical School
15:55 - 16:20 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)
16:20 - 16:45 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)

Session 2: RNA Processing
17:00 - 17:10 Introduction by Session Chair David Tollervey, Wellcome Trust Center for Cell Biology
17:10 - 17:35 David Tollervey, Wellcome Trust Center for Cell Biology
17:35 - 18:00 Sandra Wolin, Yale University (Ellison Award 2007)
18:00 - 18:25 Roy Parker, University of Arizona
18:25 - 18:50 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)
18:50 - 19:15 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)
19:15 - 21:00 Poster Session I

Tuesday September 22, 2009 (Day 2)

Session 3: Splicing: The exception that became the rule
08:30 - 08:40 Introduction by Tom Maniatis, Harvard University (Novartis Drew Award 1998, Pasarow Award 2001)
08:40 - 09:05 Robert Darnell, Rockefeller University (Burroughs Wellcome Award 2000)
09:05 - 09:30 Tom Maniatis, Harvard University
09:30 - 09:55 Mariano Garcia Blanco, Duke University Medical Center
09:55 - 10:20 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)
10:20 - 10:45 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)

Session 4: Translation: targets and impact
11:00 - 11:10 Introduction by Session Chair Nahum Sonenberg, McGill University (Gairdner Award 2008)
11:10 - 11:35 Tom Steitz, Yale University (Gairdner Award 2007)
11:35 - 12:00 Nahum Sonenberg, McGill University
12:00 - 12:25 Alan G. Hinnebusch, National Institutes of Health
14:00 - 14:25 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)
14:25 - 14:50 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)

Session 5: RNA and regulation of gene expression
14:50 - 15:00 Introduction by Session Chair Victor Ambros University of Massachusetts Medical School, (Lasker Award 2008, Gairdner Award 2008)
15:00 - 15:25 Victor Ambros, University of Massachusetts Medical School
15:25 - 15:50 Lynne Maquat, University of Rochester Medical Center(Davey Memorial Award 2002,)
15:50 - 16:15 Robin Allshire, Wellcome Trust Center for Cell Biology
16:40 - 17:05 Shiv Grewal, National Cancer Institute NIH (Newcomb-Cleveland Prize 2003, NIH Merit Award 2003, Demerec-Kaufmann award 2004)
17:05 - 17:30 Joan Steitz, Yale University (Gairdner Award 2006)
17:30 - 17:55 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)
17:55 - 18:20 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)
18:20 - 20:20 Poster Session II

Wednesday September 23, 2009 (Day 3)

Session 6: The functional diversity of RNA
08:45 - 08:55 Introduction by Session Chair Ronald R. Breaker, Yale University (National Academy of Sciences Award in Molecular Biology 2006)
08:55 - 09:20 Jeff Boeke, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (American Cancer Society Award 1995)
09:20 - 09:45 Ronald R. Breaker, Yale University
09:45 - 10:10 Alan Lambowitz, University of Texas at Austin (NIH Merit Award 1993)
10:10 - 10:35 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)
10:35 - 11:00 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)

Session 7: RNA as a drug or drug target
11:30 - 11:55 Introduction by the Session Chair Alan Jacobson, University of Massachusetts Medical School
11:55 - 12:20 Allan Jacobson, University of Massachusetts Medical School
12:20 - 12:45 Muthiah Manoharan, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (American Chemical Society Award 2007)

14:30 - 14:55 Peter J. Campochiaro, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Alcon Award 1995, Steinback Award 1999)
14:55 - 15:20 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)
15:20 - 15:45 TBA (Selected from Abstract Submissions)
15:45 - 15:55 Introduction and Presentation of "Best RiboClub Students Seminar Award 2008-2009" Mathieu Lavoie and Laetitia Michelle
15:55 - 16:15 Winner's Presentation "Best RiboClub Students Seminar Award 2008-2009"
16:15 - 16:20 Introduction of the "Student Choice Speaker 2009" Mathieu Lavoie and Laetitia Michelle
16:20 - 16:45 Student Choice Speaker 2009: Robert Landick University of Wisconsin at Madison (Kellet Award 2006)"Control of RNA synthesis by a complex molecular machine"
16:45 - 18:30 Poster Session III
19:00 - 21:00 Gala Dinner
20:00 - 21:00 Dinner Speaker:Alexander Rich, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (National Medal of Science 1995, William Procter Prize 2001, Welch Award in Chemistry 2008)"The Structural Biology of RNA: The Early Years" (Introduction by Sherif Abou Elela)
21:00 - 21:20 21Years of RNA in Sherbrooke and 10 years of Riboclub, The RiboGroup
21:20 - 21:30 Prizes for Best Poster Presentations Martin Bisaillon and Raymund Wellinger
21:30 - 21:45 Honoring distinguished achievements of Canadian RNA biologist, The RiboGroup