International Conference on Synthetic Biology September 28-29, 2015 Houston, USA

Vsevolod V. (Seva) Gurevich has completed his PhD in 1989 from Shemyakin Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia, and postdoctoral training (1991-5) in the laboratory of Dr. J.L. Benovic, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA. He is Professor of Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University. He has published more than 160 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of several journals.

His works revolved around structural basis of the function of arrestin proteins. Arrestins bind activated phosphorylated G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), shutting down their signaling via G proteins (desensitization), targeting receptors for internalization, and redirecting the signaling to numerous alternative pathways,including mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases. He is focus on the structural basis and fine molecular mechanisms of arrestin interactions with GPCRs and non-receptor signaling proteins, with the ultimate goal of constructing designer arrestins that link the receptor we want to signaling pathways of our choosing. These tools will enable us to tell the cell what to do in a language it cannot disobey.

Makobetsa Khati is Head of the Emerging Health Technologies Department at CSIR Biosciences. He is also an Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Medicine at Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town. Makobetsa holds several degrees including a Master’s in Molecular Medicine from the Imperial College London, a Master of Public Health from the School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, and a Doctorate in Molecular Pathology from the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford.

His capabilities in the EHT platform currently includes molecular and cell biology, microbiology (virology and bacteriology); Resyn and aptamer technology, synthetic and systems biology, engineering as well as general management. These capabilities are currently fulfilled by the Technology Platform Manager, Laboratory Manager and systems developer.

President/CEO of BioInformant, a stem cell market research firm. Autologous stem cell recipient. Passionate advocate for stem cell therapies.

BioInformant Worldwide, LLC, specializes in global strategic reports for the stem cell industry. We are the only market research firm that has specifically served the stem cell sector since it emerged. Our singular focus allows our team allows us to produce data that enables you to better understand your markets, competitors, and customers. BioInformant has been featured on prominent news outlets that include Nature Biotechnology, CBS News, Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, Medical Ethics, MarketWatch, Center for BioNetworking, and more.

Yair Shachar-Hill is a Professor of Plant Biology in Michigan State University, United States.

Renata Silva-Mann is professor at the Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), has completed his PhD at Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), and attended sandwich program in Brigham Young University (BYU) and postdoctoral studies at the Wageningen University Research (WUR). She is the director of division of Biosafety at UFS. She has published more than 60 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of repute.

Ravi Birla has completed his PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He is currently with the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Houston, where he also serves as Director of the Artificial Heart Laboratory. His research is in Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering and he has published over 40 peer reviewed scientific papers and also a recent textbook in the area.

Birla’s research focuses on the creation of 3D cardiovascular constructs, including bioengineering 3D cardiac patches, using stem cells to support the formation of cardiovascular tissue construct, developing cell based cardiac pumps, and developing scaffold-free technology to support 3D heart muscle formation.