Progress in research related to amino acid mediated neurotransmission: Focus on metabolism, receptors and transporters
August 28-29, 2008
Organizers: Arne Schousboe and Helle S. Waagepetersen
The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen
Program
Thursday, August 28, 2008 in the Benzon Auditorium
| Session I | Energy metabolism and cellular exchange of substrates I |
| 09:00-11:00 | Chair: Ursula Sonnewald, NTNU, Norway, and Jan Albrecht, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland |
| The tripartite synapse Vladimir Parpura, University of Alabama, USA |
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| Metabolic interactions between neurons and astrocytes in glutamate and GABA biosynthesis Mary McKenna, University of Maryland, USA |
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| The Trojan horse hypothesis: A key mechanism in ammonia neurotoxicity Michael Norenberg, University of Miami, USA |
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| 11:00-11:20 | Coffee |
| Session II: | Energy metabolism and cellular exchange of substrates II |
| 11:20 - 12:40 | Chair: Martin Lauritzen and Helle Waagepetersen, both University of Copenhagen |
| Energy substrates to maintain neural activity Gerald Dienel, University of Arkansas, USA |
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| Role of glycogen in energy homeostasis Bruce Ransom, University of Washington, USA |
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| 12:40-13:25 | Lunch |
| Session III | Receptors and transporters I |
| 13:25-14:45 | Jette S. Kastrup and Darryl Pickering, both University of Copenhagen |
| X-Ray crystallography and molecular structure of ionotropic glutamate receptors Mark Mayer, NIH, USA |
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| Glu-transporters: Functional aspects Niels Christian Danbolt, University of Oslo, Norway |
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| 14:45-15:00 | Coffee |
| Session IV | Receptors and transporters II |
| 15:00-17:00 | Chair: Arne Schousboe, University of Copenhagen, and Leif Hertz, Shenyang Medical University, China |
| GABA-R: Subtypes and functional diversity Richard Olsen, UCLA, USA |
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| GABA-transporters Baruch Kanner, Hebrew University, Israel |
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| Antiepileptic drugs related to excitation and inhibition Steve White, University of Utah, USA |
Organized on behalf of the Drug Research Academy, PHARMA by professor Arne Schousboe and associate professor Helle S. Waagepetersen, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy at The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, e-mail: as(at)farma.ku.dk and/or hsw(at)farma.ku.dk
The participation is free of charge and is open for attendance by all interested parties.
Interactive workshops with speakers (see program for symposium August 28), August 29, 2008
This is offered to interested Master and Ph.D. students
| 09:30-11:00 | |
| Glutamate & GABA transport (22/C-438) Chair: Arne Schousboe Niels Christian Danbolt, Baruck Kanner & Steve White |
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| Glutamate & GABA receptors (30/330) Chair: Jette Kastrup Richard Olsen, Mark Mayer & Darryl Pickering |
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| Glial signaling in the tripartite synapse (10/U8) Chair: Arne Schousboe Vladimir Parpura, Bruce Ransom & Leif Hertz |
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| 11:00-12:30 | Energy and Amino acid homeostasis (10/U8) Chair: Helle Waagepetersen Ursula Sonnewald, Gerald Dienel & Mary McKenna |
| 12:30-13:15 | Lunch |
| 13:15-14:45 | Ammonia homeostasis and toxicity (22/C-113) Chair: Helle Waagepetersen Michael Norenberg & Jan Albrecht |
Aim and background
The amino acids glutamate and GABA acting as excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, respectively account for 80-90% of all synaptic transmission in the brain. In addition to this function, these amino acids, and in particular glutamate, play an important role in brain metabolism. The homeostatic mechanisms regulating the level of transmitter signalling involves metabolic processes, receptor interactions and membrane transport processes. The program of the symposium is put together such that these aspects will be covered in lectures given by some of the world’s leading experts in these fields of research.
