Personalized Medicine Europe: Health, Genes & Society
Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
June 19-21, 2005

Organisers Gregory Livshits: Tel-Aviv University, Israel David Gurwitz: Tel-Aviv University, Israel

Are we prepared for the novel challenges?

Are we fully aware of the societal and ethical dilemmas that will come along with the revolution in medicine?

This workshop will present the challenges and constraints, and offer insight into potential solutions.

Introduction
Genetic information and technologies are expected to play key roles in reshaping medical practice during the 21st century.

Changes will be taking place in the way medicine is practiced and therapeutics are being prescribed. This will be true not only for treating diagnosed diseases, but increasingly so for preventive medicine: lowering risks for genetically susceptible individuals for a multitude of chronic diseases, such as, type II diabetes, CVD, Alzheimer's and autoimmune diseases, and affective disorders.

Personalized medicine, the foremost practical outcome of the Human Genome Project, should allow patients to be diagnosed at early stages of disease, likely before too much tissue damage has accumulated, and treated with the most fitting medicines, according to their genotypes.

Advances have already been incorporated into the clinical setting in recent years, most notably by individualising treatment decisions in oncology, in particular for leukemia, and for breast, colon, and pancreatic cancers.

The advent of certain other aspects of personalized medicine, such as the tailoring of the most effective anti-depressant drugs, may be just around the corner. Indeed, the practice of medicine is certain to be transformed within two to four decades by imminent genomic information technologies.

All these changes will require new ways of thinking about health and disease, with a corresponding reshaping of our diagnostic and disease terminology, as well as more effective programs for preventive medicine.

The ethical and societal aspects of genotype-based drug treatments remain highly debated. History has taught us that new technologies reshape human society in unpredictable manners. Just consider the societal changes conveyed during the past two hundred years by the advent of electricity, aviation, telecommunications, and recently, the internet.

Consider the transformation in medicine conveyed during the 20th century by X-ray and more advanced imaging technologies, culminating with functional MRI (fMRI) being established as a novel discipline. Would anyone in his senses, 50 years ago, imagine that we should have the capacity to "capture" the brain activity so clearly?

Likewise, it is not simple to extrapolate developments that will be taking place during the 21st century with the advent of yet more powerful genotyping technologies, possibly allowing full genome sequencing for the individual patient in matter of few hours and at a cost similar to MRI scan.

We hope that this workshop will form a stage for discussing the impact of pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine on biomedical and societal developments. The workshop will focus on the clinical practice of health care delivery, taking into account regulatory and policy aspects and bioethics.

Personalized Medicine Europe: Health, Genes & Society will provide an integrated forum for exchanging views between academic and clinical researchers, representatives of pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and healthcare management organizations. The workshop should assist these parties to discuss ways for reshaping the future of medicine by providing a platform for expert reports and panel discussions.

Venue

Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Dates

19 - 21 June, 2005

Speakers

Confirmed speakers include:
Karen Avraham, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
Edna Ben-Asher, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
Dan Berkowitz, MIGAL, Israel
Charles Cantor, Sequenom, San-Diego, CA, USA
Rivka Carmi, Ben-Gurion University, Israel
Joab Chapman, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
Sara Cohen, Hadassah Medical Center, Isreal
Ziad Elnasser, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
Gian Franco De Stefano, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
Julie Friedman, Bristol Myers Squibb, NJ, USA
Felix Frueh, FDA, USA
Uwe Fuhr, University of Cologne, Germany
David Goldstein, Duke University, NC, USA
Moien Kanaan, Bethlehem University, Palestinian Authority
David Karasik, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
Leo ten Kate, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Julia Kirchheiner, University of Cologne, Germany
Sefi Kronenberg, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
Vaidutis Kucinskas, Vilnius University, Lithuania
Klaus Lindpaintner, Roche Diagnostics, Geneva, Switzerland
Adrian Llerena, University of Extremadura, Spain
Jeantine Lunshof, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Vangelis Manolopoulos, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
Andres Metspalu, University of Tartu, Estonia
Dan Mishmar, Ben-Gurion University, Israel
Carole Moquin-Patthey, European Science Foundadion
Claus Moldrup, The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Copenhagen, Denmark
Norbert Paul, Johannes Gutenberg-University Medical School, Germany
Inga Peter, Tuffts University, Boston, MA, USA
Barbara Prainsack, University of Vienna, Austria
Gideon Rechavi, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
Michel Revel, The Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel
Ada Rosen, Wolfson Medican Center, Israel
Carmel Shalev, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
Hanoch Slor, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
Hermona Soreq, Hebrew University, Israel
Lior Sousan-Gutman, Teva Inc., Netanya, Israel
Timothy Spector, University College London, UK
Andre Uitterlinden, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Michael Weingarten, Tel-Aviv University, Israel

Registration

Registration is now closed.

Abstract Submission Instructions

Extended abstracts up to 600 words in length will be submitted for consideration for publication in "Personalized Medicine".

Abstracts must be e-mailed to David Gurwitz at gurwitz@post.tau.ac.il by March 22, 2005.

Abstracts must be written in English and prepared in MS Word format in Times New Roman Font with 2.5 cm margins on all sides; single spaced lines.

The abstract must include the following:
• Title (Bold, centered, 14 Font; no capitalisation)
• Author names (Centered, 12 font; presenting author underlined)
• Author affiliation (include e-mail address for presenting author)
• Main body (Left justified, 12 font, indented paragraphs)
• Up to 5 references (use PubMed style)

Figures (no color) or Tables are encouraged if they can be included in the same Word document. Figures as separate files will not be accepted. The word limit is reduced by 100 words for each figure or table.

Recommended: include an opening sentence defining the goals of the presented research / ethical dilemma. Inclusion of sub-headings (Background; Methods; Results; Discussion) is encouraged, but not required.

Programme

Download Programme as PDF

Provisional Workshop Programme

Day One: Sunday, June 19, 2005

Genes and Medicine: Individual and Community Health

9:00 Registration

9:30 - 10:00 Greetings and opening comments

Dov Lichtenberg, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University
Gregory Livshits, Tel-Aviv University

10:00 - 11:30 Opening lectures: Health, Genes & Society
Chair: Gregory Livshits

Leo ten Kate, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Is there a link between personalized medicine and community genetics?

Klaus Lindpaintner, Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland: Personalized medicine: Health, genes, and society

Carole Moquin-Patthey, European Science Foundadion: ESF EMRC contribution to building a public-private platform for clinical research in Europe

11:30 - 11:50 Coffee

11:50 - 12:50 Health, Genes & Society (cont.)
Chair: David Gurwitz

Tim Spector, University College London, UK: The use of twins in genetic research: Implications for personalized medicine

Andres Metspalu, University of Tartu, Estonia: Biobanking and personalized medicine

12:50 - 14:00 Lunch

14:00 - 16:00 Health, Genes & Society (cont.)
Chair: Karen Avraham

Ziad Elnasser, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan: Promoting Arab and Israeli cooperation: peace building through health initiatives

Rivka Carmi, Ben-Gurion University, Israel: Cross-cultural genetic counseling

Karen Avraham, Tel-Aviv University, Israel: A Comprehensive Study on the Molecular Genetic Basis of Hereditary Hearing Loss

Moien Kanaan, Bethlehem University, Palestinian Authority: Novel Palestinian mutations in deafness-related genes

Hermona Soreq, Hebrew University, Israel: Neurogenetics of acetylcholinesterase: from stress reactions to Parkinsonism

Sara Cohen, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel: Polymorphic drug metabolizing genes as modifiers of predisposition and prognosis of adult AML.

16:00 - 16:20 Coffee

16:20 - 18:00 Medical Genetics and Pharmacogenetics I
Chair: Gian Franco De Stefano

Gideon Rechavi, Tel-Aviv University, Israel: Abundant A-to-I editing sites in the human transcriptome: relevance to disease

Hanoch Slor, Tel-Aviv University, Israel: Polymorphism in cancer patients' DNA repair capacity as a factor in determining the dosimetry of radiation and chemotherapy

Joab Chapman, Tel-Aviv University, Israel: The role of the APOE genotype in immunomodulation

Lior Sousan-Gutman, Teva, Israel: Cancer Pharmacogenomics: The field that studies the role of an individual's genetics in the response to drugs

Dan Mishmar, Gen-Gurion University, Israel: Mitochondrial Genetics, longevity, adaptation and disease

Day Two: Monday, June 20, 2005

Genes and Health: Setting the Clinical Priorities

09:30 - 11:00 Towards Personalized Medicine
Chair: Tim Spector

Andre Uitterlinden, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Analysis of Genetic Variation in Complex Endocrine Diseases

David Karasik, Harvard University, MA, USA: Gene-environment interactions on bone mass: The Framingham Study

Vangelis Manolopoulos, University of Thrace, Greece: Integration of pharmacogenetics into the therapeutic drug monitoring clinical service of large hospitals

11:00 - 11:20 Coffee

11:20 - 12:50 Towards Personalized Medicine (cont.)
Chair: Gideon Rechavi

Charles Cantor, Sequenom, USA: Automated Mass Spectrometry in Personalized Medicine

Gian Franco De Stefano, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy: Possible differences in the immune response to the common environmental disease factor Onchocerca volvulus in two ethnic communities living in the Ecuadorian rain-forest.

Uwe Fuhr, University of Cologne, Germany: Individualization of isoniazid doses based on NAT2 genotype. Design features of a randomized clinical trial

12:50 - 14:00 Lunch

14:00 - 16:00 Medical Genetics and Pharmacogenetics II
Chair: Uwe Fuhr

Julia Kirchhneier, University of Cologne, Germany: The CYP2C9 polymorphism: from enzyme kinetics towards genotype-adjusted drug therapy

Sefi Kronenberg, Tel-Aviv University, Israel: Pharmacogenetics of citalopram in pediatric anxiety and depression

Adrian Llerena, University of Extremadura, Spain: CYP2D6 multiplication in Spanish healthy volunteers and schizophrenic patients

Ada Rosen, Wolfson Medican Center, Israel: Genetic breast cancer - a top secret information?

Dan Bercowitz, MIGAL, Israel: Pharmacogenetics of Fluvastatin in Familial Hypercholesterolemic Patients

Edna Ben-Asher, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel: Sequenom MassArray technology and its uses in Israel

16:00 - 16:20 Coffee

16:20 - 18:00 Oral Posters Session

Six of the posters listed below, displayed during Monday, would be selected for oral presentations (15 min each):

Amiel A Dror, Ronna Hertzano, Mireille Montcouquiol et al, Tel-Aviv University, Israel: The LIM domain transcription factor LHX3 is a putative target of POU4F3
in the inner ear

M Fellous, Hopital Cochin, France: Genetics analysis of human infertility

Iris Grossman, Nili Avidan, Clara Singer et al, Technion and Carmel Medical Center, Israel: Pharmacogenetics of glatiramer acetate therapy for multiple sclerosis reveals drug-response markers

Ronna Hertzano, Mireille Montcouquiol, Sharon Rashi-Elkeles et al, Tel-Aviv University, Israel: Understanding the pathogenesis of human hereditary deafness
by expression profiling of inner ears from mutant mice

EY Levanon, E Eisenberg, Y Kinar et al, Tel-Aviv University, Israel: Identification of A-to-I RNA-editing sites in the human transcriptome

S Lieberman, A Frumkin, M Sagi, Hadassah University Hospital, Israel: Evaluating attitudes towards genetic screening programs among orthodox Jewish students

Idan Menashe, Yoav Gilad, Orna Man et al, The Weizmann Institute, Israel: Sniffing SNPs - the genetic basis of human olfactory variability

OA Makeeva, LI Minaicheva, VA Stepanov et al, Russian Academy of Medical Science, Tomsk, Russian Federation: Genetic testing for common diseases in clinical practice

APA Rani, A Aysha Mahmoodha, Lady Doak College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India: In silico structural analysis of cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase

Gilad Silberberg, Ruth Navon, Tel-Aviv University, Israel: ErbB4 shows a highly significant association with schizophrenia in Ashkenazi Jews

Manuela Vecsler, Ronen Loebstein, Shlomo Almog et al, Sheba Medical Center, Israel: Individual sensitivity to warfarin could be predicted from genetic profiles of the components and effectors of vitamin K-dependent gamma-carboxylation system

Shachar Zuckerman, Ephrat Levy-Lahad, Amnon Lahad, Michal Sagi, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Israel: Genetic screening for Gaucher disease in Israel: genetic screening program for a low penetrant, treatable disease

Day Three: Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Genes and Society

09:30 - 11:00 Personalized Medicine: ELSI perspectives
Chair: Leo ten Kate

Felix Frueh, FDA, USA: Personalized Medicine: Ethical and social consequences

Michel Revel, The Weizmann Institute, Israel: Bioethical limits of prenatal genetic testing

Jeantine Lunshof, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Personalized medicine: new perspectives, new dilemmas?

11:00 - 11:20 Coffee

11:20 - 12:50 Personalized Medicine: ELSI perspectives (cont.)
Chair: Jeantine Lunshof

Norbert Paul, Johannes Gutenberg-University Medical School, Germany: Public Health Genetics in Germany: Pandora's Perils or Panakeia's Promise?

Claus Moldrup, Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Denmark: The prospects and bioethical dimensions of expanding the meaning of pharmacogenomics to encompass individualized pharmacotherapy

Julie Friedman, Bristol Myers Squibb, NJ, USA: Pharmacogenomic Research in Drug Development - The Ethical Concern, Bridging The Gap Between Public Perceptions and Industries Realities

12:50 - 14:00 Lunch

14:00 - 16:00 Pharmacogenetics and public policy
Chair: Norbert Paul

Vaidutis Kucinskas, Vilnius University, Lithuania: The meaning of free and informed consent in biomedical research personalizing medicine

Michael Weingarten, Tel-Aviv University, Israel: The ethics of clinical prediction

Barbara Prainsack, Vienna University, Austria: Personalized Medicine in Times of "Global Genes": Making sense of a "hype"

Inga Peter, Tuffts University, MA, USA: Personalized medicine United States: pros, cons, but no way back

Carmel Shalev, Tel-Aviv University, Israel: A Human Rights Perspective on Personalized Medicine and Justice

16:00 - 16:20 Coffee

16:20 - 18:20 Concluding Session and Round Table Discussion:
Health, Genes & Society: Where do we go from here?
Moderators: Gregory Livshits, David Gurwitz

David Goldstein, Duke University, NC, USA: Prospects for pharmacogenetics: lessons from anti-epileptic drugs

Round Table Discussion Panelists: David Goldstein, Leo ten Kate, Norbert Paul, Michel Revel

Student Prizes

Five Prizes for the Best Abstracts

The Yoran Institute for Human Genome Research and The National Laboratory for the Genetics of Israeli Populations at Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University are pleased to announce five prizes for the best abstracts chosen for oral presentation at the poster session (June 20 afternoon).

Each prize will be in the amount of Euro 300.

Prizes will be chosen among the competing abstracts by the organizers and announced to competitors by March 31, 2005.

To qualify, the first author of the abstract must be the presenting author at the workshop, and must be either a graduate or post-graduate student at a recognized academic institute globally, and below the age of 35.

Those who wish to compete, please specify so in your abstract cover letter, including the following information (please copy and paste into your e-mail accompanying the abstract, and fill in the details):
• Current degree, year awarded, awarding academic institute:
• Current studies toward a degree of: PhD / MD / other (indicate) or post-graduate studies
• Name and affiliation of the thesis mentor (PhD students) or principal investigator (post-graduate students):
• Year of birth:
• Nationality:

For further details see: Abstract submission instructions

Accommodation
Participants will be accommodated at the Tel-Aviv Sheraton-Moriah Hotel where a special reduced rate of US$90 per night (including breakfast) is
available for registered participants.

This rate is only guaranteed for participants who make arrangements before May 15.

The hotel is located on the Tel-Aviv beach about 15-20 minutes ride from the university.There will be free transportation to Tel-Aviv
University each morning, and back to the hotel each evening.

Sponsors

Jointly supported by the European Science Foundation, The Yoran Institute for Human Genome Research, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, DYN Diagnostics Ltd, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Adams Super Centre for Brain Studies and Roche Diagnostics.