Integrative Mammalian Physiology and Pharmacology (completed)

Innovation and advances in healthcare depend on progress in understanding the roles and interactions of genes, their products and the whole organism, as well as disease. These aspects of biology are fundamental to drug discovery. The programme was therefore focused on in vivo research, on training scientists and on improving public awareness.

The IMPP programme enabled academic research institutions and industry to collaborate more effectively, at a time of a major economic downturn, by sharing best practice and openly exchanging knowledge. The programme also promoted interactions between the GMEC partners and, in particular, strengthened the links between Imperial College London and King’s College London. It generated dialogue with funding agencies and triggered potential collaborations with new partners

The programme team organised three public events aimed at improving the public’s understanding of the role of animals in medical research and these were held at the Science Museum’s Dana Centre in London:
• Breathless: August 2010.
Speakers: Prof Maria Belvisi (ICL), Prof Paul Cullinan (National Heart and Lung Institute, London), Liang Yew-Booth, (ICL), Prof Clive Page (KCL).
• No Pain, No Gain: October 2010.
Speakers: Prof Praveen Anand (ICL), Dr Julie Keeble (KCL), Dr Katja Wiech (Oxford University), Prof Andrew Rice, (ICL).
• Fat of the Land: January 2011.
Speakers: Dr Kevin Murphy (ICL), Dr Sadaf Farooqi (Cambridge University), Jane Landon (National Heart Forum), Prof Julia Buckingham (ICL).

GMEC and the IMPP collaborated with the New York Academy of Sciences to organise a conference entitled “Animal Models and Their Value in Predicting Drug Efficacy and Toxicity”, which was held at the New York Academy of Sciences in New York in September 2011. With almost 300 attendees from Europe, the USA, South America and Asia representing academia and industry, the meeting provided a forum for scientists to exchange ideas and experiences, and to discuss common problems and scientific opportunities in their fields.

Presentations covered improvement in animal models (e.g. humanization), hurdles in using animals as models for disease, new technologies (e.g. improved imaging techniques) to regulations and best practice. Particular emphasis was given to the reduction and replacement of animal models, either by using alternatives such as stem cells or by utilizing new technologies, such as bioinformatics, to refine experiments.

The importance of the conference was recognized by the Office of the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and was awarded a $35,000 grant from the National Center for Research Resources, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Support was also gratefully received from GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb and Imperial College and King’s College. The Wellcome Trust and the British Pharmacological Society (BPS) provided travel grants for students and postdocs.

A full list of the sponsors is available (http://www.nyas.org/events/), eBriefings of the meeting have been published and publication of the conference papers in the Annals of the NYAS is planned for 2012.