We are convening a conference in Beijing, PRC on
11-13 May 2005, to address issues related to Microtubule-
Stabilizing Anticancer Agents. Dynamics of microtubules
represents a critical stage in cell division. Tubulin has
emerged as major target in cancer chemotherapy. This
conference will provide an excellent opportunity to present
and discuss current research on natural and synthetic
therapeutic agents known to interact with tubulin.
Introduction: For more than a decade, the Native Yew
Conservation Council (YewCon) has convened educational
and scientific conferences to exchange and disseminate
information and ideas on the yew (Taxus), the principal
resource for the production of paclitaxel (Taxol®) and related
taxane microtubule-stabilizing therapeutic agents for the
treatment of cancer and, in principle, other debilitating diseases.
In 1993, YewCon sponsored an international conference on yew
resources and paclitaxel in Berkeley with major support from
an NIH conference grant.
Description of the China Conference:
Our next international conference will convene in Beijing, PRC.
Participants include representatives of the pharmaceutical
industry, academic researchers, government agencies and
non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Goals of the conference:
1. To review the status of yew resources and address recent
changes in natural resource policies and other developments
that bear on the conservation and sustainable use of yew as
a source of paclitaxel, or in principle, taxane precursors for
semi-synthesis of paclitaxel, or other taxane-based analogues.
2. To review, discuss and analyze the significance of recent
advances in the development of non-yew sources of taxanes,
epothilones, discodermolides, other natural products and
their analogs that share a common mechanism of action with
paclitaxel, and have the potential to replace the yew as a
source of microtubule-stabilizing therapeutic agents.
Major topics to be covered; themes to be addressed:
Yew conservation and sustainable use; Advances in taxane
biosynthesis, extraction and delivery systems;Non-yew taxane
sources; Epothilones as potential successors to taxane-based
pharmaceuticals;Advances in non-epothilone natural products
that target microtubules.
Conference & Study Tour Sites: China is poised to become
a major producer of taxanes for the international pharmaceutical
industry. The conference will convene in Beijing. Post-meeting
study tours to other sites in China will provide participants with
opportunities to observe the current status of taxane production
facilities, and to discuss recent advances in developing markets
for microtubule-stabilizing therapeutic agents.
We welcome your response to this Updated Announcement:
If you would like to participate in the work of the conference,
serve as a session chair, organize a panel discussion, contribute
a paper or poster, please respond by return e-mail expressing
your interest in attending and/or participating in the conference.
To assist with organizing the conference sessions, please include
a tentative title of your presentation. Guidelines for submitting
abstracts and other details of the conference will be announced
in subsequent communications.
If you are unable to attend or participate in the conference, please
share this Updated Announcement by forwarding it to interested
colleagues or posting it under “Meeting Announcements”
If you have questions about the conference, please send e-mail
to the MiSTAs Program Coordinator, Dr. Stanley Scher at
stanley@yewconservation.org or call me at 510-526-352
