"This conference will foster an exchange of ideas between biologists and chemists and demonstrate how the synergies from working together can yield fruitful insights into disease," said Peter G. Schultz, conference chair, member of The Welch Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board and Scripps Professor of Chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute.  "Recent advances in a number of scientific fields are allowing us to unravel many of the complex processes involved in human disease at the molecular level.  In turn, this allows us to pursue a more rational approach to developing new therapies.  Conference speakers will illustrate successes at the chemistry-biology interface and hopefully encourage young scientists to further pursue collaborative approaches."

The conference will look at work in three primary areas:  how chemistry's ability to manipulate the structure of small molecules can affect disease processes and biological systems; how small molecules can be used as probes to test possible therapies and to increase our understanding of biology; and how chemistry can manipulate biomolecules and molecular machines to make new molecules with new properties to modulate human physiology.

The Oct. 24 sessions will illustrate the impact of modern molecular approaches to understanding and affecting disease processes.  The first session, chaired by Joseph L. Goldstein, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, will explore molecular insights into human disease, including bacteria, pathogens and HIV.  The afternoon program, led by Peter B. Dervan, California Institute of Technology, will look at understanding and manipulating protein and DNA functions.

The sessions on day two will focus on molecular approaches toward modulating complex biomolecules and cellular processes.  Steven L. McKnight of The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas will lead the first panel on the molecular basis of cell signaling, including in circadian networks and the ion channels that sense temperature and touch.  Dr. Schultz will moderate the final panel on molecules and medicine featuring speakers discussing stem cells, NMR and MRI advances, and metabolism.

The 2011 Welch Award in Chemistry recipient, John S. Waugh, will deliver an address on Oct. 25, "NMR in Chemistry and Alchemy."

The conference is free, but registration is required.  To register or view a complete program, please visit The Welch Foundation’s Web site, www.welch1.org, or call The Foundation at 713-961-9884.

The Houston-based Welch Foundation, founded in 1954, is one of the nation's oldest and largest sources of private funding for basic research in chemistry.  In addition to the annual chemical conference, it supports science through research and departmental grants to Texas colleges and universities, funding of academic chairs and support for other chemistry-related programs.  The Foundation bestows the annual Welch Award in Chemistry, recognizing achievement in basic research internationally, and the Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research for scientists who are early in their careers and working in Texas.