IU welcomes peptide researchers, companies for annual symposium

The 21st American Peptide Society Symposium began Sunday evening with a reception at the IU Auditorium and will continue until Friday afternoon.

Events include poster exhibition in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, and keynote addresses by leading scientists in the field of peptide synthesis and analysis.

Peptides are chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Peptide research is at the forefront of new drug development to fight diseases like HIV, diabetes and cancer.

Representatives from biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms set up rows of booths in three separate HPER gyms to collaborate with other chemistry-based businesses and promote their systems to researchers.

Presenters from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Washington University School of Medicine, and the Scripps Institute, among others, will speak throughout the conference in sessions centered around specific topics.

Sessions include peptide biology in neuroscience, HIV and cancer, and a pharmaceutical science joint session.