The meeting was a unique event, bringing together leading researchers working in academia, the pharma and biotech industries, and antibody suppliers. They presented their data on the validation of research antibodies, in order to generate debate about research reproducibility, drive best practice and improve research antibody validation.
The meeting was organised by the University of Bath, and supported by AstraZeneca and CiteAb.
Dr Andrew Chalmers, Senior Lecturer in Biology and Biochemistry at the University, led the organisation of the meeting with Dr Carly Dix, Senior Scientist from AstraZeneca’s Innovative Medicines and Early Development (IMED) Biotech Unit.
Dr Chalmers founded CiteAb in 2013 with support of University seed funding. It is now the go-to place for antibody search, with over a million antibody citations.
Building on the successful format of the previous meeting which was held in September 2016, as part of the University’s 50th celebrations, it has continued to gain interest.
There were 110 delegates in attendance from Europe, US and Asia; from Chicago to Norway and to Taiwan. There were a total of 14 antibody suppliers providing sponsorship, for which we are extremely grateful.
Research and Innovation Services (RIS) project managed and delivered the event. Dr Alison Evans, Interim Director of RIS, says: “We were delighted to continue supporting the project management and delivery of the Third International Antibody Validation Meeting. This is especially so given its increasing profile and investment from industry sponsors from around the world”.
Dr Andrew Chalmers, Founder of CiteAB, says: “The speakers presented powerful illustrations of how important this topic is. Poor validation of antibodies can lead to unreliable research and ultimately to incorrect patients entering clinical trials or the wrong drugs being developed. It was great to hear how antibody validation being carried out at Universities, within pharma companies and antibody suppliers has advanced from two years ago.
“I am particularly grateful to AstraZeneca for again supporting the meeting, especially Carly Dix and James Hunt from the IMED’s Discovery Sciences team.”
Dr Chalmers plans to run another event in September 2020 and it will be exciting to see what changes have happened by then.
Further information on the meeting, including the speakers, programme and sponsors.
Further information on CiteAb: