Peptide and Peptidomimetic Therapeutics

Dr. Nir Qvit completed his doctorate in organic chemistry, at the Hebrew University in 2008. His doctorate work focused on developing different strategies for synthesis of small molecules, peptides and peptidomimetics (modified peptides) for various therapeutic applications. Dr. Qvit joined Bar-Ilan University’s team of researchers in the Galilee in October 2017, and is currently the Principle Investigator of the Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Protein-Protein Interactions in the Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Qvit’s current research focuses on development of novel tools to regulate protein-protein interactions. He uses a rational approach to design and develop short peptides and peptidomimetics derived from protein regulatory domains to modulate their function in a selective manner. Dr. Qvit is a reviewer for many scientific journals, including the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and Journal of Peptide Science; and he was a guest editor of a special issue of Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry. Dr. “Yoni” Samuel J. S. Rubin completed his PhD in immunology at Stanford University School of Medicine in 2019, followed by postdoctoral training and MD at the same institution. His research focuses on better understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying chronic immune-mediated diseases and using this knowledge to develop safer, cheaper, and more effective tools for detecting and treating illness worldwide. In the field of mucosal immunology and immune cell trafficking, Dr. Rubin’s findings have inspired the development of novel blood-based methods for detection of gastroenterological conditions. His work has also led to the development of precision medicine therapeutics for the treatment of chronic auto-inflammatory conditions. Dr. Rubin is especially appreciative for the circuitous and often unexpected path that continues to characterize his career. Especially influential were the many instructors and mentors that inspired his dedication to teaching the student and shaped his past and ongoing endeavors. He has served as a guest editor for Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry and continues to serve as a reviewer for numerous scientific journals. Amongst other awards and recognitions, Dr. Rubin has received the United States National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and the Hugh McDevitt Prize in Immunology.

History 1. Therapeutic peptides: historical perspectives and current development trends

Basic science 2. Therapeutic peptidomimetics: targeting the undruggable space 3. Tailoring peptides and peptidomimetics for targeting protein-protein interactions 4. Advances in peptide synthesis 5. Stapled peptidomimetic therapeutics 6. Ring closing metathesis

Drug discovery 7. The current state of backbone cyclic peptidomimetics and their application to drug discovery 8. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of peptidomimetics 9. Formulations of peptides and peptidomimetics 10. Cell-penetrating peptides 11. Intracellular peptides as drug prototypes 12. Applications of computational three-dimensional structure prediction for antimicrobial peptides

Therapeutic applications 13. Knottin peptidomimetics as therapeutics 14. Venom peptidomimetics as therapeutics 15. Therapeutic peptides targeting protein kinase: progress, challenges and future directions, featuring cancer and cardiovascular disease 16. Therapeutic peptidomimetics for infectious diseases 17. Antiparasitic therapeutic peptidomimetics 18. Peptides and antibiotic resistance 19. Antimicrobial peptides and the skin and gut microbiomes 20. Peptide and peptidomimetic based vaccines 21. Therapeutic peptidomimetics for cancer treatment 22. Immunomodulatory peptidomimetics for multiple sclerosis therapy – the story of glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) 23. Therapeutic peptidomimetics in metabolic diseases 24. Therapeutic peptidomimetics in anesthesiology 25. Cardiovascular-derived therapeutic peptidomimetics in cardiovascular disease 26. Non-cardiovascular-derived therapeutic peptidomimetics in cardiovascular disease

Drug development 27. Clinical and preclinical data on therapeutic peptides 28. Therapeutic peptides: manufacturing and market 29. Future perspectives on peptide therapeutics