Dr. Helena Safavi - Boulder Peptide Foundation

Dr. Helena Safavi is awarded the 2023 Young Investigator Award

June 29, 2023 (Boulder, CO) – Dr. Helena SafaviThe Boulder Peptide Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Helena Safavi, at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, has received the Young Investigator Award for 2023. The Young Investigator Award was established in 2016 to support promising peptide scientists early in their career.

Helena Safavi is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Dr. Safavi studied biology at the University of Cologne (Germany) and the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences in Townsville (Australia). She obtained her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Melbourne (Australia) in 2011 where she was trained in the transcriptomics and proteomics identification of bioactive peptides from animal venoms under the supervision of Prof. Anthony Purcell. Following her PhD studies Dr. Safavi received a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct a joined research project on the large-scale identification and biomedical characterization of peptide toxins and biosynthetic enzymes with Lars Ellgaard at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) and Toto Olivera at the University of Utah (USA). During this time, she discovered that predatory cone snails use insulin-like toxins to induce dangerously low blood sugar in their fish prey, a discovery that inspired the design of new fast-acting insulin drug leads for the treatment of diabetes.

Having had broad training in the characterization of bioactive peptides from animal venoms, Dr. Safavi’s independent research focuses on the identification of hormone-like toxins as drug leads for the treatment of diabetes and pain. Her group’s recent findings on a novel class of somatostatin-like toxins elucidated an ancient origin of the somatostatin signaling system in animals and has led to the design of several stable and selective somatostatin analogs that provide analgesia in mouse models of acute and chronic pain.

In recognition of her professional and scientific achievements, the Scientific Advisory Board of the Boulder Peptide Society is pleased to present the award to Helena Safavi. Dr. Savafi will present an oral presentation on her research and formally accept the award at the fall Boulder Peptide Symposium Sept 18-21, 2023 in Napa Valley, California.

For more information visit www.boulderpeptide.org

Oral Presentations in Scientific Sessions

The session topics for Scientific Program are Peptides in the Clinic, Drug Delivery, Chemistry of Complex Peptides, Spotlight on Discovery, and Peptide Showcase. Abstracts may be submitted via the Apply to Present page on the website. Submissions will be reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Board on a monthly basis and the speaker will be notified of a decision.

Presentation length: Format is 25-30 minutes slide presentation with 5-10 minutes for Q&A, with the exception of Peptide Showcase talks which are 10 minute slide presentations with 5 minutes for Q&A. Please confirm with your session chair to confirm the exact presentation length.

Invited Speakers: Speakers are requested to supply their presentation details 30 days after receiving an invitation to present.

Program Book Deadline: Final abstract and title must be provided no later than September 1st. No changes to the program are possible after this date.

Presentation Format: Oral presenters please provide your presentation slides to the A/V table on the day of your presentation.

Lodging: All speakers are requested to reserve their own room. Discount rates at the conference hotel are available until August 16th.

Registration: All speakers, excluding sponsored presentation speakers, receive a complimentary registration upon approval of the abstract.

Peptide Showcase Description

The Peptide Showcase is an opportunity for an individual or company to “showcase” new ideas, technology and pipeline assets. Priority shall be given to presentations from biotech and startup companies. Service providers and vendors are not eligible. Speakers in the session receive a complimentary event registration.

Posters

Posters can be presented on any topic relevant to peptides including original research, innovative products and technologies.

Eligibility- Any attendee (from academia, industry, biotech or vendor/sponsor) can present a poster. The presentation must contain original scientific thinking. To submit a poster go to the Submit a Poster link from the meeting menu. All submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis and will be notified of approval. September 1st is the last day to submit a poster abstract. Approved posters are published on the BPF website.

A 30 ” x 40″ board shall be provided with thumb tacks. Board will be on an easel and can be rotated for either landscape or portrait formats. Once you apply for a poster, you will get email confirmation that your poster was accepted. The poster session and number assignments will be emailed one week before the Symposium.

Poster boards shall be available for display from 8am to 8pm the day of your assigned poster session. See the program agenda for the poster session schedule.

Public Release

Every presentation at the Boulder Peptide Symposium is automatically recorded. Speakers are required to give consent for sharing of the presentation video with the peptide community.