OMRF to host international research conference
By OMRF
Copyright © 2016 Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
OMRF will host a four-day research conference in Oklahoma City from Sept. 19 to 22.
The meeting, titled “Biomarkers and Targeted Therapeutics in Sjögren’s (BATTS),” will focus on sharing and discussing the most recent advances and innovative strategies for improving the lives of patients with Sjögren’s syndrome. Sjögren’s is a painful, chronic autoimmune disease in which a person’s immune system attacks the body’s own moisture-producing glands, damaging its ability to produce tears or saliva. Joint pain, fatigue, and a variety of additional systemic problems may also occur in many patients.
The BATTS conference will focus on several key areas including cutting-edge research, leveraging lessons learned from related autoimmune diseases, improving clinical trials, and how to strengthen partnerships between industry and academia.
The event, hosted by OMRF and the Oklahoma Sjögren’s Syndrome Center for Research Translation (OSSCORT), will also emphasize discoveries that hold promise for potential clinical use, including biomarkers that can help detect disease activity, patient susceptibility and more.
“This conference is designed to facilitate precision medicine practices in every aspect of clinical care,” said Kathy Sivils, Ph.D., BATTS conference chair and member in OMRF’s Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Research Program. “This includes patient diagnosis, prognosis, therapeutic response and prevention.”
Conference organizers expect 32 speakers to give presentations covering a broad range of disciplines and areas of expertise. Organizers expect around 200 participants representing 18 states and 16 countries.
“Some of the world’s top experts in Sjögren’s will be here, and we look forward to seeing the incredible value that will come from this exchange of information and ideas,” said Sivils. “This is a tremendous opportunity to bring together a varied group for an exciting and informative event.”
Sivils also expressed the importance of having several of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies in attendance. “We believe it will contribute to fueling the pace at which new diagnostic and treatment products are brought to clinical practice.”
All presentations and poster sessions will be held at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City. The headquarters hotel will be the Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center by Marriott, located directly across the street from the Cox Convention Center.
For more information about the symposium or to register, visit the event website at: http://batts.omrf.org/