The Genomics of Common Diseases

The Wellcome Genome Campus in association with Nature
Genetics is pleased to announce the 11th annual Genomics of
Common Diseases (GCD) conference. This year’s exciting programme focuses
on emerging technologies, particularly those enabling fundamental
insights into human diseases, with the potential to develop clinical
therapies.

There is a growing use of genomic tools for making clinical decisions;
its contribution is likely to increase significantly in the near future.
To accelerate this progress, further work is needed to characterise new
disease mechanisms and to identify innovative approaches for data mining
and drug therapeutic targeting. This conference will provide an excellent
platform for scientists moving from GWAS into biological function and
disease mechanisms. The meeting will highlight leading examples of using
deep genome sequencing and direct genome engineering (e.g. CRISPR) to
discover genes and to enhance functional annotation. The programme will
feature recent advances in analytical tools to detect polygenic
susceptibility and its genetic implications for drug therapeutic
targeting. We will also discuss the growing use and current challenges of
merging electronic health records along with genomic data in clinical
practice.

This event will bring together a multi-disciplinary group of clinicians,
research scientists, bioinformaticians and technology developers
interested in using genomic advances to develop and deliver therapies for
patients with common diseases (e.g. cancer, autoimmunity, brain
disorders, endocrine and cardiovascular diseases, among others).

We also are pleased to announce a joint symposium titled “Big
Data Analytics for Genetics in Personalised Medicine” in association
with the GCD committee, Nature Genetics and the
International Genetic Epidemiology Society (IGES)
committee. The joint symposium will focus on recent developments in
analytical tools and resources that are facilitating big data
integration, exploration and usage in medicine. It will follow on
directly after the GCD conference; further information and registration
details can be found here.

The Genomics of Common Diseases 2017 conference will start at
approximately 13:00 on Wednesday, 6 September and finish on Friday
evening, 8 September 2017.

The joint “Big Data Analytics for Genetics in Personalised Medicine”
symposium will start at 9:30 and finish at 12:30 on Saturday, 9
September. Details of the programme and registration can be found here.

Topics will include: 

• Identifying novel genes and pathways
• Genome engineering (e.g. CRISPR)
• Innovative approaches to complex trait analysis
• Regulatory variation of complex human diseases
• Advances in large-scale functional annotation
• Using human genetics to inform drug development
• Bringing genomics into clinical use

The draft programme is now available.

Scientific programme committee
Orli Bahcall Nature, USA
Peter Campbell Wellcome Trust Sanger
Institute, UK
Aravinda Chakravarti Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine, USA
Sekar
Kathiresan Massachusetts General Hospital, USA
Teri Manolio National Human Genome Research
Institute, USA
Nicole Soranzo Wellcome Trust Sanger
Institute, UK
Kyle Vogan Nature Genetics, USA

Keynote Speakers
Anna Gloyn University of Oxford, UK
Kari
Stefansson deCODE genetics, Iceland
Sarah Teichmann Wellcome Trust Sanger
Institute, UK

Confirmed Speakers
Zhengming Chen University of Oxford, UK
John Danesh
University of Cambridge, UK
Susan Domchek University of Pennsylvania,
USA
Nancy Cox
Vanderbilt University, USA
Hilary
Finucane Broad Institute, USA
Caroline Fox Merck, USA
Moritz Gerstung EMBL-EBI, UK
Jim Hughes University of Oxford, UK
Simon Jackson Amgen, USA
Helena Kilpinen University College London,
UK
Pui Yan Kwok University of California, San Francisco, USA
Claudia Langenberg University of Cambridge, UK
Ruth Loos Icahn School of Medicine at Mount
Sinai, USA
Nuria Lopez-Bigas IRB Barcelona, Spain
Jonathan Marchini University of Oxford, UK
Vijay Sankaran Boston Children’s Hospital/
Broad Institute, USA
Robert Scott GSK, UK
Francois Spitz Institut Pasteur, France
Peter Visscher
University of Queensland, Australia
Joachim Weischenfeldt Biotech Research &
Innovation Centre (BRIC), Denmark

Conference organiser
Laura Hubbard Wellcome Genome Campus, UK

Registration Fees:

The registration fee includes entrance to the lectures and poster
sessions, an abstract book, meals (lunch and dinner) and refreshments
during the conference. Breakfast will be provided for delegates who have
booked accommodation.

Registration deadline: Closed

Accommodation
Accommodation is provided for the nights of 6, 7, 8 September 2017.
Please note: there is limited onsite accommodation and this will be
allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, early
registration is recommended.

If you wish to book onsite accommodation either side of the conference
dates, please contact the Conference Centre directly.

Travel visas
Contact the conference organiser if you require a letter to support a
travel visa application. Please note: letters will only be provided to
confirmed registrants.

Non-European Economic Area or Swiss nationals may be required to have a
visa to enter the UK.
Early application is strongly advised, as this process can take 6-8 weeks
or longer.

Please visit the following websites for further information:
UK Border Agency website and information for general visitors and business
visitors.

A limited number of registration bursaries are available for PhD students
to attend this conference (up to 50% of the registration fee) from
Wellcome Genome Campus Scientific Conferences.

The following documents will need to be provided:

• Abstract
• CV
• Covering letter
• Letter from supervisor

To apply, please contact the conference organiser.

Bursary deadline: Closed

We welcome abstracts from all areas relevant to the main themes of the
meeting, for both oral and poster presentations. Several oral
presentations will be chosen from the abstracts submitted.

Abstracts will only be considered from registered delegates. Please use our online abstract submission system and follow the instructions given to ensure your abstract is submitted correctly. All abstracts must be submitted by the deadline. If you are intending to submit more than one abstract, please contact the conference organiser prior to registration.

The scientific programme committee will assess your abstract after the
deadline has passed and you will be notified whether you have been
selected for an oral or poster presentation.

Poster boards onsite will accommodate 118 cm high by 84 cm wide (A0-
portrait) of printed material. Accepted abstracts will appear in the
conference programme book and poster boards will be allocated at the
conference.

Abstract deadline: Closed

Abstract guidelines can be viewed here.