Newswise — Global Biological Standards Institute (GBSI) gathers 100+ biomedical research experts from around the world next week at the scientifically historic Asilomar Conference Grounds in California for a workshop to discuss, define and vote on the first detailed standardized guidelines for validating research antibodies. Antibody Validation: Standards, Policies, and Practices will build upon the conceptual framework published September 5, in Nature Methods, in order to establish practical, applicable and implementable antibody validation guidelines. A webcast press briefing will present broad consensus-based outcomes September 28. Follow along on Twitter with #AbValidate. Biological reagents, including and especially antibodies, range widely in their quality and are major contributors to the irreproducibility crisis taking place in biomedical research. Each of eight of the most widely used antibody applications, including Western Blot, immunohistochemistry, immunoprecipitation and others will be examined in detail. Following the workshop eight application-based working groups will refine the workshop outcomes into practical, actionable guidelines and steps for implementation that will be published in 2017.

WHEN: September 25-27, 2016 WHERE: Asilomar Conference Grounds; Pacific Grove, California

PRESS BRIEFING AND WEBCAST:Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 8:00 a.m. PDT (11:00 a.m. EDT) At Asilomar and Webcast—contact GBSI media contacts below to register.• Leonard P. Freedman, PhD, President of GBSI; workshop chair• Joshua LaBaer, MD, PhD, Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University; workshop steering committee• Mathias Uhlén, PhD, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm; workshop steering committee

BACKGROUND:A variety of issues – from production variations, poor product identification and data sharing, to improper validation techniques—can jeopardize even the best-designed biomedical experiments. To build consensus for research antibody validation standards, leading up to the workshop, GBSI engaged the scientific community in a survey as well as an online dialogue—GBSI Antibody Validation Online Discussion Group. Four months of discussions were further advanced at the 15th Human Proteome Organization World Congress with the release of the International Working Group on Antibody Validation’s elegant conceptual framework that will provide a foundation for the work at the GBSI workshop.

PROGRAM AND PRESENTERS:The workshop, hosted by GBSI and planned in conjunction with The Antibody Society, offers an ambitious agenda that includes 15+ forums and breakout sessions addressing: • The Science Behind Antibody Validation Standards• Finding Common Ground: Building Consensus • Producers and Service Providers in a Pivotal Role: QC/QA and Certification • Integration of Recombinant Antibodies • Incorporating Antibody Databases• Drivers for Adoption from Funders and Journals• Rigor, Reproducibility, and Antibodies: The View from NIH • Roadmap for Moving Forward: Action Steps and Assignments All groups that are stakeholders in production and use of quality research, including producer/sellers, academic leaders, funders, and major journals, will be engaged at the workshop. More than 40 leaders and innovators will facilitate the sessions and guide the discourse, including: • James Anderson, PhD, NIH• C. Glenn Begley, MBBS, PhD, Akriveia Therapeutics• Andrew Bradbury, MBBS, PhD, Los Alamos National Laboratory• Veronique Kiermer, PhD, PLOS Journals• Andreas Plückthun, PhD, University of Zurich • David Rimm, MD, PhD, Yale University• Representatives from workshop sponsors

SPONSOR SUPPORT:GBSI is grateful for workshop funding and other support by sponsors National Institutes of Health* and Thermo Fisher Scientific (platinum level); Abcam, Amgen, The Antibody Society, Bio-Techne and Gilead Sciences (gold level); Atlas Antibodies, BioLegend, Bio-Rad, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cell Signaling Technology, EdiGene, Genentech, Miltenyi Biotec, Rapid Novor, and SouthernBiotech (silver level); and AbbVie, AdipoGen Life Sciences, Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities, Grifols, OriGene and Rockland Immunochemicals (bronze level).

About Global Biological Standards Institute (GBSI)GBSI, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to enhancing the quality of biomedical research by advocating best practices and standards to accelerate the translation of research breakthroughs into life-saving therapies. For more information and a list of workshop steering committee members visit GBSI.org; Twitter @GBSIorg.

Media Contacts: Carol Miller at email: [email protected] or phone:  202-306-0130  Nancy Retherford at email: [email protected] or phone: 317-460-6838

NOTE TO EDITOR: Contact Carol or Nancy to register to attend the briefing in person or via webcast. Leadership is available for interviews scheduled pre and post workshop. Contact Carol on site at the workshop.

*Funding for the Antibody Validation workshop was made possible in part by an National Institutes of Health R-13 grant, GM 121024-01/G236SH. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Meeting Link: Nature Methods Meeting Link: Antibody Validation: Standards, Policies, and Practices