Workshop 4: Data analysis of ligand bias and allostery at GPCRs
Tracks
Track 2
Sunday, July 12, 2026 |
11:15 AM - 1:15 PM |
Details
Major life science challenges include, understanding how chemicals outside cells signal to proteins inside, how this results in physiological responses. After centuries of relentlessly exploring how receptors are regulated by endogenous and drug-like molecules, new ideas have emerged in the field that have completely changed and revitalized it. The first paradigm is biased signalling, which is the ability of structurally distinct ligands to stabilise different pools of receptor conformations leading the distinct cellular outcomes. The second paradigm is allostery, which is the mechanism by which some ligands can recognise and bind different regions of receptors compare to the endogenous hormone binding site, and alter its physiological responses. However, both allostery and bias are very complex, making reproducibility and description challenging.
This workshop will use key novel analytical models to analyse and interpret allostery and bias signalling at a major family of GPCR, the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.
Speaker
Assoc Prof Celine Valant
Lab Head
Monash University
Quantification of Allostery and Biased Signalling
Biography
Dr. Celine Valant is the co-leader of the Analytical & Structural Neuropharmacology (ASNP) Laboratory within the Drug Discovery Biology Theme at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA. Celine completed her PhD in Medicinal Chemistry in 2005 at The University of Pharmacy, Strasbourg, FRANCE, then took up a postdoctoral position in molecular pharmacology with Prof. Arthur Christopoulos and Patrick Sexton, at Monash University, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA, where she established an international profile in the synthesis and study of allosteric ligands at G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). In 2019, Celine became the co-leader of the ASNP laboratory, focusing on understanding the modes of regulation of GPCRs by small molecules, in an effort to identify novel targets or approaches for drug discovery. Her research interests encompass allosterism, biased signalling, analytical pharmacology, and drug design. Through collaborative projects, Celine has also now extended her research interest to computational and structural biology.
Dr Alastair Keen
Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Presenter
Biography
Dr. Keen is a postdoctoral researcher within the Spatial Organisation of Signalling Laboratory. Dr. Keen obtained a dual PhD from Monash University and The University of Nottingham, UK, in Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Discovery. Prior to this he completed a Master of Biotechnology at The University of Melbourne.
His current research in the Spatial Organisation of Signalling Laboratory employs techniques such as proximity-dependent labelling proteomics, confocal microscopy and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer to investigate GPCR regulatory mechanisms and compartmentalised signalling processes.
His work has been published in high quality journals including Nature, eLife, and Br. J. Pharmacol. Dr. Keen is currently supervising two PhD students. He has also successfully supervised two honours students, with Ms. Shaqayeq Ramazani having received the Fred Mitchelson Award in 2024 for the highest mark in the cohort. Dr. Keen serves on two PhD panels, chairing one. He also leads the MIPS-Drug Discovery Biology Level 3 laboratory committee.
Dr Vi Pham
Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Presenter
Biography
Vi Pham obtained her PhD from the Howard Florey Institute at University of Melbourne under the supervision of Professor Patrick Sexton. In 2018, she joined the Analytical and Structure Neuropharmacology laboratory at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS, Monash University) as a postdoctoral research fellow. Her research focuses on elucidating the mechanisms of drug action at G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), with a particular interest in biased agonism and allosteric modulation. Currently she is investigating novel small molecules that selectively target muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and opioid receptors with the aim of developing new therapeutic strategies for neuropsychiatric disorders and chronic pain.
Dr JoAnne Baltos
Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Presenter
Biography
Dr Jo-Anne Baltos is a neuroscientist and deputy lab head at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Her research centres on G protein-coupled receptors implicated in neurological disorders, with ongoing programs dedicated to developing novel treatments for drug-resistant epilepsy. She is an expert in biased agonism and allostery, particularly in the quantification and interpretation for drug discovery. Dr Baltos has made significant contributions to understanding allostery and bias at adenosine receptors and is interested in their therapeutic potential, with the goal of translating these insights into effective, targeted treatments.
Michaela Kaoullas
PhD Candidate
Monash Institute Of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Presenter
Biography
Michaela is a final-year PhD candidate in the Analytical and Structural Neuropharmacology laboratory at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Australia. Through completion of Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Hons – First Class), her interest in pharmacology and passion for therapeutic drug discovery grew. Michaela’s doctoral research focuses on targeting the M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor for the treatment of schizophrenia, where she utilises structural biology and molecular pharmacology techniques to understand novel drug action at this receptor.
Session chair
Alastair Keen
Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Celine Valant
Lab Head
Monash University
