Mechanistic Insights into GPCR Signaling and Regulation 

The Indian GPCR research community unites complementary expertise to explore the diverse roles of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)—central regulators of physiological signaling and major therapeutic targets. Chairs Hemlata Agnihotri (University of Delhi) and Shanu Jain (IIT Kanpur) contribute perspectives on arrestin coupling, orphan receptors, and GPCR regulation of liver metabolism and disease. Speakers Arun Shukla (IITK), Vidita Vaidya (TIFR), Prem N. Yadav (CDRI), and Kasturi Pal (Ashoka) bring insights into GPCR structure, serotonergic signaling, neurogenesis, and mechanotransduction—collectively strengthening India’s growing leadership in GPCR biology and translational research. 

Chairs:  Hemlata Agnihotri - PhD, Assistant Professor

Department of Biophysics, University of Delhi, India 

Hemlata Agnihotri obtained her PhD in Biological Sciences from AcSIR at CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow. She pursued postdoctoral research at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, first as DST-SERB National Postdoctoral Fellow and then as a DBT-BioCaRE Woman Scientist. During this time,  she contributed to several high-impact studies on GPCR signalling, and  GPCR biology, particularly dissecting β-arrestin function. Since 2022, she has been appointed as Assistant Professor in the Department of Biophysics at the University of Delhi. Her group investigates molecular mechanisms governing GPCR regulation, signaling bias and drug resistance.

Shanu Jain - PhD, Assistant Professor, Ramalingaswami Fellow

Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur

Shanu Jain is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering at IIT Kanpur. The group is studying how G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling regulates liver metabolism and contributes to the progression of liver diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Through the use of molecular, pharmacological, and genetic approaches, the group aims to reveal receptor mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for liver metabolic disorders. 

Speakers:

Professor Arun K. Shukla (Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India) – Pioneer and world leading expert in structural biology uncovering how GPCRs translate extracellular signals into cellular responses. His work combines structural biology, receptor pharmacology, and protein engineering to define the molecular basis of signaling bias and to inform GPCR-targeted drug design.

Professor Vidita A. Vaidya (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India) – Neuroscientist pioneering the study of serotonin and its role in mood and emotion. She made important contributions to understanding the neurobiology of mood disorders. HHer work integrates molecular studies with brain-circuit analysis to uncover how serotonergic signaling and psychedelics influence anxiety, depression, and brain energy metabolism, offering deeper insight into the biology of mental health.

Dr. Prem N. Yadav (CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India) – Molecular neuropharmacologist studying bile acid receptor (TGR5) signaling in neural stem cell homeostasis, elucidating its role in brain aging and neurodegenerative disease, and exploring therapeutic avenues targeting GPCR pathways in the CNS.

Dr. Kasturi Pal (Ashoka University, Haryana, India) – Cellular and molecular biologist dissecting the roles of glycosylation in adhesion GPCR maturation and signaling, advancing understanding of how post-translational modifications regulate receptor structure, trafficking, and function. 

Session Summary

Join us for an engaging overview of diverse experimental strategies advancing our understanding of GPCR regulation and its impact on human physiology and pharmacology. 

Advancing GPCR Discovery: A Journey of Academia–Industry Collaboration

The discovery and implementation of new technologies are fundamental to fostering drug research. Within this framework, Celtarys’ technology plays a crucial role by enabling the design and development of high-performance fluorescent tools that support the creation of innovative assays for characterizing GPCR behavior and pharmacology, as well as for identifying new modulators. As a spin-off from the University of Santiago, Celtarys has built its foundation on strong academia–industry collaboration. In this session, after an introductory overview of Celtarys’ technology and its applications, results from collaborative GPCR studies employing fluorescent ligands generated through this platform will be presented by the researchers involved.

Chair and Speaker: Maria Majellaro - PhD, Chief Scientific Officer

Celtarys Research, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

After earning her degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology from the University of Bari (Italy), Dr. Maria Majellaro completed her PhD as “Doctor Europeus” in “Biomolecular Sciences in Pharmacology and Medicine” in 2018. 

From 2018 to 2021, she worked at the University of Santiago de Compostela as a Post-doctoral research associate in the group of Prof. Eddy Sotelo, as part of the IGNICIA technology transfer project, contributing to the development and validation of Celtarys' proprietary technology. She co-founded Celtarys in 2021 and has since been the Scientific Director.

Her scientific expertise ranges from organic synthesis to medicinal chemistry, particularly in the field of GPCR ligands assay development, leading the entire pipeline of the company and custom development for pharmaceutical, biotech, and academic groups.

Speakers: 

Professor Ago Rinken  (Bioorganic Chemistry, University of Tartu, Estonia)

Ago Rinken graduated in chemistry from the University of Tartu.  Following postdoctoral training at the University of Tokyo, Uppsala University, and the Karolinska Institute, he returned to Tartu to establish a research group focused on the biochemistry and molecular pharmacology of GPCRs . His work has emphasised ligand binding kinetics, receptor-G protein coupling, and the development and  implementation of innovative assay systems. He is a co-founder of two spin-off companies and currently serves as a council member of the International Society for Neurochemistry.

Dr. Jorge Barbazán  (PhD Junior Group Leader, Tumor Microenvironment and Mechanobiology lab  (TM²E). Oncomet, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Spain) – Cancer biologist investigating how the tumor microenvironment shapes cancer progression and therapy response. His research integrates mechanobiology, cancer cell biology and advanced imaging techniques to explore how physical, molecular, and cellular cues within tumors can be modulated to improve therapeutic efficacy and patient outcomes.

Professor Prashant Donthamsetti (Department of Pharmacology, University of Vanderbilt, Tennessee, USA) - Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University. He obtained his PhD from Columbia University and did his postdoc at University of California, Berkeley. The Donthamsetti lab is currently developing cutting-edge tools to both detect and manipulate various aspects of brain function.

Session Summary: 

Don’t miss this engaging industry session from the Celtarys research hub, highlighting collaborative studies using fluorescent ligands to advance GPCR characterization and drug discovery.

Advances in GPCR Biology and Therapeutic Discovery

Chair:  Sarah Piper - PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow,  Drug Discovery Biology

Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Australia

Sarah Piper obtained her PhD at the University of Queensland, Australia, focusing on protein biochemistry and cryo-electron microscopy. Since 2019, Sarah has been working on GPCR structures and dynamics at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) in the lab of Prof. Patrick Sexton and Prof. Denise Wootten. In 2024, she received an early-career ARC DECRA fellowship to pursue her research on understanding the structure, dynamics and function of the PAC1 receptor. Sarah is also passionate about science visualisation to communicate biological processes to broad audiences.

Speakers:

Professsor Debbie Hay (University of Otago, New Zealand) – Pharmacologist advancing migraine therapeutics through GPCR and receptor-modifying protein research, pioneering class B receptor biology, leading global collaborations, and mentoring future pharmacology leaders.

Dr. Alisa Glukhova (WEHI, University of Melbourne, Australia) –  is a laboratory head at the Structural Biology Division at WEHI. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Biology in 2014 from the University of Michigan, where she worked on solving structures of lipid-modifying enzymes. During her postdoctoral training at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, she used X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, and pharmacology to study G protein-coupled receptors. Alisa focuses on understanding the structural and biochemical aspects of the Wnt signalling pathway, an important pharmacological target for treating many cancers. 

Dr. Shane Hellyer (Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Australia) – is an senior postdoctoral researcher at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Deputy lab head of the Endocrine and Neuropharmacology lab within Drug Discovery Biology. His work focuses on the molecular pharmacology of GPCRs involved in neurophysiology and neuropathophysiology, including metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5,  and trace amine associated receptor 1. In particular, Dr Hellyer is interested in the impact of single nucleotide variants found in real-world patient populations, how they contribute to disease aetiology and how they potentially affect drug action through changing receptor function. 

Associate Professor Nicola J. Smith (Department of Pharmacology at UNSW Sydney, Australia) – Molecular pharmacologist pioneering orphan GPCR discovery, advancing ligand–receptor mapping and therapeutic exploration through cellular and animal models of cardiovascular and metabolic disease.

Dr. Jianjun Cao (Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Australia) –  is an early-career researcher with multidisciplinary expertises in early drug discovery advancing GPCR-targeted therapeutics through cryo-EM studies, revealing amylin receptor mechanisms relevant to migraine treatment and leading translational collaborations bridging academia and industry innovation.

Session Summary:

Join us for a dynamic overview of multidisciplinary approaches combining pharmacology, structural biology, cryo-EM, electrophysiology, and molecular genetics, showcasing how fundamental insights into receptor function are driving innovative treatments for human disease. 

Chairs: Dr. Aida Shahraki - PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, GPCR Forum Organizer

Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Marburg University, Germany

Aida Shahraki earned her PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Boğaziçi University after studying Physics and Biophysics in Tehran, Iran. Her research focuses GPCRs, combining computational modeling and experimental pharmacology. During her PhD, she trained in molecular dynamics, docking, and FRET/BRET assays through research visits to Pompeu Fabra University and MDC Berlin, supported by GLISTEN and ERNEST fellowships. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher in Peter Kolb’s lab at the Marburg University, working on GPCR structure, signaling, and ligand discovery. Her work bridges computational chemistry and molecular pharmacology.

Dr. Itziar Muneta Arrate - PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, GPCR Forum Organizer

Department of Cell Biology and Metabolism, University of Geneva, Switzerland 

Itziar Muneta Arrate is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Geneva in Miriam Stoeber’s lab. She obtained her PhD in 2022 from the University of the Basque Country, where she investigated biased signaling of the 5-HT₂A receptor and its relation to schizophrenia. Since 2023, she has been part of the ECI GPCR Forum team, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange among early-career GPCR scientists. 

Speakers:

Friederike Marlene Wunsch (Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany)

Friederike Wunsch studied Pharmacy at the University of Münster. Afterwards, she did her Ph.D. in the group of Prof. Marcel Bermúdez at the University of Münster in the Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, which she just finished in October. Her research focuses on structural mechanisms at different GPCRs, including the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors, the M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, and the atypical chemokine receptor 3.

Florian Bößl (Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, Freising, Munich, Germany) Florian Bößl is a PhD student at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at TUM in Prof. Antonella Di Pizio’s Chemoinformatics and Protein Modelling group. He studies odorant receptor activation using large-scale MD and data-driven approaches, bridging GPCR biophysics and predictive modelling.

Tomasz Maciej Stepniewskiek (Hospital del Mar Research Institute and Department of Medicine and Life Science, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain) Tomasz Maciej Stepniewski, PhD, is a bioinformatician in the GPCR Drug Discovery group led by Dr. Jana Selent at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM-UPF). He focuses on studying GPCRs and their coupling partners using computational techniques, with a special focus on receptors involved in neuropsychiatric disorders. 

Marta López Balastegui (Hospital del Mar Research Institute and Department of Medicine and Life Science, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain). PhD student and physicist, currently a member of the GPCR Drug Discovery group led by Dr. Jana Selent at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM-UPF). She is developing an algorithm to predict the functional impact of missense variants in GPCRs using information derived from molecular dynamics simulations. 

Judith Alenfelder (Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Bonn, Germany) Judith Alenfelder is a PhD candidate in Professor Evi Kostenis’s laboratory at the University of Bonn, Germany. Her research focuses on G protein function and the genetic modulation of inhibitor sensitivity to develop innovative tools for advancing fundamental studies in GPCR biology. 

Dr. Adrián García-Recio (Hospital del Mar Research Institute and Department of Medicine and Life Science, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain). Adrián García-Recio is a bioinformatician in the GPCR Drug Discovery group led by Dr. Jana Selent at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM-UPF). He develops web-based tools to analyze and visualize GPCR data, and is currently working on the GPCRmd project, which explores the dynamics of the 3D GPCRome. 

Session Summary:

This session features winners of the poster contest from the 1st GPCR Forum Meeting  in 2024.

Frontiers in GPCR: Insights from Leading Women Scientists 

This session celebrates the exceptional contributions of women scientists to GPCR research worldwide. The talks will explore innovative approaches to receptor pharmacology, the structural and evolutionary basis of GPCR signaling, and novel strategies for allosteric modulation and drug discovery. These presentations will highlight the ever-expanding frontiers of GPCR research and its impact on human health. Join the GPCR Ladies community by registering here or connect with the GPCR Ladies LinkedIn Group.

Chairs:  

Masha Niv - Professor

Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Professor Masha Niv is a professor at the biochemistry department  at  The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is a pioneer in computational studies chemosensory GPCRs, such as  taste receptors which have reshaped our understanding of how GPCRs mediate taste perception. Her research combines computational modeling, molecular pharmacology, structural biology, and sensory science to discover new tastants and unravel, at the molecular level, how GPCRs detect and translate chemical signals into taste perception. She is also an advocate for scientific collaboration and gender equality, co-founding the GPCR Ladies initiative to promote visibility and community among women in GPCR research.

Silvia Sposini - PhD, Research Associate

Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction - Faculty of Medicine Imperial College London, UK

Dr. Silvia Sposini obtained her MSc in Biotechnology from Sapienza University of Rome, and then  obtained her PhD in Biochemistry from Imperial College London (ICL). She is currently a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellow at the faculty of Medicine at the ICL. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of GPCR and β-arrestin signaling in neuronal and endocrine systems, combining cell biology and pharmacological approaches to understand receptor regulation in health and disease. Dr. Sposini is managing the postdocs list, please contact her to nominate yourself or fellow postdocs. 

Speakers:

Professor Mette M. Rosenkilde (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) – She is head of the Molecular Pharmacology Laboratory (MolPharm) where the common research theme is the relationship between structure and function of  GPCR. Her research explores ligand recognition, receptor activation, and signaling phenomena such as biased activity, constitutive signaling, and receptor cross-talk, guiding the discovery of novel GPCR-targeted therapeutics.

Dr. Moran Shalev-Benami (Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel)  – Structural biologist exploring how macromolecular assemblies, particularly GPCRs, mediate signal transduction in the brain and across evolution. Her laboratory combines cryo-electron microscopy, biophysics, and cell biology to visualize complex receptor architectures and uncover how structural organization governs signaling in both simple and higher organisms.

Dr. Arisbel Batista Gondin (Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Australia) – Molecular pharmacologist investigating the structural and functional mechanisms of opioid receptor signaling. Her work focuses on allosteric modulation, subcellular receptor localization, and nanobody development to advance safer and more effective GPCR-targeted pain therapeutics. 

Session Summary

Join us for an inspiring session that will highlight the pioneering research and leadership of women in GPCR science. The session will showcase breakthroughs in receptor structure, signalling and pharmacology that are shaping the future of GPCR drug discovery and molecular medicine.

Chair:  Aashish Manglik - MD, PhD Associate Professor

Departments of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Anesthesia, UCSF, USA

Aashish Manglik is an associate professor and a physician–scientist whose lab combines structural biology, quantitative biophysics, and molecular pharmacology to decode how GPCRs detect and transmit physiological signals. Aashish has an interest in understanding human physiology from a biochemical perspective. 

The Manglik Lab investigates the molecular mechanisms of transmembrane signaling and transport, uncovering how cells sense and respond to their environment to maintain physiological balance. Their work lies at the intersection of human health and protein science.

Speakers:

Federica Liccardo is a postdoctoral fellow in the Cardiovascular Research Institute at UCSF. Her recent work uses spatially restricted antagonists to reveal sub-cellular β-adrenergic receptor activation, combining cell biology, imaging, and signaling studies. She investigates GPCR dynamics with the Irannejad Lab to understand receptor localization and functional regulation. 

Xinyu Xu, PhD is a UCSF postdoctoral researcher in the Shoichet Lab focused on structure-based drug discovery of GPCRs and disease-related proteins. GPCRs play a crucial role in physiology and pathogenesis, and approximately 30% of approved drugs target GPCRs. Her work involves using docking techniques to identify potential ligands for GPCRs and try to predict the efficacy of them. Through her work she aims to contribute to the development of novel therapeutics for a wide range of diseases.

Nicole Fisher, PhD is a postdoctoral scholar in UCSF’s School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. She is working in the von Zastrow Lab. Her research investigates how GPCR signaling is organized and regulated within neurons. Recent high-impact work includes demonstrating a discrete mechanism by which µ-opioid receptors activate heterotrimeric G proteins from endosomes, expanding our understanding of subcellular signaling dynamics. She also studies metabotropic glutamate receptor 7 (mGlu7) in models of neurodevelopmental disorders, including MECP2 duplication syndrome. 

Matthew K. Howard is a PhD candidate with a research focus on developing high-throughput mutational scanning platforms to study GPCR biology. By generating holistic models of receptor function, he aims to understand how perturbations propagate across cell biology and physiology. Prior to UCSF, Matt graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with degrees in chemistry and biology. At WashU, he worked in the Jackrel Lab studying structure-function relationships in the disaggregase Hsp104 and strategies for disrupting biofilm-associated amyloids.

Session Summary

This session brings together UCSF scientists who will present talks showcasing how molecular, structural, and computational approaches are revealing the principles that govern GPCR signaling and regulation. Join us to explore new insights into receptor function and emerging opportunities for therapeutic development.