Lipids@Wayne, a forum for exchange of research ideas and knowledge in lipid research, will present a Nov. 8 symposium at Wayne State University to honor the scientific legacy of the late Kenneth Honn, Ph.D., distinguished professor of Pathology at the School of Medicine.

Dr. Honn, who died May 9, was a pioneer in establishing the role and advancement of lipid mediators, which opened the potential for new therapeutic approaches in cancer, tumor metastasis and inflammatory diseases. He was awarded the title of Distinguished Professor in 2004.

He wrote more than 360 published works and received a citation from the WSU Board of Governors as the most cited scholar at WSU. With more than 40 years of experience in the fields of cancer, inflammation and bioactive lipids, Dr. Honn and his laboratory focused on bioactive lipids and integrin receptors and the role they play in various aspects of tumor progression, cell growth and apoptosis, angiogenesis and tumor cell matrix interactions. His lab concentrated on lipoxygenases, and in particular 12-lipoxygenase and its metabolic product 12(S)-HETE. Research efforts in Dr. Honn’s laboratory directly led to six clinical trials. He held 17 U.S. patents, seven of which are based on the generation of novel chemotherapeutic/radiation sensitizing compounds.

Dr. Honn was the director of the Bioactive Lipids Research Program and was a member of the Cancer Biology Graduate Program and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. He was a founding member and president of the Eicosanoid Research Foundation and chairman of the International Conference on Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation and Related Diseases, a biennial international conference he initiated in 1989 in Detroit.

The tribute symposium is jointly organized by Lipids@Wayne, the Lipid Research community at Wayne State University and the Eicosanoid Research Foundation.

Students and postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to present posters. Three posters will be selected for the Kenneth V. Honn, Ph.D., Memorial Awards.

The symposium will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the A. Paul Schaap Auditorium, Chemistry Building, 5101 Cass Ave., Detroit.

Admission is free. Registration is required here.

Speakers include:

Edward Dennis, Ph.D., distinguished professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at San Diego, presenting “Novel lipidomics platform to determine phospholipase A2 specificity and PUFA-derived mediators in macrophages.”

Megan Falsetta, Ph.D., assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, presenting “Revisiting vulvar vestibulitis: inflammation, lipid dysbiosis, and chronic vulvar pain.”

Miriam Greenberg, Ph.D., professor of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, presenting “Cardiolipin at the epicenter of energy metabolism – implications for Barth syndrome.”

Lawrence Marnett, Ph.D., distinguished professor of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, presenting “The structural biology of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition and imaging.”

David Menter, Ph.D., assistant professor of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, presenting “Platelets, prostaglandins and tumor-immune interactions.”

Dipak Panigrahy, M.D, assistant professor of Pathology, Harvard University, presenting “SPMs in cancer: promoting innate and adaptive anti-tumor immunity.”

Charles Serhan, Ph.D., D.Sc., Simon Gelman professor of Anesthesia (Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology), Harvard University, presenting “Resolvins: New signals linking resolution of inflammation and regeneration.”

Gabor Tigyi, M.D., Ph.D., Harriet Van Vleet professor of Physiology and Chemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, presenting “LPA in cancer: the stem cell, the microenvironment and tumor immunity.”

Darryl Zeldin, M.D., scientific director of the National Institutes of Health/ National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, presenting “Attenuation of the COVID-19 eicosanoid storm by soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors.”