Introduction to the Purine and Pyrimidine Society

Membership is open to biomedical scientists and physicians around the world. The benefits include regular information about research positions, travel grants for young investigators, and preferential registration rates at Symposia.

In our biennial Symposia we discuss recent research in the following topics:

  • Metabolism, in health and disease, of purines and pyrimidines, pyridines and related compounds: nucleotides, nucleic acids, phospholipids, glycosylation and detoxification processes
  • Uric acid excretion: gout, kidney disease, and the metabolic syndrome
  • Inborn errors of metabolism: diagnosis; genetic causes; therapy; pharmacogenetics
  • New techniques for measuring metabolites in biological samples: metabolomics
  • Molecular signalling processes; nucleotide interconversions at the cell surface; purinergic receptors; growth factors
  • Enzyme structure, regulation, location in the cell; therapeutic targets in man or in pathogens
  • Chemical synthesis of analogues for investigation of metabolic pathways or as therapeutic drugs
  • Nucleotide and non-nucleotide drugs for cancer chemotherapy; antivirals; immunosuppressants

Information for the general public

In other sections of this web site we provide descriptions of some of the metabolic disorders that may arise from inherited variations in our DNA. Some of these variations affect the way the body responds to drug therapy; some cause disorders including kidney disease and gout; a small number of variations (‘mutations’) may have a serious impact on the way a baby develops, and may result in limited function in the brain or nervous system. You should consult your own physician for personal advice. Support groups for patients and families are also listed in this section.

Information for physicians

The European Consortium Directory of Laboratories contains the names and addresses of laboratories offering diagnostic tests for disorders of purine and pyrimidine metabolism.

Welcome to the Purine and Pyrimidine Society website