Workshops 2005

The pathology of pre-mRNA splicing: diagnostic and mechanistic aspects

Workshop organisers:
Francisco E Baralle: ICGEB Trieste, Italy
Franco Pagani: ICGEB Trieste, Italy

This workshop will be organised around nine keynote speakers and a series of interacting sections where we would encourage the students to discuss freely and present their specific interests and data. Topics include:

• basic mechanism of pre-mRNA processing
• control of alternative pre mRNA splicing
• pre mRNA processing and human disease
• methods for the screening and functional identification of pre-mRNA processing defects
• strategies for the correction of the processing defects
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Date and venue: April 7 - 9, 2005; Trieste, Italy

Sustainability and Governance of Web and GRID Resources in Functional Genomics

Workshop organisers:
Paul Erik van der Vet: University of Twente, Netherlands
Pierre-Alain Binz: Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva
Martin Hofmann: SCAI, Sankt Augustin, Germany
Theo Huibers: University of Twente, Netherlands

The increasing availability of web resources for work in molecular biology has, on the one hand, boosted progress while, on the other hand, it has created forms of co-operation and distribution for which adequate business models have still to be developed. The business models are required to address at least the following issues: quality assurance, accessibility over particular time frames (which may range from three years to, perhaps, decades), pricing, financing, and control. This mode of thinking may appear too much business-like for the taste of academic institutes that operate a web resource, but the issues mentioned are addressed by any institute that operates a resource as vital concerns: academic institutes as well as businesses. Since businesses have been operating with business models for a long time now, academic institutes might learn from their experiences. Ongoing discussions on using GRID technology for eSciences even underline the need for new, adequate business models for distributed knowledge resources. The workshop would identify possible business models with the aim to further the ideal of a European information infrastructure for the life sciences.
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Date and venue: 9 - 11 May, 2005; Fraunhofer Institute, Sankt Augustin, Germany

Transcription Networks: a Global View

Workshop organisers:
Ildefonso Cases: CNB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
Alfonso Valencia: CNB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain

Transcription regulation is one of the key mechanisms that biological systems employ for essential functions. In order to guarantee the coordinated expression of the whole genomes, cells build on a complex and highly organized network of transcription factors. The ability to integrate different signals or to orchestrate complex processes resides in the properties of this network. New experimental and computational methods have arisen recently, allowing us to study the transcription regulation network from a Systems biology perspective. The application of our current knowledge of transcription networks has already allowing the engineering of artificial networks with specific properties. However we are far for fully understand how this network works or how cells have evolved such complex network. The aim of this workshop is to promote communication between the different approaches that have been taken in the analysis of transcription networks, from the more theoretical to the more applied, in order to achieve a global perspective about the Transcription Regulatory Networks.
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Date and venue: 26 - 28 May, 2005; Madrid, Spain

Ligand Binders against the Proteome

Workshop organisers:
Mike Taussig: The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
Bernhard Korn: RZPD - Resource Centre for Genome Research, Heidelberg, Germany
Ulf Landegren: Uppsala University, Sweden
Andreas Plückthun: Zurich University, Zurich

Understanding the proteome is a challenge which is potentially even larger and more complex than decoding the human genome itself. Specific ligand binding molecules, including native and recombinant antibodies, protein scaffolds, peptides and nucleic acid aptamers, are essential tools for monitoring protein expression and determining protein function. There is now a recognised need to establish a comprehensive, characterised and standardised collection of ligand binders directed against the individual proteins of the human proteome for functional applications. In parallel, one can expect to see further development of high throughput binder-based assay systems, and applications in diagnostics and therapeutics. These issues and opportunities will be explored in detail, as a follow up to the highly successful event which our programme cofunded with the MolTools consortium in Cambridge in September 2004.
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Date and Venue: 13 - 15 June, 2005; Uppsala, Sweden

Personalized Medicine Europe: Health, Genes & Society

Workshop organisers:
Gregory Livshits: Tel-Aviv University, Israel
David Gurwitz: Tel-Aviv University, Israel

Genetic information technologies are forecasted to completely revolutionize medicine by the year 2050. Patients will be diagnosed and treated according to their genetic profiles. Are we prepared for the novel challenges? Are we fully aware of the societal and ethical dilemmas that will come along with the revolution in medicine? This workshop will present the challenges and perils, and offer insight into potential solutions.
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Date and Venue: 19 - 21 June, 2005; Tel-Aviv, Israel

Integrated Approaches for Cytoskeleton Research

Workshop organisers:
Evelyne Friederich: Centre de Recherche Public-Santé, Luxembourg
André Steinmetz: Centre de Recherche Public-Santé, Luxembourg

Cytoskeleton research, a fast moving and far-reaching area, is not reserved to specialists in this field, but also of high interest for other scientists. Progress in cytoskeleton research in the European area can only be achieved through an integrated, multidisciplinary approach. The planned advanced lecture course will contribute to reach this goal by stimulating exchange and cross-fertilisation among specialists in the cytoskeleton field and students or young scientists from other areas.
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Date and Venue: August 27 - 31, 2005; Luxembourg City, Luxembourg