Quality Control – From Molecules to Organelles

EMBL Heidelberg, Germany


Speakers
Keynote Speakers

Elisa Izaurralde, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Germany

Stefan Jentsch, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Germany

Jonathan Weissman, University of California, USA

Research on quality control and stress response systems at the DNA, RNA and protein levels is experiencing explosive growth due to the realization of its importance in cell biology, ageing and major diseases.

Cells constantly suffer damage and make errors. This is the consequence of the intrinsic biochemical fragility of molecules and the limited robustness and precision of cellular processes. A multitude of internal and environmental stress insults aggravates this situation. All cells from bacteria to human have developed powerful quality control systems. These detect and minimize the damage that would ensue if mistakes and abnormal molecules went unchecked and uncorrected:

• Safeguarding systems which ensure proper performance of cellular processes or establish homeostatic environments, thereby avoiding errors and damage from occurring.
• Damage repair systems which detect damaged or abnormal macromolecules and repair or eliminate these.
• Stress response pathways that increase the cell's capacity to cope with specific or global stress.
  

This symposium addresses the molecular mechanisms of these systems, generating a unique forum of interdisciplinary discussion on quality control mechanisms of the genome (DNA), the transcriptome (RNA) and the proteome, and thus bringing together experts from traditionally separated fields.


Contact

EMBL Course and Conference Office
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
Meyerhofstraße 1
69117 Heidelberg
Germany