FEBS 2022 Advanced Course: Biological Surfaces and Interfaces: Forces at biological interfaces

The transdisciplinary concept of biological interfaces is at the cornerstone of research areas as diverse as implant design and control of stem cell differentiation, biocatalysis, mechanobiology, nanomedicine, cancer, drug delivery and systems biology. In applications that range from precision medicine to biotechnology and bioengineering, the future is behind systems that interact with the biological environment in a specific manner at the molecular and cellular level, engaging well-defined signalling pathways and responses. In view of the complexity of forces patterns and dynamic nature of biological processes, artificial interfaces themselves have to become dynamic and highly adaptative to external stimuli. Achieving this goal entails research into the force-induced dynamics of biological interfaces (membranes, cell-matrix and cell-cell connections and interactions) as well as bioengineering and biomimetic approaches at interactions between biological and artificial systems at the level of molecules and cells. The objective of this meeting is to bring together researchers from diverse disciplines who are actively working on these topics and to engage young scientists at the doctoral and postdoctoral level, nucleating new ideas and new directions.

In the FEBS Advanced Lecture Course 2022 entitled Biological Surfaces and Interfaces: Forces at biological interfaces, we will provide insights in dynamic process at the interface, including the design of interfaces which provide dynamic and controlled spatio-temporal stimuli as well as the dynamic behaviour of interfaces. These systems are key to understand processes such as regulation of stem cell differentiation, cancer metastasis, cellular forces and mechanotransduction. The importance of interfacial dynamics in the context of translational research will also be addressed. The workshop aims at understanding a multidisciplinary area – biological interfaces – from a dynamic, more biophysical point of view, a unique perspective not addressed by any other conference, workshop or course.

The focus of the meeting is uniquely biological, fitting with the goals of FEBS and EMBO, with principal themes being engineering of 3D dynamic synthetic extracellular matrices (ECM) for cell adhesion and cell migration, quantification of cell – cell and cell – ECM interactions (e.g. cell – cell forces during collective cell migration, cell – ECM forces in cancer, protein organization in the ECM or membranes) and the development of technologies that provide a physical/mechanical perspective across length scales (from molecules to tissues) into the biological world. By bringing young and renowned researchers from the fields of biology, physics (experimentalists and theoreticians), and engineering, an interdisciplinary forum around these topics is ensured. There will be plenty of opportunity for young scientists to present their research at talks and posters, with ample time for discussion. So please join us in the latest in a series of biological surfaces and interfaces meetings running between 2003 and 2019 (8 editions) that have been the voice of the broad biointerface community, the forum for exchange of ideas between scientists active in this area, and a uniquely supportive environment for the training of young interdisciplinary scientists.

Delphine Gourdon, Chris Lorenz, Kaori Sugihara & Andrea Salis,
Course Organizers

IUBMB LECTURER: Professor Natalie Elia, NIBN
“A tale of two cities – ESCRTs at the origin of Eukaryotes”

 
 
 
MAY 3:   Youth Travel Fund Grants Deadline
MAY 16:   Applications Closing

 
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