Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
March 17 - 20, 2008
Abstract Deadline: January 25, 2008

Organizers:
Senthil Muthuswamy, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
John D. Haley, OSI Pharmaceuticals
Raghu Kalluri, Harvard Medical School

Typical Program

We are pleased to announce a new Cold Spring Harbor conference on the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, which will begin at 7:30 pm on Monday, March 17 and run through lunch on Thursday, March 20, 2008.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biological program that induces a change in cell fate characterized by a loss in the epithelial phenotype and acquisition of a mesenschymal state. EMT is essential for several developmental processes including mesoderm formation and neural tube formation and appears to be critical for fibrosis and cancer cell progression associated with invasion and metastasis.

EMT and the accompanying increase in cell mobility, is associated with loss of expression of epithelial keratins and E-cadherins and an increase in expression of mesenchymal keratins and integrins. Several signal transduction pathways, such as TGF-beta, Ras-MAPK, PI3K-Akt, and Wnt, and transcription factors of the Snail family have been shown to be involved in regulation of EMT. This conference will cover recent advances in the understanding of the cell biological and molecular mechanisms that regulate EMT and discuss its implications for fibrosis and cancer. In addition, there will be an open forum for discussing the challenges of studying EMT in human pathologies.

Topics covered by the meeting include but are not limited to:
Biology of EMT in development, inflammation and fibrosis
Extracellular signaling and cell biology of EMT
Intracellular regulators of EMT
EMT models and stem cells
Pathobiology of EMT in cancer progression

Keynote Speakers:
Mina Bissell, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Robert Weinberg, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research

Chairs/Discussion Leaders:
Thomas Brabletz
Robert Cardiff
John Condeelis
Steven Dubinett
Rebecca Fitzgerald
Raghu Kalluri
Aris Moustakas
Senthil Muthuswamy
Angela Nieto
Eric Neilson
Daniel Peeper
Frank Rauscher
Jeff Rosen
Kathy Svoboda
Erik (Rik) Thompson
Valerie Weaver
Steve Weiss
Jim Woodgett
Liz Williams

Abstracts are welcomed on all scientific topics related to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer. They should contain only new and unpublished material and must be submitted electronically by the abstract deadline. Selection of material for oral and poster presentation will be made by the organizers and individual session chairs. Status (talk/poster) of abstracts will be posted on our web site as soon as decisions have been made by the organizers.

We are eager to have as many young people as possible to attend since they are likely to benefit most from this meeting. We have funds to partially offset on-campus (registration, room & board) for a significant number of graduate students and postdocs. Please apply in writing to morrow@cshl.edu stating your need for financial support - note that preference will be given to those submitting abstracts.

We look forward to seeing you at Cold Spring Harbor in March.

For scientific program enquiries contact Dr. Senthil Muthuswamy

This conference is supported in part by funds provided by:
OSI Pharmaceuticals

We have funds to provide partial scholarships for individuals who are US citizens/permanent residents from minority groups under-represented in the life sciences. Please provide justification in writing to meetings@cshl.edu and state your financial needs. Preference will be given to those applying who submit abstracts to the meeting.

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Regular packages are all inclusive and cover registration, food, housing, parking, wine-and-cheese party, lobster banquet, etc. No Housing packages include all costs except housing. Full payment is due 4 weeks prior to the meeting.