The programme includes distinguished keynote speakers, interactive poster sessions and short oral communications selected from the abstracts. Sessions include Bone, cartilage, tendons and ligaments, muscle and a BSMB Society session which includes talks from outside the major theme of the meeting. Prof. Bruce Caterson (University of Cardiff), the recipient of this year’s Fell-Muir Award to honour his achievements in the field of Matrix Biology, will also present a lecture entitled: ‘The Glycobiology of GAGs; fun for a few but a headache for some’. An outline of the meeting is shown below:

Session 1 – Bone: Prof. Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic (Columbia University, NewYork, USA) and Prof. Molly Stevens (Imperial College London, UK)

Session 2 – Cartilage: Prof. Michael Buschmann (Polytechnique Montréal, Canada) and Prof. Susan Chubinskaya (University of Chicago, USA)

Session 3 – Tendons and Ligaments: Prof. David Butler (University of Cincinnati, USA) and Prof. Karl Kadler (University of Manchester, UK)

Session 4 – BSMB Open Session: Prof. Clemens A. Van Blitterswijk (University of Twente, The Netherlands)

Session 5 – Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle: Prof. Doris Taylor (University of Minnesota, USA) and Prof. Johnny Huard (University of Pittsburgh, USA)

Meeting venue: The meeting will be held at Wills Memorial Building which is part of the University of Bristol campus and is located just 5-10 min walk from Bristol city centre in metropolitan surroundings and close to lots of pubs, restaurants and many city attractions. Accommodation can be booked with nearby hotels at competitive rates available only to the delegates. Free Wi-Fi is available in Wills Memorial Building.

The conference dinner will be held in the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, situated next door to the meeting venue. A pre-dinner wine reception will be held in the Great Hall in Wills Memorial Building. Access to Ancient Egypt and Assyria Display and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition in the museum will be allowed before the Dinner. This will be followed by a 3 course dinner with wine in the Back Hall of the Museum. The dinner will be catered by Millburns, a leading catering local company. Entertainment will be set up during the meal and a cash bar will be provided.

Registration, which is already open, closes 12th March 2011. After this date, a late fee of £30 will apply. Please register now!

Abstract submission closes 28th February 2011.

Bursary application closes 28th of February 2011. See http://www.bsmb.ac.uk for application forms and eligibility criteria.

Successful applicants will be notified on or shortly after 7th of March 2011.

Please go to http://www.bsmb.ac.uk for details and further meeting information.
The provisional programme can be downloaded by clicking here and you will find the flyer to advertise this meeting here.

For more information, please refer to the conference’s website: www.gsbme.unsw.edu.au/proteoglycan2011
You can download the flyer by clicking here and the poster there.

Here is a short introduction about the conference:

Matrix biology is the study of the extracellular matrix, the molecules that make up its dynamic and complex milieu and the study of its turnover in biology, medicine and biotechnology. Research efforts are focused on the biochemical structure of the molecules that make up the matrix (eg. collagens, elastin and glycoproteins) their turnover by enzymes and how they interact and affect the biological function of other molecules in the matrix and the downstream cell signalling events of integrins and mitogens.

Proteoglycans are an important component of the extracellular matrix. They are involved in functional aspects of the matrix by binding and trapping water in adult cartilage tissues as well as setting up and controlling growth factor gradients in embryonic tissues in development. Proteoglycans comprise a protein core, which is decorated with glycans that make the molecules heterogenous in size and charge but are important in modulating the function. In order to study the extracellular matrix in detail, an experimental focus on gene expression, protein expression and post translational modification is required.

The 7th International Conference on Proteoglycans will bring together the world’s leading proteoglycan researchers investigating the influence of proteoglycans on the function of the matrix in health and disease, including cancer, arthritis and inflammatory processes. This group of scientists has a strong and rich history of interacting to share results, set-up collaborations and publish in a collegiate and informal way. By example, the Proteoglycan Gordon Research Conference has been one of the most successful and popular GRC meetings, running for over 25 years. The Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand is a vibrant, friendly society with a similar collegiate culture that meets annually to listen, learn and discuss important findings in the field of Matrix Biology, and enjoy the social aspects of our meeting. This approach has led to significant collaborations that have facilitated key research findings and seminal publications. In light of the close-knit, friendly and inclusive cultures of both groups we will hold a combined, “niche”, full in-house residential style meeting in October 2011 at the beautiful Q-station in Manly. With both meetings held concurrently and with many joint sessions, there will be ample opportunity for domestic and international researchers in the field of Matrix Biology and Proteoglycans to meet, have a great time and discuss collaborations that will define the breakthroughs of the future.

Based on the great advances occurred during the last years in the field of matrix pathobiology and the increasing research interest on matrix organization and the matrix-mediated regulation of the various cell functions, the FEBS-MPST 2011 will offer oral sessions with invited plenary lectures, general lectures/tutorials, selected talks related to the topics of the presented abstracts, participant poster presentations, panel discussions and speakers’ corner. These sessions will address both basic and applied science topics that appeal to the range of participants working in the fields of matrix Pathobiology and Pathobiochemistry, structural biology and cell and molecular biology.

Plenary Symposia (Matrix Pathobiology / Interactions and Functions of Matrix Macromolecules / Matrix-mediated signaling and EMT / Glycobiology and Metabolic Regulation of ECM molecules / Signaling and Disease Molecular Targeting / Matrix Regulation in Health and Disease will be introduced and moderated by leading scientists acting as discussion leaders.

A number of FEBS Youth Travel Funds (FEBS YTF) and Transcontinental (TransYTF) for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers within five years of obtaining a PhD will be available covering registration fees and expenses toward travelling. Young Scientists from the non-FEBS countries (North and South America, Africa and Asia) may be eligible to obtain TransYTF grants. Talks will be selected from the submitted abstract. Young scientific awards for the best 3 posters will also available upon application.

The most important goal of this FEBS Advanced Lecture Course is to bring together yound scientists from biochemistry, life sciences and molecular cell biology with outstanding experts of the rapidly developing scientific field of extracellular matrix and its importance in health and disease.

Please note the deadlines given below for YTF applications and abstracts submissions:
· April 1st, 2011: Deadline for FEBS YTF and TransYTF applications.
· April 29th, 2011: Deadline for application/registration and abstract submission.

For further course info, invited speakers/tutors, preliminary program, submission of abstracts, eligibility criteria for YTF applications and application/registration please visit the website: www.febs-mpst2011.upatras.gr.

You can click on the image on the left to download the pdf brochure.

Contact person: Prof. Nikos Karamanos
e-mail: n.k.karamanos@upatras.gr