바이오인

 

Dear colleagues and friends,

 

It is both an honor and a pleasure for us Czech biochemists to organize the FEBS Conference 2009. For me personally it is especially rewarding because the last FEBS Meeting in the the Czechoslovakia was organized in Prague in 1968. It was the first international scientific conference I had attended, and it contributed tremendously to my deep passion for biochemistry. And now, forty years later, I am an honorary chairman of this FEBS conference organizing committee.

 

Would you allow me to take this opportunity to briefly bring you up-to-date on the current status of research in biochemistry and molecular biology in the Czech Republic? Science in the Czech Republic is supported by several funding sources. Most of our support comes from the state budget and funds are disbursed by several ministries, by the Academy of Sciences, and by the independent Research Council. I am happy to say that most of these bodies allocate some money for research in biochemistry and molecular biology. On the other hand, very little money still comes from the private sector.

 

To overcome this funding disparity, several the so-called research centers were established in the Czech Republic. They typically consist of several laboratories usually from the Academy of Sciences, universities, and also from some private companies. Several of these centers are focused on life sciences including biochemistry and molecular biology. The network thus created now makes it possible to develop new programs on a state-of-the-art level and to better use research results in practical projects.

 

It is important to realize that modern biochemistry, molecular genetics, genomics, proteomics and related fields emerged at a time when the Czech Republic under the previous regime was still politically isolated from the democratic world. This resulted in scientific isolation because it was impossible to collaborate freely. We believe that we have now overcome this and that we have succeeded in catching up with the latest trends in science. This has been facilitated by organizations such as FEBS, EMBO and ESF. And let us not forget that it was in the Czech town of Brno, where Gregor Mendel founded modern genetics. This we acknowledge as our obligation to pursue first class molecular biology in our laboratories.

 

It is my hope that this conference will contribute toward the advancement of our science, that new collaborations and friendships will be initiated here, and that similar conferences will follow in the years to come. Meanwhile, Czech scientists will be ready to be of assistance to you here in Prague.

 

 

1. Functional Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics
1.1.    Epigenetics: DNA Methylation and Far Beyond
1.2.    Evolution of Polyploid Genomes
1.3.    Bioinformatics: from Comparisons to Functional Predictions        
W 02  Glycomic Technologies
W 03  Emerging Proteomic Technologies

 

2. Protein Structure and Interactions
2.1.     Protein Folding
2.2.     Bioactive Peptides
2.3.     Protein Engineering and Directed Evolution
2.4.     Proteolysis on and Within the Biological Membrane

 

3. Metabolites in Interactions
3.1.     Biotransformation of Carcinogens
3.2.     Heme Biosynthesis, Utilization and Degradation
3.3.     Turnover and Recognition of Carbohydrates
3.4.     Cytochromes P450 and Xenobiochemistry

 

4. Cellular and Subcellular Biochemistry
4.1.     Cell Differentiation
4.2.     Biochemistry of Melanins and Melanosomes
4.3.     Extracellular Matrix and Cell Adhesion
4.4.     The Cell Nucleus: Structure, Function and Dynamics
4.5.     Function and Dysfunction of Mitochondria
4.6.     RNA Turnover and Quality Control
4.7.     Nervous System Stem Cells

 

5. Signal Transduction
5.1.     Cytoskeleton Dynamics
5.2.     Reactive Oxygen Species in Cell Signalling
5.3.     Gaseous Signaling
5.4.     Signalling in Plants
5.5.     Small GTPases in Cell Function and Disease
5.6.     Signaling in Host-Pathogen Interactions
5.7.     Plasma Membrane and Cell Signaling

 

6. Organism – The network of Interactions
6.1.     Mitochondrial Membranes, Apoptosis and Cancer
6.2.     Virus - Cell Interactions
6.3.     Molecular Immunology
6.4.     P53 New Functions, New Targets, New Controls

 

7. Trends in Biotechnology
7.1.     Nanosensors and Nanomachines
7.2.     Photosynthesis and Solar Energy Conversion
7.3.     Plants for the Future
7.4.     Biochemistry of Phytoceuticals in Plant and Mammalia
7.5.     Biochemical Prospects for Better Food
7.6.     Biofilms: Social life of Microbes

 

8.  From Biochemistry to Medicine
8.1.     Molecular Mechanisms of Kidney Diseases
8.2.     Proteases as Therapeutic Targets
8.3.     Biochemistry of Diabetic Complications
8.4.     Cancer Stem Cells
8.5.     Proteomics in Health and Diseases
W 01   Nanotherapeutics

 

Registration Procedure
All participants must be registered and are urged to register in advance. Non registered people will not have access to the session halls and exhibition area.

 

Online Registration
All participants are kindly recommended to register preferably via the Online Registration Form. Other registration possibilities are also available below. Please read the instructions on the website carefully.

 

 

Accommodation Guidelines
Reservation guidelines
Rooms at special congress rates are being held in hotels of different categories close to the venue (Prague Congress Centre) or within Prague city centre. Rooms will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

 

Participants are recommended to reserve the accommodation by April 15, 2009. After this deadline requests will be accepted, however, hotel rooms are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed; when making the reservation, please also indicate an alternative hotel/second choice hotel in case your preferred one is fully booked.

 

No shuttle service will be provided by the congress from the airport to the hotels or from the hotels to the Prague Congress Centre.

 

To make a reservation please use our Online Booking system or Accommodation Booking Form (in PDF and to be faxed to +420 261 174 307/ or mailed to accommodation@febs2009.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ). Reservations by phone cannot be processed. A deposit of 1 night is requested to confirm your booking.