|
|
Motivation |
The reconstituting potential of tissue stem cells makes them target cells in different types of clinical settings, particularly with respect to the emerging field of regenerative medicine. In order to use the full functional potential of stem cells, it is necessary to achieve a comprehensive insight into general regulatory principles of cellular differentiation and lineage specification. Only on the basis of such a comprehensive understanding it will be possible to quantitatively describe and predict cellular differentiation and, therefore, to control regenerative processes in vitro and/or in vivo, e.g. by the targeted (re-)programming of cells.
|
Motivated by these aspects, the planned workshop is intended to serve as a platform for leading scientists from different backgrounds (biology, medicine, mathematics, physics, computer sciences) to discuss theoretical concepts and quantitative modeling approaches in stem cell research. It is a continuation of the two previous workshops on Concepts and Mathematical Models of Stem Cell Organization (StemCellMathLab '01, StemCellMathLab '05) and will, this year, be helt in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Experimental Hematology (ISEH). |
 Top
Objectives |
Is the objective of the workshop to elucidate the interplay of experimental results, biological concepts, and mathematical models in stem cell biology. To focus the discussion on relevant problems, we provide the following scientific theses. |
Scientific theses
- Stem cells can be characterized as stationary states (i.e. attractors) in a multidimensional phase space, i.e. by a "stem cell signature".
- What are the characteristic features (i.e. the dimensions) of the "signature" (mRNA expression, epigenetic pattern, cell surface markers) and how are they related to stem cell function (as the gold standard of defining stem cells)?
- Is the "signature" unique/fixed or do we have to account for the heterogeneity of stem cells and/or their microenvironmental interactions? Shall one look for an individual, a cell population, or a systemic stem cell "signature"?
|
- Stem cell fates are dynamic changes of the "signature" (e.g. acquisition of a "differentiated signature").
- Is differentiation of stem cells characterized by changes of the structure of the regulatory network (changing the topology) or by changes of the dynamics on a fixed network?
- Is lineage specification an instructive process (directed decision + random "selection") or is it mediated by a subsequent selection process (random decision + directed selection)?
|
Based on these open problems, we will specifically discuss the potential and the limitations of current experimental strategies and/or the feasibility of new approaches (e.g. high-throughput technologies, single cell analysis). |
Since it is the genuine focus of the workshop to develop a systems biological perspective on stem cell biology, available modeling approaches (e.g. network models, single cell(agent)-based models) and bioinformatical techniques (e.g. single cell tracking) and in particular their impact on stem cell research have to be discussed. It should be resolved under which circumstances these theoretical approaches can contribute to an understanding of the biological principles. |
|
Top
Structure |
- 2.5 day workshop with a maximum number of 25 presenting participants (giving a talk) and up to 15 non-presenting participants (guest auditors)
|
- Presentations (20 minutes presentation, 10 minutes discussion) should contain the researcher's personal view on a selection of theses on actual challenges in stem cell research (circulated before the workshop)
|
- No classical conference style; all presentations will be included in round table discussions with extended time for discussion
|
Top
Timeline |
|
|
|
Application deadline for participation: April, 2007 |
|
Workshop outline and list of participants: July, 2007 |
|
Circulation of workshop theses / final program: August, 2007 |
|
|
Top
Program schedule |
- Monday - September 24th (open to the public)
Symposium "Systems biology of regenerative tissues" (organized by IMISE, IZBI and TRM)
- 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Please note new starting time!
(Choosen to better meet the arrival of trains from Leipzig city center)
- Markus Loeffler: "Computational tissues"
- Daniel Koch: "Motion and Forces in Cell Motility"
- Joerg Galle: "Modelling mesenchymal stem cell organisation in vitro"
- Michael Cross: "The case for a metabolic stem cell niche"
- Coffee break (4:00 - 4:30 pm)
- 4:30 - 6:00 pm - Official workshop opening
- Ihor Lemischka: "Dissecting Cell Fate Regulation in Stem Cells: Biological considerations"
- Florian Markowetz: "Dissecting Cell Fate Regulation in Stem Cells: Bioinformatical considerations"
- Dinner break (6:00 - 8:00 pm)
- 8:00 - 9:30 pm: Plenary discussion
|
- Tuesday - September 25th (registered participants only)
Phenomenology and regulatory principles of stem cell fate decisions
- 9:00 am - 12:20 pm (Chair: Ingo Roeder)
- Coffee break (10:45 - 11:10 am)
- Lunch break (12:20 - 2:00 pm)
- 2:00 - 4:50 pm (Chair: Gerald de Haan)
- Coffee break (3:10 - 3:40 pm)
- Social program (5:30 pm - Bus departure)
|
- Wednesday - September 26th (registered participants only)
Signalling and transcriptional regulation of stem cell fate decisions
- 9:00 am - 12:20 pm (Chair: Markus Löffler)
- Coffee break (10:45 - 11:10 am)
- Lunch break (12:20 - 2:00 pm)
- 2:00 - 5:35 pm (Chair: Michael Cross)
- Coffee break (3:10 - 3:40 pm)
- Dinner break (5:35 - 7:30 pm)
- 7:30 - 9:00 pm: Plenary discussion
|
- Thursday - September 27th
- 9:30 am: Bus transfer to Leipzig city center
- 10:30 am: Guided tour - Museum of Fine Arts, Leipzig
|
Top
Social program |
- Tuesday - September 25th
- 6:00 pm: Exclusive organ concert in the St. Thomas Church, performed by the current St. Thomas organist Prof. Ullrich Böhme. In this church, Johann Sebastian Bach was cantor between 1723 and 1750. The concert is followed by a guided tour through St. Thomas Church.
- 8:00 pm: Dinner at Panorama Tower Restaurant, Leipzig
|
- Thursday - September 27th
|
Top
Organization |
|
Markus Loeffler, MD/PhD (Convenor) |
| Ingo Roeder, PhD (Scientific coordinator) |
| Robert Stein |
| Ingmar Glauche |
| Matthias Horn |
Top
Registered participants |
| |
| Becskei, Attila | Zurich, Switzerland |
| Braesel, Katrin | Leipzig, Germany |
| Burden, Frank | Clayton, VIC, Australia |
| Colecchia, Federico | Lund, Sweden |
| Cross, Michael A. | Leipzig, Germany |
| de Haan, Gerald | Groningen, the Netherlands |
| Dykstra, Brad | Groningen, the Netherlands |
| Eaves, Connie J. | Vancouver, Canada |
| Enver, Tariq | Oxford, UK / Lund, Sweden |
| Galle, Jörg | Leipzig, Germany |
| Gerdes, Sebastian | Leipzig, Germany |
| Glauche, Ingmar | Leipzig, Germany |
| Göttgens, Berthold | Cambridge, UK |
| Hasenclever, Dirk | Leipzig, Germany |
| Herberg, Maria | Leipzig, Germany |
| Hoffmann, Martin | Leipzig, Germany |
| Horn, Matthias | Leipzig, Germany |
| Lemischka, Ihor R. | New York, NY, USA |
| Loeffler, Markus | Leipzig, Germany |
| Lorenz, Ronny | Leipzig, Germany |
| Markowetz, Florian | Princeton, NJ, USA |
| Montagna, Sara | London, UK |
| Moore, Kateri A. | New York, NY, USA |
| Muller-Sieburg, Christa E. | San Diego, CA, USA |
| zur Nieden, Nicole | Leipzig, Germany |
| Nuber, Ulrike | Lund, Sweden |
| Oostendorp, Robert A.J. | Munich, Germany |
| Pompe, Tilo | Dresden, Germany |
| Rahim, Andreas | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Radde, Nicole | Cologne, Germany |
| Reißenweber, Monika | Munich, Germany |
| Roeder, Ingo | Leipzig, Germany |
| Schroeder, Timm | Munich, Germany |
| Sherley, James L. | Boston, MA, USA |
| Sieburg, Hans-Bernd | San Diego, CA, USA |
| Smith, Austin | Cambridge, UK |
| Thielecke, Lars | Leipzig, Germany |
| van der Wath, Richard | Cambridge, UK |
| Winkler, Dave | Clayton, VIC, Australia |
| Wodarz, Dominik | Irvine, CA, USA |
|
Top
Contact |
|
phone: +49 341 97 161 11
fax: +49 341 97 161 09 |
|
Top
Workshop venue |
Leipzig / Machern
Leipzig is situated in the east of Germany, 200 kilometers south of Berlin (2 hours train distance) in a low-lying area by the rivers Elster, Pleiße, and Parthe in the north-western part of the Free State of Saxony. It has a population of about 500,000 inhabitants. Leipzig is reachable by plane via Frankfurt or Berlin, by train (direct ICE connection from Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich), or by car ("Autobahn" A9/A14).
Machern is situated about 20 kilometers east of Leipzig. It is easily reachable by suburban train ("S-Bahn") or by car. Machern is especially famous for its almost 500-year-old castle.
- more detailed informations (html, pdf)
|
Top
Support |
-
DFG - The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation)
|
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
