Structure and Function of Genomes in Homeostasis and Disease

It is now well accepted that our genome is much more than a passive, one-dimensional, storage unit of genetic information. In fact, advances over the last decade alone have paved new and exciting ways for studying genomes as three-dimensional entities with distinct temporal dynamics. Such studies are helping us explain the overarching architecture of chromosomes, and their regulatory plasticity. Nonetheless, this field of study is still rapidly evolving, and new technologies, new challenges, and new insight into the structure-to-function relationship of genomes emerge every day.

This Winter School aims at introducing students with the state-of-the-art in the studies of genomic organization and cellular function. The work program for the Winter School is intense, and primarily focuses on research-driven 45-min lectures followed by 15-min for discussions and questions.

Who can apply

MSc and PhD students from the medical, biomedical, pharmacological, biotechnological and life sciences, preferably with a background in molecular biology, cell biology and genetics/genomics. Proficiency in written and spoken English is required.

Participation fee

– free for selected students from Eurolife Consortium institutions nominated for the Eurolife Winter School grant (27 grants available).

– 760 EUR for selected students without the Eurolife grant.

Meals and accommodation are included in the participation fee.

How to apply

Required documents: Application Form, CV and Motivation Letter (200-300 words explaining the predicted impact of the participation on the Candidate’s academic/professional career).

Candidates should complete the Application Form and together with the annexed documents, submit the ZIP FILE to the Eurolife General Coordinator (eurolife@med.uni-goettingen.de). The titile of the ZIP File should indicate the name of Candidate’s Home University, Candidate’s Surname and First name.

Deadline for Applications: 17:00 (CET) 12^th October 2018
Successful applicants will be notified by 30^th October 2018

Please download the BROCHURE Here.

Please download the PROGRAM Here. Please note the Program is still in the drafting stage.

 

More about the event

The Eurolife Winter School 2018 is supported by the Franco-German University (DFH/UFA).

COURSE ORGANISERS

• Argyris Papantonis, University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany
• Evie Soutoglou, University of Strasbourg, France
• Zlatko Trajanoski, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria

EVENT CO-ORGANISER

• Agnieszka Buelens, University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany

 

THEME SUMMARY

This winter school brings together established and younger experts on chromosome conformation and functional regulation for four days of focused discussions at the very forefront of the field.

Speakers:

• Adrian Bracken, Dublin, IRL
• Alexandra Lusser, Innsbruck, AUT
• Anita Göndör, Stockholm, SE
• Argyris Papantonis, Göttingen, DE
• Haico van Attikum, Leiden, NL
• Jörn Walter, Saarbrucken, DE
• Davide Marenduzzo, Edinburgh, UK
• Nick Gilbert, Edinburgh, UK
• Tom Sexton, Strasbourg, FR
• Leo Kurian, Cologne, DE
• Evie Soutoglou, Strasbourg, FR
• Zlatko Trajanoski, Innsbruck, AUT

Invited speakers and student participant will be debating the significance of chromatin topology in homeostasis and disease, the mechanistic basis of chromatin looping and spatial communication between regulatory elements and genes, as well as recent technological and interdisciplinary approaches for further dissecting higher-order genomic architecture and its effect on cellular functions. In the end, we will be seeking to integrate views so as to obtain an updated and coherent appreciation of how chromosomes are folded in order to execute their functions.

 

PROGRAM & OBJECTIVES

The speakers were selected on the basis of their contributions to the field, and cover a broad spectrum of research interests and directions, from DNA damage and gene regulation to cutting-edge genomics and computational modeling of chromosomes, while also representing more junior and more senior academics. Apart from the lectures, there are two dedicated sessions scheduled, where participants will be able to pitch their own research plans and/or ongoing research and receive feedback from speakers as well as from the other participants. Finally, two workshops are planned on the last day, via which the students, split in two groups, will discuss cutting-edge tools and protocols that allow epigenomic studies of the genome (with a focus on chromatin organization). Importantly, daily outdoor activities will allow participants to decompress during this full 5-day schedule.

 

PARTICIPATION

Participants must be available for the whole duration of the summer school. The days will be full and long, and candidates must be prepared to participate in all activities of the program. In addition, they will need to have a strong interest in learning state-of-the-art and emerging innovative methods and transdisciplinary skills for basic and translational research.  All applicants will go through a selection procedure, and will be selected based upon their motivation, CV, and adequacy of their profiles. Eurolife candidates will be shortlisted by their home organization. Besides Eurolife students, also other students can join, up to a total number of 46 participants.

 

ABOUT THE VENUE

The Obergurgl University Center carries a 55-year-old tradition of sports and science. Its history dates back to 1951, when three former customs buildings were converted for use by the Obergurgl federal Sports Center and Innsbruck University’s Alpine Research Center. As a result, today’s international center of sports, research and conferences still radiates this historical charm. In this setting, morning and evening scientific sessions are coupled to outdoor activities (like downhill or cross-country skiing, snow-shoe walking, Nordic walking or mountaineering). The Center offers conference rooms with state-of-the-art equipment (the large Lecture Room can accommodate up to 125 people), while the fine on-site dining facilities provide high-quality catering services throughout the day.