Microtubules: From Atoms to Complex Systems

The microtubule cytoskeleton is essential for a wide variety of cellular functions, such as chromosome segregation, directed vesicle and organelle transport, cell motility and cell polarity. Impaired microtubule function can lead to human diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. In recent years, interdisciplinary approaches embracing cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology and mathematical modelling have made a tremendous impact on the microtubule field.

The progressive diversification of the microtubule field into subdomains has created the need for a strong meeting that unifies the community and brings together researchers from different disciplines interested in microtubule research. This symposium will continue the success of the EMBO Conference series “Microtubule Structure, Regulation and Function”, and the EMBL|EMBO Symposium series “Microtubules: From Atoms to Complex System”, which have been held every two years since 2010. The meeting will bring together early-career and established researchers from all over the world who are interested in microtubule biology and its impact on human health and disease. This tenth-anniversary meeting will feature inspirational keynote and landmark lectures, a large number of short talk opportunities selected from the submitted abstracts, lively poster sessions, and special activities focused on the visualisation of scientific results to support research, learning, and scientific communication.

Topics: Structural determinants of microtubule formation, Control of microtubule dynamics, Microtubules in cell division, Building cilia and centrioles, Cilia formation and function, Cytoskeletal cross-talk and spatial organisation, Microtubules in differentiated cells, Visualisation of scientific results, Emerging topics