EMBO Workshop — Hedgehog signalling: From molecular structure to developmental biology and diseases

The Hedgehog morphogen pathway is a key signalling pathway in development and stem cell regulation. Hedgehog deregulation leads to developmental and neurological diseases and is a crucial driver of several cancers. The goal of this conference is to bring together experts working on the mechanism of action of Hedgehog signalling in Developmental Biology, Disease, and Signal Transduction. The meeting will focus on the recent structural, biochemical, and cell-biological studies that shed new light on the mechanisms by which the Hedgehog signal is received on target cells and the unexpected role of cholesterol as a second messenger. Moreover, the recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the Hedgehog morphogen biosynthesis, its release from cells into extracellular space, and the mechanisms involved in ligand reception will be discussed. We will also cover the most recent insights into Hedgehog-dependent control of cell proliferation and differentiation in processes that range from insect morphogenesis to vertebrate limb formation, neural tube development, and bone differentiation.