EMBL Conference — Protein synthesis and translational control

Mechanisms that shape cellular proteomes are critical for life. This conference focuses on the process of protein synthesis, from the molecular and structural understanding of the translational machinery to its regulation, its implications in cell and organismal biology, and its alteration in disease. The regulation of mRNA translation is critical to maintain cell homeostasis and mediates cellular responses to environmental, physiological, and pathological cues. Given the central importance of protein synthesis, it is unsurprising that dysregulation or defects in mRNA translation are widely linked to disease, including cancer, neurological or metabolic disorders, and viral infection. In recent years, technical advances have challenged hitherto established dogmas, uncovered new quality control mechanisms, expanded the breath of translation regulators, enhanced our understanding of the dynamics of translation in living cells, and revealed unexpected interconnections with other cellular processes such as metabolism. Advances on these aspects of mRNA translation will be featured, as well as new insights into translation regulation in physiology and disease.