Proteomics is an exciting area of research that holds promise for the future. It is widely accepted that proteomics holds the potential to identify new diagnostic and or prognostic biomarkers, and drug targets for the development of new therapeutic approaches for fighting disease. Proteomics, the large scale analysis of gene expression at the protein level incorporates structural, interaction and expression proteomics. Using expression proteomics, the aim is to detect and identify all, or a subset, of the proteins in a given sample and find out which of these proteins are present, absent, or differentially expressed in a related sample subject to as specific variation. For example, proteomics enables the identification of protein alterations responsible for the development and the pathological outcome of disease leading to the discovery of new protein markers, “biomarkers”, for diagnostic/prognostic purposes and of novel molecular targets for drug discovery. A combination of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry are the most widely used tools in this area of proteomics, although many other technologies are also currently available and continually emerging. Meeting’s Chair: Dr Ayesha De Souza, St. George's, University of London, UK.

This meeting was organised by Euroscicon www.euroscicon.com, a team of dedicated professionals working for the continuous improvement of technical knowledge transfer to all scientists. Euroscicon believe that they can make a positive difference to the quality of science by providing cutting edge information on new technological advancements to the scientific community. This is provided via our exceptional services to individual scientists, research institutions and industry.

Posted on Tuesday 08 of January, 2008 [15:51:11 UTC]

Dendritic cells continue to provoke much interest amongst immunologists by virtue of their key role in a number of aspects of the immune response. This meeting addressed some of these and covered topics such as: types of DC, DC markers and maturation, the importance of DC in innate and adaptive immunity and their use in immunotherapy. There were opportunities for speakers, audience and commercial companies to interact throughout the day". Meeting’s Chair: Dr Catherine Derry, Science Communicator, UK.

This meeting was organised by Euroscicon www.euroscicon.com, a team of dedicated professionals working for the continuous improvement of technical knowledge transfer to all scientists. Euroscicon believe that they can make a positive difference to the quality of science by providing cutting edge information on new technological advancements to the scientific community. This is provided via our exceptional services to individual scientists, research institutions and industry.

Posted on Tuesday 08 of January, 2008 [15:34:58 UTC]

With a good degree, perhaps a PhD and a couple of successful post-docs under your belt, you start to realise that the majority of senior scientists within your organisation are men! Of course they are not expected to juggle a career with family commitments and we all know that single-mindedly following one’s ambition comes more naturally to the male of the species! So, how can you break through the glass ceiling and achieve your goals? This one day meeting brought together women from many different scientific backgrounds and at different stages in their careers, all with inspirational life stories, who are challenging the old order. There were talks and advice from experts to help with CVs, grant and fellowship writing, interview techniques, time management, networking and a whole host of the other skills required to not just survive but thrive in science. Dr Charlotte Lawson, EuroSciCon, UK.

This meeting was organised by Euroscicon www.euroscicon.com, a team of dedicated professionals working for the continuous improvement of technical knowledge transfer to all scientists. Euroscicon believe that they can make a positive difference to the quality of science by providing cutting edge information on new technological advancements to the scientific community. This is provided via our exceptional services to individual scientists, research institutions and industry.

Posted on Tuesday 08 of January, 2008 [14:23:10 UTC]

Proceedings from the 23rd October 2007 meeting in Hertfordshire, UK

“Protein synthesis can be considered as a three-stage process, consisting of initiation, elongation and termination. It is the final stage in the process of gene expression and involves numerous cellular proteins and RNAs. The initiation step is the primary focus for regulation. Translation initiation on the majority of cellular mRNAs is mediated by a mechanism involving recognition of the 5’ terminal cap-structure (m7GpppN..). However, a different mechanism, termed internal initiation, was first shown to occur on certain uncapped viral mRNAs (e.g. from picornaviruses). An internal ribosome entry site (IRES) element present within the 5’ untranslated region (UTR) of the viral RNA directs initiation of protein synthesis at an internal position hundreds of nucleotides downstream from the 5’ terminus. These IRES elements are highly structured and position the ribosome at, or just upstream of, the initiation codon. IRES elements have now also been found in certain cellular mRNAs; these generally encode proteins involved in apoptosis, cell cycle regulation or stress responses. In the past few years much has been discovered about how these IRES elements function-including their structures, RNA-RNA interactions and the involvement of cellular proteins in their action. This meeting bought together experts studying the mechanism of action of IRES elements and their role in translational control of viral and cellular protein synthesis, to review the latest research in this area. In addition, there was also a focus on the biotechnological exploitation of these elements, for example in gene therapy and protein expression vectors”. Meeting’s Chair: Dr Lisa Roberts, University of Surrey, UK.

This meeting was organised by Euroscicon www.euroscicon.com, a team of dedicated professionals working for the continuous improvement of technical knowledge transfer to all scientists. Euroscicon believe that they can make a positive difference to the quality of science by providing cutting edge information on new technological advancements to the scientific community. This is provided via our exceptional services to individual scientists, research institutions and industry.

Posted on Friday 02 of November, 2007 [12:30:13 UTC]

“The meeting provided an overview of methods to define biological and chemical space, which are the long-term dimensions of drug discovery. The meeting reviewed methods of exploring their relationship through the definition of interactions between proteins and small chemical entities. Finally it discussed examples of application in drug discovery in various organisms”. Meeting’s Chair: Sir Professor Tom Blundell, University of Cambridge, UK.

This meeting was organised by Euroscicon www.euroscicon.com, a team of dedicated professionals working for the continuous improvement of technical knowledge transfer to all scientists. Euroscicon believe that they can make a positive difference to the quality of science by providing cutting edge information on new technological advancements to the scientific community. This is provided via our exceptional services to individual scientists, research institutions and industry.

Posted on Friday 02 of November, 2007 [12:08:27 UTC]

“The innate immune system employs pattern recognition receptors in order to identify pathogen associated motifs or signatures. The main family of pattern recognition receptors are the Toll-like receptor family. Members of the TLR family are able to sense a wide range of motifs and trigger innate immune responses. This meeting bought together experts in the field of innate immunity covering different members of the TLR family as well as different microbial ligands”. Meeting’s Chairs: Dr Martha Triantafilou and Dr Kathy Triantafilou, University of Sussex, UK.

This meeting was organised by Euroscicon www.euroscicon.com, a team of dedicated professionals working for the continuous improvement of technical knowledge transfer to all scientists. Euroscicon believe that they can make a positive difference to the quality of science by providing cutting edge information on new technological advancements to the scientific community. This is provided via our exceptional services to individual scientists, research institutions and industry.

Posted on Thursday 04 of October, 2007 [11:05:19 UTC]

“Recent technological advances in molecular biology and proteomics have enabled the development of a number of important new clinical tools for the diagnosis and treatment of companion animal diseases. The aim of this one day meeting was to provide an opportunity for clinicians and veterinary scientists to discuss the technologies that are already moving from the bench and into practice, and to highlight the emerging veterinary clinical research questions that will shape the future of veterinary medicine.” Meeting’s Chair: Professor Michael Day, University of Bristol, UK.

This meeting was organised by Euroscicon http://www.euroscicon.com, a team of dedicated professionals working for the continuous improvement of technical knowledge transfer to all scientists. Euroscicon believe that they can make a positive difference to the quality of science by providing cutting edge information on new technological advancements to the scientific community. This is provided via our exceptional services to individual scientists, research institutions and industry.

Posted on Monday 01 of October, 2007 [15:17:01 UTC]

Proceedings from the 17th July 2007 meeting in Hertfordshire, UK

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is composed of specialised endothelium which physically separates the central nervous system from brain microvasculature, and prevents movement of many substances between the two. Only a very limited number of molecules are able to cross the BBB including those that are lipid soluble, those for which there are specific transport systems and small molecular weight molecules (below about 500 Daltons), making drug delivery to the brain a real challenge. The aim of this meeting was to provide an update on BBB endothelial cell (patho)physiology and function and to discuss novel approaches CNS drug delivery. Meeting's Chair: Dr. Charlotte Lawson, Royal Veterinary College, UK.

This meeting was organised by Euroscicon www.euroscicon.com, a team of dedicated professionals working for the continuous improvement of technical knowledge transfer to all scientists. Euroscicon believe that they can make a positive difference to the quality of science by providing cutting edge information on new technological advancements to the scientific community. This is provided via our exceptional services to individual scientists, research institutions and industry.

Posted on Thursday 13 of September, 2007 [11:34:44 UTC]

“Parasite survival and reproduction reflects their ability to modulate the hosts’ immune systems and the ultimate development of immunity to some parasites requires the host to overcome these defences. The molecules and strategies parasites and hosts use in this interplay are now being explored using a range of technologies. The information gained from these analyses will be used in the treatment of both parasitic disease and potentially other disorders, for example the treatment of anti-inflammatory disease using peptide mimetics of parasite molecules as drugs. Recent advances in parasite genome analysis, functional genomics, proteomics and cell culture have stimulated intense interest and research in this area”. Meeting’s Chair: Dr. Alasdair Nisbet, Moredun Research Institute, Scotland, UK.

This meeting was organised by Euroscicon http://www.euroscicon.com, a team of dedicated professionals working for the continuous improvement of technical knowledge transfer to all scientists. Euroscicon believe that they can make a positive difference to the quality of science by providing cutting edge information on new technological advancements to the scientific community. This is provided via our exceptional services to individual scientists, research institutions and industry.

Posted on Friday 29 of June, 2007 [10:51:09 UTC]