European Workshop on Skin Stem Cells, Cambridge, UK.

“Stem cells in skin - From morphogenesis to cancer development”

31st of August to 2nd of September 2010

Organizers:

Cedric Blanpain (ULB - IRIBHM), Michaela Frye (University of Cambridge) and Duncan Odom (University of Cambridge)

The workshop will cover broad aspects of skin stem cell biology and will include the following topics: Development of the epidermal stem cells, regulation of lineage specification, homeostasis of the skin epidermis, isolation of the different skin stem cell populations, mechanisms regulating skin stem cell maintenance and activation, cellular origin of skin cancers, role of cancer stem cells in skin cancer growth and resistance to medical therapy.

Registration and abstract submission will open on the 1st of June and close the 15th of August. Participants will be accepted on the first come first served basis. Some abstracts will be selected for oral presentation. Registration for this event is now closed.

Location: Sidney Sussex College (Cambridge University)

Preliminary Program:

31 August
16.00 - 16.15	Opening remarks: Cedric Blanpain and Michaela Frye
	Stem cell adhesion and polarity
16.15 - 16.45	Cell adhesion and polarity in the regulation of epidermal stem cells and skin homeostasis; Carien Niessen, CMMC, Germany
16.45 - 17.15	Adhesion and cytoskeletal cues in epidermal stem cell proliferation and differentiation during skin homeostasis and tissue repair; Mirna Perez-Moreno, CNIO, Spain
17.15 - 17.35	The role of cell polarity in epidermal morphogenesis and homeostasis; Michaela Niessen, CMMC, Germany
17.35 - 17.55	Functional analysis of EMT-inducing transcription factors in cancer progression; Geertrui Denecker, Dep. for Molecular Biomedical research, Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Belgium
19.30	Welcome dinner

September 1
	Signaling in skin stem cells
10.00 - 10.30	Transition from epidermal stem cell dormancy to commitment: spatiotemporal integration of signals; Salvador Aznar-Benitah, CRG, Spain
10.30 - 11.00	FGF signaling in the control of skin aging, Richard Grose, Barts and the London, UK
11.00 - 11.20	Clock timing in skin homeostasis; Peggy Janich, CRG Spain
11.20 - 11.40	E4F1 is essential for epidermal stem cell maintenance and proper skin homeostasis; Laurent Le Cam, INSERM, France
11.40 - 13.00	Lunch
	Mechanisms regulating self-renewal and differentiation
13.00 - 13.30	Decision-making for stem cells: How to regulate the balance between self-renewal and differentiation? Michaela Frye, CSCR, UK
13.30 - 14.00	Chromatin organization in epidermal progenitor cells; Vladimir Botchkarev, Bradford University, UK
14.00 - 14.20	Evolution dynamics of transcription factors. EMBO Young Investigator lecture; Duncan Odom, CRI, UK
14.20 - 14.40	Bmi1 is required for the regulation of the normal hair cycle in mouse; Danielle Lavery, Queen Mary University of London, ICMS, Centre for Cutaneous Research, UK
14.40 - 15.30	Coffee break
	Homeostasis of skin epidermis
15.30 - 16.00	How epidermal stem and progenitor cells respond to tissue stress; Phil Jones, Hutchison-MRC Research Centre, UK
16.00 - 16.30	Role of the epidermal stem cell factor Lrig1 in skin homeostasis, Kim Jensen, CIMR, UK
16.30 - 17.00	Adult epidermal Notch activity induces dermal accumulation of T cells and neural crest derivatives through upregulation of Jagged1; Carrie Amber, University of Durham, UK
17.00 - 17.20	The RNA-methyltranferase Misu (Nsun2) poises epidermal stem cells to differentiate; Sandra Blanco, CSCR, UK
17.20 - 17.40	Lhx2 regulates Sox9 and Tcf4 to supply hair follicle-derived progenitor cells to the wound epithelium; Andrei Mardaryev, Bradford University, UK
18.00 - 20.00	Poster presentation

September 2
	Skin stem cells and cancer
10.00 - 10.30	Regulation of epidermal stem and progenitor cells during skin homeostasis and tumourigenesis; Cathrin Niemann, CMMC, Germany
10.30 - 11.00	Studying the role of skin stem cells during cancer initiation. EMBO Young Investigator lecture; Cedric Blanpain, IRIBHM, Belgium
11.00 - 11.20	In vivo function of Indian hedgehog signalling for the formation and differentiation of epidermal tumours in mouse skin; Parisa Kakanj, CMMC, Germany
11.20 - 11.40	Identifying of Hair follicle compartment competence to develop papilloma and Squamous cell carcinoma; Gaëlle Lapouge, IRIBHM, Belgium
	EMBO Young Investigator Programme
11.40 - 12.00	Benefits of the EMBO Young Investigator Programme during early career development; Duncan Odom and Cedric Blanpain
12.00 - 12.15	Closing remarks: Cedric Blanpain and Michaela Frye