Announcement FEBS-SysBio2009

3^rd FEBS Advanced Lecture Course

Systems Biology:

From Molecular Biology to Biological Function

March 7 – 13, 2009

Congress Centrum Alpbach, Austria EU

Organizers

Hans Westerhoff (The Netherlands, UK)
Karl Kuchler , Walter Glaser (AT)

Edda Klipp, Ursula Kummer (DE)
Frank Bruggeman, Anneke Koster (NL)

Uwe Sauer (CH), Jacky Snoep (RSA)

Supported by: FEBS Agilent Alpbachtal AstraZeneca

BCA BioSim BMBF Dechema DSM DTC-ISBML

Elsevier ESMTB FEBS J. MolSysBiol NISB

Novo-Nordisk Steinbeis Fdn. SystemsX-ch Unilever

Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

         Ruedi Aebersold               Lilia Alberghina

         Uri Alon                            Barbara Bakker

         Marta Cascante                Igor Goryanin

Stefan Hohmann              Douglas Kell

         Boris Kholodenko             Hiroaki Kitano

         Ursula Klingmüller           Ursula Kummer

Sang Yup Lee                  Erik Mosekilde                        Steve Oliver

Steve Oliver                     Bernhard Palsson                  

Jens Timmer                    Masaru Tomita

         Roel van Driel                  Barry Wanner

Deadline for online applications and abstract submission: December 12, 2008

http://www.febs-sysbio2009.org

>► Invitation to FEBS-SysBio2009

On behalf of the Scientific Advisory Board, it is a pleasure to invite you to the third FEBS Advanced Lecture Course on Systems Biology: From Molecular Biology to Biological Function.

Systems Biology is one of the most prominent newly emerging interdisciplinary science areas. By connecting fields such as genomics, proteomics, cell biology, medicine, molecular biology and genetics, with mathematics, bioinformatics, engineering and computation, it enables discovery of yet unknown principles underlying the functioning of living cells. At the same time testable and predictive models of complex cellular pathways and eventually of whole cells are generated, which are useful for efficient experimental design and bioengineering and the network-based design of drugs and therapies. FEBS-SysBio2009 will cover of SysBio from principles and methods essential and state-of-the-art aspects through the modeling of living systems to applications in biotechnology and medicine.

The Federation of the European Biochemical Societies, FEBS, is the main sponsor of this exciting event. Additional contributions (see below) from key Systems Biology funding organizations, from learned societies, from Systems Biology centers and from companies facilitate the organization of FEBS-SysBio2009 and the participation of its students.

We were able to commit many leading experts to participate as lecturers, tutors, black-board teachers and informal poster discussants and we are thus confident that FEBS-SysBio2009 will again be an outstanding lecture course with an excellent scientific program. It will open the doors for regular student training in Systems Biology in Europe, provide a basis for a human network of young Systems Biology experts, and provide a centre for other Systems Biology discussions between scientists and funders.

We are looking forward to welcoming you in Alpbach, Austria.

The Course Organizers   

>►Scientific Programme

Plenary Symposia will each be introduced and moderated by the indicated chair person. Lecturers will then discuss their methodologies, discuss these in detail with the students and then show their most recent Systems Biology discoveries.

Symposium 1 Foundations of Systems Biology

(Chair – Erik Mosekilde)

C. Goble, R Aebersold, U Sauer

Symposium 2: Systems Biology in Space

(Chair – Hans Westerhoff)

P Bastiaens, M White, B Kholodenko

Symposium 3: The proof of the pudding

(Chair –Uwe Sauer)

E Klipp, S Hohmann, J Beggs, I Goryanin, R Brent

Symposium 4: The dynamic genome

(Chair – Frank Bruggeman)

C Carlberg, J Ferrell, B Novak

Symposium 5: Making Systems Biology work

(Chair – Adriano Henney)

R Weiss, D de Graaf, P Tass, S-Y Lee

>►List of Confirmed Invited Lecturers & Chairs

Ruedi Aebersold           Philippe Bastiaens

Jean Beggs                   Roger Brent

Carsten Carlberg          David de Graaf

David Fell                     James Ferrell

Carole Goble                 Igor Goryanin

Adriano Henney            Stefan Hohmann

Marc Huett                    Jeroen Jeneson

Boris Kholodenko         Ursula Klingmüller

Sang Yup Lee               Erik Mosekilde

Luis Serrano                 Jaroslav Stark

Peter Tass                     Bas Teusink

Jens Timmer                 Ron Weiss

Mike White

The SysBio Course will also host two integrated Opening Lectures (Bela Novak and t.b.a). Denis Noble will give a Keynote Address. Both lectures and a debate will address the man-on-the-moon like program towards the virtual/digital human.

>►Oral Presentations

Selected “Short Talks” will be delivered during afternoon sessions by principal investigators, graduate students and postdocs. These presentations will be selected by the Scientific Advisory Board on the basis of submitted abstracts.

>►Poster Session and Dialogues

The poster session represents a vital part of the SysBio Course. All abstracts not selected for oral presentations will be on display as posters during the entire course to provide ample time for informal discussions among students, participants and lecturers. In small-group sessions lecturers will provoke discussions about the posters and about careers and research plans with the individual students.

>►Blackboard Teaching

In Black board teaching sessions teachers carefully selected for this mode will explain in the simplest possible terms and in highly interactive mode, principles and methodologies.

>►Preparatory Teaching

On the Saturday, before the official course begins, there will be getting-up-to-speed courses in both mathematics and cell biology, for interested students.

>►Computer Practicals

Computer practicals will demonstrate modern modeling and data analysis tools hand on.

>► Tutorials

Lecturers will explain their systems biology methodology in detail in interaction with the students during tutorial sessions.

>►Young Investigator Awards

All abstracts with graduate students or postdoctoral fellows as first authors are subject to scientific evaluation by selected members of the SAB. The best abstract in each topic (5 in total) shall receive the "SysBio2009 Young Investigator Award".

>►Satellite meetings

Satellites are being planned, e.g. EraSysBio, MOSES/SysMO (cf. website for updates)

>►Important Dates & Deadlines

November 28, 2008

Deadline for YTF grant application

December 12, 2008

Deadline for online registration and abstract submission via http://www.febs-sysbio2009.org

January 21, 2009

Letters of acceptance and detailed course information will be e-mailed to all participants.

February 21, 2009

Deadline for any last minute changes and last cancellation date to obtain a refund.

>►Accommodation

The venue is the "Congress Centrum, Alpbach, Austria", since 1945 venue of the world famous annual European Forum. Accommodation is in various hotels and guesthouses within walking distance of the centre. Nearby skiing slopes strongly encourage informal scientific discussions in fresh air, rental gear and ski-passes at special FEBS-course discounts.

>►Travel to Alpbach

Alpbach is centrally located in between the airports of Munich (160km), Salzburg (150km) and Innsbruck (57 km) and the Express railway stations of Wörgl (25 km) and Jenbach (20km). We offer roundtrip shuttle transportation service to the venue from Innsbruck airport and express railway station Wörgl.

>►Social Program

An attractive social program is available. We shall visit Innsbruck. Alternatively, participants can explore the nearby towns of Rattenberg and Kufstein or the Swarovski Kristallwelten.

>►Application Procedure

The number of participants is strictly limited to ensure an efficient interaction between students and lecturers. We will accept a maximum of 122 students or post-docs and 30 principal investigators. Participants will be primarily selected on the basis of submitted abstracts. A maximum number of students per research group or laboratory may be instated.

A total of 32 FEBS Youth Travel Fellowships are available (2 for students from Africa). Student applications for YTF grants must include a one page CV and two letters of recommendation. All applications for YTF grants must be made to the Organizers (Cour se Secretary) by November 28, 2008 (http://www.febs-sysbio2009.org)

The registration fees are 770,- Euro for students and postdocs, 1050- Euro for academic senior scientists and 1500,- Euro for participants from industry. The registration fees include roundtrip shuttle transportation from Innsbruck or Wörgl to Alpbach and full board and lodging (6 nights). No payments should be made before notification of acceptance has been received from the organizers.

Deadline for applications and abstract submissions:

December 12, 2008

All abstracts must be submitted via the SysBio2009 home page. Registration forms and detailed instructions for abstract submission are available at

http://www.febs-sysbio2009.org

>►FEBS-SysBio2009 Course Office

Anneke Koster Hans V. Westerhoff (Course Secretary)               (Course Director) Systems Biology NL Charlie Parkerstraat 25 NL 1066 GV Amsterdam, The Netherlands FAX:       +31-20-6143163 E-mail:   systems.biology@inter.nl.net