Unravelling Nature's Networks: From Microarray and Proteomic Analysis to Systems Biology

Unravelling Nature's Networks: From Microarray and Proteomic Analysis to Systems Biology

A Biochemical Society Focused Meeting, in association with the Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

University of Sheffield
21-22 July 2003

Invited Speakers

Steve Dower (Sheffield, UK)
Kwang-Hyun Cho (Ulsan, S. Korea)
Patrick Kemmeren (Utrecht, Netherlands)
Rick Livesey (Cambridge, UK)
Eric Mjolsness (UCSD, USA)
Mahesan Niranjan (Sheffield, UK)
Béla Novák (Budapest, Hungary)
Lev Soinov (EBI, Hinxton, UK)
Terry Speed (Parkville, Australia)
Jarosalv Stark (London, UK)
Alun Thomas (Utah, USA)

Background

The robust and adaptable behaviours of cells and tissues depend on the operation of complex regulatory biochemical networks. The elucidation of the structure and functioning of such networks poses major experimental and theoretical challenges. Recently developed experimental techniques, such as large-scale profiling of gene and protein expression, provide unprecedented information on the molecular composition of cells. In parallel with experimental advances, computational schemes for the analysis of the vast amounts of data generated are continually being refined. A combined experimental-computational approach can, in principle, yield a detailed picture of the constitution of biochemical networks. If one principle can be seen to be emerging from successful interdisciplinary studies of this type, it is that even networks performing "simple" functions are remarkably complex, typically involving multiple interlocked regulatory loops. In many cases, the complexity of the network is such that it is impossible to provide an intuitive picture of the principles governing its dynamic behaviour; rather, it is essential to synthesise the experimental data into a coherent model of the underlying system.

Aim of the Meeting

The aim of this meeting is to explore the progress made in this multi-disciplinary process, together with the major outstanding problems that remain to be solved. Sessions will cover:

transcript and protein profiling
large-scale data analysis
data-driven network modelling

Posters and Contributed Talks

Presentation of posters relevant to the topic of the meeting is encouraged and a poster prize will be awarded at the meeting.
A number of oral presentations will be selected from submitted abstracts.
The mechanism for abstract submission is currently being redeveloped by the Biochemical Society; facilities for abstract submission are expected to be available at the Biochemical Society web site after 24 February 2003.
The deadline for submission of abstracts is 12 May 2003.

Registration

Attendance at this meeting is by application only. Online registration and details of registration fees are available at the Biochemical Society web page. The deadline for application is 21 June 2003.
Students and Staff associated with the Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology qualify for a discounted registration fee of Ł40 and should register using the pdf registration form rather than the online facility.
Please contact Nick Monk (n.monk@shef.ac.uk) in case of any queries or difficulties.

Further Information

Further information can be found on the Biochemical Society web page.
Scientific enquiries should be directed to the organisers: Nick Monk (n.monk@shef.ac.uk) or Neil Lawrence (n.lawrence@dcs.shef.ac.uk).