Autophagy: From Model Systems to Therapeutic Opportunities (B2)

Autophagy: From Model Systems to Therapeutic Opportunities (B2) is organized by Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology and will be held from Feb 17 - 21, 2019 at Eldorado Hotel & Spa Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States of America.

Course Description :
Autophagy is a homeostatic process strategically positioned at the intersection of metabolism and intracellular quality control, with broad physiological and medical manifestations ranging from metabolic imbalance to neurodegeneration, infections, immune disorders, cancer and aging. In yeast, the formation and organization of the autophagosomal apparatus follows a highly prescribed sequence, starting with the pre-autophagosomal structure and ending in autophagosomal fusion with the yeast vacuole. However, in other model organisms, as well as in mammals, the autophagy machinery and its regulators show both similarities and notable differences relative to yeast. The goals/aims of the conference are:
• Compare and contrast autophagy in yeast and higher organisms with a focus on both the shared regulators and on those factors that have no counterparts in yeast;
• Cover the intersection of autophagy with energy metabolism, innate immune signaling and endomembrane damage; and
• Investigate how signaling cascades regulate the process of selective autophagy whereby substrates are recruited to forming autophagosomes by receptors and molecular tags such as ubiquitin, galectins, or through other modalities.
The conference will cover fundamental principles as outlined above and how they apply to basic and translational aspects of human disease. Intersections with several other stress response processes will also be addressed.

Plenary Session Topics:
• Autophagy Fundamentals
• Workshop 1: Structural Biology and Proteomics and Autophagy
• mTOR, AMPK, TFEB – Relationship to Autophagy and Other Pathways
• Membrane Trafficking and its Role in Autophagy
• Autophagy Regulation and Processes
• Autophagy, Proteostasis and Organellar Homeostasis
• Panel: Women in Science at All Career Stages
• Autophagy in Aging and Degenerative and Inflammatory Disease
• Autophagy in Metabolism, Growth Control and Cancer
• Workshop 2: Current Controversies
• Autophagy from Model Systems to Humans – Closing the Circle

Additional details will be posted as soon as they are available.