Membrane Dynamics and Blebbing Conference
Mathematical Institute, Oxford
Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th September, 2013
Organiser: Dr Thomas Woolley
Registration Participant list Programme Local logistics
Background information
Cells
are the fundamental building blocks of life. They bind together to form
tissues, affect repairs and cause damage in pathological cases. To perform
these tasks cells must navigate to precise locations. In particular, it has
long been thought that stem cells pull themselves forward by extended
protrusions (lamellipodia). However, a new mechanism of cell movement has
recently been discovered, reliant on the formation of spherical blisters
(blebs, Figure 1) that protrude from the membrane and permit a cell to squeeze
in between surrounding material. Blebbing motility is specifically pertinent in
stem cell movement and cancer metastasis.
Although many questions exist as to a cell’s use of lamellipodia and blebs it is certain that the membrane is a highly dynamic structure that can facilitate a great number of biological phenomena, ranging from movement to sensing its surroundings. Thus, in order to understand a great number of cellular mechanisms it is imperative that we understand the properties and abilities of the lipid bilayer that forms the cellular membrane.
Aim
There are a number of biological and mathematical collaborations occurring across Europe that are taking a mechanistic approach to understanding cell membrane dynamics. In particular, blebbing is a current hot topic of research. In order to foster new collaborative partnerships and facilitate the dissemination of ideas we intend to host a two-day conference on September 16-17th 2013, in Oxford, bringing together groups from both experimental and theoretical fields.