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Intermediate Filaments
June 20-25, 2010
Tilton School
Tilton, NH
Chair:
Harish C. Pant

Vice Chair:
Robert D. Goldman

The 2010 Gordon Conference on Intermediate Filaments (IF) will present cutting-edge research on the structure and function of these cytoskeletal and nucleoskeletal components. Representing one of the most diverse gene families in the human genome, over 70 proteins give rise to the several distinct classes of Intermediate Filaments (IFs) that provide mechanical strength to both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Recent breakthrough research revealing that IF are also involved in signal transduction, cell motility, chromatin organization, and the control of gene expression has reversed the classical view that IF are primarily static, structural proteins. The discovery that mutations in IF genes give rise to a large number of human disorders ranging from skin blistering diseases to pre-mature aging has attracted the attention of both basic scientists and clinicians; and has also sparked interest in defining the underlying mechanisms responsible for a large number of diseases. Every 2 years the Gordon Research Conference on IF brings together scientists from all over the world to discuss their latest results on the cellular, biochemical and structural aspects of the IF family of proteins and how alterations in their normal function lead to a variety of human diseases. The GRC on IF has traditionally fostered a free exchange of ideas, tools and reagents, and has facilitated the establishment of many productive collaborations across disciplines. Space will be reserved for the attendance of young scientists, and all applicants are invited to present posters describing their latest research. In addition, a number of platform presentations will be chosen from the submitted abstracts in order to ensure inclusion of the latest breakthroughs during the formal sessions. Significant time for discussion will be scheduled into the sessions to promote the lively exchange of ideas and to consider alternate interpretations of data presented. Moreover, the conference schedule will allow ample time in the afternoons, after the last evening session and dinner to foster the informal interactions that have been the hallmark of Gordon Conferences.

SUNDAY
2:00 pm - 9:00 pmArrival and Check-in (Office Closed 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm)
6:00 pmDinner
7:30 pm - 7:40 pmWelcome / Introductory Comments by GRC Site Staff
7:40 pm - 9:30 pmNuclear Lamins and Laminopathies
Session Chair & Discussion Leader: Howard Worman (Columbia University, NY)
7:40 pm - 7:55 pmHoward Worman (Columbia University, NY)
"Inhibition of MAP kinase signaling to prevent or treat cardiomyopathy caused by mutations in the gene encoding A-type lamins"
7:55 pm - 8:05 pm Discussion
8:05 pm - 8:20 pmJan Lammerding (Harvard University, Boston, MA)
"Lamin A and its role in nuclear mechanics in physiology and disease"
8:20 pm - 8:30 pm Discussion
8:30 pm - 8:45 pmYosef Gruenbaum (Department of Genetics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel)
"Lamins regulation of genes positioning and activity"
8:45 pm - 8:50 pm Discussion
8:50 pm - 9:05 pmMaria Eriksson (Karolinska Institutet, Dept. of Biosciences and Nutrition Division of Medical Nutrition, Stockholm, Sweden)
"Stem cell depletion in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome"
9:05 pm - 9:10 pm Discussion
9:10 pm - 9:30 pm General Discussion
MONDAY
7:30 am - 8:30 amBreakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pmNuclear Lamins: Structure and Function
Session Chair & Discussion Leader: Harald Herrmann (Department Molecular Genetics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Germany)
9:00 am - 9:15 amHarald Herrmann (Department Molecular Genetics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Germany)
"Complex formation and assembly mechanism of human lamin A"
9:15 am - 9:25 am Discussion
9:25 am - 9:40 amPeter Burkhard (The Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT)
"An attempt to predict the head-to-tail assembly of intermediate filaments based on structural and biophysical analyses of their highly conserved sequences"
9:40 am - 9:50 am Discussion
9:50 am - 10:00 amSergei Strelkov (Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium)
"Crystallographic studies of IFs: new structures and new surprises"
10:00 am - 10:10 am Discussion
10:10 am - 10:25 amKatherine L. Wilson (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD)
"Lamin A tail interactions with actin"
10:25 am - 10:35 am Discussion
10:35 am - 11:05 amCoffee Break / Group Photo
11:05 am - 11:20 amRoland Foisner (Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Medical University Vienna)
"Regulation and functions of lamina-independent lamins in adult stem cells"
11:20 am - 11:30 am Discussion
11:30 am - 11:45 amTakeshi Shimi (Northwestern University, Chicago, IL)
"Premature Aging of Progeria Cells Reveals a Role for B-type Lamins in the Normal Process of Senescence"
11:45 am - 11:55 am Discussion
11:55 am - 12:05 pm Lori Wallrath (Biochemistry / Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA)
"Developmental defects associated with expression of mutant A-type lamin in Drosophila"
12:05 pm - 12:15 pm Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm Michael Hubner (The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla CA)
"Regulation of signaling by inner nuclear membrane proteins during myoblast differentiation"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm Discussion
12:30 pmLunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pmFree Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pmPoster Session
6:00 pmDinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pmMechanics of Intermediate Filaments
Session Chair & Discussion Leader: Ueli Aebi (M.E. Müller Institute for Structural Biology Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland)
7:30 pm - 7:50 pmUeli Aebi (M.E. Müller Institute for Structural Biology Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland)
"The nanomechanical signature of tumorigenic transformation"
7:50 pm - 8:00 pm Discussion
8:00 pm - 8:15 pmLaurent Kreplak (Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)
"Tracking the alpha-helix to beta-sheet transition in single stretched intermediate filaments"
8:15 pm - 8:25 pm Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:40 pmDavid Weitz (Physics and of Applied Physics, Harvard University, Boston, MA)
"Micromechanics of intermediate filament networks"
8:40 pm - 8:50 pm Discussion
8:50 pm - 9:05 pmMarkus Buehler (MIT, Cambridge, MA)
"In silico structure and nanomechanics of intermediate filaments"
9:05 pm - 9:15 pm Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pmRobert Kirmse (University of Colorado at Boulder, Colorado)
"Challenges and Approaches: Dissecting IF structure using cryo electron tomography"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm Discussion
TUESDAY
7:30 am - 8:30 amBreakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pmIntermediate Filament Assembly and Dynamics
Session Chair & Discussion Leader: Jonathan Jones (Northwestern University, Chcago,IL)
9:00 am - 9:15 amJonathan Jones (Northwestern University, Chcago,IL)
"The intermediate filament associated protein BPAG1e regulates signaling and cell motility"
9:15 am - 9:25 am Discussion
9:25 am - 9:40 amKathleen J. Green (Northwestern University, Chicago,IL)
"Desmosomes: At the intersection of adhesion and signaling"
9:40 am - 9:50 am Discussion
9:50 am - 10:05 amOmar Skalli (LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA)
"Synemin and α-actinin partnership: A role in modulating actin dynamics and AKT signaling?"
10:05 am - 10:15 am Discussion
10:15 am - 10:45 amCoffee Break
10:45 am - 11:00 amJoe Eyer (Laboratoire de Neurobiologie et Transgenese, Angers, France)
"Neurofilaments modulate multiple properties of nervous fibers"
11:00 am - 11:10 am Discussion
11:10 am - 11:20 amMelissa Mendez (Northwestern University, Chicago, IL)
"Vimentin-Induced Changes in Cell Shape and Motility"
11:20 am - 11:30 am Discussion
11:30 am - 11:45 amSarah Köster (Universität Göttingen Nanoscale Imaging of Cellular Dynamics Courant Research Centre Nano-Spectroscopy and X-Ray Imaging Göttingen,Germany)
"Microfludic tools to study intermediate filament mechanics and dynamics"
11:45 am - 11:55 am Discussion
11:55 am - 12:10 pmRoyce Mohan (University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky)
"Withaferin A Targets Intermediate Filaments GFAP and Vimentin"
12:10 pm - 12:20 pm Discussion
12:20 pm - 12:30 pm Wrap-up Discussion
12:30 pmLunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pmFree Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pmPoster Session
6:00 pmDinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pmIntermediate Filaments and Signaling
Session Chair & Discussion Leader: Pierre Coulombe (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD)
7:30 pm - 7:45 pmPierre Coulombe (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD)
"New insight into keratin protein functions in skin epithelia"
7:45 pm - 7:55 pm Discussion
7:55 pm - 8:10 pmMilos Pekny (University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden)
"Astrocyte intermediate filament system and the adult neurogenic niche"
8:10 pm - 8:20 pm Discussion
8:20 pm - 8:35 pmJohn Eriksson (University of Turku and Âbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland)
"Intermediate filaments as signaling switchboards and rheostats"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:00 pmRoy A. Quinlan (Department of Biological Sciences, Science Laboratories, University of Durham, Durham, UK)
"The chaperone dimension to intermediate filaments - structure-function studies on their interaction with small heat shock proteins"
9:00 pm - 9:10 pm Discussion
9:10 pm - 9:25 pmDiana Toivola (Academy of Finland, Researcher at Âbo Akademi University)
"Keratins in intestinal health and disease"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm Discussion
WEDNESDAY
7:30 am - 8:30 amBreakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pmIntermediate Filaments and Organelle Function
Session Chair & Discussion Leader: Thomas M. Magin (TRM & Biology II, University of Leipzig)
9:00 am - 9:15 amThomas M. Magin (TRM & Biology II, University of Leipzig)
"A novel role of keratin K1 in skin inflammation"
9:15 pm - 9:25 am Discussion
9:25 am - 9:35 amElly Hol (Netherland Institute for Brain Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
"Astrocyte subtypes and GFAP isoforms in the developing and adult brain"
9:35 am - 9:45 am Discussion
9:45 am - 9:55 amGloria M. Conover (College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX)
"Roles of desmin and sarcomer protein associations in muscle disease"
9:55 am - 10:05 am Discussion
10:05 am - 10:15 amPapathanasiou Stamatis
"Cardioprotection by TNF-a overexpression in desmin deficient heart failure - A surprise by keratins"
10:15 am - 10:25 am Discussion
10:25 am - 10:55 amCoffee Break
10:55 am - 11:05 amKaren Ridge (Northwestern University, Chicago, IL)
"Hypoxia regulates the keratin IF-network"
11:05 am - 11:15 am Discussion
11:15 am - 11:25 am Alexander Minin (Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia)
"Mitochondria directly bind to vimentin IFs"
11:25 am - 11:35 am Discussion
11:35 am - 11:45 amLutz Langbein (Genetics of Skin Carcinogenesis, Heidelberg, Germany)
"Against the rules: The human keratin K80 - Two functional splice variants with special cellular localization in a wide range of epithelia"
11:45 am - 11:55 am Discussion
11:55 am - 12:10 pmYassemi Capetanaki (Foundation for Biomedical Research, of Academy of Athens, Greece)
"Mechanisms of Mitoprotection by Intermediate Filament-sHSP Interplay"
12:10 pm - 12:30 pm Discussion
12:30 pmLunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pmFree Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pmPoster Session
6:00 pmDinner
7:00 pm - 7:30 pmBusiness Meeting
(Nominations for the next Vice Chair; Fill out Conference Evaluation Forms; Discuss future Site & Scheduling preferences; Election of the next Vice Chair)
7:30 pm - 9:30 pmCytoplasmic Intermediate Filaments: Structure and Disease
Session Chair & Discussion Leader: Bishr Omary (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan)
7:30 pm - 7:45 pmBishr Omary (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan)
"Simple epithelial keratins: Disease and regulation perspectives"
7:45 pm - 7:55 pm Discussion
7:55 pm - 8:10 pmRobert J. Bloch (University of Maryland Baltimore, MD)
"The Role of Intermediate Filament Proteins in Mammalian Skeletal Muscle"
8:10 pm - 8:15 pm Discussion
8:15 pm - 8:30 pmVaidya Milind (Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India)
"Role of keratins 8/18 in cell migration and acquisition of malignant phenotype in oral cancer derived cell line"
8:30 pm - 8:40 pm Discussion
8:40 pm - 8:55 pmMichael Brenner (Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama)
"Alexander disease: a GFAP genetic disorder in mouse and man"
8:55 pm - 9:05 pm Discussion
9:05 pm - 9:30 pm General Discussion
THURSDAY
7:30 am - 8:30 amBreakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pmIntermediate Filament Mechanisms and Disease
Session Chair & Discussion Leader: Werner W. Franke (German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, Germany)
9:00 am - 9:20 amWerner W. Franke (German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, Germany)
"Snow whites, sleeping beauties and cinderellas: The junctions and the filaments not yet kissed by a prince"
9:20 am - 9:30 am Discussion
9:30 am - 9:45 amBertrand Favre (Inselspital-University Hospital Bern, Switzerland)
"Mapping of the domains indispensable for the interaction of plectin with vimentin and desmin and identification of an in vivo phosphorylation site in the plectin tail"
9:45 am - 9:55 am Discussion
9:55 am - 10:10 amJean-Pierre Julien (Laval University Research Centre in Quebec, Canada)
"Reversal of neuropathy in a conditional mouse model carrying a CMT2E-linked NF-L mutation"
10:10 am - 10:20 am Discussion
10:20 am - 10:50 am Coffee Break
10:50 am - 11:05 amRonald K. Liem (Columbia University, New York, NY)
"Neurofilament mutations in Charcot-Marie Tooth disease"
11:05 am - 11:15 am Discussion
11:15 am - 11:30 am Parvathi Rudrabhatla (NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD)
"Neurofilament proteins (NF-M/H) are aberrantly and hyperphosphorylated in Alzheimer Disease: Quantitative phosphoproteomics by iTRAQ"
11:30 am - 11:40 am Discussion
11:40 am - 11:55 amThomas B. Shea (University of Mass at Lowell, MA)
"Sequential kinase activites on neurofilament dynamics"
11:55 am - 12:05 pm Discussion
12:05 pm - 12:20 pmMichael Garcia (University Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri)
"Neurofilament, axonal diameter and conduction velocity: the long and the short of it"
12:20 pm - 12:30 pm Discussion
12:30 pmLunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pmFree Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pmPoster Session
6:00 pmDinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pmIntermediate Filament Cytoskeleton: Regulation and Pathology
Session Chair & Discussion Leader: Janice Robertson (University of Toronto, Canada)
7:30 pm - 7:45 pmJanice Robertson (University of Toronto, Canada)
"Peripherin abnormalities in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis"
7:45 pm - 7:55 pm Discussion
7:55 pm - 8:10 pmGerry Shaw (University of Florida , Gainesville, Florida)
"Neurofilament proteins as biomarkers of CNS damage and disease states"
8:10 pm - 8:20 pm Discussion
8:20 pm - 8:35 pmBen G. Szaro (SUNY, Albany, NY)
"Post-transcriptional control of neurofilaments and axon development - finding the connection"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:00 pmMichael J. Strong (University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada)
"Regulation of NFL mRNA stability in ALS"
9:00 pm - 9:10 pm Discussion
9:10 pm - 9:25 pmMala Rao (Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, New York)
"The Myosin Va head domain binds to the neurofilament-L rod and modulates local organelle content and distribution within axons"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm Discussion
FRIDAY
7:30 am - 8:30 amBreakfast
9:00 amDepart
Last Updated: July 22, 2010
 
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