Proteolytic enzymes act in a resolute fashion to direct the well structured universe of cellular molecules. Proteolytic enzymes must acquire delicate molecular structures to initiate and execute their tasks. Proteolytic enzymes are supervised by their inhibitors. It is the team work of proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors which makes a go of many cellular functions. We recognize proteolytic enzymes as managers that catalyze the most important and ubiquitous post-translational modifications in cells. Irreversible and uncompromising, proteases regulate life and death of every organism. Diseases caused by mutations in the genes of proteases or their inhibitors, threats introduced by bacterial, fungal or viral proteases taught us to look more closely on the hundreds of diverse proteases and the many inhibitors interacting with them to direct cellular functions.

Evolution was clever enough to come up with an excellent system of cellular decision makers, but the system can be cheated in the most mischievous way – arthritis, cancer, diabetes, obesity, malaria, neurodegenerative disorders and many more can be caused by stray proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors. Understanding the structures and functions of proteases, watching proteases in action, and approaching their intricacies in the protease web is a must but more so, it is a hope for designing new drugs and better therapeutic treatments based on translational research. On the bright side of life, proteases enable development and maintain physiology. Proteases and their inhibitors are clearly sustainable, they are vital.

Klaudia Brix and James Whisstock invite you to explore the post-genomics and not-yet-post-proteomics times of proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors. The 2012 Proteolytic Enzymes and Their Inhibitors Gordon Research Conference will present the most exciting advances in proteolysis research. We will continue to explain how, when and where cells become radical, desperate and visionary enough to perform proteolytic cleavages. Dogmas may still exist and data is overwhelmingly complex, networks seem within and beyond our scopes, but you may expect to experience the most cooperative, friendly, and integrative families of multidisciplinary researchers unravelling the secrets of proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors.

We plan to build bridges spanning the many disciplines of life sciences that engage in the field of proteolysis. Researchers from academia and industry are welcome, younger scientists will be involved as much as established researchers. For the first time in the history of the GRC on Proteolytic Enzymes and Their Inhibitors, the accompanying Gordon Research Seminar will serve as the ideal inauguration for the younger scientists. The GRS is open to Graduate Students and Post Docs exclusively while allowing only few Senior Mentors to assist Sheena McGowan igniting the Spirit of the Gordon Conference in the beauty of Tuscany – join us for The forward-looking, enjoyable and most rewarding conference on proteolysis in 2012.

Klaudia Brix
Chair, 2012 Proteolytic Enzymes and Inhibitors GRC