About the Workshop
Immune cells respond in a coordinated way to protect us from pathogens like viruses and bacteria, and to maintain health by surveying for dysregulated cellular responses as occurs in diseases like cancer and autoimmunity. Immune recognition and effector mechanisms are largely mediated through direct cell-cell contacts, which elicit biochemical and mechanical signaling. While much progress has been made in understanding the biochemical reactions triggered by cellular communication, a role for mechanical force in shaping immune cell behaviour, termed mechanotransduction, has only recently emerged. The complexity of biochemical and mechanical signals, and how they intersect to coordinate immune cell activation, differentiation, and effector functions is a fascinating area of research for physicists, biologists, and immunologists alike as immune cells must integrate these signals across varied spatial (nano- to tissue/organismal) and temporal (milliseconds to weeks) scales. Building on our highly successful virtual (2021) and hybrid (2023) events, this third edition hybrid workshop on ‘ImmunoBiophysics: from fundamental physics to understanding the immune response’ will focus on immune cell regulation from a distinctly physical and mechanical perspective, with the aim of advancing opportunities for translational impact in human health and disease.
This hybrid workshop will, for the first time, feature five global virtual hubs:
- One at The University of Oxford, UK;
- one at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, India;
- one at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Canada;
- one at Tsinghua University, Beijing; and
- one at Institut Curie, Paris.
These virtual hubs will allow participants not able to join on-site in Les Houches to gather locally for synchronous and asynchronous participation in the workshop, as well as participate in local talks and poster sessions. Participation in a virtual hub will be free of charge. Please indicate your preferred site in the online application form.
Image credits: Julien Husson
About EMBO Courses and Workshops
EMBO Courses and Workshops are selected for their excellent scientific quality and timelines, provision of good networking activities for all participants and speaker gender diversity (at least 40% of speakers must be from the underrepresented gender).
Organisers are encouraged to implement measures to make the meeting environmentally more sustainable.
