2020 CILIATE MOLECULAR BIOLOGY CONFERENCE

The main objective of this meeting is to bring together international established, junior and developing researchers that use different ciliate biological models to approach biological questions and applications. This meeting will provide a stimulating, diverse and multidisciplinary program, and a forum for open discussions of exciting advances and future directions. The meeting is designed to create a dynamic and interactive environment promoting exchange of new ideas, expertise, and the formation of collaborations. Topics will cover both well-established and ground-breaking work, including programmed DNA rearrangements, non-coding RNAs, chromatin modifications/remodeling, epigenetic inheritance, and genome evolution, membrane biology and signaling, cilia/cytoskeleton dynamics and morphogenesis/development. Related disciplines being explored in increasing detail with molecular and genomic approaches, namely the biodiversity and ecology of ciliates, and their bacterial symbionts will also be included. Special attention will be given to biotech applications of ciliates, new tools, and their utilization in toxicology screening tests, by inviting researchers who develop new technologies within academia or in the biotech industry. To draw students into scientific careers and showcase ciliates as extraordinary biological models, a session dedicated to using ciliates in undergraduate research and classroom laboratories will take place.