Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
#cellbio2023
Special Interest Subgroups
Member-Organized Special Interest Subgroups take a deep dive into specialty subjects under the seven scientific meeting tracks. Sessions are either 90 minutes or 150 minutes and all talks are selected from submitted abstracts.
2023 Subgroups Session Schedule
Saturday, December 2 | 9:30 am to 12:00 pm
Scientific Tracks: Communal Cell , Physical Cell
Organizers: GuangJun Zhang, Purdue University, Michael Levin, Tufts University
Bioelectricity is defined as endogenous electrical signaling across cell membranes or epithelia, and is mediated by the dynamic distribution of charged molecules. It exhibits in several different forms in multicellular organisms: on cellular, tissue, and organ levels. For example, cell membrane potential, one of the integral cellular bioelectric properties, has many essential functions, such as cell volume control, cell secretion, the cell cycle, and cell migration. Cellular bioelectricity is also an evolutionarily conserved signal on tissue and organ level for orchestrating morphogenesis during embryogenesis, regeneration, and cancer suppression. Native bioelectric circuits within tissue enable cellular collectives to coordinate activity across distance. Evidence from multiple organisms, such as zebrafish, frogs, mice, fruit flies, planarian flatworms, and human channelopathy patients, now implicate endogenous bioelectrical signal as an important regulator and a target for biomedical intervention. Because bioelectricity is a fundamental aspect of life, the bioelectricity session will be highly interdisciplinary with speakers whose interests range across cell biology, biochemistry, developmental biology, bioengineering, and cancer biology.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Physical Cell
Organizers: Qiong Yang, University of Michigan, Mustafa Aydogan, University of California San Francisco
Over the past decades, physics and cell biology have come together to decipher complex regulatory networks and understand their sophisticated biological functions, through reductionist thinking. This idea of minimal designs is further inspired by hallmark experiments to create synthetic oscillators. With the fast pacing of new tools developed especially in quantitative systems and synthetic biology, experts crossing disciplines build more complicated rhythmic systems mimicking the behaviors of real organisms and across different temporal and spatial scales. In return, these have advanced a quantitative understanding of mechanisms in the complicated spatiotemporal rhythms in real cells.This subgroup will bring together a broad range of scientists who study questions of biological time control, using approaches from systems and synthetic biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science, to advance the field forward. We will showcase a variety of recent topics on cellular rhythms, such as minimal clock designs, design-function mapping, free energy flow, clock precision and information processing, and mechanobiology in developmental patterns. Additionally, the session will also feature advances in cutting-edge tools that are essential to exploring aspects of biological timing and complex rhythms.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Physical Cell
Organizers: Susanne Rafelski, Allen Institute for Cell Science, Mark Chan, San Francisco State University
Modern cell biology has made great strides in understanding cell structure and function. Cells also face an important engineering challenge: assembly. How are the complex three-dimensional structures found within the cell specified and regulated by instructions from a one-dimensional genome? In Building the Cell we explore this question, which lies at the interface of biology and physics. This session will be highly interdisciplinary with speakers whose interests span physics, mathematical modeling, biochemistry, cell biology and more.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Cells in Distress and Disease
Organizers: Olya Yarychkivska, The Rockefeller University, Piya Ghose, University of Texas
Cell death is a critical feature of development and homeostasis and is also observable under pathological conditions. Apoptosis is arguably the best defined form of programmed cell death. The last few decades have been rich with the discovery of novel, non-apoptotic forms of cell death, such as ferroptosis and Linker-Cell Death (LCD). These discoveries have been rooted in the use of various model organisms, novel and classic systems. This session celebrates the new era of cell death studies by covering several exciting and recently revealed and appreciated facets of cell killing. These include work on novel cell death types, the role of cell death in homeostasis, the function in cellular destruction and remodeling, and the role subcellular organelles play, as studied in a variety of organisms. The key objective of the session is to highlight the many recent advances and innovations in the field of cell death that spur us forward well beyond classical apoptosis.
Scientific Tracks: Specialized Cell and Evolution, Cellular Dynamics
Organizers: Kristy Welshhans, University of South Carolina, Le Ma, Thomas Jefferson University
Despite being considered specialized cells, neurons have been a rich trove for understanding the general principles of cell biology. Recent advances in modern molecular, genetic, and imaging tools in various model neuronal types have continued to uncover novel cellular mechanisms that are not only unique to neurons but can be applicable to other cell types. This subgroup meeting will thus bring together neurobiologists working in different areas and discuss several emerging concepts related to transport, trafficking, translation, and organelle function in neurons. Specifically, we will discuss the role of the ER, mitochondria, and autophagy in neuronal health and dysfunction. Also, we will examine novel mechanisms underlying transport, membrane trafficking, and local translation that often interplay with organelle function. These topics complement the neuronal cytoskeleton, which is covered by a companion subgroup session organized by Shaul Yogev and Sandhya Koushika. We will bring together a dynamic group of speakers from diverse career stages (Ph.D. students, postdoctoral fellows, junior and senior faculty), geographic locations (North America, South America, and Europe), gender, and race/ethnicity (see proposed speaker list). To select speakers from the abstracts, we will prioritize students and postdocs who have diverse backgrounds and are the main driving force of these projects.
Scientific Tracks: Specialized Cell and Evolution
Organizers: Courtney Schroeder, University of Texas Southwestern, Holly Goodson, University of Notre Dame, Michelle Momany, University of Georgia, Michael McMurray, University of Colorado Anschutz, Masayuki Onishi, Duke University, Pavan Vedula, University of Pennsylvania
Evolutionary cell biology (ECB) has two complementary aspects: One is using the perspectives and methods of evolutionary biology to gain insight into cell biological processes; the other is using the biology and diversity of cells to gain insight into the process of evolution. These different perspectives are united by the fact that cells are the fundamental unit of life and by the expectation that the study of ECB will illuminate the diversity of life at (sub)cellular scales and help elucidate the fundamental principles of living systems. Because cells and cellular processes lie at the interface between chemistry, physics, and biology, biophysics and biochemistry have central roles in ECB. Speakers will address topics across the range of ECB, with possible examples including the use of patterns of protein evolution to dissect protein structure and function, the study of comparative cell biology to illuminate the characteristics of the last universal (or eukaryotic) common ancestor, and the application of biophysics to elucidate the role of physical mechanisms in determining phenotype.
Scientific Tracks: Specialized Cell and Evolution, Communal Cell
Organizers: Ahna Skop, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Pier Pablo D'Avino, University of Cambridge
The relatively new field of midbody biology is attracting intense interest beyond its role in cytokinesis, as midbody remnants have been recently implicated in the fundamental control of cell architecture, fate, polarity, tumorigenicity and pluripotency. And yet some of the most basic questions about midbody function remain unclear and at times controversial: How are midbodies assembled and maintained during abscission? Do midbodies have post-mitotic functions, and if so, what are they and how are they regulated? How much variation in midbody and midbody remnant function exists among distinct cell types? Do midbodies mediate informational transfer? What roles do midbody RNAs and protein play in promoting cancer cell fate and pluripotency? It is necessary that models of midbody and midbody remant function must become more detailed, mechanistically speaking, to distinguish among these options. In this session, we will highlight the current research on the midbody and midbody remnants in hopes to uncover many of these questions.
Saturday, December 2 | 1:00 to 3:30 pm
Scientific Tracks: Specialized Cell and Evolution, Physical Cell
Organizers: David Booth, University of California, San Francisco, Ben Larson, University of California, San Francisco, Guillermina Ramirez-San Juan, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Across the tree life, cells navigate constantly fluctuating environments with diverse and sophisticated forms, behaviors, and life histories. Inspired by the diversity of cells in their natural environment, the WILD, this subgroup will focus on the use of non-traditional systems and related technologies to address fundamental questions in cell biology and will dovetail with the theme of the keynote symposium to investigate the cell biology of organisms that may impact climate change. The diversity of perspectives and systems represented in this subgroup will expand the boundaries of cell biology by combining evolutionary, physical, and ecological research.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics
Organizers: Beth Cimini, Broad Institute
Microscopy has always been a critical tool for understanding cellular dynamics. In the past several years, the number of deep learning software tools designed to interact with microscopy images has exploded, and deep learning has been applied to a number of interesting problems in microscopy, including image de-noising for allowing lower light exposure during timelapse movies, performing robust automatic segmentation, and classifying cells into classes without requiring a separate measurement step beforehand. With the dizzying array of new tools constantly being proposed, it can be exceedingly challenging to figure out what is appropriate for one's own work, and which tools can a given researcher run given their personal level of computational comfort and their access to computational resources.This subgroup will highlight the most exciting applications of deep learning to the microscopy of cellular dynamics, emphasizing tools that make it possible to probe previously-impossible questions. Particular emphasis will be given to tools that give users reusable workflows for training and/or usage, as well as tools which aim to improve user-friendliness. By highlighting such tools, we will help researchers at all comfort levels better incorporate deep learning into their own biological discoveries.
Scientific Tracks: Signaling and Metabolism, Physical Cell
Organizers: Bezia Lemma, Princeton University, Peter Foster, University of Southern California, Aastha Garde, Princeton University
Metabolism and the exchange of chemical energy are defining features of living systems, from single cells to complex organisms. How cells obtain, generate, and use energy is a dynamic process that varies in time and space. Technological advances have allowed researchers to image and measure the spatial and temporal variations of activity related to energy metabolism, providing new insights into how cells interact with their environment. We are now beginning to uncover how patterns in energy and metabolism interact with changes in gene expression, mechanical forces, and cellular behavior. This session will focus on our emerging understanding of spatiotemporal energy use and metabolism across length scales, from molecular energy turnover within cells to metabolic signaling in tissues.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Signaling and Metabolism
Organizers: Tatsat Banerjee, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Peter Devreotes, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Tobias Meyer, Weill Cornell Medicine
In 1952, Alan Turing introduced the world to the theories of pattern formation. In the same year, Hodgkin and Huxley came up with the excitable network hypothesis to explain the action potential propagation in neurons. During past six decades, the concept that cellular processes are controlled by networks of interacting components has grown as a discipline and has shaped overall cell biology. With the advent of new microscopy techniques, synthetic biology tools, and sophisticated machine learning algorithms, nowadays feedback loops linking numerous genetic components are being identified at an increasing rate. We are beginning to learn how these complex feedback loops bring about the self-organizing patterns that regulate a wide array of processes such as cell migration, polarity, cytokinesis, endocytosis, cell cycle regulation, and differentiation. In this session, we plan to bring together experts in molecular cell biology, membrane biophysics, developmental biology, bioinformatics, and control theory to explore the feedback networks in several signal transduction and cytoskeletal systems and to learn how biological self-organization can orchestrate the spatiotemporal dynamics of various physiological processes. We will also focus on understanding how different chemical, mechanical, or electrical cues can influence the strengths of these autonomous networks to elicit dramatic phenotypic changes in broad range of systems, from single cell organisms to human stem cells.
Scientific Tracks: Physical Cell, Cellular Genome
Organizers: Yekaterina Miroshnikova, National Institutes of Health, Jan Lammerding, Cornell University, Verena Ruprecht, Centre de Regulació Genòmica
Tissues, cells and organelles sense and respond to a wide range of biochemical and biophysical aspects of their microenvironments. Mechanical force is one central environmental input that regulates cell behavior and fate. Cells have evolved a number of mechanisms to sense mechanical forces, and recent work implicates the nucleus itself as a mechanosensor, where forces directly or indirectly remodel nuclear shape and architecture, impact chromatin organization, and tune signaling pathways and global patterns of gene expression. This special interest subgroup will focus on the rapidly growing field of nuclear mechanotransduction and provide a forum to discuss the most recent advances in understanding the role of mechanical forces in modulating cellular decision-making and the role these processes play in fundamental cell biological processes such as cell migration, differentiation and malignant transformation. Thus, we will foster a unique, interdisciplinary community with a common focus on nuclear mechanobiology. We expect to be active in this field for the foreseeable future and are excited to work together with the ASCB and EMBO communities to promote the emerging field at the intersection of chromatin/nuclear biophysics and cell fate control.Importantly we aim to strongly align with ASCB’s strategic plan for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and will design our session to increase the visibility of diverse scientists by inviting scientists from underrepresented groups.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Physical Cell
Organizers: Beata Mierzwa, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research & UC San Diego, Carsten Janke, Institut Curie, Francesca Bartolini, Columbia University
This Special Interest Subgroup aims to highlight the impact of artistic practices on scientific research and communication. In this session, scientists and artists will share their experiences in exploring this emerging field, discuss avenues to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration, and highlight its benefits to creative research and scientific exchange.In biology, great scientific advances have been made by scientists who used artistic techniques to represent their discoveries. Artistic representations can visualize time and scale in a manner that is easy for a viewer to appreciate, thus allowing them to conceptualize scientific research in an intuitive manner. Collaborations between scientists and artists can open up new avenues of scientific research by bolstering ideas and concepts, and allow scientists with highly specialized expertise to better communicate with peers in other domains. Beyond their impact on research, such collaborations create artistic works that can be highly valuable for scientific outreach, public engagement, and education, thereby giving new life to work that started as a research-oriented project. Following the successful first session of this Special Interest Subgroup in 2022, we are eager to organize a new session, in which speakers with diverse backgrounds and career stages will showcase how science and art can work together, and how fostering these interdisciplinary collaborations can have a broad impact on science, art, and society.
Scientific Tracks: Physical Cell, Cellular Dynamics
Organizers: Qin Ni, Johns Hopkins University, Sean Sun, Johns Hopkins University
Mammalian cells and tissues live in an aqueous environment where nutrients, ions, proteins, and cellular cytoplasmic constituents rely on water for transportation and distribution. To maintain optimal functionality, cells and tissues actively regulate their intracellular osmolytes and pressure in response to internal and external signals and perturbations. Variations in solute concentrations or pressure gradients across the cell membrane can induce water flux, consequently affecting cell surface movement, physiology, mechanics, and size. Recent research has demonstrated the importance of water dynamics and pressure regulation in biological processes and pathophysiology such as cell migration, tissue development and morphogenesis, and tumor growth. In this subgroup, we will showcase the latest breakthroughs in water dynamics and pressure regulation research at the cellular and tissue levels, focusing on motility, mechanics, and physiology. Our discussions will emphasize the fundamental principles underlying the emergence of cellular water dynamics and explore their implications in the fields of bioengineering and biomedicine. By bringing together experts and researchers from diverse backgrounds, we aim to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and inspire novel approaches to better understand and harness the power of water and pressure in cellular and tissue functions.
Organizers: Karen Oegema, University of California, San Diego, Doug Kellogg, University of California, Santa Cruz, Huaiying Zhang, Carnegie Mellon University, Adriana Mantegazza, Thomas Jefferson University
ASCB’s Molecular Biology of the Cell (MBoC) has been proudly serving the community for more than 30 years—providing authors with constructive feedback and a quick platform to showcase their work and providing readers with the highest quality cell biology research. In this interesting and thought-provoking session, MBoC is partnering with emerging scientists and leading experts to showcase the Future of Cell Biology.
Sunday, December 3 | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Physical Cell
Organizers: Iain Cheeseman, Whitehead Institute/MIT, Tomomi Kiyomitsu, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)
For more than 60 years, researchers affiliated with ASCB have been working to reveal the fundamental mechanisms of life and cellular function. Recent technological developments have enabled us to explore the molecular basis underlying intercellular and intracellular dynamics of living organisms with unprecedented precision across experimental scales and in diverse organisms. In addition, modern cell biologists regularly cross conceptual boundaries and disciplines using new approaches, which leads to unexpected discoveries and opens new research directions. Finally, researchers cross physical boundaries by training, working, and collaborating across international borders. This workshop will bring together researchers from cell biology societies from North America, Europe, and Asia to discuss diverse aspects of cell biology that crosses these many boundaries and to promote international collaborations.
Organizer: Mike Ehlers, Apple Tree Partners
Significant advances in isolating, culturing, differentiating, manipulating, and analyzing human cells directed into diverse cell types and organoids is transforming our ability to understand human disease and accelerate drug discovery. In this session, key scientific leaders from academia and industry will describe cutting edge human cellular systems for modeling human diseases of metabolism, liver failure, neurodevelopment, and neurodegeneration and their application to discovering the next generation of drugs for major human diseases. Mechanistic insights gained from these approaches are advancing our cell biological understanding of disease pathogenesis and enabling rationale translation toward human clinical trials.
Organizers: Bonnie Howell, Merck
Understanding interactions between host cells and pathogens (e.g., virus, bacteria, fungus) is vitally important for detailing the biological underpinnings of infection and disease. Unravelling the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind virulence, immune response, pathogen adaptation, and pathogenesis will provide deeper insight into unknown biology and drive strategies targeting prevention and treatment, particularly when the host immune system fails against them. This exciting session will include speakers from both academia and industry and will highlight recent advances in understanding host-pathogen interactions. Presentations will be followed by a 15 min panel discussion focused on existing challenges in the field and emerging opportunities.
Scientific Tracks: Physical Cell, Cellular Dynamics
Organizers: Robert Goldman, Northwestern University, Ming Gao, MIT, Ohad Medalia, University of Zurich, David Weitz, Harvard University, Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz, HHMI
There has not been a session dedicated to the field of intermediate filaments for many years. The field has become very exciting and has now captured the interest of many cell biologists. Therefore, a small group of investigators have come together to propose a special interest subgroup session for the upcoming ASCB/EMBO Meeting to be held in Boston. This group includes the labs of Robert Goldman of Northwestern University, Ming Guo of MIT, Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz of HHMI Janelia Farm, Ohad Medalia of the University of Zurich and David Weitz of Harvard. Emphasis will be placed on recent advances in determining the atomic structure of intermediate filaments (IFs), their dynamic properties with respect to mechanisms of assembly, their roles in the EMT, their functions in organizing organelles within mammalian cells , their interactions with other cytoskeletal systems and their roles in cell mechanics.
Monday, December 4 | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Physical Cell
Organizers: Kyra Campbell, Sheffield University, David Sherwood, Duke University, Franck Pichaud, University College London
The foundation of tissues and organs lies in their biomechanical support, which is provided by basement membranes and interstitial extracellular matrix. However, recent ground-breaking advancements in genomics and tissue imaging have uncovered that the composition and arrangement of extracellular material can be highly specialized in both space and time. This revelation has led to a significant impact on the understanding of cell and tissue morphogenesis, as well as homeostasis. In this mini symposium, we will explore the latest developments in this exciting field of cell and developmental biology, and the far-reaching implications it holds for tissue architecture, repair, and regeneration.
Organizers: Tina Schwabe, Nine Square Therapeutics, Roberto Zoncu, University of California at Berkeley
This special session will include speakers from both academia and biotech who are targeting diverse neurodegenerative diseases (ALS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Niemann-Pick type C) using cutting-edge approaches ranging from chemical biology to cellular, structural and functional genomics techniques. The scientific talks will be followed by a general discussion on the opportunities and challenges that increased academia-industry interaction brings to the advancement of neurodegeneration research and therapies.
Organizer: Mike Ehlers, Apple Tree Partners
A holy grail of regenerative medicine is the reliable incorporation of human cells and tissues on demand. Significant advances in isolating, culturing, differentiating, manipulating, and analyzing human cells directed into diverse cell types and organoids is transforming our ability to understand development at the tissue, organ, and multi-organ level, and advance regenerative therapeutic strategies. In this session, key scientific leaders from academia and industry will describe cutting edge human cellular systems capable of mimicking complex cell and tissue phenotypes that can be incorporated into organ systems in vivo. Mechanistic insights gained from these approaches are advancing our understanding of cell biology at the organ mesoscale and enabling next generation therapies for tissue replacement and regeneration.
Scientific Tracks: Physical Cell, Cellular Dynamics
Organizers: Morgan Huse, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Daan Vorselen, Wageningen University
Cellular mechanics underly many of the characteristic behaviors of immune cells, including rapid migration through diverse microenvironments, communication through dynamic cell-cell interactions, and engulfment or sequestration of pathogenic material. All of these processes are mechanobiologically intensive, involving both the sensing of environmental properties like stiffness as well the exertion of outgoing forces against target cells and other external entities. In each case, however, the precise orchestration of cellular forces and how these forces contribute to functional output remain largely unknown. This Special Interest Subgroup Session will highlight recent advances in immune cell mechanics, focusing on the mechanobiology of movement and manipulation. Areas of interest will include leukocyte migration, phagocytosis, immune synapses, and effector responses against pathogens and cancer cells. Our session will feature reductionist efforts to dissect mechanoregulatory pathways with high resolution imaging and biophysical assays as well as studies designed to assess the physiological relevance of these pathways using in vivo model systems. In this manner, we hope to capture the breadth of this expanding field while also identifying unifying concepts to guide its growth.
Monday, December 4 | 3:30 to 6:00 pm
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Cellular Genome
Organizers: Chenshu Liu, University of California, Berkeley, Needhi Bhalla, University of California, Santa Cruz, Soni Lacefield, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College
Meiosis, the specialized cell division cycle that generates haploid gametes from diploid progenitors, is a highly complex process that uses a variety of mechanisms to ensure the fidelity of gametes. For germ cells to differentiate and to develop into mature gametes, unique programs must be executed precisely in space and time so that the genome can reorganize and errors in doing so can be timely detected and corrected. For instance, DNA double strand break and repair, chromosome movement, gene expression, post-translational modification and mechanotransduction at the cellular and subcellular level all must be coordinated for error-free meiosis. Accordingly, the complexity of meiosis provides unique opportunities for impacting many cell biology fields, including cell dynamics, cell signaling, genome stability, epigenetics and mechanobiology. Emergent principles and new technologies have fueled many exciting recent developments in the field. This Subgroup aims to promote cross-pollination amongst the international germ cell biology community at large at Cell Bio 2023. In this Subgroup, we will deep-dive into the frontiers of new technologies and mechanisms in germ cell biology and discuss how dysregulation in meiosis contributes to diseases. To mirror the diverse and dynamic nature of the field of meiosis, we will highlight presentations given by early career scientists especially trainees and/or those from historically underrepresented or excluded groups.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Physical Cell
Organizers: Matthew Good, University of Pennsylvania, Hui Chen, University of South Carolina
Proliferating eukaryotic cells coordinate growth, division, and differentiation processes. A broad variety of cell types, from yeast to human, contain a size checkpoint - a mechanism ensuring that they achieve a defined amount of growth or achieve a specific size in order to trigger the cell division cycle or differentiation. New efforts are uncovering the molecular basis of cell size regulation both in cultured cells in vitro and in stem cells in situ. Functionally, perturbations to cell size are sufficient to alter cell physiology, mechanics, and gene expression. Evolution has leveraged changes in cell size to regulate decision-making events in the context of tissue biology and early embryo development. <br><br>This session will feature cutting-edge research on how cells sense and regulate their sizes and how this regulation contributes to function. We will highlight new concepts and techniques used to characterize cell size and growth regulation, as well as survey the latest insights on the mechanistic basis of cell size control. Additional topics may include the interdependence of cell growth, biosynthesis, and cell division that maintains protein, RNA, and organelle homeostasis. Moreover, we will discuss the dysregulation of cell size in disease, the role of cell size and shape in fate control, and the scaling of organelle dimensions and signaling gradients in tissues and embryos.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Physical Cell
Organizers: Claudia Vasquez, University of Washington, Matthew Akamatsu, University of Washington, Shaohe Wang, Janelia Research Campus
Multicellular organisms intricately craft tissues of various shapes to fulfill a range of physiological functions. The art of tissue building entails precisely positioning cells of appropriate types, which necessitates a dynamic interplay between cells themselves and their extracellular matrices. The mechanical interactions shaping tissue morphology are guided by biochemical signaling and mediated by organization and remodeling of cytoskeletal and adhesion complexes. These actions collectively determine the number, shape, and position of cells, along with the density, components, and distribution of extracellular matrices. The study of how organisms construct complex tissues and organs is a burgeoning field, with recent research highlighting the significance of initial geometry, the active role of the extracellular matrix, adhesion coding between cell types, and the interplay between mechanical and biochemical signaling. This subgroup will showcase studies across scales using a variety of model systems and technologies.
Scientific Tracks: Cells in Distress and Disease, Cellular Dynamics
Organizers: Partha Roy, University of Pittsburgh, Bhuminder Singh, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Metastases are responsible for >90% of cancer-related deaths. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms that hold cancer cells in dormant state, fuel aggressive traits and confer drug resistance are vitally important for discovery of effective anti-cancer therapies and improve survival of cancer patients. During cancer initiation and progression, cancer cells acquire multiple cellular states that aid them through growth, metastatic dissemination, acquisition of or escape from dormancy, and drug resistance. While some of these phenotypes are cell-autonomous, several are also regulated by complex multi-cellular interactions in tumor microenvironment. These interactions across short and long distances may be mediated via diffusing molecules (e.g. proteins, lipids, amino acids) and complexes (membrane-limited and membrane-less extracellular particles) over time to reach a new cell/tissue state. The goal of this special interest subgroup meeting to highlight on the recent advances on the dynamics of tumor cells in space and time, and cellular programs (e.g. metabolic changes, transcriptional programs, crosstalk with immune cells) that modulate phenotypic states and drug resistance of cancer cells. These fundamental discoveries could potentially lead to development of novel therapeutic strategies to prevent cancer relapse.
Scientific Tracks: Physical Cell, Cellular Dynamics
Organizers: John Calise, University of Washington, Justin Kollman, University of Washington, Naoko Mizuno, National Institutes of Health/NHLBI
Significant innovations in single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and tomography (cryo-ET) in the last decade have enabled structural biologists to visualize molecular structures at unprecedented resolution. Advances in both techniques have led to their increasingly widespread adoption by cell biologists looking to see beyond the scale of light microscopy to uncover molecular mechanisms of many fundamental cellular processes. Cryo-EM structures of macromolecular complexes reconstituted in vitro have provided important insights into how these assemblies function within cells, while cryo-ET has been used to directly visualize and determine structures of these complexes in situ. This subgroup will feature a diverse selection of speakers that will highlight many notable discoveries in cell biology made in the last few years with state-of-the-art cryo-EM/ET technologies. Our goal is to demonstrate the practicality and applicability of cryo-EM and cryo-ET for a broad range of cell biology research and engage the audience in pursuing their own important scientific questions with these methods, which are becoming increasingly accessible to everyone.
Scientific Tracks: Physical Cell, Signaling and Metabolism
Organizers: Christopher Obara, HHMI Janelia Research Campus, Itay Budin, University of California San Diego, Sarah Cohen, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chi-Lun Chang, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Jeeyun Chung, Harvard University
Lipids are the fundamental building block of membrane-bound organelles, with functions in organelle structure and dynamics, protein interactions, cell signaling, and energy storage. Lipid metabolic processes occur in spatially segregated compartments with diverse composition and function, yet these biochemical reactions must be integrated for cells to function as a coordinated unit. For example, one way to achieve inter-organelle crosstalk is via organelle membrane contact sites, a specialized nano-architecture that allows for directed and efficient lipid fluxes between organelles. In this subgroup, we aim to bring together scientists from diverse subfields of cell biology, biophysics, and tool development who are interested in lipid transfer at membrane contact sites and lipid-mediated processes within organelles. Topics covered will include: (i) new technologies for detection and analysis of membrane contact sites, (ii) lipid signaling and metabolic regulation at contact sites, and (iii) the downstream roles of lipids in shaping organelle form and function. Speakers will cover the roles of lipids in a variety of organelles, including the secretory pathway, endolysosomal system, mitochondria, peroxisomes, and lipid droplets.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Physical Cell
Organizers: Weihan Li, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Robert H. Singer, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Heejun Choi, HHMI Janelia Research Campus, Ya-Cheng Liao, Columbia University Medical Center
The spatial regulation of gene expression controls a broad range of biological processes, such as organism development, homeostasis, and tissue regeneration. Dysregulation of these processes is implicated in developmental disorders, degenerative diseases, and aging. In recent years, new technologies have been developed to monitor the spatiotemporal organizations of transcription and translation, and revealed the intricate regulation of gene expression. In this subgroup, we will discuss the emerging biology and novel techniques on the subcellular localization of RNA and translation, highlighting the emerging roles of organelles in these cellular processes.
Tuesday, December 5 | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Scientific Tracks: Cells in Distress and Disease, Cellular Dynamics
Organizers: Shawn Luttrell, CuriBio, David Mack, University of Washington
Novel biomimetic engineering techniques have given us unprecedented insight into complex human biological processes. In recent years, these approaches have been used to generate new models of human disease for in vitro studies that would not be possible with less complex model systems. Modern fabrication techniques have improved the reproducibility, consistency, and ease of engineering multicellular tissue types in 3D environments. Innovative biosystems measure function from these tissues in a variety of ways to generate holistic data from the complex interplay between cells and their extracellular environment. Together, these improvements have enabled the generation of 3D human models that better replicate in vivo biology to improve the translatability of pre-clinical testing. In this Special Interest Subgroup, we will explore contemporary uses of these approaches, and how they have driven the development of novel insights into human disease, and how they have set the stage for the development of novel therapies that do not rely on the use of animal or human models.
Organizer: Casper Hoogenraad, Genentech
The ASCB Biotech/Pharma Session ‘Cell Biology of Neurodegeneration and Aging’ aims to strengthen the ties between basic cell biology and research areas with strong therapeutic potentials, such as Neurodegeneration and Aging. The session will focus on the importance of understanding fundamental cell biology for making fundamental discoveries that can translate into therapeutics to help patients. Four speakers, all with careers in both academia and Biotech/Pharma, will highlight the great science that is being done in research labs in industry, cover the latest developments in cell biology underlying neurodegeneration and aging, and discuss further collaborative and career interactions.
Scientific Tracks: Specialized Cell and Evolution, Cells in Distress and Disease
Organizers: Meng-meng Fu, University of California, Berkeley, Subhojit Roy, University of California, San Diego
Neurons need to fire with exquisite temporal and spatial precision. Research on synaptic biology over the last few decades has focused on understanding the molecular players involved in this process, and the protein composition of synapses is now well understood. However, though we have a slew of candidates and a decent knowledge of their individual functions in isolated settings, our understanding of how these molecules collectively act in time and space – often restricting themselves to microdomains within pre- and post-synaptic sites where they are needed – is limited. New research on liquid-liquid phase separation, a process by which molecules can physically segregate within the cytoplasm in membrane-less compartments, may provide answers to this next frontier in synapse exploration and cell biology of brain cells. Recent studies suggest that functionally distinct domains within synapses, such as presynaptic active zones, reserve pool vesicles, and postsynaptic densities, organize into distinct phases or biomolecular condensates, allowing them to stay close to where they are needed – working with nanoscale precision and timing. Similar concepts extend to the neuronal and glial cytoskeleton, where phase separation is emerging as an important mechanism to regulate the stability and organization of these exquisite structure. Finally, dysregulation of these finely tuned evolutionary mechanisms can lead to disease.
Wednesday, December 6 | 8:30 to 9:40 am
Scientific Tracks: Specialized Cell and Evolution, Communal Cell
Organizers: Bo Wang, Stanford University, Jacob Musser, Yale University
The invention of specialized cells and tissues plays a crucial role in advancing the functionality of multicellular organisms. This special interest subgroup aims to unite a broad group of scientists investigating the molecular basis and evolution of cell type diversity. Speakers in our session represent a broad spectra of scientific disciplines, model organisms, and technological expertise, reflecting the highly interdisciplinary nature of this scientific frontier. As cutting-edge techniques are pivotal in identifying and characterizing new cell types, our session aims to showcase emerging technologies important for the progress of the field, including comparative single-cell methods, 3D volume imaging, and functional techniques in non-traditional models. Additionally, the session features new research into the role of cellular stress pathways in cellular innovation, now thought to be a key driver of the evolution of new cell types. Importantly, this session provides a forum for young and emerging talents in the field to collaborate and connect, fostering cross-disciplinary interactions critical for the continued growth and expansion of this exciting area of research.
Wednesday, December 6 | 8:30 to 11:00 am
Scientific Tracks: Physical Cell, Cellular Dynamics
Organizers: Assaf Zaritsky, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Meghan Driscoll, University of Minnesota
Cell imaging has entered the ‘Big Data’ era. New technologies in light microscopy and molecular biology have led to an explosion in high-content, dynamic and multidimensional imaging data. Computation, traditionally used to quantitatively test specific hypotheses, must now also enable iterative hypothesis generation and testing by deciphering hidden biologically meaningful patterns in complex, dynamic or high-dimensional cell image data. Data science is uniquely positioned to aid in this process. In this subgroup, we bring together biologists and data scientists to help build a data science community within ASCB.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Signaling and Metabolism
Organizers: Michael Blinov, University of Connecticut Health, Margaret Johnson, Johns Hopkins University
Cell biology has been transformed by revolutions in imaging and sequencing, generating vast amounts of quantitative data that demand increasingly sophisticated quantitative models capable of determining whether hypothesized mechanisms can explain observed phenomena. These complex models can typically only be solved via computer simulation, and to describe living cells they must integrate networks of interacting components over space and time. The ultimate goal of modeling a dynamic, living cell is still computationally intractable, but efforts from across the modeling and software development spectrum are helping to bring this goal closer while also making these tools more accessible to experimentalists and non-experts. With this subgroup, we thus aim to bring together scientists addressing three key challenges towards realistic models of living cells: 1) expanding model descriptions of cellular dynamics beyond biochemical dynamics to include molecular structure or mechanical elements 2) developing software to efficiently interface with experimental datasets and perform parameter estimation 3) developing software or web-based tools that facilitate model sharing and reproducibility amongst experts and non-experts alike. A goal for this subgroup is to foster closer collaboration between experimental cell biologists and computational modelers.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Genome
Organizers: Chris Richardson, University of California, Santa Barbara, Viviana Risca, Rockefeller University, Prashant Mishra, National Institutes of Health
There is a growing need to define how chromatin’s three-dimensional structure and dynamics modulate the processes that maintain genome integrity, such as DNA repair and chromosome segregation, which are often studied at the sequence level using molecular biology and genetic approaches. Numerous discoveries have been made in recent years that alter our understanding of DNA damage, repair, and segregation, including interaction of chromatin with cytoskeletal components, centromere assembly and function, lesion relocation between nuclear compartments, spatio-temporal coordination between DNA damage sensing and repair proteins, regulation of damage and repair by chromatin modification, and biophysical changes in chromatin fibers. This subgroup will highlight work in these fields from a cell biological perspective and provide a venue for interactions between diverse researchers at multiple career stages. The session will be divided into Part I: DNA Damage and Repair and Part II: Chromosome Segregation.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Signaling and Metabolism
Organizers: Christian Gonzalez-Billault, Universidad de Chile, Bonnie Firestein, Rutgers University
Cytoskeletal dynamics are essential for the regulation of a myriad of important cellular functions, including protein transport and trafficking, cell morphology, and mechano- and chemical-transduction. A deep understanding of the mechanisms that control polymerization and depolymerization of microtubules, actin microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and septin polymers and their interactions with other cellular components is essential for deciphering the complex spatio-temporal control of physiological and pathological functions. Some of the most important questions in neurobiology that are still unresolved rely on cytoskeletal dynamics. In this Special Subgroup proposal, we aim to address the contribution of different cytoskeletal components to the core mechanisms controlling normal and pathological functions of the brain, at the cellular (neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes) and system levels. We will cover topics from basic mechanistic aspects of cell biology to novel interventions and drug developments to translational research to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.We will foster the participation of researchers to present recent advances in imaging, molecular genetics, and cutting-edge cellular-molecular biology. We will contact experts in the field and will consider geography, gender, and seniority to balance speakers. We will provide timeslots for full (20+5 min) and short (10+5 min) talks to allow for multiple talks in our session.
Scientific Tracks: Physical Cell, Cellular Dynamics
Organizers: Rikki Garner, Harvard Medical School, Arthur Molines, University of California San Francisco
The cytoplasm is an extremely complex and crowded solution of macromolecules that can behave as a liquid, a gel, or a glass, depending on the context. There has been a recent explosion of new reports implicating physical properties of the cytoplasm, such as its crowdedness and viscosity, in a diverse range of critical biological processes - including differentiation, cell viability, cellular aging and senescence, cytoskeleton dynamics, and biocondensate formation. In addition, it is becoming increasingly clear that a variety of cell types precisely regulate properties such as their intracellular density ? particularly throughout the cell cycle and in response to changes in their environment. It is an exciting time in the field, as a rapidly-growing collective of scientists and engineers are becoming increasingly (a) interested in the physical properties of the cytoplasm and their consequences for cell biology, and (b) enabled by a suite of new methods and technologies to explore these rich phenomena. Our goal is to expose a broad biological audience to this emerging field, and inspire the use of modern methodologies to discover new roles for cytoplasm biophysics in diverse biological processes. In this 2nd iteration of the subgroup, special emphasis will be given to the physiological implications and regulation of cytoplasmic characteristics, as well as related themes observed in the study of organelles (e.g., nucleoplasm, ER lumen) and membraneless cellular compartments.
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Physical Cell
Organizers: Ying Hu, University of Illinois Chicago, Yan Yu, Indiana University
The plasma membrane regulates the information exchange and relay between the cell and the external environment. Understanding and manipulating membrane-associated processes at the nanoscale advances our fundamental understanding and engineering capability for developing next-generation technologies and therapeutics. This meeting brings together leading researchers, scientists, and engineers from bioimaging, membrane biology, and immunoengineering to share recent advances in understanding and manipulating membrane-associated processes in immunology. The meeting provides a unique opportunity for researchers across distinct disciplines to exchange ideas and advance the field.
Wednesday, December 6 | 9:50 to 11:00 am
Scientific Tracks: Cellular Dynamics, Signaling and Metabolism
Organizers: Stephanie Crilly, University of California San Francisco, Zara Weinberg, University of California San Francisco
The intersection between cell biology and synthetic biology has incredible potential for both fields. The deconstruction of proteins into modular domains has driven insight into the components necessary and sufficient for complex cell biological functions. Simultaneously, the assembly of new proteins and functions from these modular domains, repurposed from natural proteins or designed de novo, has enabled new synthetic cellular functions. Understanding the cell biology of existing synthetic biology tools can inform the function of their constituent components and help to forward engineer the next generation of these tools with improved efficacy and function. Additionally, these synthetic tools can be used to uniquely perturb cellular systems and better understand their function. In this session, investigators at the cutting edge of both synthetic biology and cell biology will share how synthetic tools for cell engineering can inform cell biology and be improved by insights from cell biology.
(D/S) - denotes sessions designed to bridge the gap between discovery-based and solution-oriented topics. These sessions aim to translate how groundbreaking scientific discoveries play a role in real-world applications.
For Session Organizers:
If your session is accepted, organizers MUST:
- Inform all desired speakers to submit abstracts by the August 1 talk deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted. ASCB will provide organizers with an email template for notifying desired speakers upon selection notification.
- Review abstracts submitted to your Subgroup topic and assign talks to your session. The review period will take place from August 4 through August 14.
- Register for Cell Bio 2023. All speakers and organizers must be registered for Cell Bio 2023. Admission will not be granted if individuals are not registered.
- Ensure your speakers and co-organizers are aware of these policies:
- Abstract Submission - all speakers must submit an abstract by the August 1 deadline and pay the associated fee.
- Registration - anyone attending a session in any capacity (including speakers and organizers) must be paid registrants of the Cell Bio 2023 meeting. Admission will not be granted to individuals who are not registered for the meeting.
- Expenses - ASCB does not pay any expenses beyond what is listed below under "ASCB & EMBO Responsibilties". This includes travel expenses for speakers and organizers, registration fees, abstract submission fees, and any other expenses.
- Participating in multiple scientific sessions:
- Subgroup organizers can only organize ONE scientific session. If you are accepted as an organizer for another Subgroup, or co-chair for a Minisymposium, you must choose ONE and notify ASCB immediately.
- Subgroup speakers can only speak in ONE scientific session. If a speaker is selected to give a talk for another Subgroup or Minisymposium, they must choose ONE and notify ASCB and the session organizers immediately.
- A Subgroup organizer may give a talk in a Subgroup session (their own or another Subgroup) or a Minisymposium.
Organizers may incur optional expenses, beyond what ASCB provides.
The ASCB will NOT pay for the following expenses:
- Food or beverage. This must be ordered through Aramark at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. No outside food or beverage can be served. You will be billed directly by Aramark.
- Audiovisual equipment in addition to what is listed below. This must be ordered through Projection (PPT) by contacting Holly Alderton at 301-575-2754, or email at halderton@projection.com. You will be billed directly by PPT.
- Speaker expenses. Anyone attending a Special Interest Subgroup, including speakers and organizers, must be registered for Cell Bio 2023.
Fundraising
Contact SPARGO, Inc., Exhibit, Sponsorship and Advertising Sales and Management, to discuss fundraising opportunities. If ASCB acknowledges the sponsor, the majority of the funds collected will be used by ASCB to offset the costs and overhead to do so.
Diversity and Inclusion
ASCB is committed to ensuring that we offer attendees a diverse and inclusive program. Subgroup organizers must select talks from those with diverse ethnicity, gender, research, career levels, institutions, and geographic locations.
Availability Requirements
Subgroup Organizers must be available during the following time periods:
- Thursday, August 4 through Tuesday, August 14 - Abstract Review and Selection Period
- Saturday, December 2 through Wednesday, December 6- Available on the day of Subgroup session at a designated date and time
Miscellaneous
You and your accepted speakers must agree to the following terms and conditions:
- Not to defame or slander/libel anyone
- Not to use copyright/trademark materials without permission
- Not to speak on anything other than what was agreed to
ASCB & EMBO Responsibilities
ASCB & EMBO will provide the following facilities and services and incur the expenses associated with hosting a Subgroup session:
- A meeting room in the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, set theater-style with signage outside of the room.
- The following audiovisual equipment: screen; MAC* computer with mouse and keyboard; lighted lectern; LCD projector; confidence monitor; laser pointer; microphones for the lectern, table, and aisle; and a video switcher. A projectionist will be assigned to your session. *If a PC is needed in the room, contact aharris@ascb.org.
- Inclusion of the session on the Cell Bio 2023 website and in the mobile app.
Timeline & Key Dates
| Subgroup Organizer Applications | Applications accepted for consideration in organizing a Subgroup session. | Deadline: April 20 |
| Subgroup Organizer Review | Program Committee Chairs review applications. | Apr 27-May 11 |
| Subgroup Organizer Notifications | Applicants receive selection notifications. | Week of May 17 |
| Abstract Submission | Abstracts received for talk consideration in Subgroups. | Opens early June; Closes August 1 |
| Abstract Review | Subgroup organizers review and assign abstracts to their sessions. | August 4 to 14 |
| Session Scheduling | Subgroup organizers finalize Subgroup talk schedules. | August 15 to 22 |
| Speaker Notifications | Abstract submitters receive selection notifications. | Week of September 7 |