Conference Description
The Centromere Biology GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.
Centromeres play a crucial role in directing the assembly of kinetochores during mitosis and meiosis, ensuring the proper segregation of chromosomes. Although centromeres serve a universal function, their organization, DNA sequence, and associated proteins vary greatly. Dysfunctional centromeres are known to be associated with diseases, including cancer. As a result, research into centromeres has led to major breakthroughs in our understanding of chromosome segregation, epigenetic mechanisms, cell cycle regulation, chromosome evolution, and disease. Recent advances in imaging, genomics, and gene editing have greatly accelerated progress in the field of centromere biology. The field is at the cusp of major breakthroughs that will impact or understanding of how genomes are inherited and pave the way for potential novel therapies for diseases resulting from misregulation of centromeres.
The 2024 Centromere Biology conference will foster a friendly and vibrant atmosphere, welcoming junior scientists and trainees by selecting talks from submitted abstracts. The primary objective of this conference is to facilitate interaction among a community of scientists interested in centromere biology, allowing them to discover the latest advancements in the field, learn about new technologies and applications, and establish and reinforce connections among scientists at every career stage.
The topics, speakers, and discussion leaders for the conference sessions are displayed below. The conference chair is currently developing their detailed program, which will include the complete meeting schedule, as well as the talk titles for all speakers. The detailed program will be available by March 30, 2024. Please check back for updates.
Keynote Session: DNA Sequences and Protein Complexes That Make Up Centromeres
Discussion Leaders
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Elaine Dunleavy (National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland)
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Daniel Foltz (Northwestern University, United States)
Speakers
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Rachel O'Neill (University of Connecticut, United States)
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Andrea Musacchio (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Germany)
Centromere Genomics, Evolution and Variation
Discussion Leaders
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Harmit Malik (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, United States)
Speakers
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Amanda Larracuente (University of Rochester, United States)
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Lila Fishman (University of Montana, United States)
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André Marques (Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Germany)
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Beth Dumont (The Jackson Laboratory, United States)
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Kaustuv Sanyal (JNCASR, India)
Sequence-Based Approaches to Probe Centromere Properties
Discussion Leaders
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Kelly Dawe (University of Georgia, United States)
Speakers
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Nicolas Altemose (Stanford University, United States)
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Karen Miga (University of California, Santa Cruz, United States)
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Simona Giunta (University of Rome Sapienza, Italy)
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Glennis Logsdon (University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, United States)
Regulation of Centromere Identity
Discussion Leaders
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Munira Basrai (National Cancer Institute, NIH, United States)
Speakers
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Lars Jansen (University of Oxford, United Kingdom)
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Patrick Heun (University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom)
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Ines Drinnenberg (Institut Curie, France)
Transcription at the Centromere and Centromere-Derived RNAs
Discussion Leaders
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Aaron Straight (Stanford University School of Medicine, United States)
Speakers
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Sylvia Erhardt (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - KIT, Germany)
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Beth Sullivan (Duke University, United States)
Determinants of Chromosome Behavior Around and Above the Centromere
Discussion Leaders
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Sylvia Erhardt (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - KIT, Germany)
Speakers
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Gary Karpen (UC Berkeley, United States)
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Binyam Mogessie (Yale University, United States)
Functional Contributions of Centromeres to Chromosome Segregation
Discussion Leaders
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Tatsuo Fukagawa (Osaka University, Japan)
Speakers
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William Earnshaw (University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom)
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Sue Biggins (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, United States)
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Fei Li (New York University, United States)
Centromere Dysfunction and Disease
Discussion Leaders
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Ben Black (University of Pennsylvania, United States)
Speakers
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Lilian Kabeche (Yale University, United States)
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Daniele Fachinetti (Institut Curie, France)
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Teresa Davoli (New York University School of Medicine, United States)
Centromeres in Meiosis and Stem Cell Division
Discussion Leaders
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Takashi Akera (National Institutes of Health, United States)
Speakers
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Adele Marston (University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom)
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Michael Lampson (University of Pennsylvania, United States)
The GRC Power Hour™
Organizers
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Amanda Larracuente (University of Rochester, United States)
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Lilian Kabeche (Yale University, United States)
