MOLECULAR HELMINTHOLOGY: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH

Molecular Helminthology: An Integrated Approach? has the goal of bringing researchersup-to-date with advances in the field, demonstrate the ability to ask cutting edgequestions by using the newly available research tool box, and give young scientists achance to present their work and see the future directions of the discipline.The conference is designed not just to present the recent findings in the field ofmolecular helminthology but also to take advantage of the remarkable advancesanticipated and occurring in the field. A renaissance of approaches including all aspectsof `omics' as well as novel molecular tools, such as gene transfers, gene knock-outs,RNA interference and CRISPR-CAS9 is now available. These approaches have led tonovel hypotheses and questions that will underpin the topics for this unique conference.The task is to integrate the rapidly accumulating knowledge from parasitic helminthsand to translate that information into relevant directions in the study of their uniquebiology and host- helminth interactions.This multidisciplinary conference will bring together scientists from many researchperspectives. Proposed topics are listed below. The importance of this symposium isthat it highlights research on helminth parasites, which is critically underrepresented.This timely conference is geared to inspire the early-stage scientists who will set thedirection for the future.Our primary goal is to invite speakers who will present cutting edge research onhelminths. The end result will be a toolbox for helminth research that has improveddramatically since the last meeting to resolve novel questions of the biology ofhelminths and helminth-host interactions. A secondary goal is to encourage everyoneespecially the junior people to network. A special effort will be made to make sure thatthe students/postdocs and disease endemic scientists meet with the speakers ofinterest. Another goal is to assure that we are inclusive as far as diversity andunderrepresented minorities are concerned.Themes: ? Interrogating Helminth `omics ? Helminth - Host interplay; immunomodulation, microbiome and metabolome ? Tools to Manipulate Helminth Gene Expression ? Signaling Pathways and Biomarkers in Helminths ? Genetics and Biochemistry of Drug Targets, Drug Action and Resistance