International Researchers at Conference
From August 31 to September 3, 2022, the 11th ZOMES conference took place at the Maritim Hotel Magdeburg, which was organized by Prof. Dr. Michael Naumann and Jenny Gegenwarth from the Institute of Experimental Internal Medicine.
The biannual conference series is an initiative of scientists working on three related macrocomplexes, the 19S proteasome, the COP9 signalosome and the translation initiation factor eIF3 - also called PCI complexes or "ZOMES". These three macrocomplexes control protein function and turnover, as well as translation. The basic functions of these three complexes are important for diverse cellular processes, and their dysregulation/defects could lead to human diseases.
The participants of the 11th ZOMES Conference, Photo: Sarah Kossmann/UMMD
A total of 81 participants, including 10 PhD students from 13 different countries, attended the XI-ZOMES conference. 72 participants of the XI-ZOMES conference came from Europe. The current state of research was presented under the heading "Determining cell physiology by setting the course in protein turnover". Leading scientists presented new results on the structure, function and regulation of COP9 signalosome, eIF3 and 19S proteasome.
The participants listened to 32 lectures by leading scientists in the field of protein translation and proteolysis. They also received a fascinating overview of Magdeburg's multifaceted history by the director of Magdeburg's museums, Dr. Gabriele Köster.
Young scientists were given the opportunity to present their own research projects in 16 short presentations (10 of them by PhD students) and to discuss them with experienced scientists. Among others, results of PhD students from the GRK 2408 of Otto von Guericke University were presented.
The XI-ZOMES conference was a complete success. After a long, hard break due to the worldwide COVID19 pandemic, all participants of the XI-ZOMES conference were very happy to be able to talk to each other in person, to initiate new collaborations and to maintain old ones.
11th ZOMES Conference, Photo: Sarah Kossmann/UMMD
The meeting gave young scientists a boost of confidence to discuss face to face with experienced scientists without reservations, but also the motivation to publish their own research results in reputable journals. For this purpose, the "Editor-in-Chief-Lunch" was organized especially for young scientists to discuss in detail with Prof. Lienhard Schmitz, the editor of the journal ''BBA - Molecular Cell Research'', about the preparation of manuscripts.