About the Symposium

September 18-21, 2008

This symposium is focused around the topical subject of Extracellular and Membrane Proteases in Cell Signaling. The meeting will bring together speakers from the cutting edges of this field, including a range from basic to more applied approaches. It will encourage the presentation of the newest findings, and will aim to promote intensive exchange of information from disparate areas of the field, discussion of mechanisms, and potential collaborations. It will provide the opportunity for students and younger researchers to gain a working knowledge of the current state of the field and the researchers who are expanding it.

Although the roles in signaling pathways of intracellular proteases such as the caspases and ICE are well defined, this is not true for many membrane localized and secreted proteases. Despite this ambiguity, the involvement of secreted proteases in signaling and their importance to normal physiology and many diseases are well-recognized. Because a conference is often a means of pushing the field forward by promoting discussions amongst those who are involved in the research, the more nebulous area of extracellular and membrane proteases in signaling is the focus of this symposium rather than the better defined intracellular protease systems.

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