Serpins 2008

The major goal of this symposium is to bridge fundamental research and clinical investigations on serine protease inhibitors (serpins). To date, over 1000 serpins have been identified in eukaryotic organisms (including animals, plants, insects), bacteria and viruses. As major inhibitors of serine or cysteine proteinases, serpins play a role in cell death pathways, blood clotting, inflammation, angiogenesis, tumor metastasis, etc. Serpin polymerization leads to serpinopathies resulting in dementia, emphysema or thrombosis. To understand the molecular mechanism underlying their function in normal physiological processes and their role in human diseases, basic research including molecular cell biology, structural biology, protein crystallography, bioinformatics and biochemistry is of utmost importance.
By organizing this symposium, we hope to provide you with an exciting environment in which critical discussions and a fruitful exchange of ideas between basic researchers and clinical investigators are possible.

We look forward to welcoming you all in Leuven a wonderful city known for its sculpted Town Hall, its Beguinage (officially recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site), its University and its breweries.

Sincerely yours,

Paul Declerck (Chair)
Ann Gils (Vice-Chair)


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