For many years, our understanding of the organization of major biological activities within the cell was limited to membrane-dependent compartmentalization. However, over the past few years a revolution in thought has been sweeping nearly the entire cell biology community. It is now becoming clear that many complex functions of the cell, and the multiple biochemical complexes that perform them, are highly organized and coordinated in non-membrane-bound molecular compartments. In some cases, we are uncovering the regulation and function of long-mysterious subcellular assemblages. In other cases, we are only beginning to appreciate that known biological activities function through organized structures.

We hope you can join us in Seville, where we will connect researchers across the breadth of cell biology studying the regulation and consequences of organization of large biological complexes throughout the cell. The focus will be on bringing together researchers working across the cell biology spectrum, including the cytoskeleton, stress granules, signaling clusters, the nuclear pore, transcription centers, chromatin, and more. Emerging concepts and technologies with broad applicability will be emphasized to help cross-pollinate new avenues of research for the diverse interests of conference attendees.

Topics within the scope of this meeting include, but are not limited to:

The roles and mechanisms of organizing molecules

• RNA versus protein
• Disordered protein regions and multivalent interactions
• Phase transitions and hydrogels

Organization in the nucleus

• Chromatin and heterochromatin
• Paraspeckles and nucleoli
• DNA damage foci

Organization in the cytoplasm and within and around membranes

• Subcellular granules and functional amyloid-like structures
• Signalosomes, cytoskeleton,and nuclear pores
• Synaptic and post-synaptic densities
• Juxta-endomembrane assemblies

Functional and mechanistic dissection of roles in basic cell biology and development

• Autophagy, innate immune, and other cell stress responses
• DNA transactions: transcription, DNA repair, and genome stability
• Germ cell and embryonic development

Functional and mechanistic dissection of roles in disease

• Cancer
  
• Neurodegeneration
  
• Other protein misfolding disorders