An ambitious EC-funded research initiative on epigenetics advancing towards systems biology

We are pleased to invite you to the 1st Epigenesys student/postdoc training workshop of 2013.

The workshop will:

• cover recent discoveries in the field of cancer epigenetics
• focus on recent epigenetic studies using high-throughput approaches
• discuss bioinformatic tools needed to integrate large datasets
• feature a special session about the role of lncRNAs in cancer

As in all our student/postdoc workshops we will have time dedicated for smaller group session in which you will have the chance to discuss and interact with other students and postdocs and leading researchers in the field. The CRG, located right in front of the sea, provides an excellent atmosphere for active discussions and networking. This workshop is co-sponsored by the EU project 4DCellFate.

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Between March 20^th and 27^th 2013 the 9^th Course on Epigenetics took place in Paris. This event was co-organized with the Network of Excellence EpiGeneSys and the Institut Curie. PhDs and Master students from different European research organizations had the opportunity to present their work and meet with members of the network like L. Ringrose, P. Hajkova and G. Almouzni. These trainees work on various aspects of epigenetics: nuclear organization, DNA repair, epigenetic regulatory elements or chromatin assembly, for example.

Click here to learn more about epigenetics and the benefits of this course.

Due to the high quality of the submitted proposals EpiGeneSys has decided to select not just one but three excellent proposals!

EpiGeneSys Small Scale Collaborative Projects provide early-stage scientists an opportunity to develop an idea for an independent project, write a proposal, and plan a budget—all as part of a competitive application process, reviewed by a panel of epigenetics and systems biology experts within the network. Each of the selected teams receives 10,000 EUR.

Find out about the awardees and their projects!

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In January more than 160 participants followed the invitation and came to the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam to join the EpiGeneSys 2^nd Annual Meeting, hosted by associate member Fred van Leeuwen.

The conference reflected the open character of the network by introducing the second round RISE1 (Research Integrating Epigenetics & Systems Biology) teams to the community and featured 30 scientific speakers in an almost even mix of permanent, RISE1 and associate members as well as 2 invited speakers. It has become the hallmark of EpiGeneSys meetings to provide a venue for stimulating the communication between systems biology and epigenetics, kick-starting new collaborations and giving ample opportunity to exchange ideas.

Don't miss the 3^rd Annual Meeting to be held from December 4^th – 6^th 2013 at the Babraham institute in Cambridge!

We are pleased to invite you to the second Epigenesys student/postdoc training workshop of 2012. This workshop, entitled "Epigenetics and the Environment" will begin on Tuesday October 9th and finish on Wednesday the 10th, in Munich, Germany. The workshop will be held at the Adolf Butenandt Institute, Department of Physiological Chemsitry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität.

This workshop will communicate what is known about the impact that the environment has on epigenetics, and will also feature a career-development aspect for an academic career track. The workshop will focus on the interplay between epigenetics and the environment, and how it's implicated in human health, animal behavior, and development.

Come to Munich and discuss recent findings with us in the field of environmental epigenetics. The small scale of these workshops provides participants with an excellent opportunity to network and have in-depth discussions during breakout sessions. Get to know Munich's EpiGeneSys labs and the wealth of local expertise on epigenetics that they offer. The workshop will be right after the Oktoberfest - so you might want to come early to join in on one of the world's largest folk festivals.

Confirmed Speakers:

• Elisabeth Binder, Max Planck, Munich, Germany
• Sigurd Braun, LMU, Munich, Germany
• Robert Feil, IGMM-CNRS, Montpellier, France
• Mario Fraga, CNB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain, and IUOPA, Oviedo, Spain
• Martha Merrow, LMU, Munich, Germany
• Leonie Ringrose, IMBA, Vienna, Austria
• Dietmar Spengler, Max Planck, Munich, Germany

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Organizing Committee:

• Stephan Beck
• Anne Ferguson Smith
• Nick Luscombe
• Jörn Walter

Local Organizer:

• Ivo Gut

This informal topic-oriented workshop aims to foster interactive discussions on open questions arising from/with the generation and interpretation of NGS data. The goal is to enhance the communication between "wet and dry" scientists and to foster the awareness of problems, challenges and emerging practical solutions. The following general questions should be addressed by the topic presenters and guide us through discussions:

• What are (experimentalists') expectations with particular epigenome data?
• What are common computational/statistical problems faced?
• How can "interaction" and interdisciplinary approaches contribute to solutions?

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• Guillaume Filion - Centre de Regulació Genòmica (CRG), Barcelona, Spain
• Jonathan Houseley - The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
• Reini F. Luco, Institut de Génétique Humaine, Montpellier , France
• Manolis Papamichos-Chronakis, Institut Curie, Paris, France
• Claire Rougeulle - CNRS / Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
• Peter Rugg-Gunn - The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
• Yuri Schwartz - Umeå University, Sweden
• Nicole Soranzo - Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
• Vijay Tiwari  - Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
• Juan M. Vaquerizas, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
• Michiel Vermeulen - University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands

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We are pleased to announce that a FREE one-day EpiGeneSys Symposium will take place on July 10th at the Institut Curie on "Work in Progress" in epigenetics with a systems biology view. The symposium will be held from 9:30 am ­ 4:00 pm in the BDD building.

This is a great opportunity to hear over half a dozen epigenetic researchers from across Europe giving talks right here in Paris! In addition, you'll hear talks from local epigenetic groups. We hope the meeting will be an occasion for you to meet up and network with others with similar research interests.

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The student/postdoc workshop, "Labcoats and Briefcases:
Epigenetics Gets Down to Business" held in Strasbourg at the IGBMC in June of 2012, simply put, was a great success!

The workshop, organized and run by EpiGeneSys Training Advisory Board (TAB) Members covered translational epigenetics and systems biology research and also featured a career-development aspect for a non-academic career track.

In the words of TAB member, Zack Gurard Levin, "The speakers brought up many interesting points about how our work in academic labs can connect with industry, and how it can make a true difference in improving lives even without a strong connection to industry (reinforcing the need for basic research). The breakout session discussions were lively and it seemed that everyone enjoyed them and the evaluation forms were very positive as well. Working with the IGBMC and the people there, including Maria-Elena, was indeed a great pleasure."

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The EpiGeneSys course on systems biology, held from June 3^rd – 6^th of 2012, and organised by Amos Tanay and Eran Segal, marked an important milestone on the road to forging an enduring link between epigenetics and systems biology for the network. 36 participants from the ranks of EpiGeneSys and the FP7 initiative, BLUEPRINT, were joined by young Israeli researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, to learn about basic concepts of systems biology, work together on a "dream project" and listen to excellent talks by leaders in the field. [...]

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