W.H.A.T.

News


September 21th, 2010

POLYAMINES MEETING ROME-TIVOLI, ITALY, DECEMBER 1st - 6th, 2010

IMPORTANT NEWS ! !

REGISTRATION FEE AND ABSTRACT SUBMISSION: NEW DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24th, 2010

Dear Polyamine attendees, Dearest TGasi's friends,

As requested, I would like to inform you that we extended the submission deadline for the "2a International Conference on the Role of Polyamines and their Analogs in Cancer and other Diseases, that will be held in Tivoli (Rome), Italy, from December 1st to 6th, 2010 (http://w3.uniroma1.it/polyamines/ )

The extended submission DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24th, 2010.

A session on "Polyamines and Transglutaminases" has been included in the scientific program. We are looking forward to meeting you all in Tivoli-Rome, next December.

Sincerely yours,

Enzo

Enzo Agostinelli Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli"
SAPIENZA University of Rome
Piazzale Aldo Moro 5
00185 Roma
ITALY
Phone: +39 0649910838
Fax: +39 064440062
mail to: enzo.agostinelli@uniroma1.it


September 7th, 2010

POLYAMINES MEETING ROME-TIVOLI, ITALY, DECEMBER 1st - 6th , 2010

REGISTRATION FEE AND ABSTRACT SUBMISSION:
DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 15th, 2010

Dear Polyamine attendees, Dearest friends,

I remind to all of you that Kazuei and I are organizing the "2a International Conference on the Role of Polyamines and their Analogs in Cancer and other Diseases", that will be held in Italy, SAPIENZA University of Rome and Tivoli (Rome), from December 1st to 6th, 2010.

Please visit the website of the Conference: http://w3.uniroma1.it/polyamines/ , as registration is now open, and for all the relevant information regarding the meeting.

Please complete the registration form as soon as conveniently possible and submit your abstract: DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 15th, 2010. After completing the online registration process you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing the information due, as concerns your attending to the meeting.

IMPORTANT NEWS ! !

1) A session on "Polyamines and Transglutaminases" has been included in the scientific program

2) Registration fee for young scientists is reduced. Therefore, we invite young scientists to suggest, in the "form", the name of an other young scientist for sharing a double room

3) A Special Issue edited by Kazuei and I will be published on Amino Acid J. A tentative deadline is February 2011. Details will be discussed during the Tivoli's meeting

Other news:

Travel arrangements: Please visit the website "travel information", Mrs Daniela Panari d.panari@agriscambi.com of the Travel Agency "AgriScambi" is available to help you.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you need any help or more information.

We are looking forward to meeting you all in Tivoli-Rome, next December.

Sincerely yours,

Enzo and Kazuei

Enzo Agostinelli Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli"
SAPIENZA University of Rome
Piazzale Aldo Moro 5
00185 Roma
ITALY
Phone: +39 0649910838
Fax: +39 064440062
mail to: enzo.agostinelli@uniroma1.it


March 2010

POLYAMINES MEETING ROME-TIVOLI, ITALY, DECEMBER 1st - 6th , 2010

Dear Polyamine attendees, Dearest friends,

I remind to all of you that Kazuei and I are organizing the "2a International Conference on the Role of Polyamines and their Analogs in Cancer and other Diseases", that will be held in Italy, SAPIENZA University of Rome and Tivoli (Rome), from December 1st to 6th , 2010.

Please visit the website of the Conference (the site is in progress): http://w3.uniroma1.it/polyamines/

Please fill in the PRE-REGISTRATION FORM, at your earliest convenience, (DEADLINE is March 31th, 2010). The "form" is on the website.
We would be really pleased to receive, a.s.a.p., a positive reply to this e-mail message, as concerns your attending to the meeting, for planning purposes.

Moreover, it is also my pleasure to inform all of you that the Volume on "Polyamines in Biological Systems" Volume 38, Number 2 / February, 2010 was just published on Amino Acids (Ed. Springer-Verlag).

We are looking forward to meeting you all in Rome, next December.

Sincerely yours,

Enzo and Kazuei

Enzo Agostinelli Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli"
SAPIENZA University of Rome
Piazzale Aldo Moro 5
00185 Roma
ITALY
Phone: +39 0649910838
Fax: +39 064440062
mail to: enzo.agostinelli@uniroma1.it


February 2010

News about the upcoming Gordon Research Conference

Transglutaminases in Human Disease Processes

scheduled on July 18-23, 2010 at Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, USA.

FROM: Dr. Richard Eckert and his Assistant Kathleen S. Reinecke, regarding the upcoming Gordon Research Conference entitled, Transglutaminases in Human Disease Processes.

The direct link to the website to register for this Conference is:

http://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?year=2010&program=transgluta

This link will take you directly to the site to register.
The Organizer Committee kindly encourages all to register early as there are only 150 slots available!
If you have any questions, please contact Kathleen S. Reinecke at the following addresses:

Kathleen S. Reinecke, AA
Assistant to the Chair
Dr. Richard Eckert
John F.B. Weaver Endowed Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of Maryland, Baltimore
108 N. Greene Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-706-3220; Fax: 410-706-8297
kreineck@umaryland.edu
http://medschool.umaryland.edu/biochemistry/


February 2010

We are glad to inform all the WHATers about the following message received by Prof. Akitada Ichinose.

Dear Friends:

We are very glad that we can announce the annual International Factor XIII Symposium in Nurenberg, Germany, on February 24, 2010, through the courtesy of Profs. Ulrich Walter and Frits Rosendaal, the presidents of the 54th GTH & NVTH joint meeting. We wish to dedicate this symposium to the late Prof. Rudolf Egbring, a world-famous great FXIII scientist of the Marburg University, who passed away on October 30, 2009.

Looking forward to meeting you in Nurenberg soon.

Best regards,

Chairs of International Factor XIII Symposium
Akitada Ichinose
Rainer Seitz

---------------------------------------------

Final program of International Factor XIII Symposium/Workshop by Profs. A. Ichinose (Yamagata, Japan) and R. Seitz (Langen, Germany)

I. Novel functions and roles of Factor XIII in biological reactions (chaired by Prof. A. Ichinose):
1) A novel function of the A subunit of Factor XIII (FXIII-A) in platelet-fibrin clot retraction by Akitada Ichinose
2) New insights into the functional significance of cellular Factor XIII by Gonzalez-Manchon C
3) Factor XIII binding to TRAP-activated platelets by Janos Kappelmayer
4) Cellular Factor XIII as a novel leukemia associated immunophenotype by Janos Kappelmayer
5) Interaction between Factor XIII and the complement system by Verena Schroeder

II. New aspects of Factor XIII in various disease states (chaired by Prof. R. Seitz):
6) Factor XIII in tears and cornea: its possible function in health and disease by Muszbek L.
7) Activation of Factor XIII in individuals with Factor V Leiden mutation; a novel down-stream mechanism that might contribute to the increased risk of thrombosis by Bagoly Z
8) Molecular MRI of early thrombus formation using a bimodal alpha2-antiplasmin-based contrast agent by M. Eline Kooi
9) A novel C to A mutation in intron 1 of the Factor XIII-A gene leads to a decreased enhancer activity and the subsequent Factor XIII deficiency in a Chinese family by Wangwei Cai

Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Time: 09:30 12:00
Session No: Faktor XIII Workshop
Session title: Novel functions of factor XIII and its new roles in various biological reactions and disease states
Room: Istanbul

Venue: CCN Ost
NurnbergMesse GmbH
Messezentrum
90471 Nurnberg
Germany
www.congressing.de


February 2010

POLYAMINES MEETING ROME-TIVOLI, ITALY, DECEMBER 2010

Dearest Friends,

As Kazuei and I already informed you in USA, at the GRC, we are organizing the " 2nd International Conference on the Role of Polyamines and their Analogs in Cancer and other Diseases, that will be held in Italy, SAPIENZA University of Rome, Tivoli (Rome), from December 1st to 6th, 2010.
Website of the Conference is in progress.

Best regards.

Enzo and Kazuei

mail to: enzo.agostinelli@uniroma1.it


September 2009

Gordon Conference Report

Dear WHATers,
we have received a wonderful and accurate Scientific and Photographic Report, prepared for us by Prof. Donatella Serafini Fracassini, describing the recent Gordon Research Conference Polyamine 2009 (Waterville Valley, NH, USA).
Now, who was not able to attend such Conference, may easily discover what was discussed about.
Click here to download the report.
Many thanks, Donatella, from all the Transglutaminates's People.


June 2009

Gordon Conference "Transglutaminase in Human Disease Processes"

Richard L. Eckert, Conference Chair of the Gordon Conference entitled "Transglutaminase in Human Disease Processes" sent us a letter for announcing the Conference, which will be held on July 18-23, 2010 at Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina.

Please click here to read his letter.


February 2009

Annual Meeting on Biogenic Amines

The Meetings will be held in Bertinoro, Italy, on 11-14 May, 2009.

The First Circular about the Meeting is available here.


February 2007

Dear colleague,

I trust you are informed about the 9th International Conference 
on Transglutaminases and Protein Crosslinking (PCL9) which will 
take place at Marrakech (Morocco) from September 1st to 5th, 2007.

Now, we are pleased to announce that the registration for PCL9 is 
open through the web site: www.pcl9.com  
where you will find all the preliminary information about the conference.
 
We of course remain at your disposal for any further questions.
 
We are looking forward to welcoming you in Marrakech,
 
Sincerely,
 
Said El Alaoui, Ph.D.
PCL9 Conference Chairman
Important Note:  the web site will continue to be updated as new 
information becomes available. 


January 2007

Dear Attendees,

Following on the tradition of successful Congresses held in several European countries, Simone and I are pleased to invite you to attend and to contribute to the session on POLYAMINES & TGase, within the "10^ International Amino Acids and Proteins Congress - ICAAP-", organized by Prof. Maria Liakopoulou-Kyriakides. The meeting will be held in Kallithea, Chalkidiki, Greece from August 21 to 26, 2007.

Information regarding the Conference Centre are available online at the website:

http://icaap.web.auth.gr

We would be really pleased to receive a positive reply to this e-mail message, as concerns your participation to the meeting.

Please submit a.s.a.p. a tentative title(s) of your talk or poster presentation and a pre-registration form.

We are looking forward to meeting you in Greece, next August.

Sincerely yours,

Enzo Agostinelli - University La Sapienza, Rome
Simone Beninati - University Tor Vergata, Rome


December 2006

Dear colleague,

Covalab and the organizers would like to bring to your attention the upcoming 9th International Conference on Protein Crosslinking and Transglutaminases (PCL9) which is going to take place at Marrakech (Morocco) from September 1st to 5th, 2007

This international conference is continuing the tradition of PCL meetings being held every 2 to 3 years. The following preliminary scientific sessions are planned for the conference:

1. Structure and function of transglutaminases
2. Cellular signalling
3. Transglutaminase substrates
4. Factor XIII
5. Transglutaminases in health and disease
6. Neurogenerative diseases
7. Wound healing and scarring / fibrosis
8. Non-mammalian transglutaminases and biotechnology
9. Coeliac disease (special clinical workshop on December 5th)

The PCL9 conference is a unique opportunity for you to present your work and update your knowledge in this field.
A conference website will be available soon at www.covalab.com. You will be notified once this will be up and running.

Conference venue:

The conference and all the accommodations will be at 4-5 stars hotel in the middle of a three-hectare private park with pleasant colours and green space with a modern infrastructure where all the conveniences are available. The hotel is near (10 min walk) the prestigious Koutoubia and the very famous Djemaa El Fna Square.
Meeting: a plenary room of a maximum capacity of 300 people in theatre style is available. Also there is a 256 square-meter exhibition hall.
Rooms: Luxuriously appointed rooms (soundproof), including some suites are roomy. They are equipped with air-conditioning, direct telephone line, satellite TV, a mini refrigerator and individual safe. Some rooms are equipped for the people with reduced mobility.
Hobbies: a large swimming pool (300 m2) heated in winter, a tennis court, a general sports ground (foot-ball; volley ball, ?), a bowling pitch, gym, table-tennis, a playground equipped for child, a cyber space, spa, hammam, oriental massage.
IT: Internet connection, wifi.

We are sure you will not want to miss out on exciting science in the beautiful city and country. To this end we would like you to confirm your participation no later than December 20th.

For more information Please contact:
Mrs Christine Dufour
Dr El Alaoui Said
aa@covalab.com
Phone : 33 (0) 437.654.230
Fax 33(0) 437.289.416


October 2006

Dear W.H.A.T.E.R.s,
following the numerous requests about, finally we have some Good News: we received information from Dr. Said El Aloui about the next Protein Crosslinking Meeting. PCL9 will be organized by CovalAb in Marrakech (Morocco) in September 2007 between 1st and 10th (4-5 days). As soon as we have further information, we will inform you.

W.H.A.T. Web Administrator

For additional information:
Covalab, 11 avenue Albert Einstein
69100 Villeurbanne - France
Phone : 33 (0) 437.654.230
Fax 33(0) 437.289.416
Web : www.covalab.com


August 2006

Dear WHATers,
we received the following request of information. Please send us any information useful to answer this question.
Thank you in advance,

Angelo Facchiano

-----

Would you kindly let me know when and where there is a scheduled
transglutaminase meeting in 2007?  Thank you for your help.

Best,
Bijan Ahvazi
***********************************************
Bijan Ahvazi Ph.D.
National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases  (NIAMS)
X-ray Crystallography Facility/Office of Science and Technology
MSC 8023
50 South Dr.
Bldg. 50, Room 1345
Bethesda, MD 20892-8023 

July 2006

Dear W.H.A.T.,
We would much appreciate if you considered the publication on your site of the attached obituary, or a shorten version of it, following the death of a young member of the transglutaminase research group at Nottingham Trent University, who many of us had the pleasure to meet at conferences.

Kind Regards

Elisabetta Verderio

- - - - - - -

Obituary

I am very sorry to announce the recent loss of Dr Richard Jones, a promising member of the transglutaminase scientific community.

Dr Jones undertook his PhD studies at Nottingham Trent University under the supervision of Prof M Griffin and subsequently continued to focus on the study of matrix tissue transglutaminase, defining its role in tumor inhibition. His latest work is in press (Jones RA et al Cell Death and Differentiation, 2006).

We have lost a talented scientist in our group and above all a dear friend, always ready to help, listen, and share his knowledge without conditions. A mentor for PhD students, a reliable colleague for Research Fellows and a valid collaborator of the Academic Lecturing Team at Nottingham Trent University.

Many of us will remember him at the Transglutaminase Conference in Lyon and then in Ferrara, where he was awarded the best Poster Prize.

He left this world on Sat 1st July, aged 38, after a long personal battle against cancer.

Richard will be greatly missed by all who had the opportunity of working with him.

Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3

Elisabetta Verderio
School of Biomedical Science
Nottingham Trent University
Clifton Lane
Nottingham NG11 8NS
elisabetta.verderio-edwards AT ntu.ac.uk


December 2005

Dear colleagues,
I remember you the Tissue Transglutaminase in Human Pathology meeting which will be held in Milano the next 17th of March 2006.
A preliminar program is available here.
Due to the receptivity of the meeting room, the number of participants will be limited to the first eighty subscribers, thus you should send a pre-registration form to the fax 0039 02 50320403.
Please forward this message to any possible interested colleague.

Yours sincerely

Dr. Maria Teresa Bardella
Dr. Luca Elli
Dept. of Medicine Sciences
University of Milano
Tel. 0039 02 55033384
Fax 0039 02 50320403
E-mail:
tissue_tg_human_pathol@yahoo.it
luca.elli@unimi.it
mariateresa.bardella@unimi.it


August 2005

We received the following message by Prof. Rolf Hilgenfeld with information about the social program of the next PCL8 Conference:
Dear PCL8 participants,

only one week left until we will all meet at Luebeck for the 8th International
Conference on Protein Crosslinking and Transglutaminases (PCL8)! The level of 
excitement is certainly increasing at this end...

Today I am writing to introduce you to the social program of the conference. 
Participation in most of the activities is included in the registration fee 
and you will see that we offer good value for your money, not only by 
arranging an interesting scientific program, but also in terms of leisure 
activities.

Please help us organize these events by selecting from the list below and 
letting us know (through e-mail to pcl8@biochem.uni-luebeck.de) what you'd 
like to participate in. Places for the events with limitation of the number 
of participants will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

See you next week at PCL8!


- Rolf Hilgenfeld -


SOCIAL PROGRAM 
  
  
Thursday, September 01, 2005 
  
13:00 hrs.: Guided City Tour (walk) 
Meeting point outside the Radisson SAS Senator Hotel (Willy-Brandt-Allee) 
Duration: ~ 2 hrs. 
Included in the conference registration fee. Please register for this tour 
before August 31 through pcl8@biochem.uni-luebeck.de. Note that a second 
tour of this kind will be offered on Sunday, September 04. 
  
18:00 hrs.: Get-Together 
Meet the participants of the conference at an informal event with snacks, 
drinks and live music. Even gluten-free beer will be available! The 
get-together will take place in the Balkensaal  a historic room under the 
roof of the Media Docks. 
Included in the conference registration fee. 
  
  
Friday, September 02, 2005 
  
21:30 hrs.: Guided City Tour at Night (walk) 
Do not miss Luebeck by night! Guides in historic costumes will take you 
through the ancient town. You will discover charming places within the 
center of Luebeck. 
The hanseatic town offers many small cosy bars and cafes, where you can 
stop for a drink and relax after the walk. 
Meeting point at the historic town hall of Luebeck. 
Duration: ~ 1.5  2 hrs. 
Costs: 8 ? per person including a small surprise (but drinks not included).
Please register through pcl8@biochem.uni-luebeck.de or on Thursday, 
September 01, at the registration desk. 
  
Saturday, September 03, 2005 
  
20:00 hrs.: Conference Dinner 
Dinner will take place in the traditional restaurant Ratskeller in the 
historic town hall of Luebeck. Address: 
Ratskeller zu Luebeck 
Markt 13 
23552 Luebeck 
Tel.: 0049-(0)451-72044 
Included in the conference registration fee. Please register on Thursday, 
September 01, at the registration desk. 
Dress code: casual.
  
  
Sunday, September 04, 2005 
  
14:30 hrs.: Boat Trip around Luebeck 
Discover Luebeck from a small boat going around the historic center! 
Duration: ~ 1 hr. 
Meeting point at the Media Docks. 
Included in the conference registration fee. On the boat, coffee and snacks 
will be available. Please register through pcl8@biochem.uni-luebeck.de at 
your earliest convenience, but before Friday, August 26. 
Minimum number of participants: 30. 
  
15:30 hrs.: Guided City Tour (walk) 
Meeting point at the waterfront where the boat will stop (see above). 
Tour will depart after return of the boat. 
Duration: ~ 2 hrs. 
Included in the conference registration fee. Please register through 
pcl8@biochem.uni-luebeck.de or on Thursday, September 01, at the registration desk. 
  
  
Further suggestions: 
  
Learn more about the family of Nobel Prize-winning author Thomas Mann in the 
Buddenbrook-House: a reception will take place in the foyer of the building, 
including champagne, wine and more. There will be a guided tour, where small, 
amusing and interesting stories about the family of writers will be told 
(in English). Duration: approximately 1.5 hrs. Costs: 11 ? per person 
(12  25 people per tour). Booking through the PCL8 conference registration desk. 
  
  
On Saturday night, September 03, the theaters of Luebeck will organize the 
Night of Theater (in German): beginning at 16:00 hrs., all theaters in Luebeck 
present different performances until midnight. Musicals, improvisation plays, 
rehearsals of the newest stagings and more can be seen during this event. 
Tickets can be purchased at all participating theaters. Please find more 
information at www.theaternacht-luebeck.de. 
  
  
Until September 04, the sand-sculpture park Sandworld can be visited at 
Luebeck Travemuende. Please find more information at www.sandworld.de. 
  
  
For further information do not hesitate to contact the PCL8 Organizing Team 
(pcl8@biochem.uni-luebeck.de). During registration starting Thursday, 
September 01, 2005, from 10:00 hrs. in the Media Docks, we will be happy 
to answer all your questions. 
  

-- 
Prof. Rolf Hilgenfeld





April 2005

We received a message by Laszlo Lorand, concerning the figure reported on the cover of Progress in Experimental Tumor Research, vol. 38, entitled "Transglutaminases - Family of Enzymes with Diverse Functions". This is the specific comment:


       I regret that the drawing on the cover of the Mehta/Eckert book 
       perpetuates the mistaken notion that the N-terminal first seven 
       amino acids of TG2 would be the site of binding to fibronectin. 
       That property is built into a larger domain in the N-terminal third 
       segment of TG2 and, if anything, the stretch of the first seven 
       amino acids bracketed in the cover photo, might only play an 
       indirect role in securing the proper folding of the downstream 
       segment. 

       Laszlo 

We thank Laszlo for his kind message and we welcome any further comment to be posted in our web page: Laszlo will respond on specific questions.


March 2005

We received by Kapil Mehta the cover (as pdf file) of the Progress in Experimental Tumor Research vol. 38 entitled "Transglutaminases - Family of Enzymes with Diverse Functions" edited by K. Mehta and R. Eckert. Click here to see the cover!


April 2004

We received by e-mail a request of information about the next transglutaminase conference. We have no information about it, at the present, and we will be happy to put here any news the WHATers wish to spread around.


February 2004


We received this message for the WHAT community

Hi! I'm Patricia a PhD. student. I'm studing the activity of a plant
TGase and I would like to ask you for methods of activity measurement. 
I've been using the method described by Del Duca et.al. (1994) that 
makes the determination of the pelleted putrescine-tritiated proteins of 
a protein extract; but I would like to find an alternative method that 
permits a more rapid measurement of the TGase activity.
I would appreciate your help a lot. Thanks,

Patricia Carvajal V.
Lab. Biotecnología
IQS-URL
Barcelona 08017
Via Augusta 390
Tel. (34)932672000

Click here for the news of the past years.