CUSO Biology Symposium 2022 I: Advances in Epigenetics and Epigenomics

27-29 June 2022

Mme Corinne Dentan, UNIL

Prof. Josep Casadesús
Prof. Vincent Colot
Prof. Troy Day
Dr. Luca Giorgetti
Prof. Albert Jeltsch
Prof. Frank Johannes
Dr. Axel Visel
Prof. Daniel Zilberman

The CUSO Biology Symposium 2022 will bring together internationally leading experts in epigenetics and epigenomics to discuss cutting-edge advances and recent trends in this fascinating field. The area of epigenetics – the study of developmental and phenotypic changes that do not involve DNA sequence changes – touches upon many fundamental aspects of biology and is therefore of great interest to a large audience of biologists: development and cellular biology; gene regulation; chromatin biology; phenotypic plasticity; non-genetic inheritance; and evolutionary adaptation.

Fundamental questions that will be discussed at the meeting include for example:
- How can the same genome give raise to different cell types?
- How do epigenetic mechanisms lead to changes in chromatin structure and gene expression?
- How are environmental changes translated into epigenetic changes?
- How does epigenetics impact phenotypes and disease states?
- To what extent is epigenetic variation controlled genetically?
- How heritable and stable are epigenetic marks over time?
- What is the role of epigenetic inheritance in evolution and adaptation?

The symposium is open to PhD students from all four CUSO doctoral programs inbiology (i.e., Staromics, Plant Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and Ecology andEvolution).

The symposium will consist of lectures by the invited experts as well as discussions with the students in smaller groups (journal club format).

CUSO Biology Symposium 2022 I

Advances in Epigenetics and Epigenomics

Schedule

Monday June 27, 2022

13:45-14:00 Welcome

14:00-15:00 Troy Day:

"The role of natural selection and epigenetics in adaptation"

15:00-16:00 Albert Jeltsch:

"Setting of DNA methylation patterns"

16:00-16:30 coffee break

16:30-18:30 Journal Club sessions 1-2

19:00 dinner

20:30-21:30 student's quick talks

Tuesday June 28, 2022

09:00-10:00 Daniel Zilberman:

"Inheritance and function of DNA methylation within chromatin"

10:00-10:30 coffee break

10:30-11:30 Luca Giorgetti:

"Towards a quantitative understanding of long-range transcriptional regulation"

12:00 lunch

13:00-14:00 Vincent Colot:

"Plant transposable elements and their epigenetic control: engines of rapid adaptation?"

14:00-15:00 Axel Visel:

"Distant-Acting Enhancers in Development, Disease, and Evolution"

15:00-15:30 coffee break

15:30-16:30 Frank Johannes:

"Spontaneous epimutations in plants"

17:00-19:00 Journal Club sessions 3-5

19:00 dinner

Wednesday June 29, 2022

09:00-10:00 Josep Casadesus:

"Phenotypic heterogeneity in bacterial populations"

10:00-10:30 coffee break

10:30-11:45 Journal Club sessions 6-8

11:45-12:00 change of clothes

12:00 lunch

12:35 go to the station

12:40 train leaves for Les Rochers-de-Naye

End of meeting

Caux (VD)

Map

The course is organized in collaboration with the CUSO programs of Molecular Plant Sciences, StarOmics, Ecology & Evolution and Microbiology.

Expenses:

CUSO participants will be asked a fee of CHF 30.- to pay before June 1st at the latest. Bank details will be sent in the confirmation e-mail.

Reimbursements for CUSO StarOmics students:
- Train ticket, 2°class, half-fare from your institution to the place of the activity.

NEW from 2021: Reimbursement of your travel tickets can be asked online through your MyCUSO. See HERE for the procedure.
For any question concerning reimbursement please contact the CUSO StarOmics coordinator Corinne Dentan

Other CUSO Students: Please contact the coordinator of your Program.

For non-CUSO participants: CHF 100.-/day + hotel/catering expenses.

In case of cancellation, before the deadline (03.06): free
Late cancellation or no-show: 50 CHF administrative fee

Please tell us with your registration if you want to present a short talk.

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