On June 9 - 10, 2008, the First International Meeting on Brain Aquaporins will be held in Oslo, Norway. The discovery of aquaporin water channels - recognized by the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2003 to Peter Agre - has opened a new field in molecular medicine and provided new insight in how our organism handles water and salts at the cellular and organ level. Most notably, research on aquaporins has increased our understanding of several brain diseases, including brain edema and epilepsy. The upcoming meeting will address a broad range of physiological and pathophysiological processes in the brain, in the context of recent advances in aquaporin research.

Lectures will be given by the leading international capacities in the field, including Peter Agre. There will be poster sessions that will allow all participants to present their data.

A limited number of stipends is available for young researchers (PhD students or postdocs) that would be interested in attending the meeting. The stipends will cover travel and accommodation within a budget limit of 1000 Euro per stipend.

The meeting is organized under the auspices of the Centre for Molecular Biology and Neuroscience, University of Oslo, in collaboration with the Gaustad Neuroscience Network and the Nordic Centre for Research on Water Imbalance Related Disorders. The meeting is sponsored by the Steering committee for Molecular biology, Biotechnology, and Bioinformatics (EMBIO) at the University of Oslo, and the International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN).

Please direct applications for stipends to Maria Beatriz Azevedo Castro Rocha m.b.a.c.d.rocha@medisin.uio.no. Deadline for applications is May 15, 2008.

Read more about the meeting here>>