Plant Epigenetics, Stress and Evolution

Suzhou Dushu Lake Conference Center
October 29 – November 2, 2012
Abstract deadline extended to September 7

Organized by:
Jian-Kang Zhu, Purdue University and Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, USA and China
Yijun Qi, National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
Brandon Gaut, University of California, Irvine, USA
Zhizhong Gong, China Agricultural University, China

We are pleased to announce the Cold Spring Harbor Asia conference on Plant Epigenetics, Stress and Evolution which will be held at the Suzhou Dushu Lake Conference Center in Suzhou, China, located approximately 60 miles west of Shanghai. The conference will begin at 7:00pm on the evening of Monday October 29, and will conclude after lunch on Friday November 2, 2012.

The conference will include eight oral sessions and one poster session. Many talks will be selected from the openly submitted abstracts on the basis of scientific merit and relevance. Social events throughout the conference provide ample opportunity for informal interactions.

Major Topics:
1. Epigenetic mechanisms I: DNA methylation
2. Epigenetic mechanisms II: histone modifications
3. Epigenetic mechanism III: non-coding RNAs
4. Epigenetics and stress responses
5. Epigenetic inheritance
6. Epialleles and natural variation
7. Hybrids, polyploids and epigenetics
8. Epigenetics, environmental memory and evolution

Keynote Speakers:
Caroline Dean, John Innes Centre, United Kingdom
Abstract title: Vernalization; mechanism and natural variation
Robert Martienssen, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA
Abstract title: Reprogramming of DNA methylation in pollen guides epigenetic inheritance via small RNA
Marjori Matzke, Austrian Academy of Sciences, AUSTRIA
Abstract title: RNA-directed DNA methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana: gene silencing and beyond

Invited Speakers:
Kathryn Barton, Carnegie Institution, USA
Abstract title: Intersection between core shoot development networks and stress-related networks.
Xiaofeng Cao, Institute of Genetics & Developmental Biology, CAS, China
Abstract title: TBA
Juliette de Meaux, University of Münster, GERMANY
Abstract title: The epigenetic landscape of cis-regulatory divergence in the Arabidopsis genus
Shou-Wei Ding, University of California, Riverside, USA
Abstract title: TBA
Brandon Gaut, University of California, Irvine, USA
Abstract title: Gene-body methylation and TE silencing: Implications for plant genome evolution
Zhizhong Gong, China Agricultural University, CHINA
Abstract title: Silencers and anti-silencers: regulation of transcriptional gene silencing learned from the study of a T-DNA locus
Xin-Jian He, National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, CHINA
Abstract title: A novel zinc-finger and OCRE domain-containing Protein is required for regulation of small interfering RNA generation and RNA-directed DNA methylation in Arabidopsis
Lena Hileman, The University of Kansas, USA
Abstract title: RNA-seq identifies global patterns of gene expression correlated with damage induced trichome production across generations.
Hailing Jin, University of California Riverside, USA
Abstract title: "FUNGAL SMALL RNAS ACT AS EFFECTORS TO SUPPRESS HOST IMMUNE RESPONSES"
Tetsuji Kakutani, National Institute of Genetics, JAPAN
Abstract title: Genetics of DNA methylation in genes and transposons in Arabidopsis
Damon Lisch, University of California, Berkeley, USA
Abstract title: Mutator as a window into epigenetic silencing in plants
Ortun Mittelsten Scheid, Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, AUSTRIA
Abstract title: Mutual dependence between genome and epigenome stability
Magnus Nordborg, Gregor Mendel Institute, AUSTRIA
Abstract title: Massive genome variation and strong selection in Swedish Arabidopsis thaliana
Jurek Paszkowski, University of Geneva, SWITZERLAND
Abstract title: Epigenetic regulation of transcription and transgenerational inheritance
Wei-Qiang Qian, Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS, CHINA
Abstract title: ACTIVE DNA DEMETHYLATION IN ARABIDOPSIS
Eric Richards, Cornell University, USA
Abstract title: TBA
Herve Vaucheret, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, France
Abstract title: The H3K4me2/3 demethylase JMJ14 acts as an enhancer of sense transgene-mediated posttranscriptional gene silencing by promoting high levels of transgene transcription
Olivier Voinnet, Institut de Biologie Moleculaire des Plantes, FRANCE
Abstract title: TBA
Daniel Zilberman, University of California, Berkeley, USA
Abstract title: Histone variant H2A.Z regulates responsive genes

We encourage abstracts to contain new and unpublished materials. The abstracts must be submitted electronically by the abstract deadline. Selection of material for oral and poster presentation will be made by the organizers. Status (fellow's talk/poster) of abstracts will be posted on our web site as soon as decisions have been made by the organizers.

Fellowship:
We are eager to have as many young people as possible attend since they are likely to benefit most from this meeting. A certain number of presentations by graduate students and postdocs in this conference will be selected as fellowship (USD $200-$500) awards. For more details, please visit Stipends

We look forward to seeing you at Suzhou in October.

Sponsored by:

Package Content:

Please kindly note:

1. The early & normal price will be available if the full payment is finished before the exact due date.
For USD participants, we will automatically change your package price to the update one if we could not successfully charge the full payment from your registered credit card before the deadline.
For CNY participants, we will automatically change your package price to the update one if our bank account could not receive your full payment by wire transfer before the deadline.

2. For Student Package registered participants, please add your roommate requirement during the online registration. Otherwise, we’ll assign you a roommate among other student participants.

3. For late registrations, your housing & registration materials may not be guaranteed since the order is usually made in advance.

4. Please inform us your request on extra day (USD 80/CNY 500 per day) and food (vegetarian, kosher…etc.) during the online registration or email us as early as possible so that we could make relevant arrangement accordingly.

5.We offer CSHA endowed student package for graduate students (student ID is required). This special offer only includes the meeting session pass. Housing, food and social activities are not included in the package.

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