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International Summer School
From Genome to Life:
Structural, Functional and Evolutionary approaches
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AIMS and TOPICS of the SCHOOL |
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AIMS AND TOPICS OF THE SCHOOL |
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Biological sciences have undergo profund mutations in the recent years. Technical developments and upscaling in DNA
sequencing result in the determination of the complete nucleotide sequence of a number of genomes. The tremendous amount
of sequence informations presently available allows to address new fundamental questions on the functioning of a living
cell. At the same time, new global approaches are developped, allowing to monitor the level of expression of thousands
of genes, the way their protein (or RNA) products interact, and in many cases the cellular localisation and spacial
structure of these products. Moreover, multi-genome comparisons can now be made and have profund interest to understand
the history and evolution of fundamental cellular mechanisms.
These various global approaches in biology, now designated under the general term of GENOMICS, have been developped
at the interface between several sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Informatics. These new modes of thinking
diffuse rapidly in biological sciences and, as a consequence, many traditional research fields are reactivated or
stimulated. This is the case for studies on metabolic pathways, physiology, development, evolution ...
The genome-wide approaches also have a major socio-economical impact. One of the most spectacular is the detection
of hereditary diseases and the further possibility of gene therapy, but there are more general issues towards the
knowledge of human beings, with its benefits and dangers. The other major impact on health involves genomic studies on
pathogenic and infectious micro-organisms, viruses, bacteria, parasites. Finally, genomics will have profund
consequences on economy, especially agriculture and food.
Because of the unexpectedly fast evolution of the new genomic approaches, there is a special need of training in
this field. The aim of the present project of summer school is to offer a comprehensive, high level view on different
aspects of genomics, as developped thereafter in the tentative programme, with emphasis on the participation of young
scientists, students and post-docs. The school will mostly enlight fundamental aspects of genomics, whithout excluding
the many possible impacts on economy and health.
Although non exhaustive, the programme of the school, putting together eminent scientists, will stimulate
discussions and communications between researchers and students of different fields, and try to foster the development
of new collaborations
Organization of a Summer School on the field of Genomics is a real challenge : because of the extraordinary fast
extension of this domain, it is of great value to promote discussions between scientists of so diverse interests and
disciplines. This kind of event is a very favourable occasion to exchange informations and ideas in this new field where
many things remain to be constructed and many possibilities offered.
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