CREST International Symposium "Acquired Immunity and Glycobiology"

International Symposium on "Acquired Immunity and Glycobiology" was held at the Kazusa Akademia Hall on March 23 and 24, 2009, hosted by JST (Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology CREST:Research Areas "Clarification of the Biological Functions of Sugar Chains and the Use of this Knowledge in Applied Technologies") and School of Biomedical Science and Biomedical Science PhD Program, Tokyo Medical and Dental University; and co-hosted by Internationalization Program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Since immunocytes have the highest expression of lectin, which is a sugar chain recognition molecule, it is believed that sugar chains also play an important role in acquired immunity. However, few researchers study sugar chains as a subject for acquired immunity, and intercommunication among immunology researchers and glycobiologists is especially rare. Under such circumstance, immunology researchers and glycobiologists gathered at this symposium to discuss intensively about the function of sugar chains in acquired immunity.

In regard to the control of differentiation and activation of immunocytes by sugar chain signals, lectures were held by 6 world-renowned people from abroad and 10 people from Japan; poster sessions on 11 themes were held mostly by young researchers; and furthermore, a very enthusiastic discussion took place with about 60 participants. In regard to the importance of sugar chains in immune function and sugar chain recognition specificity, immune researchers and glycobiologists gained mutual understanding, and a thorough recognition of the importance and prospect of sugar chain research in acquired immunity, as well as the challenges that need to be overcome.

Further details such as the program are available through the link below.

• http://www.tmd.ac.jp/mri/imm/HP/hp9.html