About the Workshop

** Online Registration now closed **anyone still wishing to attend, kindly email the organizer directly: farosa@ibmc.up.pt
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The way scientists are envisioning MHC class I molecules is changing.

The term “MHC class I” constitutes nowadays a big umbrella encompassing a variety of molecules that have been for many years classified according to their level of polymorphism into classical and non-classical.

However, the many molecules that lie down under the “MHC class I” umbrella can also be classified according to their ability to bind peptides versus lipids, their capacity to interact with the TCR versus NK receptors, the existence of an open versus a closed binding groove, their tendency to dissociate from ß2microglobulin and/or the peptide, their preferential expression in immune versus non-immune cells, to cite some. These changing views have been important to start understanding the pleiotropic nature of MHC class I molecules, to comprehend diseases that have remained a mystery for too long, and to unveil functions until recently unthinkable, such as regulation of neuronal development and plasticity.

The purpose of this workshop is to bring together researchers that have in common a basic interest in the biology of MHC class I molecules but are studying different, very often unrelated, aspects of the same molecules. The workshop will provide a forum to bring together distinguished scientists from around the world to review and discuss openly the latest progress and development in the biology of MHC class I molecules and to discuss future strategies to clarify the role of MHC class I in health and disease.

The workshop will be structured into five different sessions covering four major
themes as follows:

Session I:        Genetics & Evolution Session II:      Synthesis & Expression Session III:     Functional Interactions I Session IV:    Functional Interactions II Session V:      Disease Associations