EMBL Conference: Microglia: Guardians of the Brain

EMBL Heidelberg, Germany Wednesday 26 March – Saturday 29 March 2014

Registration deadline: Sunday 16 February 2014
Abstract deadline: Thursday 16 January 2014

Why attend

• Topics
  • Where do microglia come from?
  • How do microglia contribute to neuronal development?
  • How do microglia respond to neuronal injuries?
  • How do microglia respond to disease?

• Summary
  • Microglia are phagocytic cells of hematopoietic origin that enter the brain and play important functions in both health and disease. Although discovered nearly one hundred years ago, microglia have only recently been appreciated to be highly dynamic cells that scan the brain to monitor and eliminate apoptotic, injured and sick neurons. Moreover, recent data indicate that microglia are able to sculpt developing neural circuits by engulfing synapses and contributing to synaptic pruning. These findings suggest that microglia are a jack-of-all-trades involved in brain surveillance, repair, and pruning. In this meeting we will bring together established and early stage researchers interested in microglia to better understand the many roles that these cells play in the healthy and sick brain.

• Aims
  • We aim to encourage researchers with different expertise and perspectives on microglia to exchange findings and ideas. In this way we hope to contribute to the development of a new community of researchers centred around these cells.