Cell death by the sea

Abstract

The European Cell Death Organisation (ECDO), with the support of the EU-Marie Curie Actions, organized the 12th Euroconference on Apoptosis in Chania, Greece, from 17 to 20 September 2004. The meeting, which was held in the 'Arsenali' conference centre, a recently restored Venetian building situated in the picturesque old harbour of Chania, was attended by 310 participants from all continents. For the first time, the Euroconference was combined with a training course, aiming to familiarize young scientists and newcomers to the field with some of the basic concepts, methodologies, and tools used in the study of programmed cell death. Thus, the first training course on 'Concepts and Methods in Programmed Cell Death', to which most of the first day was dedicated, consisted of seven 1-h presentations focused on the mechanisms behind programmed cell death and the apoptotic responses (R Lockshin, G Salvesen, P Krammer, W Bursch), as well as the technological approaches that can be employed in their study (P Bernardi, E Golemis, P Silver). Details on the presentations can be found on the conference web-site, http://ecdo.maich.gr.