ICT BIO 2008 and Cancer Modelling workshop

ICT BIO 2008 and Cancer Modelling workshop

Background

Major diseases like cancer, neurological and cardiovascular diseases are complex in nature involving environmental, life style, ageing and genetic components. One of the future challenges is to integrate the knowledge of all these different components into robust and fully reliable computer models and "in silico" environments that will help the development and testing of new therapies for better prediction and prevention tools in healthcare.  An integrative research approach is therefore required to better understand the complex mechanisms behind human diseases. In this approach, all processes that occur at multiple levels from molecules to cells, organs and organisms are seen not as separate events but as parts of a multi-scale system which aims at improving the understanding of the human health and diseases.

The ICT BIO 2008 Conference (Oct. 23-24, 2008) will provide an insight into existing and future prospects on integrative research for complex human diseases at European and international levels.

The objective of this 2 day conference is to:

• Communicate the opportunities and challenges of the Virtual Physiological Human and Integrative System Biology and other topics that lie at the crossroads of ICT, Biology and Medicine
• Provide the possibility for discussions on progress beyond the current state of the art and to promote international cooperation and networking
• Provide an overview about the current activities in these domains not only in EU but also in US and other countries, and to examine opportunities for closer cooperation between EU and US funding agencies

          Expected results of this conference:

• Highlight the potential of multi-scale modelling and simulation for improving health, which could have a significant impact on society and economy in multiple areas In healthcare it could contribute to disease prevention and early detection, patient safety and personalised medicine. It will also open new opportunities for industrial development
• Highlight the importance of integrative multidisciplinary research that involves crossing the boarders of different disciplines such as computational sciences, mathematics, biology and medicine
• Insight into how multi-scale modelling can be used to better understand the physiology of cells and organs and the aetiology of major disease such as cancer
• Show the importance of EU collaborative projects in setting up these multidisciplinary initiatives needed to achieve progress in this field
• Link with other international initiatives to stimulate global cooperation in this field

This conference will provide an insight into existing and future prospects on integrative research for complex human diseases at European and international levels. The parallel workshop aims to present cutting edge approaches in Multi-Scale Cancer Modeling, to demonstrate the field's potential and to discuss common challenges.

Registration is now open.

Contact: infso-ictbio2008@ec.europa.eu