Conference: Analysis of Microbial Cells at the Single Cell Level

1999年3月，大约150名研究人员聚集在意大利科莫，参加第一届“单细胞层面的微生物细胞分析”国际会议。Como美丽的环境是讨论单个细胞的功能以及如何分析单个细胞的绝佳环境。与会者是生物学家和工程师的混合体，他们讨论了三个问题：为什么我们需要在单细胞水平上进行分析？这提供了关于细胞功能、不同生态系统中细胞间相互作用的重要信息，因为种群动态在很大程度上决定了生物技术产业中使用的大规模培养的整体功能。我们如何在单细胞水平上进行分析？通过使用流式细胞术、图像分析和数学模型，可以在单细胞水平上分析细胞功能。什么时候在单细胞水平上进行分析？在细胞功能的基础研究和旨在改进生物技术过程的应用研究方面。2002年6月，关于这一主题的第二次国际会议将在丹麦的韦勒举行。在大会上，重点将再次放在三个问题上：为什么、如何和何时，以及这一有趣的研究领域的最新发展将被介绍。随着基因组学的进步，对表型的严格分析成为一个重要而及时的问题。会议还旨在进一步加强和扩大在第一次会议上建立的科学网络，特别是促进生物学家和工程师之间的交流。组委会计划在会议结束后不久向国家科学基金会提交会议的最终报告。

In March 1999 about 150 researchers gathered in Como, Italy for the first International Conference on "Analysis of Microbial Cells at the Single Cell Level". The beautiful surroundings of Como were an excellent setting for discussing the function of individual cells and how individual cells can be analyzed. The Conference participants, a mixture of biologists and engineers, addressed the three questions: WHY do we need to analyze at the single-cell level? This gives important information about cellular function, cell-cell interactions in different ecosystems, and because population dynamics, to a large extent, determines the overall function of large scale cultures used in the biotech industry. HOW do we analyze at the Single Cell level? Through the use of flow cytometry, image analysis, and mathematical models it is possible to analyze cellular function at the single-cell level. WHEN to analyze at the single-cell level? Both in basic research on cellular function and in applied research aimed at improving biotechnology processes.In June 2002, the second International Conference on this theme will take place in Vejle, Denmark. At the Conference, the focus will again be on the three questions: WHY, HOW and WHEN, and the latest developments within this interesting research field will be presented. With the advances in genomics, the rigorous analysis of the phenotype becomes an important and timely issue. The Conference also aims at further strengthening and enlarging the scientific network established at the first Conference, and to promote specifically communication between biologists and engineers. The organizing committee plans to submit a final report of the Conference to the National Science Foundation soon after the Conference.