Matrix Biology Europe 2018

Celebrating 50 years of FECTS Meetings

The University of Manchester, 21st - 24th July 2018

It is our great pleasure to invite you to attend MBE2018 in Manchester. The meeting is organised by the British Society for Matrix Biology together with the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research and will be hosted at The University of Manchester. We are grateful for support from both the ISMB and ASMB and all our other sponsors.

The MBE2018 meeting in Manchester will mark, almost to the day, 50 years since the very first conference of European matrix biology societies in Cambridge (30th June-2nd July 1968). The conference grew out of a need for young matrix researchers to have a forum for presenting their research to each other and to meet experts in the field. At MBE2018, we will continue this emphasis on young career researchers. We have organised a series of international plenary and workshop presentations from leaders in the field and every workshop will include at least 4 presentations selected from abstracts submitted. In addition, MBE will host the Final of the Dick Heinegård Young Investigator Award where the most promising young matrix biologists from across Europe will present their findings in a special conference session with the winner being judged by an international panel of experts. A list of plenary and workshop speakers together with the preliminary programme are given on accompanying pages.

There will be plenty of opportunity to network with colleagues at various receptions and poster sessions. The conference dinner will be held on the Monday evening at the Manchester United Old Trafford ground in a dining room overlooking the pitch. Optional stadium tours will be available prior to the meal (these will be available to book during the registration process). A variety of accommodation is available to suit all budgets including a large number of student en-suite rooms at very reasonable costs to encourage PhD students and younger postdocs to attend.

Manchester is a vibrant city and Saturday and Sunday evenings are available for all to enjoy the delights offered, be it a refined meal in the Northern Quarter, a visit to the famous ‘curry mile’ or a trip to one of the numerous clubs in the city centre.

Abstract submission and Registration for MBE2018 will open in early March 2018. Abstract submission for the oral presentation slots will close May 18th 2018, the authors being informed of the outcome (oral or poster presentation) before the end of May. Early bird rates for registration will end on June 15th 2018. Detailed costs are given here.

We look forward to welcoming you to Manchester next July.

John Couchman, BSMB Chairman
Ray Boot-Handford and Qing-Jun Meng, MBE2018 Local Organisers