qPCR dPCR & NGS 2017
Liquid Biopsy, Integrative Big Data Analysis, Biomarker Signature
… and beyond

8th international Gene Quantification Event
Symposium  &  Industrial Exhibition  &  Application Workshops


3 - 7 April 2017,   in Freising-Weihenstephan,

School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephan, Germany

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First impressions from our 2017 Event
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agenda

online
posters

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agenda PDF

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poster PDF


Freising,  10th April 2017
Dear colleagues,
dear researchers,

dear company representatives,

The great international interest in the previous qPCR dPCR & NGS Events from 2004 till 2015 with a constant audience of more than 500 participants from all over the world motivates repeating the success next year in April 2017. Hence the date for the 8th international Gene Quantification Event is from 3rd to 7th April 2017. We broaden our focus in genomics applications from quantitative RT-PCR, over digital PCR to the latest Next Generation Sequencing technologies and the connected integrative Big Data Analysis. As done in previous years, we offer a three day scientific symposium with around 70 talks in two lecture halls. Parallel to the scientific symposium an Industrial Exhibition will take place where around 35-40 international companies will present their newest qPCR, dPCR and NGS services, hardware and technologies. The symposium will be followed by various 2-day PCR & NGS related Workshops taking place April 6th and 7th powered by leaders in the field.
The focus topics of the qPCR dPCR & NGS 2017 Gene Quantification Event are:

Liquid Biopsy, Integrative Big Data Analysis, Biomarker Signature … and beyond



Event location is the central lecture hall complex and the foyer at TUM School of Life Sciences (Technical University of Munich) in Freising Weihenstephan, Germany. The TUM and the Biotech region around Munich are part of the largest Biotech cluster in Europe (BioM), representing more than 250 companies and academic institutions, located close to the Munich airport (MUC) directly in the heart of Bavaria.

The symposium is based on 72 lectures and 78 posters presented by international recognised experts in their application fields. The emphasis will be on unbiased, didactic and scientific information exchange. One third of the talks will be presented by invited speakers, one third of the speakers will be selected from the submitted abstracts and one third will be given to PCR and NGS company R&D representatives. Various poster sessions will be held in parallel in a separate poster exhibition hall.



Our publications:
All scientific contributions
(talks and poster abstracts) presented at the symposium will be published in a Supplement Issue of Biomolecular Detection and Quantification (Elsevier, ISSN 2214-7535).
All talks will be recorded and made public in autumn 2017 via the www.eConferences.de streaming platform.
Please have a look to the 2017 Event Promotion Trailer

Conference Venue Address @ Google Maps

Foyer Zentrales Hörsaalgebäude
TU München
School of Life Sciences
Campus Weihenstephan
Maximus-von-Imhof Forum 6
85354 Freising - Weihenstephan
Germany




As usual the qPCR & NGS Event is structured in three parts:
  1.  Symposium & Poster Sessions  &  Confirmed Speakers
April  3-5  2017

  2.  Industrial Exhibition with around 40 companies       The Exhibition is fully booked! April  3-5  2017
  3.  PCR & NGS Application Workshops
April  6-7  2017



        
Promotion Trailer qPCR dPCR & NGS 2017
Follow 280 talks from previous events
on streaming server www.eConferences.de



Keynote Lectures:
RNA capture sequencing enabled liquid biopsy screening.
JO VANDESOMPELE
Prof. at Center for Medical Genetics Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Biogazelle, Technologiepark 3, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium

Why are we still using qPCR for the quantification of nucleic acids?
STEPHEN A. BUSTIN
Professor of Molecular Medicine, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Faculty of Health, Social Care & Education, Anglia Ruskin University, UK

Extracellular vesicles and their potential as biomarkers and therapeutics.
JAN LÖTVALL
Prof. at Krefting Research Centre, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

Data science and network modeling in biomedicine.
FABIAN THEIS
Prof. PhD, Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany

Unprecedented accuracy when using digital PCR.
JIM HUGGETT
PhD, Science Leader, Nucleic Acid Metrology, LGC & Senior Lecturer, Analytical Microbiology, University of Surrey, UK

Cancer-specific long non-coding RNAs as novel biomarkers and targets for therapy.
PIETER MESTDAGH
Prof. at Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Cancer Research Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Belgium

In silico functional analysis of microRNA : Towards the characterisation of miRNAs as biomarkers.
ARTEMIS HATZIGEORGIOU
University of Thessaly, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Ampelokipi, Athens, Greece

Ultrasensitive mutation detection in liquid biopsies using SiMSen-Seq.
ANDERS STAHLBERG
Prof. and Senior Scientist, Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Validation of qPCR assays.
MIKAEL KUBISTA
Prof. of  Biotechnology, BTU, Czech Academy of Sciences & TATAA Biocenter, Sweden


=> All Confirmed Speakers

Please register for the Symposium & Workshops, using the Internet based ConfTool registration and submission platform => Registration.qPCR-dPCR-NGS-2017.net





Symposium Talk & Poster sessions:

Main topic:   Liquid Biopsy & Circulating Nucleic Acids
The capture of whole, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) was the initial focus of liquid biopsy. Today it includes the collection of cell-free nucleic acids (cell free DNA & RNA) and all type of micro-vesicles (incl. exosomes), to provide useful information on the physiological status. The session includes any kind of circulating nucleic acids families (DNA, RNA, small RNAs, microRNAs, piRNAs, and long ncRNAs). One focus will be on exosome or micro-vesicles isolation & purification, amount & size quantification, and biomarker characterisation techniques, including intra-cellular, membrane bound protein or lipid markers.

Main topic:   Advanced Molecular Diagnostics
This session is focusing on the application of highly sophisticated methods, application and algorithms to discover, detect, and validate molecular diagnostic marker or biomarker signatures. A special focus is lying on the integrative analysis of multi-level biomarkers, e.g. microRNA – mRNA, integrative analysis of genomic, proteomic, metabolomic and phenotypic markers.

Main topic:   Integrative Big Data Analysis
The data analysis in RT-qPCR expression profiling and NGS experiments is still challenging and time consuming. It is well known, that a lot of error is introduced by wrong experimental study design, poor sample and group normalisation or differential gene expression analysis. This session is focusing on the application of useful new algorithms & data analysis methods to getter better and more reliable results, e.g. R-based freeware, and software applications for data mining and comparison, calculation of relative expression, for any kind of nucleic acid (mRNA, microRNA, piRNA). One focus of this session will be the integrative analysis of multi-level biomarkers (mainly the microRNA-mRNA), mathematical modelling, multivariate expression profiling, statistics in NGS and qPCR, multiple regression analysis, 3D data visualization, and more.

Main topic:   Biomarker Signatures
A session about the discovery, detection and validation of molecular biomarkers:  diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic markers on DNA, RNA, microRNA or small RNA, metabolome and proteome level (e.g. disease markers, cancer or stem-cells markers, tissue specific markers, differentiation markers, methylation markers). New assay systems will be presented like high throughput proteomics (MS based proteome map), PLA (Proximity Ligation Assay) or PEA (Proximity Elongation Assay).

Digital PCR
Digital PCR (dPCR) can be used to directly quantify and clonally amplify nucleic acids including DNA, cDNA, mRNA, microRNA or any other small-RNA species. It allows a more reliable collection and highly sensitive measurement of nucleic acid amounts, applications in copy number variants, point mutations in molecular diagnostics.

Non-coding RNAs -- microRNA, isomiRs, small RNAs, long non-coding RNAs
This session is dedicated to the family of non-coding RNA and its RNAi mechanism and applications. A new focus will be on the identification and the data analysis & modelling of new isomiR biomarkers and long non-coding RNAs. RT-qPCR or small RNA Seq technologies to quantify small & long non-coding RNAs and other classes of small RNAs, like piRNAs. Further siRNA knock down applications, microRNA targets and microRNA precursors, new siRNA manipulation, etc. will be presented.

MicroGenomics & Single-Cells Diagnostics
Focus in this session is on micro-genomics, the application of molecular methods to detect biomarkers in a minimal amount of tissue or any biological matrix. New applications in single-cell biology will be presented: isolation, separation, characterisation technologies, laser micro dissection, capturing of circulating tumour cells (CTC), pre-amplification techniques, sub-cellular PCR, micro-manipulation of cell clusters, cellular micro injection, single-cell handling, FACS sorting and spotting.

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)
NGS applications offers new holistic analysis of any kind of nucleic acid, to investigate the Genome, Exome, Epigenome, Transcriptome and Splicome (total RNA, microRNA, small RNA Seq, long ncRNA), CHIP purified nucleic acids, etc.

Various NGS sub-sessions will be presented:

  • NGS overview talks - information technology in the era of NGS & diagnostic applications
  • Pre NGS - sample preparation & setup & library generation
  • NGS – new sequencing technologies (e.g. in-situ, single molecule and pore sequencing)
  • NGS – data analysis (data management, mapping, alignment algorithms, data de novo assembly )

Molecular Diagnostics in Life Science
This session is dedicated to molecular diagnostics in Life Science, with focus on Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, Food and Environmental Science, which is the major research focus at the TUM School of Life Science Campus Weihenstephan. All applications of highly sophisticated quantification methods, field application or algorithms to research the wide field of agro-veterinarian or life science are very welcome.

MIQE & QM & Standardisation Strategies in Molecular Diagnostics
This session is focusing on standardisation strategies and quality management in molecular diagnostics. The goal is to guarantee better and more valid results. Of special interest in the context of qPCR or dPCR are the MIQE guidelines (minimum information for publication of quantitative real-time PCR experiments). Following these guidelines will encourage better experimental practice, allowing more reliable and unequivocal interpretation of qPCR and dPCR results.



The scientific organization is managed by international well-known scientists:

Scientific board:

Stephen Bustin
Prof. of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health, Social Care & Education, Anglia Ruskin University, UK
Mikael Kubista
Prof. of Biotechnology, BTU, Czech Academy of Sciences & TATAA Biocenter, Sweden
Vladimir Benes        PhD, Head of the Genomics Core Facility at EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany
Jim Huggett        PhD, Science Leader, Nucleic Acid Metrology, LGC, London Twickenham, UK
Justin O’Grady PhD, Medical Microbiology, University of East Anglia, UK
Jo Vandesompele Prof. at the Center of Medical Genetics, University of Ghent, Belgium
Michael W. Pfaffl
Prof. of Molecular Physiology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Weihenstephan, Germany
Scientific coordinator of the Symposium and the Application Workshops
  qPCR-dPCR-NGS-2017@wzw.tum.de


Event organization:
Sylvia Pfaffl,   bioMCC,   85354 Freising    Eventmanagement@bioMCC.com

 
We are looking forward to meeting you in April 2017 at the Symposium in Freising-Weihenstephan
Michael W. Pfaffl
Symposium Chair



Important dates:
Abstract Submission Deadline:
Abstract submission deadline is 31st January 2017

Please register using the Internet based ConfTool registration & submission platform => Registration.qPCR-dPCR-NGS-2017.net

  1. Register as ConfTool User  =>  NEW USER  =>  Create new account
  2. Register as symposium PARTICIPANT  =>  for the symposium and/or workshops
  3. Submit Contribution  =>  submit your TALK and/or POSTER  abstract(s)
  4. Please indicate in which Session you want to present either a POSTER or give an TALK Presentation via MS PowerPoint
  5. The abstract should be a one-page document based on unpublished material and written in good standard English.
  6. The text should clearly state objectives, methodology, results, and conclusion. Simple tables and graphs are allowed.
  7. All scientific contributions (talks and poster abstracts) will be published in an Supplement Issue of Biomolecular Detection and Quantification (Elsevier, ISSN 2214-7535).
  8. Please note -- All talks will be recorded!
    In summer 2017 the recorded talks will be published on www.eConferences.de

    Until autumn 2017 the r
    ecorded tallks are password protected and only accessible for Symposium and Workshop participants.
  9. All talks will be recorded and made public in autumn 2017 via the www.eConferences.de streaming platform.


Symposium:
  • The official conference and workshop language is ENGLISH
  • No simultaneous translation will be provided.
  • All oral presentations, posters and abstracts must be presented in English


Poster Layout:
  • The official conference and workshop language is ENGLISH
  • All oral presentations, posters and abstracts must be presented in English
  • Until autumn 2017 the PDF download of the poster contributions are password protected and only accessible for Symposium and Workshop participants.
  • Poster will be DIN A0   (portrait format  =>  120 cm/48 inch high x 90 cm/35 inch wide)
  • Presentation of every communication at the Conference is subjected to formal registration of at least one co-author.


Symposium Talks:
(each talk 30 min)
  • Monday             3rd of April 2017        10:00 a.m.  to  6:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday            4th of April 2017         8:30 a.m.  to   6:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday      5th of April 2017         8:30 a.m.  to   5:00 p.m.

Industrial Exhibition   

The industrial exhibition will be held during the Symposium from 3-5  April 2017 in the foyer of the central lecture hall complex (green frame) and in two side rooms S1 and S2 (blue frame). According to the booth location we have around 30-40 booth in different prize categories. They are all located around the central lecture halls H14 and H15 which fits up to 650 people. Event location is the central lecture hall complex and the foyer at TUM School of Life Sciences (Technical University of Munich) in Freising Weihenstephan, Germany. The TUM and the Biotech region around Munich are part of the largest Biotech cluster in Europe (BioM), representing more than 250 companies and academic institutions, located close to the Munich airport (MUC) directly in the heart of Bavaria.

For booth reservations and providing further details about the industrial exhibition, e.g. exhibition contract, technical management, stand allocation, electronic installations, internet connection (W-LAN), etc. we are pleased to answer your questions. For details about sponsoring opportunities please contact our organisation team, headed by Sylvia Pfaffl (bioMCC, Germany)  Eventmanagement@bioMCC.com

Contact Addresses:

Scientific organisation:

E-mail: 
qPCR-dPCR-NGS-2017@wzw.tum.de

Prof. Dr. Michael W. Pfaffl
Animal Physiology & Immunology
School of Life Sciences
Technical University Munich
Weihenstephaner Berg 3
85354 Freising
Germany
Phone: +49-8161-713511
Fax:
+49-8161-714204


Event organisation:

E-mail:  Eventmanagement@bioMCC.com 

MBA Sylvia Pfaffl
bioMCC
Bioscience - Marketing Communication Consulting
Am Waldrand 18
85354 Freising
Germany
Phone: +49-8161-496949
Fax:
+49-8161-490514








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