The aim of this symposium was to enhance the network's profile by holding symposia on the topic of the development of mesodermal organ systems. It furthers dissemination and sharing of knowledge generated inside the Network, it will promote accountability and will raise awareness of topics under study. The symposium is also an important integration tool providing an excellent opportunity for network members to meet to discuss the progress of workpackages and start new collaborative projects. The invited speakers included members of the Network and top scientists from around the world and attendance was be open to groups inside and outside of the Network. There was be a strong emphasis on the poster sessions to allow younger researchers to present and discuss their results and the best posters will be selected for oral presentation.

The symposium Mechanisms of Early Development: Cell fate determination, morphogenesis and patterning was held from August 31 - September 2, 2007, in Instituto Medicina Molecular, Lisbon (PT). The programme was mainly focused on the early stages of embryonic development. It aimed to integrate the research activities of the European Network of Excellence Cells into Organs, whose main objective is to bring together several research groups to elucidate molecular and cellular processes underlying specification and differentiation of mesodermally derived organ systems. The meeting had 180 participants that attended 4 main plenary talks from renowned developmental biologists working in the United States, including the Nobel prize winner Eric Wieschaus, and 24 talks of which 13 were from members of the Network. The participants presented 91 posters. The website used to support the meeting is available for browsing

More information: http://www.igc.gulbenkian.pt/courses/cellsintoorgans/index.htm 
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