The purpose of this conference is to accelerate education and understanding of ubiquitin, SUMO and other UbLs at molecular, cellular and organismal levels and thus facilitate discovery as well as medical or biotechnological translation. The conference will catalyze scientific interactions among participants via lectures, poster presentations, via talks selected from abstracts and by providing ample time for informal discussions.

This Conference is the last of three within the Conference series “Ubiquitin and Ubiquitin-like proteins: from structure to function.” The topic fits ideally to the scope of the PROTEOSTASIS Network, three out of four organizers are PROTEOSTASIS members (the organizer Frauke Melchior and the co-organizers Ivan Dikic and Ron Hay) and six of the confirmed invited speakers are PROTEOSTASIS members (Polo, Ikeda, Komander, Masucci, Pichler, Sommer). All WGs will be involved, principally WGs 1, 2, 3 and 6: Protein modification in intracellular proteolysis: mechanisms, roles and regulation, Intracellular proteolytic systems: mechanisms, structures and regulation and Regulation of cell signaling). The last two meetings, which took place in 2013 and 2015, were highly successful in bringing together leading international experts, younger group leaders and many early stage researchers (PhD students and postdoctoral fellows). Furthermore, this organization will support the scientific development of an inclusiveness country.

In addition, the collaboration between PROTEOSTASIS and EMBO has shown to be very fruitful in the past. This collaboration provides a unique platform for COST in general and PROTEOSTASIS in particular, to be exposed to a wide range of non-European scientists, funded mainly by EMBO, who are the first figures in their fields outside Europe. As in past activities co-organized with EMBO, PROTEOSTASIS members will have the opportunity to interact and establish international collaborations. Non-European scientists in the field got to know COST through these interactions and some groups have asked to join PROTEOSTASIS as IPC members. Therefore, this collaboration with such a prestigious organization such is EMBO should be envisioned as a unique open opportunity for PROTEOSTASIS members.