This concentrated, three-day workshop is unique in its format - a program of lectures by noted experts from academia and industry, hands-on demonstrations of critical techniques, video presentations of important laboratory procedures, and round-table discussions designed to address troublesome situations with your own projects involving gene regulation by siRNA or miRNA.
Lectures will span the range of topics from: overviews of the use of anitsense probes to regulate gene expression; the initial discoveries of siRNA and miRNA effects on gene expression in plants and animal cells; preparation and delivery of siRNAs to targeted cells; to the latest details of the mechanism of DICER action and the involvement of other proteins in the RNA interference pathway; role of siRNA components in the remodeling of chromosome structure; transcription and processing of human miRNAs; similarities between classical transcription factors and miRNAs; development of microarrays to evaluate miRNA generation in mammalian cells; and much more. A complete description of the program will be available soon.
To complement the lecture material of the program, the workshop will have several demonstrations of critical aspects of typical experiments performed in the laboratory with siRNAs. Gel electrophoresis will be run to evaluate the quality of in vitro transcribed RNA. Fluorescent microscopy will be utilized to examine the efficiency of tranfection of cultured mammalian cells with custom designed siRNAs using immunofluorescence to evaluate the extent of knockdown of targeted gene expression.
To highlight other important experimental procedures encountered in the use of siRNA to knock down gene expression, video presentations have been prepared and will be shown during the program.
The combination of these educational approaches - lecture, demonstration, and video - will provide the unique environment necessary to allow the participants to extract the greatest benefit from these opportunities. Whether you are new to the use of RNA interference to regulate gene expression or you are an experienced investigator currently using these techniques, this program will provide what you need to know to succeed in your research.
To further contribute to the success of your particular research program utilizing RNA interference, we have scheduled two round-table discussions. These sessions will provide an opportunity to discuss individual problems that can compromise the desired results of siRNA treatment of eukaryotic cells. Industry and academic experts will be on hand to lead these discussions.
