InstructNanobodies4Instruct Workshop from 8-17 January 2023. Registration deadline 4 September.
We organise the second Nanobody4Instruct Training Course in Brussels from 8 to 17 January 2023 in Brussels. The workshop is devoted to the hands-on discovery of nanobodies for applications in structural biology. Trainees will also be introduced to applying Nbs in X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM. New developments in the field (Megabodies, Fluobodies) will also be introduced. 12 researchers/students from INSTRUCT member countries will be selected.
In practice, each trainee will have the opportunity to send their own protein samples for immunisation to Brussels, 3 months prior to the course (Deadline 28 September 2022). Immunisations will be completed upfront allowing the participants to perform selections on their own proteins, starting from validated immune libraries. During the course, participants will use their own protein samples to discover the most useful antibodies for solving the structure of their target. For practical reasons, we limit the number of antigens to six resulting in six discovery projects to be run in parallel in small teams. Some of the discovery programs will make use of phage display, others will exploit yeast display. Flipped classroom will be the preferred instructional strategy to introduce the antigens/targets, to plan experiments and report on the results.
Nanobodies4Instruct is part of the VIB-VUB center for Structural Biology (CSB) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. CSB is a centre of excellence in structural biology that is recognised worldwide for its scientific work, for the technologies it develops and for the spin-offs it creates. CSB is an integrated centre that supports the major methodologies for structural biology (biophysics, NMR, X-ray and cryo-EM) complemented with unique and differentiating platforms including Nanobody technology. The centre also hosts the Nanobody4Instruct facility.
Brussels is the thriving centre of Europe, and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel is in the heart of it. Brussels is home to the European Commission, Parliament and NATO, a buzzing, influential city where history is made. The city is a key European commercial hub too, a base for many progressive international companies. But more than that, Brussels is a compact city, friendly, positive, cosmopolitan, and easy to get around. Eating out plays a significant part in Belgian life. Along with the celebrated local cuisine, there are restaurants representing every corner of the globe. The nightlife is lively, with plenty of concerts, bars and clubs, theatre and dance. Something for everyone.
Jan Steyaert (Novel applications of Nanobodies in Structural Biology), Els Pardon (Nanobody discovery), Rouslan Efremov (Nanobodies in Cryo-EM). We will also invite several (International) speakers to showcase appealing applications of Nanobodies in Structural Biology.
Students will be housed in U-residence on the campus of the Vrije Universiteit Brussels at walking distance of the research labs of CSB. Restaurants, bars and sport accommodations are available on campus.
Air: Brussels International Airport is only 30 minutes away from the lab.
Rail: CSB is connected by train to Brussels Midi station, with national and international high-speed connections to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Köln etc.
The workshop is particularly targeted for PhD students or postdocs having projects aimed at 3D structure determination using X-ray crystallography or cryo-EM, working at institutes of Instruct-ERIC countries. Trainees are encouraged to send proteins in advance. There is no registration fee, and we aim to also cover the accommodation costs and meals of the students. Application for the course can be submitted from now on till 4th September to Maia De Kerpel (Maia.De.Kerpel@vub.be). The application should include:
Your motivation letter should clarify why your pet protein should be selected for immunisation and Nanobody discovery during the workshop. We will decide and inform each applicant as soon as possible. Subsequently we will contact successful applicants concerning sample preparations and shipment. We will also ask you to prepare two PowerPoint slides, introducing your lab (title slide) and your project (second slide) to be used for a brief introduction at the beginning of the workshop.
