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| Concluding Message |
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| Reports and acknowledgements at the end of the Conference |
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In spite of the bad weather caused by the typhoon striking the Japanese archipelago during the conference, the 5th International Conference of Aquaporin was successfully held from July 13 to 16, 2007 in Nara with over 300 participants from 25 countries. We are most grateful for generous supports from the participants, the committee members, supporting foundations and sponsors, which made it a great success. Twenty-five leading scientists addressed special lectures, providing the latest achievements of the research of various functions of aquaporin. There were 171 submissions for presentations. Among the submissions, 47 presenters were given an opportunity for oral presentation, which was very successful. Young researchers spoke enthusiastically and were engaged in lively discussions. 124 poster presentations were held with a luncheon. Every participant engaged in active discussion and lively exchange of views on aquaporin research, which made us realize with pleasure how much the Aquaporin research community is growing. We offered Travel Grants for 25 presenters, promoting the attendance of young researchers.
Nobel Laureate Dr. Peter Agre joined in the discussion with young researchers and sent a warm message to them in the Plenary Lecture. The academic journal “Biology of the Cell” offered Best Presentation Award: one for an oral presenter, and another for a poster presenter, which also stimulated presenter’s activity. A part of the achievements in this conference will be published in the special issue of the journal “Pflugers Archives European Journal of Physiology.” We are also planning a commemorative publication that explains the contents of this conference in Japanese. It is worth noting that plant research attracted a great deal of attention at this conference, in particular up-to-date data on transporting silicon or boron. The findings indicating the existence of a gating mechanism regulating aquaporin function also made a significant impact on the researchers. Furthermore, many presentations were concerned with pathophysiology and therapeutic potentials for water balance disorders, suggesting one of the fundamental directions of Aquaporin research.
At the Gala dinner held on the evening of July 15, a classical Japanese performance Kyogen was acted out on the traditional stage and entertained the participants. Following that, the banquet was held in the garden attached to the hall, where everyone could view the hill “Wakakusa-yama.” The participants deepened their friendships. The Public Open Forum was held in the afternoon of the last day, where there were about 300 participants from the general public. In the forum we explained plainly about aquaporin, water and health. Dr. Peter Agre kindly attended this forum to deliver the Introductory Remarks. The content was publicized by the media.
We are most grateful for the generous support from all of you towards the success of the conference. We look forward to your continuous collaborative contributions to the science and hope that we continue to enjoy friendly and rewarding relations. See you at the next conference! |
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| Sei Sasaki, M.D. |
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| Date: |
from July 13 (Fri.) to 16 (Mon.), 2007 |
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| Venue: |
Nara Centennial Hall |
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7-1, Sanjo Miyamae-cho, Nara-city, Nara 630-8121 Japan
http://www.nara100.com/ (Japanese only) |
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| Official Language: English |
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| Secretariat Office: |
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c/o Congress Corporation
Kohsai-kaikan Bldg., 5-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8481 Japan
TEL +81-3-5216-5318 FAX +81-3-5216-5552 E-mail: aqp2007@congre.co.jp |
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| Co-hosted by |
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 JSPS International Scientific Meetings in Japan
JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Creative Scientific Research |
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National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Bio-oriented Technology Research advancement Institution
(Basic and Practical Study on Molecular Mechanism of Plant "Freshness") |
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| Hita Tenryosui is the official beverage of the 5th International Conference of Aquaporin. |
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