Stay tuned. The CCN Express is coming
MEETING REPORT
Unlocking New Frontiers in Cell Signaling and Communication and Fostering New Collaborative Interactions and Scientific Initiatives
Lessons Learned from the International Cellular Communication Network Society (ICCNS) Workshop †
Bernard Perbal , Ralf Weiskirchen and Brahim Chaqour
Abstract:
The International CCN Society has been organizing workshops and conferences for the past two decades to advance our understanding of the biology and pathophysiology of the cellular communication network (CCN) proteins. The 12th CCNWorkshop broadenedthe scope of discussions, introducing topics like CCN-dependent and -independent signaling networks involved in brain development, cellular senescence, efferocytosis, neurobiology, and the application of DNA-fabricated origami structures.
This expansion proved fruitful and should continue in future events. Fostering collaborations across various fieldshas created a dynamic environment for innovative ideas, driving substantial progress to tackle both basic scientific questions and clinically relevant challenges. Three standout presentations sparked significant discussions and highlighted key advancements in these areas.
These include the work of Li-Jen Lee (Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University) on the involvement of the CCN2 protein in depressive and aggressive behaviors in mice; the studies of Anna Zampetaki (King’s College London British Heart Foundation Centre, School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Medicine and Sciences) and Brahim Chaqour (University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Dept of Molecular Ophthalmology) on the metabolome and mechanosensing in iPSC-derived human blood vessel organoids and in the microvasculature of genetically modified mice, and the talk of Bjorn Hogberg (Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics) on the promises of DNA origami.
We believe that these examples illustrate better future directions, as they offer an opportune moment to pursue initiatives that broaden the focus of the CCN Workshops and other projects like ARBIOCOM (website linkincluded below) that support collaboration among research societies, educational institutions, and private biomedical industries, all working together to further our understanding of biosignaling and cellular communication networks for the development of new drug discovery methods and disease treatments.
† Oslo 2024, 12th Workshop on the CCN family of Genes : Proceedings 2025, 115, 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/ proceedings2025115001