Three Scandinavian scientists invited to the third National Conference of the Chinese Society of Matrix Biology
CCBIO PI Donald Gullberg recently returned from an inspiring conference in China, where he was invited speaker for the third National Conference of the Chinese Society of Matrix Biology.
![the third National Conference of the Chinese Society of Matrix Biology Screen in conference room showing cityscape photo and title for the conference.](https://www.uib.no/sites/w3.uib.no/files/styles/content_main/public/media/china_matrix_biology_conference2018_web.jpg?itok=ZdeTB92H×tamp=1579195851)
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The Chinese Society of Matrix Biology (CSMB) hosted its its third meeting in Hangzhou, China at Hangzhou international Expo Center, Nov 17-20 (also site of G20 meeting in 2016) for 250 participants. This was a joint event with the 11th Asian and Pan-Pacific Connective Tissue Societies Symposium, organized by the Chinese Society of Matrix Biology, Peking University, ZheJiang University and SchenZhen University.
Among the invited speakers, Scandinavia was represented by Donald Gullberg, University of Bergen, Roger Karlsson, University of Stockholm and Staffan Strömblad, Karolinska institute. Keynote address was made by Reinhard Fässler, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.
Professor Gullbergs talk was titled "Integrin alpha11beta1, a potential anti-fibrosis target on fibroblasts", and dealt with recent developments in integrin alpha11 research with an emphasis on the latest addition to the available tools based on integrin alpha11: the ITGA11-Cre mouse strain.
A special welcome dinner was arranged November 16th and speakers were also invited to an outdoor performance at the Westside lake, where a stage has been built 3 centimeters below the surface of lake. Using the lake and its surroundings as props, lights and hundreds of actors create a performance of light, music, dance and theatrics at night.