Welcome to LAZEN Perú 2020
On behalf of the organizing committee, we cordially invite you to the 6th International Meeting of the Latin American Zebrafish Network (LAZEN), a regional cluster initiated ten years ago to promote zebrafish research through courses and conferences. After five meetings at great locations across Latin America, we are delighted to bring the LAZEN family for the first time to Perú, a must-see highlight in this vast and diverse region. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we extend a warm invitation to all researchers working on zebrafish, Medaka and other fish models worldwide.
LAZEN 2020 will begin with a Pre-conference Practical Course from the 14 – 27 March at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH) in Lima, the capital of Perú. In the tradition of its US and European counterparts, this two-week course will provide early career scientists with advanced training in the use of zebrafish and Medaka as powerful models in biomedical research. Besides examining the basic biology and husbandry of these species, course participants will learn cellular and molecular analyses of embryonic development, genetic and pharmacological manipulations, genome edition, bioinformatics and advanced imaging techniques.
The course will be followed by a Joint Zebrafish and Medaka Conference from March 29 – April 02 in the city of Cusco, world-class destination and former capital of the Inca empire. The venue chosen for this event is the Paraninfo of the Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco (UNSAAC), a beautiful inca/colonial building located at the main square of the city and within walking distance from most hotels, restaurants, shops, bars and cafes. We are certain that this spectacular setting will inspire our guests to engage in stimulating discussions while enjoying the unique experience of Peruvian history and culture.
We are honored to present a list of distinguished Plenary Speakers who will share their outstanding research with our audience. The Scientific Program includes a wide selection of topics, from developmental cell biology, physiology and behavior to disease modeling, neuroscience, immunology, evolution and population genetics, thereby highlighting recent advances in teleost fish husbandry, genome editing, proteomics, bioinformatics and imaging. Oral and poster contributions chosen from submitted abstracts will be presented in mornings and afternoons sessions. These will be combined with career and technology workshops, exhibitor talks, and community sessions. A number of Travel Fellowships will be awarded to outstanding students and post-docs wishing to present their research at the conference.
The Social Program will provide ample opportunity for interaction and networking. Aside from the usual space provided by lunch and coffee breaks, there will be social and cultural evenings to balance out science business with a taste of Peruvian hospitality and art. For those interested in Tourism Activities, we have organized optional tours of the city and surrounding archaeological sites on the first and last days of the conference, as well as all necessary contacts to plan and book their visit to Machu Picchu and other popular sights.
We believe that introducing LAZEN to the global research community will contribute to the growth and visibility of Latin American science by promoting the mobility of talented young scientists and the establishment of active collaborations with research groups outside our region. We look forward to seeing you at LAZEN Perú 2020 for a memorable mixture of science and comradery with Latino flavor.
Sincerely,
Ed Málaga-Trillo
(on behalf of the LAZEN organizing committee)