Nanobodies (Hybrid 2nd edition) - Workshop information

Because of their beneficial biochemical and economic properties (size, affinity, specificity, stability, production cost) Nanobodies are gradually taking over from conventional antibodies for routine and more innovative applications in research, biotechnology and now also in medicine. Unfortunately, a Nanobody Data Base (NBD) that is supported, used and recognized by the Nanobody community worldwide as a versatile repository and sharing platform is still lacking. In this workshop, we want to discuss the need, the look and the feel of a, and take the first steps to make it happen.

Moderated by Jan Steyaert

The predominant method to generate nanobodies is via the immunization of camelids (foremost Llamas and Alpacas). While this traditional path to nanobodies is well established and has an impressive success record, alternative approaches to generate nanobodies entirely in vitro from large synthetic libraries have emerged in recent years. In this workshop, we will provide expert advice on library generation and nanobody selection in general. In a second part, we will outline the opportunities offered by synthetic versus camelid-derived nanobodies and discuss advantages and disadvantages of either approach.

Moderated by Markus Seeger & Serge Muyldermans

Nanobodies have greatly expanded the possibilities of cellular or in vivo molecular imaging. Their applications range from high-resolution and advanced imaging of living cells to non-invasive detection, grading and concomitant diagnosis of diseases such as cancer and inflammation. Consequently, there are a plethora of ways in which nanobodies can be labeled for imaging. In this workshop, we will present and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of current labeling approaches. We will also discuss how nanobodies can be modified and used in different research areas to achieve optimal imaging results.

Moderated by Nick Devoogdt & Ulrich Rothbauer

Because Nanobodies bind conformational epitopes and provide access to concave and hinge regions, they are increasingly applied in structural biology, for example to freeze dynamic proteins into single functional conformations. In this workshop, we want to discuss current and future applications of Nanobodies in (systems) structural biology.

Moderated by Jan Steyaert & Han Remaut