Dear Colleagues,

It is our great pleasure to invite you to participate in the International Workshop on MiRNAs and Virus-Associated Cancers which will take place in Dubrovnik, Croatia, from May 26-28, 2012. This workshop is organized by the Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

The discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) and studies on their role in posttranscriptional gene regulation have made a major impact on our understanding of how cellular pathways are impacted by these small noncoding RNAs. During the past few years, it has become clear that miRNA profiles are altered in a variety of human cancers and several miRNAs have been shown to play an important role in tumorigenesis. More recently, several viruses have been shown to encode miRNAs which regulate both viral and cellular gene expression. Furthermore, viral oncogenes have been shown to alter the expression of cellular miRNAs and these changes are likely to add to the mechanisms by which oncogenic viruses may promote tumorigenesis. Alteration of cellular miRNAs by viruses has also been implicated in alterations in the immune response which may affect viral pathogenesis, including tumorigenesis. Thus, a better understanding of the role of viral and cellular miRNAs in the progression of viral infection and carcinogenesis is expected to contribute significantly to the treatment and management of viral-induced diseases, including cancers. The aim of this workshop is to bring together leading experts in the areas of viruses, miRNAs and cancer to discuss their latest research findings and identify the important roles of miRNAs in viral pathogenesis.  

As an additional attraction, the conference has been set in an exceptional location. The city of Dubrovnik possesses a unique beauty due to its physical setting between the Adriatic Sea and the surrounding mountains and due to its rich historical heritage.

We sincerely hope that you will participate in this workshop and we look forward to welcoming you to the beautiful city of Dubrovnik in May 2012.

Magdalena Grce
Saleem Khan