Since 2017, the International Society for Protein Termini (ISPT) has built a thriving global community and hosted biennial meetings in Halle, Seoul, Bergen (EMBO-funded), and Oxford (FEBS-funded). These meetings have provided a unique platform for innovation, connecting senior leaders and early-career scientists while fostering collaborations across disciplines. The 2026 workshop in Palermo (FEBS-funded) will build on this strong foundation to deliver the only international platform fully dedicated to protein termini.
Check out our past meetings here:
ISPT Meeting 2024 in Oxford
Protein Termini 2024: from insight to impact
8-11 September 2024
Oxford, UK
FEBS Workshop
Social media #proteintermini2024
The past decade has seen a broad increase in the understanding that protein function is regulated by co- and post-translational modification of their N- and C-termini. Active research in this field is expanding, including in mechanistic understanding of protein modification, in technologies for examining protein termini and in identification of routes by which protein terminal modifications can be exploited for beneficial purposes. This FEBS Workshop brought together established expertise in the field with new contributors, and highlighted the opportunities to capitalize on knowledge of protein termini for translation into novel methodologies, therapeutics and agri-tech solutions. Session topics included ‘Structural and biochemical characterization of protein termini’, ‘New insights into N-terminal processing’, ‘Protein C-termini’, ‘Advances in methodology’, ‘Physiological impact of protein terminal modification’ and ‘Exploiting protein termini’.
The conference took place at Wadham College.
ISPT Meeting 2022 in Bergen
Protein termini: From mechanisms to biological impact
8-11 June 2022
Bergen, Norway
EMBO Workshop
Social media #EMBOproteinTermini
The overarching theme of this workshop was the termini of proteins and their major roles in proteostasis and as biological regulators. The N-terminus of a protein is the first to encounter the cellular environment and represents the first opportunity for the cell to steer a protein. During protease action, neo N- and C-termini are generated and further opens up for terminal-directed regulation.
This conference brought together scientists and students working on the co- and post-translational regulation of proteins, terminal protein modifications and modifying enzymes, and the impact of such terminal modifications at the protein level as well as in a broader biological perspective including human disease and plant homeostasis. The event was visited by researchers in the fields of structural biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, systems biology and biomedicine, and encompass model systems and biological regulation in bacteria, yeast, mammals and plants.
The main objective was to explore the molecular mechanisms, concepts and impact of protein regulation via its termini in order to generate new knowledge and synergistic research efforts.
ISPT Meeting 2019 in Seoul
Protein Termini 2019
4-5 October 2019
Seoul, Korea
Seoul National University (SNU)
Social media #proteintermini2019 and #nterm2029
Over the past decades, research on protein termini has been continuously expanding in its components, mechanisms, and functions, now drawing attention from people in otherwise different fields. Scientists working on protein termini, including those on the N-end rule pathway, gradually realized that we need a network and society, where we belong to and wherein we exchange ideas and feel our own identifies among the fields of biological sciences. This was the second international interdisciplinary meeting on protein N-termini. In 2018, we founded the International Society for Protein Termini (ISPT), a non-profit organization, to gather together researchers in the fields of the N-end rule pathway as well as all aspects of protein termini and related fields. These include the role of protein termini in proteolysis via the ubiquitin-proteasome and the autophagy-lysosome systems. Approximately 300 people including ~100 PIs initially joined the ISPT.
„Protein Termini 2019“ is a continuation of our recent efforts to form a society of protein termini.
Twitter/X: @proteintermini: #proteintermini2019 and #nterm2019
Organizers: Yong Tae Kwon, Anna Kashina, Hyun Kyu Song, Nico Dissmeyer.
ISPT Meeting 2017 in Halle
N-term 2017: Proteostasis via the N-terminus
11-13 September 2017
Halle (Saale), Germany
Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB)
Social media #nterm2017
Until 2017, a vibrant „N-end rule“ research community had formed in Europe. It was our aim to bring together researchers from established labs worldwide to exchange ideas about current topics in the fields of the N-end rule pathway and N-terminal protein modifications at a workshop entitled “N-term 2017: Proteostasis via the N-terminus”.
This workshop was be held in Halle (Germany) at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB) and it was, to our knowledge, the first international meeting that focussed on the N-end rule. It was a unique opportunity to bring together this large and diverse community.
Organizers: Nico Dissmeyer, Michael Holdsworth, Daniel Gibbs, Emmanuelle Graciet.
Some of the „N-term 2017“ participants showing their favorite amino acid in single letter codes.