HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged 
May 30, 2025 | News
Actin Assembly for Intracellular Functions 2025 – AAIF2025
The HUN-REN Szeged Biological Research Centre hosted a three-day international scientific conference from May 22 to 24, 2025. The event focused on current national and international research related to the actin protein, which was discovered in 1942 at the University of Szeged in Albert Szent-Györgyi's laboratory. The aims of the conference were to present the current state of actin-related research, to strengthen collaboration between domestic and international research groups working on actin, and to inspire the next generation of researchers. By choosing Szeged as the location, the organizers also sought to emphasize that the discovery of actin took place there.
Since its discovery, actin research has expanded enormously. Beyond its roles in muscle function and cellular motility, it now encompasses studies in plants and prokaryotes, as well as in biochemistry, biophysics, molecular and cell biology, and diseases associated with actin and actin-binding proteins. Therefore, the conference featured not only laboratories focused on classical muscle-related research but also a much broader range of groups working in the aforementioned fields. The sessions addressed the role of actin in muscle function, mechanotransduction, diseases, intracellular transport, phase separation, evolution, and nuclear function.
Nearly 90 participants, the majority from abroad, attended the conference, coming from countries such as Australia, Japan, Singapore, India, the United Arab Emirates, the USA, and many parts of Western Europe. Hungary was represented by five laboratories. Modeled after EMBO Workshops, the program included 28 invited speakers, 12 short talks, and 47 posters. The event was honored by the personal attendance and lecture of Katalin Karikó. A highlight of the conference was the keynote lecture by Stefan Raunser, Director of the Max Planck Institute in Dortmund. Other distinguished speakers included Stefan Grill (Dresden), Melina Schuh (Director of the Max Planck Institute in Göttingen), Jan Löwe (Director of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology), and Delphine Muriaux (Research Director at CNRS).
The conference was organized by Péter Vilmos (Institute of Genetics, BRC), with the scientific program coordinated in collaboration with Tina Tootle (University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA) and Robert Grosse (University of Freiburg, Germany). The event was supported by the Ministry of Innovation and Technology (through the Mecenatúra program) and Diamond Congress Ltd.
