2019 Neural Crest & Cranial Placodes Gordon Research Conference & Gordon Research Seminar (Italy, April 13-19)

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The Gordon Research Conference "Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Neural Crest and Cranial Placodes", and a preceding 2-day graduate student/postdoc-led Gordon Research Seminar on the same topic will be held from April 12-19 in Lucca, Italy. Neural crest and cranial placodes are transient embryonic structures made up from cells that would otherwise become skin in regions next to the embryonic brain; they are present only in animals with backbones (vertebrates). Crest and placode cells subsequently participate in extensive migrations, and contribute to an extraordinary diversity of different tissues in the body. Their evolution and elaboration are thought to have been critical for the evolution and diversification of vertebrate species. The symposium presents a unique opportunity to promote dialogue and exchange of ideas among investigators who work on very different aspects of neural crest and placode biology, and who normally would not be interacting at the same meeting venues. All speakers are expert investigators in their fields. Although the workshop is being held at a location in Italy, 17 out of the 39 already-confirmed scientific participants have appointments at US universities and research institutes. An expected outcome of the symposium is the development of new collaborations that will lead to novel work on fundamental questions about neural crest and placode development, function and evolution. The Gordon Research Conference "Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Neural Crest and Cranial Placodes", and a preceding 2-day graduate student/postdoc-led Gordon Research Seminar on the same topic will be held from April 12-19 in Lucca, Italy. The vertebrate neural crest and cranial placodes are transient embryonic structures derived from skin cell precursors next to the embryonic brain, which undergo extensive migration and morphogenetic changes, and contribute to an extraordinary array of cell types. Their evolution and elaboration are thought to have been critical for the evolution and diversification of vertebrates. The symposium presents a unique opportunity to promote dialogue and exchange of ideas among investigators who work on very different aspects of neural crest and placode biology, and who normally would not be interacting at the same meeting venues. The invited speakers include investigators who study the gene regulatory networks and epigenetics of the neural crest and placodes; their role in birth defects and disease; and the developmental and evolutionary biology of neural crest and placodal cells. All speakers are expert investigators in their fields. An expected outcome of the symposium is the development of new collaborations that will lead to novel work on fundamental questions about neural crest and placode development, function and evolution.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.