GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON BASEMENT MEMBRANCES

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This application requests funding for the support of invited speakers for the Gordon Conference on Basement Membranes. This will be the tenth in a highly successful series of conferences, which have become a major international forum for the dissemination of new ideas and information about the structure and biological functions of basement membranes (Bms). These are complex, three-dimensional, extracellular structures at the interface of epithelial and mesenchymal cells and enveloping mesenchymal cells. They play important roles in the organization and function of most tissues and organs, e.g. blood vessels, lung, kidney, skin, peripheral nerve, and muscle. For example, basement membranes facilitate the migration and organization of cells in the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. Mutations in genes encoding basement membrane components or their receptors are associated with severe inherited disorders in humans (e.g. epidermolysis bullosa of skin, congenital muscular dystrophy, Alport's syndrome of kidney). Acquired defects in basement membranes contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic microvascular disease, and serve as entry sites for infectious agents, such as leprosy, or metastatic cancer cells. Traditionally, the conference has attracted scientists from a wide range of fields in basic research, including protein and carbohydrate structure, gene expression, cell and developmental biology, and neurobiology. In addition, it has been attended by clinicians and scientists involved in translational research or treatment of human disorders involving BM components of lung, blood vessels, skin, kidney, bone, muscle or the immune system. Basic studies of BM degradation and turnover also interest scientists investigating dynamic processes such as embryo implanatation, involution of the mammary gland or uterus, or cancer metastases. In recent years there has been substantial attendance and interest from clinicians and scientists in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries studying the role of Bms in wound healing, nerve regeneration, inflammation and tissue repair. The Conference will present a diverse mixture of sessions on the basic science of basement membrane and extracellular matrix (ECM) structure, biosynthesis, assembly turnover and functions. Comparative studies of BM function in vertebrates and invertebrates, and the role of BM and ECM in embryonic development will also be incorporated into the program. Recent work on mechanism by which BMs affect intracellular signaling pathways, regulate cell survival, and interact with polypeptide growth factor-activated signaling paths will be features of the meeting, as these studies have broad implications for understanding normal function and disease processes. In addition, emphasis will be given to studies on the genetics of BM and ECM function, the characterization of human BM diseases, and the generation of animal models for these diseases.