CONFERENCE ON B CELL IMMUNOBIOLOGY AND DISEASE

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DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from Applicant's Abstract) This multidisciplinary conference will provide a timely update on advances in B cell biology as they relate to both normal biological processes and disease states. B lymphocytes serve as both critical mediators of immune responses and as targets of human disease. Key advances have been made in our understanding of the molecular regulation of B cell development and activation. Recent progress has also been made in defining the molecular mechanisms responsible for the recombination events leading to formation of functional antibody genes and the regulation of these events. B cells, like T cells, undergo selective mechanisms that determine both survival and functional capacity. Proper regulation is required to ensure protective immune responses but avoid autoimmunity. Signals through the B cell receptor and regulatory coreceptors have been shown to be major determinants of the fate of developing and activated B cells. It is critical to determine how such signals integrate with other pathways to determine immunity versus tolerance. New insights should come from studies of the interaction of B cells with T cells, stromal cells and various types of dendritic cells. The mechanisms by which dysregulation of key transcription factors and signaling molecules lead to B cell malignancy are also being explored; such knowledge will lead to new opportunities for therapy of leukemia and lymphoma. The goal of this meeting is to integrate these advances in regulation of B cell development, signal transduction and responsiveness to provide a molecular understanding of B cell function and fate in both health and disease. It will bring together established and younger investigators, postdoctoral fellows and students from both basic science and clinical backgrounds to actively discuss progress in the field and to provoke new ideas and hypotheses for future experimentation.