2004 & 2006 Meiosis Gordon Conference

简介（由申请人提供）：减数分裂戈登会议每两年在新罕布什尔州新伦敦的科尔比索耶学院举行一次。2004年的会议定于6月13日至18日举行。2006年的会议尚未确定日程，但很可能在6月初举行。这些会议的重点是研究减数分裂的机制，减数分裂是二倍体生物产生单倍体配子的特殊细胞分裂过程。减数分裂对有性生殖的生物体至关重要，因为在减数分裂过程中染色体的精确分配对胚胎的正常发育和生存能力至关重要。正确执行减数分裂程序的失败可能导致染色体非整倍体，这是人类流产和出生缺陷的主要原因之一。此外，作为减数分裂程序组成部分的细胞过程，如基因重组、姐妹染色单体内聚和细胞周期检查点控制，对维持体细胞基因组完整性也至关重要。特别是，这些过程修复DNA损伤，防止染色体错误分离和重排事件，否则可能导致癌症。因此，了解减数分裂和减数分裂染色体分离的控制对于确保人类胚胎的正常发育和预防肿瘤的发展都是高度相关的。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Meiosis Gordon Conference is held bi-annually at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire. The 2004 meeting is scheduled for June 13-18. The 2006 meeting has yet to be scheduled but is likely to be held in early June. These conferences focus on research aimed at understanding the mechanisms of meiosis, the specialized cell division process by which diploid organisms generate haploid gametes. Meiosis is of central importance to sexually reproducing organisms, since precise partitioning of chromosomes during meiosis is critical for the normal development and viability of an embryo. Failure to execute the meiotic program correctly can lead to chromosomal aneuploidy, one of the leading causes of miscarriages and birth defects in humans. Further, cellular processes that are integral parts of the meiotic program, such as genetic recombination, sister chromatid cohesion, and cell-cycle checkpoint control, are also crucial for maintaining genome integrity in somatic cells. In particular, these processes repair DNA damage and prevent chromosome missegregation and rearrangement events that could otherwise lead to cancer. Thus, understanding the control of meiosis and meiotic chromosome segregation is highly relevant both for efforts to ensure normal development of human embryos and to forestall the development of neoplasia. The Meiosis Gordon Conference provides an opportunity for 140 scientists from throughout the world to meet and discuss the most recent developments in the meiosis field. Most attendees are principal investigators at academic research institutions, but postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and members of government and industrial laboratories will also attend. Invited speakers will cover all aspects of meiosis in model organisms as well as in humans. A range of approaches will be presented including cytology, genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry. Plenary sessions will cover meiotic DNA replication and initiation of meiotic recombination; mechanisms and regulation of meiotic recombination; nuclear reorganization, homolog pairing, and synapsis during meiotic prophase; chromosome condensation, cohesion, and meiotic chromosome axes; meiotic centromeres and chromosome segregation; progression through the meiotic program during gametogenesis; as well as the evolutionary origins and evolutionary functions of meiosis. Poster sessions and workshops will also provide opportunities for scientific discussion and exchange of ideas. Free time will be provided during the afternoon to allow for informal discussions. The Meiosis Gordon Conference is one of only two regularly held meetings that concentrate on meiosis. The other meeting is held in alternate years in Europe and provides a more limited opportunity for participation, especially for scientists from the United States. The Meiosis Gordon Conference thus provides the most important forum for presenting and discussing new findings regarding a process that is central to sexual reproduction and to maintenance of genome integrity.