13th Biennial FASEB Summer Conference on Retinoids

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application requests partial support for the 13th Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Summer Research Conference on Retinoids to be held at Hyatt Grand Champions Resort and Spa in Indian Wells, CA. from June 17-22, 2006. This bi-annual research conference has been very well attended (ranging from 125 to 200 attendees over the past 24 years) and remains the sole major national and international conference that addresses the full spectrum of retinoid biology. Knowledge of the importance of retinoids to a diverse group of biologically and medically important processes has increased very rapidly over the last two decades. Nevertheless, there is much that still needs to be learned regarding retinoid actions in both normal human physiology and pathophysiology. To meet this need for information, there is a great deal of ongoing research activity focused on the retinoids (the NIH CRISP database indicates that there are currently 420 funded NIH grants involving retinoid biology). The 2006 conference will consist of a plenary lecture, platform presentations and poster sessions that will allow for the exchange of new research findings amongst scientific attendees. The main topics to be addressed at the conference include: (1) retinol formation, transport and metabolism; (2) enzymology of synthesis and degradation of retinoic acid; (3) structure and function of RARs and RXRs; (4) retinoids and cancer; (5) retinoids as regulators of cell growth and differentiation; (5) mechanism of action of retinoids during development; (6) retinoids in immune response; (7) physiological actions of retinoids; and (8) novel retinoids in health and disease. The overall goal of the proposed conference on retinoids is to bring together a group of investigators (including senior scientists, mid-career scientists, junior scientists, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students) who work in diverse disciplines (as biochemists, molecular biologists, nutritional scientists, cancer researchers, developmental biologists, vision researchers, cell biologists, immunologists, chemists and clinicians) to present and discuss their newest research findings that share a common focus on the retinoids. This conference will provide a forum for the critical review of recent research and for the development of new research ideas and collaborations. This will stimulate new investigations that in time will provide needed insight into the essential actions of retinoids in preventing disease and maintaining good health.