2007 Epigenetics Gordon Research Conference

描述（由申请人提供）：戈登表观遗传学研究会议是展示当今生物科学中最令人兴奋的领域之一的新发展的首要场所。该会议始于1995年，现在已经是第七次会议了，它在产生新的研究途径以及促进表观遗传学更成熟领域的进展方面赢得了国际声誉。这次会议之所以取得如此成功，是因为它始终提供了一个独特的环境，汇集了不同的科学家群体，并跨越了有机体和方法论的界限，拓展了表观遗传学研究的前沿。2007年的会议将由剑桥大学的哺乳动物生物学家安妮·弗格森-史密斯和加州大学洛杉矶分校的植物遗传学家史蒂夫·雅各布森共同主持，他们都是表观遗传学领域的领军人物，也是这次会议的长期参与者。表观遗传学的研究导致了对基因组功能的理解。表观遗传修饰，如DNA的甲基化和核心组蛋白的翻译后修饰，影响染色体的组织和包装，从而影响基因的表达。这些染色体标记是动态的和可遗传的，这使得表观遗传学成为生物学中最有趣的方面之一，对发育、疾病和自然变异性有着广泛的影响。表观遗传机制正在通过广泛的不同生物的研究来阐明，这次会议以其对全范围模型系统的包容性而自豪。鉴于表观遗传基因调控在哺乳动物过程中的重要性，如x染色体失活、转座子控制和肿瘤抑制基因的不适当沉默，以及不同生物中表观遗传基因调控的相似性，对表观遗传过程的理解将有助于揭示与人类生物学和疾病有关的一系列广泛问题。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Gordon Research Conference on Epigenetics is the premier venue for presenting new developments in one of the most exciting areas of the biological sciences today. Started in 1995 and now meeting for the seventh time, this conference has earned an international reputation for generating new research avenues as well as fostering progress in the more established areas of epigenetics. The conference has achieved this level of success by consistently providing a unique setting for bringing together a diverse group of scientists, and by cutting across boundaries of organism and methodology, to expand the frontiers of epigenetics research. In 2007 the conference will be co-chaired by mammalian biologist Anne Ferguson-Smith of University of Cambridge, and plant geneticist Steve Jacobsen at the University of California Los Angeles, both leaders in the field of epigenetics and long time participants of this conference. The study of epigenetics leads to an understanding of genome function. Epigenetic modifications such as methylation of the DNA and post-translational modification of core histones affect the organization and packaging of the chromosome, and hence gene expression. That these chromosomal marks are both dynamic and heritable leads to epigenetics being one of the most intriguing aspects of biology with a wide range of implications for development, disease, and natural variability. Epigenetic mechanisms are being elucidated through the study of a wide range of diverse organisms, and this conference prides itself on its inclusiveness of the full range of model systems. Given the importance of epigenetic gene regulation in mammalian processes such as X-chromosome inactivation, transposon control, and inappropriate silencing of tumor suppressor genes, as well as given the similarity of epigenetic gene regulation in different organisms, an understanding of epigenetic processes will shed light on a wide array of issues concerning human biology and disease. The conference has always placed a strong emphasis on the prominent participation of young investigators, as it is this group that so often defines the leading edge of research efforts. The organizers will strive to attract students and postdoctoral fellows to the field and promote the careers of students, postdoctoral fellows, and new principal investigators, by involving them in both the oral and poster presentations. They are also making a concerted effort to support women scientists and include participants of racial/ethnic backgrounds that are underrepresented in science. They will include underrepresented minorities during the selection of speakers and poster presenters from the submitted applications to the conference. This conference will be a worthwhile and cost-effective investment in the future of basic and applied research. Perhaps equally importantly, it will launch the careers of new scientists in this frontier area.