FASEB Summer Conference on Signal Transduction in the Immune System

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Understanding the molecular basis of the immune response to infections, allergies, autoimmunity, transplantation, and malignancies is key towards advancing treatment of disease. This application seeks partial funding for a FASEB Summer Conference on "Signal Transduction in the Immune System", to be held June 23- 28, 2007 in Snowmass, Colorado. The major goal of this conference is to provide a comprehensive focus on recent advances regarding the signaling mechanisms involved in the response of immune cells, both in health and disease. The molecular emphasis of this conference on immune cell activation has widespread interest in research institutes, academia, and industry because of its relevance to treatment of disease. However, signal transduction at immunology meetings is generally covered in a cursory manner. Thus, this meeting will provide an in-depth focus on the details of signal transduction in the immune system. In 2000, the first FASEB meeting on "Signal Transduction in the Immune System" was held and the success of this meeting convinced a number of investigators of the value of a regular meeting. On this basis, the meeting was repeated in 2003 and 2005. Attendance since 2000 has steadily increased and this meeting has become highly recognized as a forum for discussion on immune system signal transduction. It attracts the leaders in this area world-wide as well as new investigators and students. The meeting planned for 2007 will cover a spectrum of topics, with an emphasis on integrating the different signaling mechanisms into various components of immune biology and disease. The main objectives are: 1. To provide a critical and intensive overview of the recent advances in signaling that controls various immune functions. A discussion of a full range of topics (from an in-depth analysis of specific signaling molecules to the application of this knowledge to immunobiology and disease) will be included. 2. To bring together senior scientists and young investigators in a convival atmosphere of presentation and informal discussions. It is hoped that this will engender the enthusiasm and investigative skills of students and young investigators by interacting with senior scientists. 3. To rapidly advance the research on the molecular mechanisms in the immune system by broadly disseminating information and recent breakthroughs. Thus, it is hoped that this conference will build upon past conferences influencing the direction of this research and facilitating the pace of discovery.