2012 Glycolipid & Sphingolipid Biology Gordon Research Conference

说明（由申请人提供）：请求对糖脂和鞘脂生物学戈登研究会议提供部分支持，该会议将于 2012 年 4 月 22 日至 26 日在意大利卢卡的 Il Ciocco 酒店举行。会议的目的是鼓励从事糖脂和鞘脂研究前沿的科学家群体内的思想和信息交流，并为来自其他科学学科的研究人员提供一个环境可以了解这个快速发展的领域并为其做出贡献。鞘脂参与许多生物过程，包括细胞生长、分化和凋亡，但 直到过去十年，这些功能的分子基础才变得清晰（即作为膜结构、细胞间相互作用、受体功能以及通过神经酰胺、1-磷酸鞘氨醇和其他有效生物活性脂质进行信号传导的调节剂）。随着人们对鞘脂在疾病病因和治疗（尤其是癌症）中作用的认识不断发展，鞘脂类似物（如 safingol 和 FTY720）以及改变鞘脂代谢的抗癌化疗药物（如芬维A胺）要么已进入临床试验，要么已获得批准（例如用于治疗多发性硬化症的 FTY720），这说明了该领域的基础研究和转化研究。本次戈登研究会议的重要方面是，它汇集了基础生物化学、遗传学、发育生物学、癌症化学预防和化疗等不同学科的科学家，并鼓励高级研究人员和初级研究人员参与。与本系列之前的戈登研究会议一样，将有很大比例的参与者来自美国以外的国家，以及女性和少数族裔的参与。我们将鼓励与会者参加正式的讲座/讨论会议和非正式的海报展示。该平台会议将涵盖基础鞘脂生物学和生物化学的前沿研究，包括致力于鞘脂生物学转化方面的多个会议；即代谢综合征和糖尿病中的鞘脂，以及癌症、感染和多发性硬化症中的信号分子。该计划将以一个专门探索新模型的会议结束，该模型用于探索鞘脂在脂质稳态中的功能以及酵母、眼睛（果蝇）中的功能，以及重要的是在小鼠癌症模型中的功能。 公共健康相关性：戈登糖脂和鞘脂生物学研究会议聚集了一组科学家和医生，他们正在各自领域的前沿进行研究，以定义这些复杂的生物活性脂质的作用，不仅在膜结构、功能、细胞调节中，而且在 许多疾病，包括脂质储存障碍、糖尿病、神经退行性疾病，最重要的是癌症及其预防。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Partial support is requested for the Gordon Research Conference on Glycolipid and Sphingolipid Biology, to be held at Il Ciocco Hotel in Lucca, Italy from April 22-26, 2012. The purpose of the conference is to encourage the transfer of ideas and information within the community of scientists who work at the cutting edge of glycolipid and sphingolipid research, as well as to provide an environment where investigators from other scientific disciplines can learn about, and contribute to, this rapidly evolving field. Sphingolipis participate in many biological processes, including cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis, but only in the past decade have the molecular bases for these functions become clear (i.e., as modulators of membrane structure, cell- cell interactions, receptor functions, and signaling via ceramide, sphingosine 1-phosphate and others potent bioactive lipids). As an understanding of the roles of sphingolipids in disease etiology and treatment--most notably for cancer--has evolved, sphingolipid analogs such as safingol and FTY720, as well as anticancer chemotherapeutics that modify sphingolipid metabolism (such as fenretinide) either have entered clinical trials or have been approved (e.g., FTY720 for multiple sclerosis), illustrating te strong partnership of basic and translational research in this field. Important aspects of this Gordon Research Conference are that it brings together scientists that work in different disciplines, such as basic biochemistry, genetics, developmental biology, cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapy and that it encourages participation of both senior investigators and junior investigators. As with previous Gordon Research Conferences in this series, there will be a significant percentage of participants from countries outside the U.S. as well as participation by women and minorities. Conferees will be encouraged to participate both in the formal lecture/discussion sessions and less formally in poster presentations. The platform sessions will cover leading edge research in basic sphingolipid biology and biochemistry, including multiple sessions devoted to translational aspects of sphingolipid biology; i.e., sphingolipids in metabolic syndrome and diabetes, and as signaling molecules in cancer, infection, and multiple sclerosis. The program will close with a session dedicated to exploring new models for exploring sphingolipid functions in lipid homeostasis and function in yeast, in the eye (in Drososphila), and importantly, in mouse models of cancer. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The Gordon Research Conference on Glycolipid and Sphingolipid Biology assembles a group of scientists and physicians who are performing research on the cutting edge of their respective fields to define the roles for these complex and bioactive lipids not only in membrane structure, function, cell regulation, but also their roles in many diseases, including lipid storage disorders, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, and most- importantly, cancer and its prevention.