2012 Glycolipid & Sphingolipid Biology Gordon Research Conference

描述（由申请人提供）：要求对将于2012年4月22日至26日在意大利卢卡的Il Ciocco酒店举行的糖脂和鞘脂生物学戈登研究会议提供部分支持。会议的目的是鼓励在糖脂和鞘脂研究前沿工作的科学家社区内转移思想和信息，并提供一个环境，让来自其他科学学科的研究人员可以了解并为这个快速发展的领域做出贡献。鞘脂参与许多生物学过程，包括细胞生长、分化和凋亡，但 只是在过去的十年中这些功能的分子基础才变得清楚（即，作为膜结构、细胞-细胞相互作用、受体功能和经由神经酰胺、鞘氨醇1-磷酸和其它有效的生物活性脂质的信号传导的调节剂）。随着对鞘脂在疾病病因学和治疗中的作用的理解--最显著的是对于癌症--已经发展，鞘脂类似物如safingol和FTY 720，以及改变鞘脂代谢的抗癌化疗剂（如芬维A胺）已经进入临床试验或已经被批准（例如，FTY 720多发性硬化症），说明了在这一领域的基础和转化研究的强大伙伴关系。这次戈登研究会议的重要方面是，它汇集了在不同学科工作的科学家，如基础生物化学，遗传学，发育生物学，癌症化学预防和化疗，它鼓励高级研究人员和初级研究人员的参与。与本系列的前几届戈登研究会议一样，来自美国以外国家的与会者以及妇女和少数民族的与会者将占很大比例。将鼓励与会者参加正式的讲座/讨论会和非正式的海报展示。平台会议将涵盖基础鞘脂生物学和生物化学的前沿研究，包括专门讨论鞘脂生物学转化方面的多个会议;即，在代谢综合征和糖尿病中作为鞘脂，在癌症、感染和多发性硬化症中作为信号分子。该计划将以一个会议结束，该会议致力于探索新的模型，用于探索鞘脂在脂质稳态中的功能和在酵母中的功能，在眼睛中（在Drososphila中），重要的是，在小鼠癌症模型中。 公共卫生相关性：关于糖脂和鞘脂生物学的戈登研究会议聚集了一群科学家和医生，他们正在各自领域的前沿进行研究，以确定这些复杂和生物活性脂质不仅在膜结构，功能，细胞调节中的作用，而且还在细胞生长中的作用。 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.