6th International Symposium on the Biology of Vertebrate Sex Determination

项目描述（由申请人提供）：申请资助将于2012年4月召开的第六届脊椎动物性别决定生物学国际研讨会。自1997年成立以来，每三年举行一次会议。这个独特的会议由整个国际领域的工作人员参加，他们研究各种脊椎动物系统，包括两栖动物、鱼类、鸟类、爬行动物、单孔动物、有袋动物和真动物哺乳动物，包括驯化物种、老鼠和人类。要跟上这么多不同脊椎动物系统的进步几乎是不可能的。因此，这次会议的目的是交流信息，用比较的方法来促进我们对性别决定、性别分化和性发育障碍过程的理解。前五次专题讨论会促成了许多合作：交换了试剂，计划了实验，讨论了看待性别决定的新方法。第五届研讨会约70%的参与者是初级科学家，包括研究生，博士后研究员和助理教授，为与该领域的高级领导者互动提供了独特的机会。我们期待第六届研讨会同前几届一样富有成果和激励人心。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Funds are requested to provide partial support for the 6th International Symposium on the Biology of Vertebrate Sex Determination to be held in April of 2012. This meeting has been held at 3-year intervals since its inception in 1997. This unique meeting is attended by the entire international field working on diverse vertebrate systems including amphibians, fishes, birds, reptiles, monotremes, marsupials, and eutherian mammals, including domesticated species, mice, and humans. It is nearly impossible to keep up with the advances made in so many diverse vertebrate systems. Therefore, the objective of this meeting is to exchange information, using a comparative approach to advance our understanding of the process of sex determination and sex differentiation and disorders of sexual development. Many collaborations resulted from the first five symposia: reagents were exchanged, experiments planned and new ways of looking at sex determination discussed. Approximately 70% of the participants of the 5th symposium were junior scientists, including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and assistant professors, providing a unique opportunity for interactions with senior leaders in the field. We expect the 6th symposium to be as productive and stimulating as the previous ones. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Sexual development during embryogenesis results in the formation of males and females that produce sperm and eggs, respectively. Genetic and environmental-induced birth defects in sexual development result in clinically significant abnormalities that include intersexes, common genital abnormalities such as hypospadias, infertility, and pathologies such as cancer. The proposed conference will bring together senior and junior scientists from around the world studying different types of vertebrate animals to learn more about sexual development and apply new knowledge to the understanding and treatment of disorders of sexual development and disease.