2013 Neurotrophic Factors GRC

描述(由申请人提供)：本建议旨在为初级研究员、博士后研究员和学生提供支持，以参加2013年6月2日至7日在新利桑那州萨尔维里贾纳大学举行的第11届戈登神经营养因子研究会议(GRC)。这次会议将有大约150名与会者参加，并将以各种神经营养因子、它们的功能和作用机制方面的工作为特色。神经营养因子是作用于发育中或成熟的神经元以促进细胞存活、神经分化或突触功能的细胞外蛋白质。神经营养因子活性缺陷与多种神经精神障碍有关，包括自闭症和认知障碍、神经退行性疾病和成瘾行为。这笔赠款的目的是为一次会议提供支持，该会议将：1.促进科学家之间的互动，他们使用各种方法了解神经营养因子在健康和疾病中的生物学。该领域的研究人员包括细胞和分子生物学家、发育神经生物学家、电生理学家和医学科学家。这次会议为使用不同方法的调查人员提供了一个独特的论坛，让他们走到一起，听取最新的进展和方法，并让年轻的调查人员了解需要解决的重要问题。2.在研究神经营养因子的科学家中形成一种社区感：神经营养因子领域涵盖全球，以及神经科学的多个方面。这次会议将有该领域的国际科学家参加，并将突出该领域的许多有成就的科学家，他们是妇女或代表不足的少数群体的成员，并将在这一群体之间建立社区意识和合作意识。3.为青年研究人员介绍他们的工作并与研究神经营养因子的不同研究人员互动提供机会：这次会议将鼓励在科学前沿交流思想，包括一次“热门话题”会议，主要由学生和博士后作简短演讲。来自NIH的资金将用于使这些年轻的研究人员能够参加会议，并在一个令人兴奋和合作的环境中展示新的发现。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is to provide support for junior investigators, post-doctoral fellows and students to attend the 11th Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Neurotrophic Factors at Salve Regina University, Newport RI from June 2-7, 2013. The meeting will be attended by approximately 150 participants and will feature work on diverse neurotrophic factors, their functions and mechanisms of action. Neurotrophic Factors are extracellular proteins that act on developing or mature neurons to promote cell survival, neural differentiation or synaptic functioning. Defects in neurotrophic factor activities are linke to a broad variety of neuro-psychiatric disorders including autism and cognitive disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and addictive behaviors. The objectives of this grant are to provide support for a meeting that will: 1. Foster interactions amongst scientists who use a wide variety of approaches to understand the biology of neurotrophic factors in health and in disease. Researchers in this field include cell and molecular biologists, developmental neurobiologists, electrophysiologists and medical scientists. This conference provides a unique forum for investigators using diverse approaches to come together and hear about the most recent advances and methodologies, and for young investigators to learn about the important questions that need to be addressed. 2. Achieve a sense of community among scientists studying neurotrophic factors: The field of neurotrophic factors covers the globe, and multiple aspects of neuroscience. This meeting will feature international scientists in the field, and will highlight many of the accomplished scientists in the field who are women or members of under-represented minorities, and will build a sense of community and cooperation among this group. 3. Provide opportunities for young researchers to present their work and to interact with diverse researchers studying neurotrophic factors: This conference will encourage communication of ideas at the frontiers of science, including a session of "hot topics", short talks presented predominantly by students and post-docs. Funds from NIH will be used to enable these young investigators to attend the meeting, and present novel findings in an exciting and collaborative setting.