2013 Salivary Glands and Exocrine Biology Gordon Research Conference

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案要求部分支持第九届戈登研究会议“唾液腺和外分泌生物学”，题为“从发展到疾病及其他”，将于2013年2月3日至8日在德克萨斯州加尔维斯顿的加尔维斯酒店举行。这次会议意义重大，因为唾液腺在口腔和全身健康中发挥着关键作用，它们可以作为分支形态发生、外分泌生理和外分泌功能障碍（包括自身免疫性疾病和癌症）的一般研究的有用模型系统。此外，该会议是唾液腺和外分泌组织生物学领域的杰出多学科会议，汇集了已建立的基础和转化研究人员，有前途的初级科学家和相关领域的专家。本次会议的总体目标是加快唾液和外分泌组织生物学领域的研究进展，并将研究成果用于开发唾液和其他外分泌组织功能障碍的新疗法。第二个目标是促进唾液研究人员和研究人员在互补的基础，转化和临床领域的合作。会议的目标将通过两个具体目的来实现：1)促进讨论和优先考虑与之相关的未来重要研究方向

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal requests partial support for the ninth Gordon Research Conference on "Salivary Glands and Exocrine Biology" entitled From Development to Disease and Beyond, to be held February 3-8, 2013, at the Hotel Galvez, Galveston, Texas. This meeting is highly significant because salivary glands perform critical roles in oral and systemic health, and they can serve as useful model systems for general studies of branching morphogenesis, exocrine physiology and exocrine dysfunctions, including autoimmune diseases and cancer. Moreover, the meeting is a preeminent multi-disciplinary conference in the fields of salivary gland and exocrine tissue biology that brings together established basic and translational investigators, promising junior scientists, and experts from associated fields. The overall goal of this conference is to expedite progress in research in the area of salivary and exocrine tissue biology and to use research findings for the development of new therapies for salivary and other exocrine tissue dysfunctions. A secondary goal is to facilitate collaborations among salivary researchers and investigators in complementary basic, translational and clinical fields. The goals of the meeting will be met through two specific aims: 1) to promote discussion and prioritization of the important future research directions relevant to understanding the development, physiology, and pathophysiology of salivary glands and other exocrine tissues and their secretions, including state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic advances, and 2) to provide a venue for junior investigators at the graduate student, postdoctoral and junior faculty levels to discuss their current research and forge scientific interactions including collaborations. The latter is viewed as an essential step to young investigators to build networks that may lead to a lifetime of collaboration and scientific achievement. This is likely to promote the retention of the most talented junior investigators in the field. The program will comprise nine plenary sessions, including two keynote addresses by investigators of international stature. In addition, four poster sessions will serve as a venue to showcase new research findings. The major themes of the meeting will focus on: 1) molecular genetic mechanisms of development; 2) mechanisms of protein and fluid secretion; 3) mechanisms of calcium signaling; 4) exocrineopathies and malignancies, and 5) tissue repair and regeneration. An important feature of the program will be a broadening of focus to include mechanotransduction/tissue morphodynamics, tumor biology and plasticity, inflammation and fibrosis, advances in genomics, trascriptomics and epigenomics, as well as updates on computational modeling of cellular processes. Additional highlights will include presentation of cutting edge technologies and methodologies. The meeting will facilitate the aligning of recent breakthrough discoveries and innovative technologies with the development of new therapies for salivary gland dysfunctions and further drive innovative salivary and exocrine tissue research.