2014 Biology of Spirochetes Gordon Research Conference & Gordon Research Seminar

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案要求部分支持Spirochetes Gordon研究会议（BoS GRC）和之前的Gordon研究研讨会（GRS），该研讨会将于2014年1月19日至24日在加利福尼亚州文图拉举行，作为GRC系列的一部分。会议有三个具体目标：(1)召集研究螺旋体生物学、流行病学和疾病发病机制各个方面的新老研究人员召开会议；(2)讨论密螺旋体、疏螺旋体和钩端螺旋体的分子生物学和遗传系统的最新进展，以更好地了解它们的毒力决定因素、感染策略和基本生物学；(3)通过为学生和年轻研究者提供一个具有挑战性的、支持性的论坛，让他们与知名研究者互动，展示他们的研究成果，讨论想法，从而促进他们的科学发展。GRC的主要目标是在非正式和互动的环境中，将具有所有致病性螺旋体属专业知识的科学家和临床医生聚集在一起，进行为期两天和为期五天的GRC。引进新的研究人员进入这一具有挑战性的领域一直是BoS GRC的长期目标。为了进一步实现这一目标，2014年GRC将首次在研究生和年轻研究人员的GRS之前进行。会议计划涵盖广泛的基础和临床相关主题，包括免疫机制；流行病学和发病机制；螺旋体的进化、生态和传播；以及这些独特细菌的结构、遗传学和分子生物学。下午的海报会议确保所有与会者的积极参与。每次会议的发言人都包括顶尖的科学家和有前途的新研究者，他们研究了与不同螺旋体物种的生物学有关的一系列问题。此外，每届会议大约四分之一的演讲者将从提交的摘要中选择，以确保包括年轻科学家的相关前沿研究。一个有意识的

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal requests partial support for the Biology of Spirochetes Gordon Research Conference (BoS GRC) and preceding Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), to be held in Ventura, CA, January 19-24, 2014, as part of the GRC series. The conferences have three specific aims: (1) To convene a meeting of established and new investigators who study diverse aspects of spirochete biology, epidemiology, and disease pathogenesis; (2) to discuss the latest advances in the molecular biology and genetic systems of Treponema, Borrelia, and Leptospira species, which can be used to gain a better understanding of their virulence determinants, infectious strategies and basic biology; and (3) to foster scientific development of students and younger investigators by providing a challenging, supportive forum for them to interact with established investigators, present their research, and discuss ideas. The principal objective of the GRC is to bring together scientists and clinicians with expertise encompassing all genera of pathogenic spirochetes for a two-day GRS and five-day GRC in an informal and interactive environment. Introduction of new researchers into this challenging field has been a longstanding goal of the BoS GRC. To further this objective, the 2014 GRC will be preceded for the first time by a GRS for graduate students and younger researchers. The conference program spans a broad array of basic and clinically relevant topics, including mechanisms of immunity; epidemiology and pathogenesis; evolution, ecology and transmission of spirochetes; and structure, genetics and molecular biology of these unique bacteria. Afternoon poster sessions ensure the active participation of all attendees. Confirmed speakers in every session include leading scientists and promising new investigators studying a range of problems relating to the biology of diverse spirochete species. In addition, approximately one quarter of the speakers in each session will be selected from submitted abstracts to assure inclusion of pertinent, cutting-edge research by junior scientists. A conscious effort has been made and will be extended to encourage participation by students and post-doctoral fellows, to assure gender balance, and to include participation by minorities. The BoS meetings thus provide a unique opportunity for cross-fertilization of ideas by members of the international research community working on these diverse and medically relevant bacteria that afflict millions of persons globally.