2013 Joint Meeting of the International Cytokine Society & International Society

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The 11th Annual Joint Meeting of the International Cytokine Society (ICS) and the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research (ISICR) will be held in San Francisco, California at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero from September 29 - October 3, 2013. This international conference will bring together leading investigators in the fields of cytokine signaling and biology, immunology, cancer research, and infectious diseases. The Scientific Organizing Committee for this meeting is co-chaired by Dr. Sarah Gaffen (ICS Membership Chair), Dr. Warren Leonard (former president of ICS), Dr. Robert Schreiber (former Councilor of ISICR), and Dr. Karen Mossman; together, these scientists cover a broad spectrum of scientific expertise relevant to the interests of the ICS and ISICR, and have an excellent working relationship as a group. A major goal of the meeting will be to promote interactions between scientists performing cutting-edge studies of the molecular mechanisms of cytokine function, signal transduction, and gene expression, and those working to translate this knowledge into novel therapies for human disease. The therapeutic potential of cytokines and of modulators of cytokine signaling and expression are well appreciated, raising the need for enhanced interactions between basic, translational, and clinical researchers in this exciting field. In addition to approximately 65 invited speakers scheduled for Plenary Sessions and Symposia, a number of abstracts submitted by registrants will be selected for oral presentations in Special Topics Sessions, with other registrants given the opportunity to discuss their work at poster sessions. Scientists from academic institutions as well as from the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries have been invited and encouraged to participate. Another major goal of this meeting is to facilitate interactions of young investigators and trainee with well-established researchers in the cytokine fields and to provide a forum for these young investigators to present their work. Outstanding junior investigators, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate/medical students will also be encouraged to participate, and awards will be given to young researchers in each of these categories, as described in the body of this proposal. A special effort will be made to support the career development of under-represented minorities and women, and an important innovation of the 2013 meeting is to add 2 workshops and a special reception exclusively for trainees and young (1st year) faculty, designed to foster these interactions. It is the firm belief of the Organizing Committee that, by bringing together leaders, junior investigators, and trainees in these diverse areas of cytokine research, this meeting will inspire important new avenues of investigation and will be of great benefit to the career development of promising young investigators and trainees in the cytokine field.