2015 Aging, Biology of Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application requests funds to support the 2015 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on the Biology of Aging, to be held at the Sunday River Resort (Newry, Maine, USA) on July 19-24, 2015, and the Gordon- Kenan Research Seminar (GRS), which will be held at the same location on July 18-19, immediately prior to the GRC. This will be the thirtieth meeting since the inception of this series in 1962. While geriatrics and gerontology societies and their meetings have maintained an emphasis on the medical, social and psychological ramifications of aging, the last two decades have seen an explosion of knowledge on the most fundamental molecular aspects of the aging process. Investigators performing basic research in this area, many using invertebrate model systems, increasingly sought the Biology of Aging GRC as an excellent forum for the presentation of recent data and networking. Emerging from this watershed period, the modern concept of the biology of aging is still a relatively new field, and this GRC has become the premier forum for discussions at the forefront of current inquiry. As a result, the historically separate areas of the basic biology of aging and the investigation and treatment of chronic diseases have begun to merge around common molecular principles. In part due to the influence of the Biology of Aging GRC, the field has embraced the concept that elucidating the basic mechanisms of longevity will advance our fundamental understanding of the molecular basis of important diseases and vice versa. These insights are expected to lead to novel preventive and treatment strategies, which will have a profound impact on enhancing the quality of life for the elderly. To continue, and in fact put this journey in fast forward, the theme of the 2015 conference will be The Translational Science of Aging: From Functional Pathways to Interventions. To catalyze reciprocal feedback between investigators in diverse areas sessions were organized around the following themes: Epigenetics and Genome Stability, Genetics of Aging, Telomeres and Cellular senescence, Stem Cells and Rejuvenation, Protein Homeostasis and Autophagy, Neuroendocrine Regulation, and Metabolic Regulation and Mitochondria. The meeting will conclude with a round-table discussion on developing therapeutic strategies for aging and age-associated diseases. Our organizational principles are to develop: 1) A program that focuses on mechanistic advances that inform human aging and have significant therapeutic implications; 2) An atmosphere that facilitates reciprocal exchange between scientists working in experimental models and those involved in studies of human biology; 3) A venue that promotes interactions among established investigators and newcomers to the field; and 4) A strategy to foster recruitment, retention and career advancement of junior investigators.