FASEB SRC on The Growth Hormone/Prolactin Family in Biology and Disease

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The "Growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) family" defines a protein family that includes several members, including GH, PRL, placental lactogens (PLs) and various proteolytic fragments called vasoinhibins. These proteins are at the crossroads of two major fields in human pathophysiology: cytokine receptors (with whom they share multiple molecular mechanisms), and (neuro) endocrinology (multiple connections with other hormones at the regulation, secretion, functional and pathophysiology levels). In both areas, GH and PRL hormones have pioneered the discovery of paradigms, ranging from mechanisms of action (e.g., first known structure of cytokine and receptor complex in 1992) to drug development (Somavert, the first cytokine core-based antagonist launched in 2003). It is now clear that PRL and GH hormones regulate metabolism (e.g., beta cell mass, adipocyte differentiation, muscle, glucose homeostasis, etc), stem cell biology, behavior (e.g., neurogenesis), cancer (several organs), immune responses, etc. These novel functions are very exciting to the scientific community, including basic, translational, clinical and industrial actor in the field. Further translational investigations are necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms of these novel functions to evaluate their actual clinical impact discover new therapeutic indications, develop targeted drug therapy, and novel strategies of doping detection. There is therefore a critical need to gather the broadening community involved in these fields of research by organizing a regular and long-live meeting focused on these issues. To that end, the applicants have established a novel FASEB SRC entitled "The Growth Hormone and Prolactin Family in Biology and Disease". The conference will cover such diverse areas as signaling, development of novel animal models for identifying new physiological functions for GH and PRL in health and disease, new functions/tissues regulated by GH and PRL hormones, biomics profiling of GH and PRL actions and new drug targets and pre-clinical studies. Finally, the applicants will ensure coverage of the latest new findings and relevant topics not currently included as full talks by selecting short talks from abstracts that will be submitted (providing thy match our quality criteria). Major efforts to attract young investigators will be made (funding, short talks, posters).