The Cell Biology of Eukaryotic Pathogens Symposium

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Eukaryotic pathogens are the causative agents of some of the most devastating and intractable diseases of humans, including malaria, amebic dysentery, sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, and meningitis. Furthermore, many of these infectious agents are also classified as bioterrorism agents and/or cause neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). It is also noteworthy that infections caused by eukaryotic pathogens are increasing in the US due to globalization. Scientific meetings serve the purpose of sharing knowledge, establishing multidisciplinary collaboration, and mentoring of junior researchers (students, post-doc, junior faculty). Thus, the pace of science is accelerated by conferences. We propose to continue hosting an NIH- funded conference on eukaryotic pathogens at the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC) at Clemson University (CU). The content of the conference is innovative because it will have equal representation of research involving parasites and pathogenic fungi and will include laboratory (basic cell biology and drug development) and field (disease ecology and implementation of treatment and control programs) sessions. CU is located in South Carolina, an IDeA-eligible state. Continuation of these NIH-funded conferences at EPIC are bringing recognition to research done in SC and the Southeast and promoting regional collaborations. Both of these serve the goal of the IDeA program to enhance the reputation and competiveness of biomedical research programs in states for which NIH-funding is historically low. In this submission, the 4th conference in this series is proposed (November 2016). In addition to the traditional oral and poster presentations, we will host a panel discussion focused on the different career paths available for young scientists. We will also fund the travel and registration fees for young scientists and students identified through the INclusiVe Excellence in Science and Technology Program (INVEST) whose goal is to increase the success of nontraditional students and underrepresented minorities in science. Based on the feedback from participants of the last conference, we are moving the venue for oral and poster presentations to the new Watt Family Innovation Center (WFIC). This newly constructed facility is specifically designed to support working collaborations and includes a 148- seat auditorium, an open-air atrium that accommodates 49 traditional easel-style posters and has mobile digital displays for electronic posters. We will continue to rigorously and systematically assess the impact of the conference and use this data in developing future meetings. Hosting regular conferences at EPIC will sustain the momentum of this research center and contribute significantly to an important area of biomedical research.