2009 Cell Biology of Metals Gordon Conference

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Cell Biology of Metals Gordon Conference provides a forum for which bioinorganic chemists, metallobiologists and clinicians for metal related disorders all meet and discuss the latest advances in understanding metal homeostasis at the single cell level. The complexity of how metal ions are taken up from the extracellular milieu and appropriately trafficked in a cell without causing toxicity is a field of growing importance. An increasing number of disorders are being attributed to disruptions in cellular metal homeostasis. As such, the goal of the 2009 Cell Biology of Metals Gordon conference is to present the latest breakthroughs in the cell biology of metal transport, trafficking and detoxification and how these findings relate to human disease. Our Specific Aims are: 1) To organize a conference that focuses on the cell biology of metals and to raise funds to support the attendance of junior investigators in this field; 2) To promote exchange of scientific ideas and collaborations among diverse investigators that may otherwise not interact; 3) To encourage and promote young investigators, women and minorities in the conference. Talks from leaders in the field will cross multiple disciplines, from the very basic bioinorganic to applied studies of metals in diseases. Sample sessions include: monitoring metals in cells, metals and oxidative stress, and metals in microbial pathogenesis, neurodegeneration and hematopoietic disorders. In addition, new discoveries in understanding mechanisms of metal ion selectivity and metal co-factor assembly will be presented. In all sessions, emphasis will be placed on discoveries made at cell biology level. Talks will be from invited speakers and from selected poster presentations, with much promotion of junior investigators in the field. Topics will expand from microbes to humans, cutting across multiple elements of biological importance. Metal ions such as copper, zinc and iron are important elements in nutrition. However, when present in excess these same elements are quite toxic and have been attributed to various human disorders including diseases of the nervous, cardio vascular and renal systems. The science to be presented at the Cell Biology of Metals Gordon conference promises to shed new important light into the mechanisms by which cells manage these metals that both potentially toxic and essential for life.