Thrombospondins and other matricellular proteins in tissue organization and homeo

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Interactions between cells and their surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) are the basis for multi-cellular life and essential for cell and tissue organization in all metazoan organisms. Structural ECM components such as collagens, fibronectin, and laminins, are secreted by cells and assembled extracellularly into organized sheets (basement membranes) or three-dimensional fibrils and networks (connective tissue matrix). ECM also contains less abundant, but highly regulated, components that play important roles in controlling cell behavior and matrix remodeling. Because of their distinctive localizations and functional attributes in the ECM, these proteins have been termed matricellular proteins and include members of the thrombospondin, CCN, tenascin, SIBLING, and SPARC families. The purpose of this conference is to focus on these matriceullular proteins and to examine their structure-function relationships and their impact on signaling networks that play key roles in disease, homeostasis, repair, and development. Through lectures and poster sessions, established scientists and young investigators will address current topics in matricellular protein structure and genetics and their roles in tissue remodeling, fibrosis, injury and stress responses, development, neurobiology, metabolic regulation, angiogenesis, inflammation, and immunity. The program will emphasize translational applications to diabetes, cardiovascular, renal, and musculoskeletal diseases, and cancer. The program will feature full length talks from invited speakers, short talks selected from abstract submissions which will feature young scientists, and robust poster sessions. Inclusion of women, minorities, and young scientists has been emphasized in developing the program. Invited speakers represent leaders in the basic sciences, clinical investigators who are defining the roles of matricellular proteins in the etiology of inherited disorders and several major diseases of adults, and investigators developing novel therapeutics to treat these diseases. The overall objectives of this meeting are to foster new knowledge in the field of matricellular proteins that will lead to development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of human diseases, facilitate the development of new multidisciplinary collaborations and research directions, and encourage the development of young scientists in this field. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Project Narrative The purpose of this conference is to focus on the important group of matricellular proteins that have context- specific functions in all major body tissues, and are now appreciated to have roles in multiple physiological and pathophysiological processes including diabetes and metabolic diseases, renal, heart, and lung disease, cancer, musculoskeletal disorders, development, human genetic disease, and inflammation and wound healing. The objective of this meeting is to enhance, inspire and accelerate fundamental research and its translational applications in this area by bringing together active researchers and complementary experts who would not otherwise have an opportunity to meet and exchange data, ideas and reagents. Importantly, a goal of this conference is to further the development of young scientists in the field by engaging them through meaningful interactions with both basic and clinical scientists and exposing them to the field in its broadest context.