Gastrointestinal Meeting on Intestinal Metaplasia in the Esophagus and Stomach



 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application requests support for an AGA James W. Freston Single Topic Conference entitled "Intestinal Metaplasia in the Esophagus and Stomach: Origins, Differences, Similarities and Significance" to be held in Chicago on August 19-21, 2016. This conference will assemble an international group of investigators interested in the pathogenesis, cellular and molecular biology, and clinical features of intestinal metaplasia in the esophagus and stomach. Specific aims of the conference are to provide state-of-the-art summaries of current knowledge on molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of intestinal metaplasia, to engage in scientific dialogue on the differences and similarities between intestinal metaplasia in the stomach and esophagus, to identify opportunities for scientific collaboration and new strategies to prevent gastric and esophageal adenocarcinomas, and to generate a "white paper" to propose standardized terminology and delineate future directions for research on metaplasia in the upper gastrointestinal tract. The conference includes 3 types of presentations: 1) invited expert speakers representing divergent views on metaplasia pathogenesis, 2) presentations from junior faculty and trainees to be selected from submitted abstracts, and 3) poster presentations based on abstract submissions. In addition, the conference has been arranged to provide numerous opportunities for young investigator/trainees to interact with senior investigators including an interactive welcome reception ("A Toast to Science") designed specifically to encourage dialogue between young investigator/trainees and senior investigators, lunches on days 1 and 2 arranged with interactive seating assignments so that each table will have senior investigators paired with groups of young investigators, and a one-hour young investigator/trainee-senior investigator interactive "Coffee Grounds for Science" session just before the conference conclusion. In this proposal, we seek support for travel stipends to fund the attendance of 10 junior faculty members and 15 trainees.