2002 Tetrapyrroles Gordon Conference; July 14 -19, 2002, Newport, Rhode Island

本申请请求支持将于2002年7月14-19日在里约热内卢新港的Salve Regina大学举行的第19届戈登四种角色的化学和生物学研究会议。这次会议的具体目的如下：1)提供一个论坛，供对四吡咯化合物的化学和生物学研究有共同兴趣的科学家讨论最近未发表的数据。2)通过提供充分的讨论，促进来自不同科学学科(例如，化学家、生物化学家、临床医生、植物生物学家、微生物学家、生物技术专家)的现有和新的研究人员之间的思想交流。在正式演讲之后，通过举办海报会议，作为讨论共同兴趣的焦点，这一两年一度的跨学科会议促进了基础生物学家、化学家和临床医生之间的合作，持续了三年以上。与蛋白质结合，四吡咯作为生物氧化还原催化剂、光能的获取、氧的激活和传递以及信号分子发挥着不同的作用。游离四吡咯也是必需的营养素(如维生素B12)，可作为基因表达的调节剂(如血红素)，并被用作治疗剂(如光动力癌症治疗、放射性核素靶向输送)。由于它们的光动力活性、毒性和亲脂性，四吡咯(例如，卟啉、胆红素)的积累与皮肤、肝脏和大脑的许多病理有关。由于这些原因，这次会议是基础和应用研究人员之间就四种角色进行交流的重要场所，也是完善生物医药行业开发的新工具和疗法的重要场所。本申请申请的资金旨在支持10名以前没有机会参加这次会议的年轻调查人员，以及两名年轻的大学本科院校研究人员的旅费。这些会议突出了最近的技术进步，将包括22位受邀演讲者、一位全体讲师和14位讨论领袖。所有这些人都是因为他们在科学上的卓越表现、最近的创新工作和对该计划的广泛贡献而被选中的。剩下的100名与会者将被挑选出来，以确保来自学术界、医学研究机构和工业界不同学科的妇女、族裔和青年科学家具有广泛的代表性。正在进行的戈登会议的特点是其高度的学科多样性，将从基础化学到实际和临床应用的研究整合在一起，专注于新的未发表的工作，讨论的时间，非正式的气氛，以及禁止传播会议记录(在讨论未发表的结果时，这对于确保保密至关重要)。

This application requests support for the 19 th Gordon Research Conference on theChemistry and Biology of Tetrapyrroles, to be held at Salve Regina University,Newport, RI, from July 14-19, 2002. The specific aims of this conference are thefollowing:1) To provide a forum for discussion of recent unpublished data by scientists withcommon interest in the study of the chemistry and biology of tetrapyrrole compounds.2) To promote the exchange of ideas between established and new investigators from awide variety of scientific disciplines (e.g., chemists, biochemists, clinicians, plantbiologists, microbiologists, biotechnologists) by providing ample discussion timefollowing formal presentations, by holding poster sessions which serve as a focus forthe discussion of common interests.This biennial interdisciplinary conference has stimulated collaborations between basicbiologists, chemists and clinicians interested in tetrapyrroles for more than threedecades. In association with proteins, tetrapyrroles serve diverse roles as biologicalredox catalysts, in the harvesting of light energy, in the activation and delivery ofoxygen, and as signaling molecules. Free tetrapyrroles are also essential nutrients(e.g., vitamin B12), serve as regulators of gene expression (e.g., hemes), and are beingutilized as therapeutic agents (e.g., photodynamic cancer therapy, target delivery ofradionuclides). Owing to their photodynamic activity, toxicity and lipophilicity, theaccumulation of tetrapyrroles (e.g., porphyrins, bilirubin) is associated with numerouspathologies of the skin, liver and brain. For these reasons, this conference representsan important venue for exchange between basic and applied researchers ontetrapyrroles and for refinement of new tools and therapies for development by thebiomedical industry. Funds requested in this application are targeted to support 10young investigators who have not previously had the opportunity to attend thisconference and for travel of two young ioprimarily undergraduate institutionleresearchers. The sessions, which highlight recent technological progress, will include22 invited speakers, a plenary lecturer and 14 discussion leaders. All of theseindividuals have been selected for their scientific excellence, recent innovative workand contribution to the breadth of the program. The remaining 100 conferees will bechosen to ensure a broad representation of women, ethnicity and young scientists fromvarious disciplines in academia, medical research institutions and industry. Strengthsof this ongoing Gordon conference are its high disciplinary diversity, integration ofresearch from basic chemistry through practical and clinical applications, focus onnew unpublished work, time for discussion, informal atmosphere, and ban ondissemination of conference proceedings, (which it is essential to assureconfidentiality when discussing unpublished results).