CALPAIN SYSTEM IN HEALTH AND DISEASE

请求支持将于1999年6月20日至25日在科罗拉多州铜山举行的FASEB夏季研讨会“钙蛋白酶系统在健康和疾病中的作用”。钙蛋白酶是细胞内钙依赖的蛋白水解酶，是几种重要的细胞功能的调节者，也是病理状态的启动和发展的参与者。这次会议将是学术界和工业界越来越多的CalPain研究人员首次有机会在一个促进思想交流和合作发展的环境中会面。参与者将包括许多开拓性的Calain研究人员以及最近开始在这一领域进行积极研究的年轻研究人员。主题将包括：1)钙蛋白酶结构的X射线结晶学分析；2)对不同系统发育的钙蛋白酶基因家族成员及其生理功能的讨论；3)细胞中钙蛋白酶活性的调节机制；4)动物细胞中普遍存在的钙蛋白酶亚型的生理功能；以及5)钙蛋白酶在包括肌营养不良、神经疾病、缺血性损伤和白内障在内的各种病理中的作用。请拨资金部分用于支付演讲者、组织者和有前途的年轻调查人员的旅费和住宿费。由于Calain参与了肌肉营养不良和肌肉生长，将从肌肉营养不良协会和美国农业部寻求额外的资金。目前正在进行钙痛研究的几家制药公司也将要求提供资金。在选择参与者时，将优先考虑妇女和代表性不足的少数群体。发言者几乎囊括了该领域所有做出重大贡献的女科学家。会议主席中有两位是女性。铜山度假村是一个残疾人无障碍设施，登记表将询问参与者他们可能有任何特殊需求。

Support is requested for a FASEB Summer Symposium "The Calpain System in Health and Disease", to be held at Copper Mountain, Colorado, June 20 to 25, 1999. The calpains are intracellular calcium-dependent proteases which are emerging as regulators of several important cellular functions and participators in initiation and progression of pathologic states. This conference will be the first opportunity for the growing number of calpain investigators in academia and industry to meet in a setting which will foster the exchange of ideas and development of collaborations. Participants will include many pioneering calpain researchers as well as young investigators who have recently begun active research in this area. Topics will include: 1) X-ray crystallographic analysis of calpain structure; 2) discussion of the phylogenically diverse calpain gene family members, and their physiologic functions; 3) mechanisms for regulation of calpain activities in cells; 4) physiologic functions of the ubiquitous calpain isoforms found in animal cells; and 5) the roles of the calpains in diverse pathologies including muscular dystrophies, neurologic diseases, ischemic damage, and cataracts. Funding is requested to partially support travel expenses and housing for speakers, organizers and promising young investigators. Additional funding will be sought from the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the USDA, because of calpain involvement in muscular dystrophy and muscle growth. Funding will also be requested from several drug companies which are currently conducting research on calpains. In selecting participants, preference will be given to women and under- represented minorities. The speakers include virtually all of the woman scientists in the field who have made substantial contributions. Two of the session chairs are women. The Copper Mountain resort is a handicapped-accessible facility, and the registration form will question participants about any special needs they may have.