2012 Signal Transduction By Engineered Extracellular Matrices Gordon Research Con

描述（由申请人提供）：戈登细胞外基质信号转导研究会议（GRC）成立于2000年，是工程材料、细胞粘附和信号、组织工程和干细胞生物学交叉领域的重要会议。2012年会议将于2012年7月8日至13日在缅因州比德福德的新英格兰大学举行，会议增加了另一个重要的维度——将干细胞/工程基质构建与发育模型和人类临床治疗联系起来。会议主席是Karen Hirschi博士，副主席是Jason Burdick博士。这些研究人员在这些新兴领域提供了互补的专业知识。会议的主要目的是分享最新的研究成果：在发育和出生后组织中细胞微环境的建立和调节；如何设计细胞微环境来控制细胞功能；如何在体内动态追踪细胞的命运；以及如何将这些见解应用于组织修复和再生的人类临床疗法的开发和优化。因此，这次会议必须汇集生物学（包括干细胞和发育生物学）、化学、生物成像和工程等不同领域的研究人员，以了解细胞功能，以及如何利用细胞功能来修复和替换因疾病或损伤而丢失或受损的组织，这有助于鼓励跨学科思考。演讲者将包括该领域的知名领导者以及有特殊前途的年轻研究人员。除全体会议外，会议还包括生动活泼、互动性强的海报环节。重要的是，我们将邀请3名海报演讲者在每天上午的会议上做简短的口头演讲，总共有12名口头海报演讲者。在主要会议之前，还将有一个周末会议，由这个不断发展的跨学科领域的博士预科和博士后学员计划并为他们准备。这次会前会议，戈登-凯南研究生研究研讨会，将为这些未来的领域领导者提供一个论坛，在一个学院和互动的环境中，以演讲和海报的形式展示他们的工作，这将为他们的整体GRC经验增加突出的价值。总的来说，会议将为长期跨学科互动的发展提供一个平台，并向学生和年轻专业人员展示信号转导，分子和细胞生物学，生物材料和组织工程的最新想法和机会。公共卫生相关性：该会议在过去30年里一直在进行，重点关注膜、细胞和有机体与电场的相互作用，特别关注那些涉及疾病诊断和治疗的疾病，包括癌症、肺部、神经、遗传疾病和慢性伤口。在高电压场中，细胞通透性可以发生，这可以用来给细胞装载化疗或DNA，而在弱电场中，细胞可能会对定向信号做出反应，这可以用于伤口愈合。通过强调工程、化学、材料科学、成像、细胞生物学、生理学和医学等多学科研究揭示的基本机制，在促进自由和公开交流思想的氛围中，会议希望加速药物治疗和其他干预措施的最佳设计，以减轻这些疾病国家对国家公共卫生的负担。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Signal Transduction By Engineered Extracellular Matrices was established in 2000 and has become the premier meeting at the intersection of engineered materials, cellular adhesion and signaling, tissue engineering, and stem cell biology. The 2012 meeting, to be held July 8-13, 2012, at the University of New England in Biddeford, ME, adds another important dimension - linking stem cell/engineered matrix constructs to developmental models and human clinical therapy. The meeting Chair will be Dr. Karen Hirschi and the Vice-Chair will be Dr. Jason Burdick. These investigators provide complimentary expertise in these emerging fields. The main objective of the conference will be to share the newest knowledge from research on: the establishment and regulation of the cellular microenvironment during development and in postnatal tissues; how the cellular microenvironment can be engineered to control cell function; how the fate of cells can be dynamically tracked in vivo; and how such insights can be applied to the development and optimization of human clinical therapies for tissue repair and regeneration. Thus, this meeting necessarily brings together researchers in diverse fields of biology (including stem cell and developmental biology), chemistry, bioimaging and engineering for both the understanding of cellular function and how this can be harnessed for the repair and replacement of tissues lost or damaged due to disease or injury, which serves to encourage cross-disciplinary thinking. Speakers will include well-established leaders in the field as well as young investigators of exceptional promise. In addition to the plenary talks, the meeting includes lively and highly interactive poster sessions. Importantly, 3 poster presenters will be invited to give short oral presentations in every morning session, for a total of 12 oral poster presenters. The main conference will also be preceded by a weekend meeting planned by and for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees in this growing interdisciplinary field. This pre-meeting, the Gordon - Kenan Graduate Research Seminar, will provide a forum for these future leaders in the field to present their work in talks and posters, in a collegial and interactive environment that will add outstanding value to their overall GRC experience. Overall, the meeting will provide a platform for the development of long term interdisciplinary interactions, and expose students and young professionals to the latest ideas and opportunities at the confluence of signal transduction, molecular and cellular biology, biomaterials and tissue engineering. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The Conference, ongoing for the past 30 years, focuses on the interactions of membranes, cells, and organisms with electric fields, with a special interest in those involved in diagnosis and treatment of disease, including cancer, pulmonary, neural, genetic disorders, and chronic wounds. In high voltage fields, cell permeabilization can occur which can be used to load cells with chemotherapy or DNA, whereas in weak electric fields, cells may respond to directional cues and this can be used in wound healing. By emphasizing basic mechanisms revealed by multidisciplinary studies involving engineering, chemistry, materials science, imaging, cell biology, physiology, and medicine, in an atmosphere fostering the free and open exchange of ideas, the Conference hopes to accelerate optimal design of drug therapies and other interventions to ease the burden these disease states place on the nation's public health.