2013 Neurotrophic Factors GRC

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案旨在为参加2013年6月2日至7日在新港RI Salve Regina大学举行的第11届戈登神经营养因子研究会议（GRC）的初级研究员，博士后研究员和学生提供支持。会议将有大约150名与会者参加，并将重点讨论各种神经营养因子及其功能和作用机制。神经营养因子是作用于发育或成熟神经元以促进细胞存活、神经分化或突触功能的细胞外蛋白。神经营养因子活动缺陷与多种神经精神疾病有关，包括自闭症和认知障碍、神经退行性疾病和成瘾行为。这项奖助金的目的是为以下会议提供支持：促进科学家之间的互动，他们使用各种各样的方法来理解健康和疾病中神经营养因子的生物学。该领域的研究人员包括细胞和分子生物学家、发育神经生物学家、电生理学家和医学科学家。本次会议为研究人员提供了一个独特的论坛，使用不同的方法来聚集在一起，听取最新的进展和方法，并为年轻的研究人员了解需要解决的重要问题。2. 在研究神经营养因子的科学家之间实现社区意识：神经营养因子领域涵盖全球，以及神经科学的多个方面。这次会议将以该领域的国际科学家为特色，并将突出该领域的许多有成就的科学家，她们是女性或代表性不足的少数群体的成员，并将在这一群体之间建立一种社区意识和合作意识。3. 为年轻研究人员提供展示他们工作的机会，并与研究神经营养因子的不同研究人员互动：本次会议将鼓励在科学前沿的思想交流，包括“热点话题”会议，主要由学生和博士后提出的简短演讲。来自美国国立卫生研究院的资金将用于使这些年轻的研究者参加会议，并在令人兴奋和合作的环境中展示新的发现。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is to provide support for junior investigators, post-doctoral fellows and students to attend the 11th Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Neurotrophic Factors at Salve Regina University, Newport RI from June 2-7, 2013. The meeting will be attended by approximately 150 participants and will feature work on diverse neurotrophic factors, their functions and mechanisms of action. Neurotrophic Factors are extracellular proteins that act on developing or mature neurons to promote cell survival, neural differentiation or synaptic functioning. Defects in neurotrophic factor activities are linke to a broad variety of neuro-psychiatric disorders including autism and cognitive disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and addictive behaviors. The objectives of this grant are to provide support for a meeting that will: 1. Foster interactions amongst scientists who use a wide variety of approaches to understand the biology of neurotrophic factors in health and in disease. Researchers in this field include cell and molecular biologists, developmental neurobiologists, electrophysiologists and medical scientists. This conference provides a unique forum for investigators using diverse approaches to come together and hear about the most recent advances and methodologies, and for young investigators to learn about the important questions that need to be addressed. 2. Achieve a sense of community among scientists studying neurotrophic factors: The field of neurotrophic factors covers the globe, and multiple aspects of neuroscience. This meeting will feature international scientists in the field, and will highlight many of the accomplished scientists in the field who are women or members of under-represented minorities, and will build a sense of community and cooperation among this group. 3. Provide opportunities for young researchers to present their work and to interact with diverse researchers studying neurotrophic factors: This conference will encourage communication of ideas at the frontiers of science, including a session of "hot topics", short talks presented predominantly by students and post-docs. Funds from NIH will be used to enable these young investigators to attend the meeting, and present novel findings in an exciting and collaborative setting.