2013 Immunology of Fungal Infections GRC and GRS

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案要求部分支持真菌感染免疫学会议，作为戈登研究会议（GRC）和戈登研究研讨会（GRS）的一部分，该会议将于2013年1月12日至18日在德克萨斯州加尔维斯顿举行。本次会议的广泛和长期目标是汇集世界领先的研究人员在这一迅速发展的领域，促进跨学科的讨论和合作，从而提高我们对抗真菌免疫的理解，目的是开发控制这些病原体的新见解。2011年1月举行的GRC首届会议取得了巨大成功，本次会议将首次包括与GRC同时举行的GRS会议。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal requests partial support for a meeting on the Immunology of Fungal Infections as part of a Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) to be held in Galveston, Texas, January 12-18, 2013. The broad and long-term goal of this conference is to bring together the world's leading researchers in this rapidly expanding field to foster cross-disciplinary discussions and collaborations, so as to enhance our understanding of anti-fungal immunity with the aim of developing new insights for controlling these pathogens. The inaugural GRC held in January, 2011 was a great success and this conference will include, for the first time, a GRS to be held in conjunction with the GRC. The specific aims of this meeting will be to convene over 40 leading experts who will present mostly unpublished data and insights covering critical areas within the field of fungal immunology. We expect a total of >150 participants for a five-day conference in a relatively isolated setting. The GRC program will be structured into nine sessions that comprehensively cover the various host and fungal factors that determine innate and adaptive immune responses. Both basic and translation research will be emphasized. Afternoon poster sessions will permit all participants to contribute to these topics with the most meritorious abstracts chosen by the conference Chairs and Vice-Chairs for oral presentation. Every effort will be made to encourage participation by postgraduate students and postdoctoral scholars in the GRC. In addition, the GRS, which will take place immediately preceding the GRC, will be specifically aimed at trainees, allowing them to present their research and interact in a relaxing and extra supportive environment. Every effort will be made to have gender parity and to include racial/ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The significance of this application is tha this GRC and GRS will provide a forum for bringing together and synergizing members of the international research community working on the immunology of fungal infections. The GRS will have the added value of helping to train and energize the next generation of researchers in the field. The health relatedness of this application is that the discussions generated will help defin the important questions relating to basic science as well as those required for the development of novel strategies for immunotherapy. The latter is desperately required so as to reduce the very high levels of mortality associated with systemic forms of these devastating diseases.