2009 Cell-Cell Fusion

描述(申请人提供)：第二届细胞-细胞融合戈登研究会议将于2009年7月19-24日在新罕布夏州的科尔比-索耶学院举行。在这个相对较新的GRC会议之前，2007年举行了非常成功的第一次GRC会议，并于2002年和2003年在美国细胞生物学学会举行了两次关于细胞-细胞融合的特别兴趣小组会议。这次会议的重点是细胞在发育、再生和疾病过程中的相互融合。 细胞-细胞融合GRC在其对蓬勃发展的细胞融合领域的新发展的报道的新颖性、广度和深度方面是独一无二的。会议将包括八个专题会议。其中三个将涵盖1)已知的融合膜蛋白的结构和功能，2)融合膜双层的物理学，以及3)诱导细胞融合在医学上的新应用。另外五场会议将涵盖重要物种和细胞类型中细胞融合的发育控制机制，其中分子细节刚刚开始显现和融合：4)配子细胞受精；5)上皮细胞；6)成肌细胞和间充质细胞；7)巨噬细胞和其他单核细胞；以及8)真菌和植物细胞。 到目前为止，选定的讨论负责人和演讲者都是细胞融合领域最受尊敬的研究人员和国际领袖。主旨演讲者将是膜裂变、聚变和/或贩运方面的世界顶尖专家之一。戈登会议作为讨论最先进研究进展的论坛之所以成功，是因为它们的规模有限、地理孤立和整体结构。戈登研究会议的形式与几乎所有其他科学会议的不同之处在于，它为公开、自由和非正式的讨论提供了广泛的机会。参加人数限制在130人左右，与会者包括来自学术界和工业界的国际领袖、年轻的研究人员、博士后研究员和学生。这项申请的目的是申请资金，以支付研究生和博士后研究员的注册费和旅费。由于GRC组织为新会议提供的直接资金有限，NIH的这些资金将无可估量地帮助细胞-细胞融合会议实现其功能，即激发这一新兴生物学领域的创造力和互动。 与公共卫生相关：细胞-细胞融合是一个跨越生物学和医学的许多学科的主题，包括生育、肌肉和骨骼的发育和修复、视力和对感染的免疫力。它也是许多寄生和病毒病原体生命周期的一个重要方面。了解不同类型细胞融合的机制，以及通过细胞融合进行细胞工程可以应用于医学的方式，将推动NIH改善人类健康的目标。这次会议促进了正在研究细胞融合的各种系统中的研究人员之间的交流。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The second Gordon Research Conference on Cell-Cell Fusion will take place in 2009, at Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire, July 19-24. This relatively new GRC follows upon a very successful first GRC meeting in 2007 and two earlier special interest subgroup meetings on cell-cell fusion that took place in 2002 and 2003 at the American Society for Cell Biology. This conference focuses on the fusion of cells with each other during development, regeneration, and disease. The Cell-Cell Fusion GRC is unique in the novelty, breadth, and depth of its coverage of new developments in the blossoming field of cell fusion. The conference will include eight topical sessions. Three of these will cover 1) structure and function of known fusogenic membrane proteins, 2) the physics of fusing membrane bilayers, and 3) novel applications of induced cell fusion in medicine. Five additional sessions will cover mechanisms of developmental control of cell fusion in important species and cell types, where the molecular details are just beginning to emerge and converge: 4) fertilization by gamete cells; 5) epithelial cells; 6) myoblasts and mesenchymal cells; 7) macrophages and other monocytic cells; and 8) fungal and plant cells. The discussion leaders and speakers selected to date are among the most respected investigators and international leaders on cell fusion. The keynote address speaker will be one of the world's foremost experts in membrane fission, fusion, and/or trafficking. The success of Gordon Conferences as a forum for the discussion of state-of-the-art research advances is attributable to their limited size, geographical isolation, and overall structure. The Gordon Research Conference format differs from virtually all other scientific meetings in providing an extensive opportunity for open, free, and informal discussions. The number of participants is limited to about 130, and attendees include international leaders in the field from the academic and industrial sector, young investigators, postdoctoral fellows, and students. The purpose of this application is to request funds to defray the costs of registration and travel for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Because direct funding from the GRC organization to new meetings is limited, these funds from the NIH will aid immeasurably in allowing the Cell-Cell Fusion conference to fulfill its function, which is to stimulate creativity and interaction in this emerging field of biology. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Cell-cell fusion is a topic spanning many disciplines of biology and medicine, including fertility, development and repair of muscle and bone, vision, and immunity to infection. It is also an important aspect of the life cycle of many parasitic and viral pathogens. Understanding the mechanisms by which diverse cell types fuse, and the ways in which cell engineering via cell fusion can be applied in medicine, will advance the aim of the NIH to improve human health. This meeting stimulates communication among researchers in the various systems in which cell fusion is under study.