2010 Carotenoids Gordon Research Conference

描述(由申请人提供)：摘要：该提案请求部分支持将于2010年1月17-22日在加利福尼亚州文图拉举行的关于类胡萝卜素的国际会议，作为戈登研究会议系列的一部分。会议的广泛和长期目标是增加我们对类胡萝卜素科学的理解，目的是应用科学知识最终改善人类健康。这次会议的具体目标是召集大约45位发言者，他们从多学科的角度代表类胡萝卜素研究的关键领域，总共有135名与会者参加为期5天的会议。该计划将有9场会议，广泛讨论当前类胡萝卜素研究中的问题，包括：(I)基因组学/模型/系统生物学；(Ii)生物合成和调节；(Iii)光合作用；(Iv)维生素A原类胡萝卜素的代谢工程；(V)类胡萝卜素的运输和代谢/类胡萝卜素；(Vi)类胡萝卜素的生物学作用；(Vii)类胡萝卜素对眼睛健康的作用；(Viii)类胡萝卜素和氧化：慢性病预防；(Ix)主旨，精选的简短演讲。此外，两个晚上的海报会议将允许所有参与者为这些主题做出贡献。这项申请的意义在于，戈登类胡萝卜素研究会议(每3年举行一次)是推动国际类胡萝卜素研究人员研究的一系列会议的基础组成部分。这项应用与健康的关系在于阐明如何最好地利用类胡萝卜素科学来影响已知与类胡萝卜素摄入不足有关的疾病(例如，改善食品供应中的维生素A原含量，以在全球范围内预防维生素A缺乏症和导致的失明)，以及使用新的方法来阐明类胡萝卜素在预防慢性病方面的潜在作用，特别是与年龄相关的眼病，但也包括癌症和其他老龄化疾病。 公共卫生相关性：叙述：类胡萝卜素对国内和国际公共卫生都至关重要。维生素A缺乏是全世界发病率和死亡率的主要原因，尤其影响儿童(例如干眼症)。主食现在可以通过代谢工程来提供维生素A类胡萝卜素原，以改善数百万世界上最贫穷儿童的健康。非维生素A原类胡萝卜素似乎对人类健康也很重要；例如，尖端研究表明，某些类胡萝卜素可能在预防老年性黄斑变性方面发挥作用，老年性黄斑变性是65岁以上美国人失明的主要原因。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Abstract: This proposal requests partial support for an international meeting on Carotenoids as part of the Gordon Research Conference series to be held in Ventura, California January 17-22, 2010. The broad and long term goal of the conference is to increase our understanding of the science of carotenoids with the goal of applying the scientific knowledge to ultimately improve human health. The specific aims of this meeting will be to convene approximately 45 speakers who represent critical areas of carotenoid research from a multidisciplinary perspective with a total of 135 participants for a five day conference. The program will have nine sessions that broadly address current issues in carotenoid research, including the following: (i) genomics/modeling/systems biology; (ii) biosynthesis and regulation; (iii) photosynthesis; (iv) metabolic engineering of provitamin A carotenoids; (v) carotenoid transport and metabolism/apocarotenoids; (vi) biological actions of carotenoids; (vii) carotenoids in eye health; (viii) carotenoids and oxidation: chronic disease prevention; (ix) keynote, selected short talks. In addition, two evening poster sessions will permit all participants to contribute to these topics. The significance of this application is that the Gordon Research Conference on Carotenoids (held every 3 years) is a foundational component of the series of conferences that propel research in the international community of carotenoid researchers. The health relatedness of this application is in clarifying how best to use carotenoid science to impact diseases known to be related to inadequate carotenoid intake (e.g., improving the provitamin A content of the food supply for the global prevention of vitamin A deficiency and resulting blindness) as well as to use new methodologies to elucidate the potential role of carotenoids in the prevention of chronic disease, especially age-related eye disease but also cancer and other diseases of aging. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Narrative: Carotenoids are critical for public health both domestically and internationally. Vitamin A deficiency is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially affecting children (e.g., xeropthalmia). Staple foods can now be metabolically engineered to provide provitamin A carotenoids to improve the health of millions of the world's poorest children. Non-provitamin A carotenoids also appear to be important in human health; e.g., cutting edge research suggests certain carotenoids may play a role in the prevention of age- related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in Americans over age 65.