2011 Cartilage Biology & Pathology GRC

描述(由申请人提供)：这是一个非常成功的软骨生物学和病理学戈登研究系列会议中的第五次会议，将于2011年3月11日在加利福尼亚州文图拉海滩万豪酒店举行。在前几届会议成功的基础上，这次会议汇集了杰出的资深和初级科学家，包括高级研究生和博士后研究员，进行为期4.5天的正式演讲、海报会议和非正式讨论。与会者对软骨生物学和病理学有共同的兴趣，但代表了广泛的学科，包括发育生物学、细胞外基质生物化学、细胞和分子生物学、组织工程、病理学、遗传学、合成生物学和骨科。当软骨衰竭时，后果可能是严重的，从出生时附近的死亡到童年时期骨骼生长减慢，或者成年人的退行性关节和椎间盘疾病。在老龄化的美国人口中，成人软骨疾病的患病率正在增加。在识别控制软骨形成的基因和易患退行性疾病的基因方面取得了很大进展。与此同时，干细胞和组织工程学研究正在增加修复和再生受损软骨的潜在选择。然而，在将这一知识应用于临床之前，仍有许多事情需要了解。这次会议将讨论我们今天在软骨治疗方面所处的地位，以及正在进行的发展。这是唯一一次将广泛软骨生物学领域的研究人员聚集在一起的非正式会议，在这种非正式环境中，可以进行广泛的互动。会议每隔一年举行一次，轮流在欧洲和美国举行，最大限度地增加与世界各地同事互动的机会。会议的独特之处在于，它能够为初级科学家、博士后研究员和高级研究生提供广泛的接触高级科学家的机会，使指导、网络和建立合作成为可能。大会历来被与会嘉宾评为“杰出”。形式与我们以前非常成功的会议保持不变，有充足的时间进行非正式讨论。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a request for support for the fifth meeting in a highly successful series of Gordon Research Conferences on Cartilage Biology and Pathology, to be held at the Ventura Beach Marriott, Ventura Beach, Ca, March -11, 2011. Building on the success of the previous conferences, the meeting brings together outstanding senior and junior scientists, including advanced graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, for a 4.5 day program of formal presentations, poster sessions, and informal discussions. The participants share an interest in cartilage biology and pathology, but represent a broad range of disciplines, including developmental biology, extracellular matrix biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, tissue engineering, pathology, genetics, synthetic biology, and orthopaedics. When cartilage fails, the consequences can be severe, ranging from death near the time of birth to reduced growth of the skeleton during childhood, or degenerative joint and intervertebral disc disease in adults. The prevalence of adult diseases of cartilage is increasing in the aging US population. Great strides have been made in the identification of genes that control cartilage formation, and loci that predispose to degenerative disease. At the same time, stem cell and tissue engineering studies are increasing the potential options for repair and regeneration of damaged cartilage. However, much remains to be understood before this knowledge can be employed in the clinic. This meeting will address where we stand today with respect to therapy for cartilage, and what developments are in the pipeline. This is the ONLY meeting that brings together researchers spanning the broad spectrum of cartilage biology in an informal setting where it is possible to interact extensively. The conference is held every other year, alternating between a site in Europe and a site in the US, maximizing opportunities for interactions with colleagues around the world. The meeting is distinctive in its ability to provide junior scientists, postdoctoral fellows, and advanced graduate students extensive access to senior scientists, enabling mentoring, networking, and establishment of collaborations. The conference has consistently been rated as "outstanding" by the participants. The format remains unchanged from our previous highly successful conferences, with ample time for informal discussions.