The Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Environmental Endocrine Disruptors (EED) is designed to provide scientists from a wide range of disciplines with the latest research findings on the role of endocrine disruptors in a variety o disease processes. This research conference has been held every 2 years since 1998;it is part of over 150 conferences that will be organized in 2012 by the GRC, an organization internationally known for the high quality, cutting-edge nature of its meetings. Attendance at the meeting has grown steadily since its inception 13 years ago. The 2012 GRC on EEDs will be held June 3-8, 2012 at the Mount Snow Resort, VT. The unifying goal for the 2012 conference is to link basic research, clinical investigation, and epidemiological studies to the real world environment. Sessions will include Science and Public policy;and links between EEDs and Women's Health, Men's Health, Neuroendocrine Systems, Thyroid and Immune Systems, and Gene-environment interactions (including molecular epigenetics). Other talks will relate EED exposures to evolutionary processes, and outcomes on ecosystems. The findings associated with these novel areas of research are in turn likely to affect the manner in which basic research is translated into interventions for EED exposures. This GRC will bring together leading international experts with a broad range of interests in a high quality scientific forum. In additin, for the first time in the history of this conference, a pre-conference Gordon-Kenan Research Seminar (GRS) will be organized by and for junior investigators. Activities during the GRS will be oriented to early stage investigators, particularly students and fellows, and are intended to: (1) provide them with the basic background on common mechanisms involved in environmental endocrine disruption necessary to maximize their understanding of the science which will be discussed in the subsequent conference, (2) receive feedback on their ongoing research projects from experts in the field, and (3) facilitate their interaction with their peers as well a senior members of this scientific community to promote networking at all levels. We fully anticipate that the scientific discussions, research talks, poster sessions, and other informal interactions among the participants of the GRC and GRS will contribute to advancing our understanding of novel molecular mechanisms involved in endocrine disruption of human health and will set the basis for the development of collaborative interventions aimed at promoting new therapeutic treatments for people exposed to these contaminants, and for mitigation of this public health problem.
Narrative The Gordon Research Conference on Environmental Endocrine Disruption, together with the pre-meeting Gordon-Kenan Research Seminar, will bring together leaders in a variety of scientific disciplines in this multi- and interdisciplinary field, along with junior investigators constituting the future generation of researchers. The scientific presentations, discussions and workshops during this conference are designed to expand our understanding of the mechanisms by which endocrine disruptors may contribute to disease processes, including effects of developmental exposures on human health, epidemiological studies, outcomes for wildlife and ecosystems, and underlying mechanisms of action of endocrine disruptors. It is anticipated that the collegial and cooperative atmosphere that has traditionally characterized this conference will provide the perfect setting for the intellectual development and collegial discussions to further biomedical research in this field.
