The fourth Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on NOX Family NADPH Oxidases, along with the first NOX Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) for research trainees, will be held June 2nd to 8th, 2012, at the Waterville Valley, NH Conference Center. The previous NOX GRCs were highly successful, attracting an average of 150 scientists from a diverse range of backgrounds. The NOX GRC will feature cutting-edge unpublished work presented by experts across the NOX field, whereas the NOX GRS will be geared specifically to the interests and needs of young research trainees in the field, primarily graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. NADPH oxidases of the NOX family have in recent years been shown to comprise the predominant source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by most types of cells. It is abundantly clear that the science in this field is moving very rapidly, with many exciting advances in understanding of the basic biochemistry and cell biology of the NOX family of enzymes, particularly the contrasting properties and functional roles of the seven discrete isoforms comprising the family. Moreover, NOX-generated ROS are directly involved in a wide range of both physiologic and pathologic processes. Many linkages between NOX enzymes and disease pathogenesis are being elucidated and this knowledge is dramatically accelerating advances in the identification of new and often unexpected therapeutic targets and development of disease-modifying pharmacologic agents. The NOX Gordon Research Conference program has been clearly established as the top forum for the presentation and discussion of the latest advances in this field. Thus, the 2012 NOX GRC/GRS meetings promise to be timely, exciting, and paradigm-challenging. The program for the meeting has been developed around the theme of """"""""NOX Biology and its Translation to Human Disease and Therapy."""""""" The NOX GRC Chair (Robert Clark, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio) and Vice Chair (Ajay Shah, King's College London), along with the NOX GRS Chair (Siobhan Craige, University of Massachusetts, Worcester), have received extensive input from the Program Advisory Committee, comprising ten prominent NOX investigators. The preliminary conference program comprises nine scientific sessions, four with basic themes and five with a disease-oriented translational emphasis. Each session features a discussion leader and three to four speakers, plus a few young investigator presentations to be selected from among an anticipated ~100 poster abstracts. There will be ample time for vigorous discussion after each talk. The GRS program will feature speakers selected from among trainee abstracts, as well as career development components and mentoring by senior scientists. Attracting a diverse group of participants is a major priority, as reflected for example in the high prevalence of women scientists (35%) listed in the preliminary GRC program.
The Gordon Research Conference on NOX Family NADPH Oxidases, together with the pre-meeting Gordon Research Seminar, will bring together leaders in a variety of complementary scientific disciplines relevant to the study of the NOX family of enzymes and their rapidly expanding range of demonstrated physiologic and pathologic roles. Moreover, the conference will attract trainees and junior investigators comprising the future generation of researchers in this field. The scientific presentations, discussions, posters, and informal scientific interactions during this conference will expand our understanding of the mechanisms by which NOX-generated reactive oxygen species contribute to disease processes. It is anticipated that the collegial and interactive atmosphere that has traditionally characterized this conference will provide the perfect setting for the intellectual development and implementation of novel therapeutics for a variety of human diseases linked to NOX NADPH oxidases.
