Neural Mechanisms in Cardiovascular Regulation is a conference held on a recurring basis (every 3rd year) that has been sponsored by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) since 1982. Our goal for this conference series is to bring together researchers from around the world with diverse interests in cardiovascular neural control. Our primary objectives are (1) to create a forum for in depth discussions of the latest research discoveries, and (2) to involve and engage young investigators, including students, post-doctoral fellows and junior researchers in an international high-quality scientific meeting with neural mechanisms of cardiovascular regulation as its central theme. As our previous conferences aptly show, we attract a diverse audience of world-class researchers by focusing equally on neural mechanisms that regulate normal cardiovascular responses to physical and environmental stressors and on neural mechanisms of cardiovascular-related diseases such as arterial hypertension/preeclampsia, heart failure, obesity/diabetes, sleep apnea, stroke, nephrotic syndrome, fever/sepsis, etc. Since our first conference in 1982, the field of cardiovascular neural control has grown tremendously, as has our understanding of the pivotal role CNS mechanisms play in the initiation, maintenance and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Our major goal for the 2013 meeting will be to provide a dynamic forum to help develop the careers of young investigators in the field. Accordingly, we plan to include ten recipients of NHLBI Travel Awards as featured speakers in a specially programmed symposium. In addition, all trainees will i) participate in a mentoring program during the meeting, ii) be provided numerous opportunities to interact with senior researchers, including leaders in the field, at many scheduled events (e.g. poster sessions, breaks, lunches, beach excursions and an always popular conference banquet). Selection of travel awardees will be based on the quality and relevance of their submitted abstracts to neural mechanisms in cardiovascular regulation/disease, as well as their overall academic credentials. The first meeting for which funds are sought will be held July 14-19, 2013 at the Salishan Lodge, Gleneden Beach, Oregon. The primary aim of this R13 application is to provide financial support to enable these young investigators to attend and participate in the 2013 meeting as well as to support future young investigators to participate in subsequent meetings in 2016 and 2019.
As the prevalence of cardiovascular-related diseases continues to rise in the United States and throughout the developed and developing world, it is vitally important that trainees, junior investigators, and leading researchers gather at regular intervals to discuss the most recent advances and explore ways to improve disease treatments. This proposal is to provide such an opportunity for researchers in the field of neural control of cardiovascular function. Since this FASEB Summer Research Conference series began in 1982, researchers in the neural-cardiovascular field have made tremendous strides. We have not only elucidated key neural mechanisms that mediate cardiovascular responses to acute stressors, but we have demonstrated that neural mechanisms play a critically important role in the progression of a host of chronic cardiovascular diseases as well. In this proposal, funds are sought mainly to provide support for students and postdoctoral trainees to attend and participate in the Neural Mechanisms in Cardiovascular Regulation conference being held in July, 2013, as well as future meetings in 2016 and 2019.
