Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia meeting entitled TGF-? in Immunity, Inflammation and Cancer, organized by Drs. Wanjun Chen, Joanne E. Konkel and Richard A. Flavell. The meeting will be held in Taos, New Mexico from January 9-13, 2017. Transforming growth factor?beta (TGF-?) is a key regulator of immune responses, inflammation and cancer. In addition to the well-established effects of TGF-? on CD4+ T cell differentiation and reprogramming, TGF-? also plays critical roles in other immune cells. TGF-? has also been implicated in the regulation of the interactions among immune cells, microbiota and epithelial cells. In addition to safeguarding immune homeostasis and suppressing chronic inflammation and autoimmunity, TGF-? is emerging as a potential checkpoint in anti-tumor immunity. Despite great progress in the field, key questions related to TGF-? functions in immune responses are still largely undetermined. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which TGF-? controls such diverse immune cells. Elucidation of these pathways would allow us to understand the pathogenesis of chronic inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer and aid development of therapeutic practices in experimental and ultimately clinical settings. This meeting will gather together experts in the fields of both TGF-? signaling and immunology to discuss new findings and update the pivotal role of TGF-? in immunity, inflammation and cancer, with the aim to lay out the critical and key questions and outline new directions. The NIAID is world renowned in its support of research aimed at understanding the roles of the immune system in the development, pathogenesis and resolution of human diseases, including autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases, transplant rejection, cancer and infectious disease. Moreover, the close relationship between NIAID, scientists and clinicians has driven forward the development of therapies that alter immune function and, in doing so, are effective treatments for the aforementioned diseases.
Transforming growth factor?beta (TGF-?) is ubiquitously produced and has long been known to play roles in the immune response in physiological, as well as pathological, settings. However, recent identification of TGF-? as a key factor in T cell differentiation, B cell differentiation, macrophage polarization and cell survival, has cemented TGF-? at the center-stage of modern immunology. The Keystone Symposia meeting on TGF-? in Immunity, Inflammation and Cancer will provide a needed opportunity to discuss the many roles of TGF-? globally in immune functioning.
