(from the application): This application is for support for a Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Wound Repair, to be held from June 8-13, 1997. This will be the third GRC on this topic. The first GRC (1993) had 95 attendees; the second (1995) had over 100; the 1997 conference should approach the attendance limit of 135. Wound repair is a fundamental, complex biological phenomenon essential to host survival. Elucidation of the mechanisms by which wounds heal provides insights into such diverse processes as embryogenesis, vasculogenesis, inflammation, fibrosis, and solid tumor development. The field of wound repair has undergone an explosive phase of modernization in the face of recent discoveries in the areas of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, and of cytokines/growth factors and their mode of signal transduction. The possibilities of controlling aberrant wound repair through the exploitation of these basic advances, including the potential for gene therapy, is now clearly a reality. While there are a number of forums that convene to address topics in the wound repair field, the GRC provides a unique and intimate atmosphere for the exchange of state-of-the-art information. The 1997 conference will deal with aspects of the inflammatory response, and the mechanisms involved in the interactions of inflammatory cells and platelets with fibrinogen/fibrin in the blood coagulation process. The role of cytokines and growth factors and their receptors in controlling cell proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and angiogenesis will be discussed. The role of the interactions between epithelial cells, mesenchyme and ECM in repair processes will be addressed, and the intriguing biology of the fetal wound healing process and the nature and role of stem cells in repair will be addressed. Finally, there will be a session considering the role of endotoxin in activating host defense mechanisms. Clearly, understanding the mechanisms involved in repair, and elucidating the nature of the complex molecular and cellular interactions that take place in wounds will have far reaching implications. The GRC presents an important forum for stimulating discussion on the biology of wound repair, and it is to this end that we seek support.
