This is an application for partial support of the Collagen Gordon Research Conference, and the associated Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), in 2013. It will be the 41st anniversary and the 26th meeting of this premier conference and the second meeting of the Collagen GRS. It will be held at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH, July 13th to 19th. The conference has historically provided a unique forum to bring together an international group of junior and senior scientists with a common interest in the chemistry, biology and pathology of connective tissues, and this upcoming conference is no exception. Collaborations are established, new scientists are recruited to the field, and major discoveries about collagen are often reported for the first time at this conference.
The specific aims of the 2013 collagen GRC are: 1) to communicate and disseminate new data and concepts about the chemistry, biology and pathology of collagens;2) to promote interactions and collaborations among basic research groups, clinical research groups, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies;3) to familiarize investigators with advances in biological concepts and emerging technologies in different fields that may be applied to the collagen field;4) to provide and informal atmosphere for discussion of new hypotheses and approaches, and use of new enabling technologies;5) to provide a collegial and highly interactive atmosphere in which both junior and senior investigators may interact;and 6) to increase the number and diversity of students and fellows attending the conference. The title of the 2013 Conference will be """"""""Collagen: In the context of matrix, cells and regenerative medicine"""""""". We will focus on new unpublished findings on collagens with respect to their role in both normal and disease processes. Importantly, new session topics have been integrated into the traditional program to bolster interest, increase applicants for the conference, ensure enthusiasm throughout the week, and promote major advancements in the field. Additionally, each session will feature graduate students/fellows selected from the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) that is to be held in conjunction with the 2013 Collagen GRC. New topics relative to last year's conference include Genetic Mechanisms of Disease, Collagen Regulation and Dysregulation, and Future Directions in collagen matrix research. This latter section will showcase new and provocative work at the forefront of the field. We have also included updates on important topics such as Stem Cells, Repair and Regenerative Medicine, Matrix Mechanobiology and Collagen-Protein Interactions and Signaling. Overall this international conference will showcase the major advances in the field of collagen research and will be, as it has always been, the seminal conference in the field.
This application requests support for the 2013 Collagen Gordon Research Conference and Seminar. These biennial conferences provide a unique forum for interaction of scientists, students, and post-doctoral fellows with common interests in the chemistry, biology and pathobiology of collagens. Since collagen plays a pivotal role in a number of disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteogenesis imperfecta, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, diabetic vasculopathy, various skin and renal diseases, and atherosclerosis, providing a forum where major discoveries in the basic biology of collagen are discussed is of paramount importance.
