This application seeks partial support for the upcoming Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology (FASEB) conference entitled, ?Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells and Regeneration?, to be held July 24-29, 2016 in Keystone, CO. This will be the 9th meeting on satellite cells and the 8th sponsored by FASEB. We expect approximately 200 attendees from around the world, whom we expect ~40% will be female and ~55% will be junior researchers. The overall objectives of this biennial meeting include the following: 1) to provide a comprehensive analysis and integration of recent discoveries in the field with the goal of understanding the regulatory mechanisms controlling normal and abnormal functions of muscle stem cells in regeneration, muscle homeostasis, hypertrophy, aging and myopathic states; 2) to create and foster an interactive environment for the exchange of ideas and unpublished data to hasten discoveries and facilitate new and existing collaborations; 3) to provide opportunities for students and junior investigators to present their work and network with senior investigators to foster career development; 4) to facilitate career development of women and other underrepresented groups at all levels by ensuring appropriate representation in the planning, execution and participation in the conference program. No other scientific meeting has a primary focus on muscle satellite and stem cells. The need for a meeting with this focus is evidenced by the steady increase in attendance since the meeting?s inception and the consistently excellent post-meeting evaluations by meeting attendees. In addition, this meeting attracts essentially all of the leading muscle stem cell researchers from around the world, further demonstrating the value of this meeting for established and future leaders in the field. The meeting will consist of eight platform sessions with a total of at least 44 speakers. A minimum of 10 speakers will be chosen from submitted abstracts based on the quality and impact of the work within the major themes of the conference, with inclusion of junior investigators being a priority in the selection process. The conference will also include three poster sessions, providing ample opportunity for students and junior investigators to present their work. Major themes will include intracellular and extracellular signaling regulating satellite cell activity; roles of chromatin and transcription factors including MRF & PAX family members; biology of non-limb satellite cells and non-satellite stem cells; satellite cells in the contexts of disease and aging; and work in satellite cell biology performed in translational and industry settings. Collectively, this conference will provide a venue to present cutting edge research and promote collaborative interactions among all participants with the goal of advancing a fundamental understanding of muscle stem cell biology, and ultimately, translating this knowledge to the clinic.
The study of satellite cells (skeletal muscle-specific stem cells absolutely required for repair and regeneration of skeletal muscle) is arguably the most rapidly advancing area of muscle research. This meeting will bring together the worldwide leaders in the field, as well as graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, junior faculty and stem cell biologists from other systems to present and discuss cutting-edge, unpublished work in this fast-moving field. As such, it has high relevance for human health, as these advances and the new ones that will proceed from them will drive translational and clinical work in muscle growth and repair as well as in muscle disease, aging, and cancer.
