This application seeks partial support for the upcoming Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology (FASEB) conference entitled, Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells and Regeneration, which will be held July 8-13, 2018, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. This will be the 10th conference focusing on adult skeletal muscle stem (satellite) cells and the 9th sponsored by FASEB. We expect approximately 175 attendees from around the world (venue capacity for Steamboat Springs), of whom ~40% will be women 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 satellite cells in muscle homeostasis, regeneration, hypertrophy, aging, and myopathy; 2) to create and foster an interactive environment for the exchange of ideas and unpublished data so as to hasten discoveries and facilitate new and existing collabor- ations; 3) to provide opportunities through specific programming for students and junior investigators to present their work and network with senior investigators to foster their career development; and 4) to facilitate career development of women and other underrepresented groups at all levels by ensuring appropriate representation in all aspects of the conference program. No other scientific meeting has a primary focus on muscle satellite cells. The need for a conference with this focus is demonstrated 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 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 46 speakers. A minimum of 16 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 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 scientific themes will include: Transcriptional, Post-transcriptional, and Epigenetic Regulation of Satellite Cells; Satellite Cell-Niche Interactions; Satellite Cells in Disease and Aging; Satellite Cell Polarity and Heterogeneity; Satellite Cell Quiescence and Activation; Satellite Cell Quiescence and Activation; Satellite Cell Metabolism and Adaptation; and New and Emerging Themes. Additionally, a Meet-the-Expert session and three Career- Oriented Workshops will be held. 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.
Satellite cells (adult skeletal muscle stem cells responsible for the remarkable regenerative properties of skeletal muscle) are of very high interest to the scientific community as their study has produced major insights into muscle biology and stem cell behavior generally. This conference, the only one dedicated to this topic, will bring together international leaders in the field, as well as graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, junior faculty, and stem cell biologists from other systems to present and discuss unpublished work in this fast- moving, cutting-edge field. Therefore, this conference has high relevance for human health, as these advances and new ones that will proceed from them will drive work in muscle growth, repair, disease and aging.
