This application requests funds to offset the travel expenses of the speakers who will participate in the 54th Annual Symposium on Fundamental Cancer Research, """"""""Mechanisms for Cell Growth and Differentiation"""""""", sponsored by The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The meeting will be held October 2-5, 2001 in Houston, Texas at the J. W. Marriott Hotel. A longstanding tradition of these annual symposia is to attract a faculty of outstanding quality and scientific leaders to address a timely and current topic of interest and relevance to cancer. Invited speakers are asked not only to present their most recent data, but to identify areas and issues for future study. Educational opportunities, especially for students, are provided throughout the meeting by design. Time is scheduled for formal questions/answers during each session. Additionally, poster sessions are scheduled at which proffered poster abstracts are displayed. A special emphasis is made to encourage student and junior faculty participation in these sessions. Time for informal discussions is provided during breaks and scheduled food functions (lunches in the poster room and receptions). The symposium will focus on the mechanisms for cell growth and differentiation. Speakers to be invited are among the world leaders in the session topics of this symposium. The theme of the meeting will be developed through five scientific sessions: 1)Stem Cells, 2) Genomics/ Proteomics, 3) Differentiation, 4) Signaling, 5) Cell Production and Death. The Conference theme will be elaborated across sessions by examining genetic and molecular approaches to understanding the pathways that govern cell growth and differentiation. In addition, the co-chairs have recommended that the Ernst W. Bertner Memorial Award be presented to either Drs. Ian Wilmut (Roslin Institute in Scotland) and Ryazo Yanagimachi (University of Hawaii) for their pioneering work in mammalian cloning or to Dr. Richard Brinster (University of Pennsylvania) for his seminal work on genetic modification of the animal gemline. Dr. Gerald Rubin (University of California-Berkeley) is the invited keynote speaker. The Wilson S. Stone Memorial Award will be presented to an outstanding young scientist whose research has contributed significantly to the theme of this symposium.
