We are requesting funding for three (3) Prolactin Gordon Research Conferences to be held in Ventura, California in the Winters of 2002, 2004 and 2006. These successful research meetings have been held biannually since 1982 and are dedicated to cutting-edge discussion on aspects of prolactin expression, secretion, action and pathophysiology. In recent years, the content has also included growth hormone action, especially in light of the common phylogenetic origin and signalling action of the two hormones. A program committee comprising recognized experts, is elected for each subsequent meeting by participants, as are a Chair and a Vice-Chair who assumes the Chair, thus ensuring continuity, and avoiding duplication of content. The meeting lasts from Sunday evening through Thursday evening and attracts about 130 scientists, trainees, graduate students and endocrinologists. The budget includes expenses to support speaker registration and travel, as well as trainee travel awards. Support includes Gordon Conference support, philanthropy and this NIH request. The foci of this year's meeting include pituitary development, new technologies, behaviour, pituitary regulation, novel analogs, PRL and GH physiology and signalling, and the role of PRL and GH in cancers. This request will ensure continuation of this highly regarded meeting which has contributed to the large body of new knowledge in the prolactin field that has been generated over the past 18 years.
