? ? This application is for partial support of a FASEB Summer Research Conference on """"""""Trace Element Metabolism: From Model Organisms to Humans"""""""", to be held at Snowmass, Colorado June 15-20, 2008. Given the importance of trace elements in global human nutrition and in human disease and the important advances in this field of research, we anticipate holding at least two additional iterations of this meeting in 2010 and 2012. Trace elements are of vital importance in medicine, agriculture and the inter-relationship between agriculture and human health. This proposed FASEB Summer Research Conference will focus on topics covering the most exciting and important breakthroughs in understanding both basic and applied aspects of trace element homeostasis and metabolism. In this meeting we will largely focus on the trace elements iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se) and boron (B), as they constitute a group of trace elements that serve critical roles in biology. As is evidenced by the dramatic increase in the number of newly discovered biological processes in which trace elements play pivotal roles as catalysts, sensors, regulatory molecules and structural co-factors, this field of investigation is expanding at an extremely rapid pace. Given the importance of the field and its potential to continue to make ground-breaking discoveries of broad fundamental importance and the large scientific demand for opportunities to communicate and interact, the topic of this meeting is both exciting and timely.
The specific aims for this proposal are to (1) organize and support a meeting on the latest scientific advances in the research area of trace element homeostasis and metabolism (2) promote interactions between scientists and clinician/scientists and trainees to share new discoveries in the field of trace element metabolism as it relates to normal growth, development and nutrition and to enhance training and new collaborations that will move the field forward and (3) to directly involve newly independent scientists and trainees including graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, women, minorities and the disabled in the conference. Our goal is to provide access to cutting edge science via oral and poster presentations, to allow opportunities for interactions between trainees and established investigators and other colleagues and to encourage and support long- term and significant advances in this important area of biomedical research. Proposal Narrative Description Trace elements such as copper and iron are essential for normal human growth and development, but are toxic when accumulated to high levels. This application is for partial support of a research conference to serve as a forum to advance our understanding of how organisms properly balance trace element usage and to utilize this knowledge to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases of trace element metabolism caused by genetic, environmental and dietary mechanisms. ? ? ?
