There are two primary objectives of this conference. The first is to facilitate and foster productive interactions among investigators working on different aspects of TGF-? superfamily biology. In particular, the organizers intend to provide a forum for the development of collaborative relationships among investigators working on the biochemistry, molecular, cellular and developmental biology of TGF-? superfamily members as it applies to normal development and human pathology. Of particular interest is to offer a venue for integrating biochemical knowledge about signal transduction mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level, with systems approaches that aim to describe how these factors coordinate developmental processes and contribute to various human disease states including, cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and musculoskeletal pathologies. The organizers will accomplish this goal through a diverse and interactive program of talks and poster sessions, organized by theme, and all held in an intimate setting with a limited number of participants. Many leaders in the various fields of TGF-? biology have already been invited, and with their input, develop scientific sessions that highlight recent advances in different aspects of TGF-? biology. Ample discussion time will be provided to allow development of productive scientific interactions. A second goal for this conference is to provide a forum to promote and encourage the development of women, minorities, and talented young scientists in this field. Women make up a significant fraction of the session chairs and invited speakers. The work of young investigators will be highlighted in a special short talk session. Based on five previous conferences with similar goals, the organizers anticipate successfully meeting their objectives.
The TGF-? superfamily comprises the largest set of polypeptide growth factors in vertebrates and they regulate an extensive number of developmental, physiological and homeostatic processes. A great deal of recent work has gone into understanding the molecular mechanisms of TGF-? signaling and the way in which aberrations in this signaling pathway lead to developmental abnormalities (birth defects) and human disease pathologies, including cancer, cardiovascular disorders, musculoskeletal pathologies, and psychiatric conditions to name a few. This conference covers a wide range of topics including the mechanism of TGF-? signaling, structural determination of components of the pathway, and discussion of the involvement of these ligands in developmental and differentiation processes relevant to birth defects and human disease. These discussions have direct relevance for the development of effective therapeutic strategies to treat a wide number of disease states that are caused by, or exacerbated by, alterations in this signaling pathway.
