The second Gordon Research Conference on Cell-Cell Fusion will take place in 2009, at Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire, July 19-24. This relatively new GRC follows upon a very successful first GRC meeting in 2007 and two earlier special interest subgroup meetings on cell-cell fusion that took place in 2002 and 2003 at the American Society for Cell Biology. This conference focuses on the fusion of cells with each other during development, regeneration, and disease. The Cell-Cell Fusion GRC is unique in the novelty, breadth, and depth of its coverage of new developments in the blossoming field of cell fusion. The conference will include eight topical sessions. Three of these will cover 1) structure and function of known fusogenic membrane proteins, 2) the physics of fusing membrane bilayers, and 3) novel applications of induced cell fusion in medicine. Five additional sessions will cover mechanisms of developmental control of cell fusion in important species and cell types, where the molecular details are just beginning to emerge and converge: 4) fertilization by gamete cells;5) epithelial cells;6) myoblasts and mesenchymal cells;7) macrophages and other monocytic cells;and 8) fungal and plant cells. The discussion leaders and speakers selected to date are among the most respected investigators and international leaders on cell fusion. The keynote address speaker will be one of the world's foremost experts in membrane fission, fusion, and/or trafficking. The success of Gordon Conferences as a forum for the discussion of state-of-the-art research advances is attributable to their limited size, geographical isolation, and overall structure. The Gordon Research Conference format differs from virtually all other scientific meetings in providing an extensive opportunity for open, free, and informal discussions. The number of participants is limited to about 130, and attendees include international leaders in the field from the academic and industrial sector, young investigators, postdoctoral fellows, and students. The purpose of this application is to request funds to defray the costs of registration and travel for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Because direct funding from the GRC organization to new meetings is limited, these funds from the NIH will aid immeasurably in allowing the Cell-Cell Fusion conference to fulfill its function, which is to stimulate creativity and interaction in this emerging field of biology.
Cell-cell fusion is a topic spanning many disciplines of biology and medicine, including fertility, development and repair of muscle and bone, vision, and immunity to infection. It is also an important aspect of the life cycle of many parasitic and viral pathogens. Understanding the mechanisms by which diverse cell types fuse, and the ways in which cell engineering via cell fusion can be applied in medicine, will advance the aim of the NIH to improve human health. This meeting stimulates communication among researchers in the various systems in which cell fusion is under study.
