The Neurotrophin Gordon Conference is to be held on June 8-13, 1997 at Newport Rhode Island. The conference is to be co-chaired by Drs. David Kaplan and Story Landis. The goal of the Neurotrophin Gordon conference is to provide a biannual forum to foster the exchange of new information about neurotrophic factors and to provide a forum for the dissemination of new tools and methodologies for their study. The definition of neurotrophins, formally focussed on Nerve Growth Factor and related molecules, have been expanded to included other families, such as the neuropoietic cytokines, fibroblast growth factor and related molecules and glial derived neurotrophic factors. Virtually all of these neurotrophic factors and their receptors have been identified and cloned in the past decade, many within the past several years. Their biological functions are being intensively studied in vitro and in vivo by neuroscientists, cell and molecular biologists, and physiologist. Information obtained concerning the biological activities of neurotrophic factors and the mechanisms of signal transduction mediated by their receptors will lead to a greater understanding of development, function and repair of the mammalian nervous system. Additionally, findings from basic research in this field are likely to suggest strategies for and provide new approaches to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and for determining the prognosis of an developing therapies for neural tumors.
