This award will support an international workshop on molecular approaches to development in the amoebal organism Dictyostelium to be held in Turin, Italy from September 9 to September 15, 1990. The meeting, organized by Prof. William F. Loomis of the University of California-San Diego and Prof. Salvatore R. Bozzaro of the University of Turin, will focus on three topics: (1) Signals and signal transduction mechanisms that affect gene expression; (2) Transcriptional and post-transcriptional control mechanisms; (3) Modifications of specific proteins and their relations to cellular functions. The various applications of advanced techniques to diverse aspects of the differentiations that occur in Dictyostelium discoideum have been fruitful in gaining a global understanding of the mechanisms by which a group of genetically and physiologically identical cells can interact and diverge into specialized cell types. The advent of powerful molecular genetic techniques applicable to this system has opened up many new avenues that are leading to insights relevant not only to Dictyostelium development but also to related processes that occur in all multicellular organisms, especially during embryogenesis. Advances in the understanding of complex processes in Dictyostelium have benefitted significantly from the periodic exchange of techniques, results and points of view between laboratories at international meetings. Hosting this meeting in Italy ensures the participation of the most active Italian and Western Europe laboratories and will facilitate the rapid dissemination of new data and foster international collabora- tions.
