This application requests funding to partially support the 2006 Gordon Research Conference on Fibroblast Growth Factors in Development and Disease. The Gordon Research Conference on Fibroblast Growth Factors in Development & Disease has been scheduled for March 12-17, 2006 at the Four Points Sheraton Harbortown, Ventura, California. This interdisciplinary conference will bring together a diverse group of researchers working in FGFs in a single forum to discuss new results and to target future research areas. Of particular importance for the conference are: 1. The role of carbohydrates in regulating FGF activity, 2. novel mechanisms regulating FGF activity, 3. understanding the molecular basis for FGF's roles in development, and, 4. Networking FGF signaling with other pathways including TGFbeta, wnt and hedgehog pathways. Typically, the majority of these scientists do not attend common meetings and this forum has provided a mechanism for a diverse group of researchers to discuss common interests in FGF signaling, FGF and FGFR structure and the developmental processes regulated by FGFs. This meeting is expected to open new avenues of work in this area by promoting new ideas and collaborations among the participants. The conference sessions include Keynote lectures, Carbohydrate regulation of FGF function, Developmental Events Regulated by FGFs, Cellular Physiology and FGFs, Skeletal Development, Diversity of FGF Signaling Pathways, FGF Function in the Central Nervous System, Patterning and FGFs, Novel Mechanisms for FGF Function in Development and Disease. Thus, the 2006 GRC Conference on Fibroblast Growth Factors in Development and Disease will bring together scientists that work in fields of structure function analysis, signaling, cell biology and development. This conference is designed to provide an interdisciplinary forum that will benefit from the contributions of both established and new investigators. Due to the rapid pace of important advancements in this field, the conference should provide a timely and important forum to discuss new work, to provide a diverse and stimulating atmosphere and allow initiation of new research directions and collaborations.
