This application requests support for the annual meeting of the Sun Valley Workshop on Skeletal Biology held in Sun Valley, Idaho, August 1-4, 2010. The Sun Valley Workshops have a 35+ year tradition and originally grew out of an attempt to provide multidisciplinary training to younger scientists. The Workshops continue to emphasize active participation of junior faculty and students. The Workshops have been successful in promoting interdisciplinary communication, and are unusual in that discussion time equals or exceeds time allotted for formal presentation. The goals of the Workshop are to (1) work toward a multidisciplinary basic and clinical synthesis of molecular, tissue and biomechanical processes related to the pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of bone and joint diseases;(2) develop a dialogue between basic and clinical investigators;(3) provide training workshops for junior faculty and students that help bridge the gaps between disciplines;(4) provide a forum for student training and the opportunity for junior faculty and students to talk with more senior scientists in a small group setting. A partnership between the Workshop and the International Bone and Mineral Society (IBMS) will improve marketing of the Workshop, especially internationally, and provide maximum visibility through IBMS BoneKEy broadcast emails and links on the IBMS website. We expect it also to provide greater support or young investigator awards. The 40th Sun Valley Workshop will include a session on Bone Histomorphometry that is intended to produce a consensus statement regarding core measurements in pre-clinical studies involving low bone turnover states; tendons as the connector between muscle and bone;techniques of analyzing bone at the material level;the interaction of biological and mechanical factors in adaptation;and Epigenetics. A hands-on afternoon workshop on histomorphometry for younger investigators is also planned. The Monday evening session is set aside for presentations by six ASBMR/Harold M. Frost Young Investigator Awardees. A Plenary lecture by Dr. Mitchell Schaffler on Sunday is followed by a poster session and wine and cheese reception. There are plans to advertise and distribute a summary of the workshop, partly using Web-based resources and through publication in BoneKEy.
This Workshop is relevant to public health concerns because it brings a multi-disciplinary group of senior and junior scientists together to discuss the pathogenesis and treatment of osteoporosis, the role of tendons, epigenetic factors in osteoporosis and its treatment, and methods of analyzing changes in bone in response to either disease or treatment modalities. One goal is to develop a consensus about how to evaluate bone formation markers in cases of low bone turnover consequent to treatment for disease. It provides vertically-oriented information, from the basic science to clinical pathology, to practitioners and scientists who may not be completely familiar with all aspects of these diseases of public health concern.
