This proposal requests support over 5 years for the biennial Gordon Research Conference on Clearance of Dying Cells by Phagocytes, beginning with the second Conference of this subject, to be held June 19-24, 2005, at Connecticut College in New London, CT. The conference will attract both basic and clinical scientists investigating mechanisms by which apoptotic cells are recognized and engulfed as well as the disease states that are a consequence of dysfunctional clearance. The goals of the conference include the presentation of current progress on the core topics of the field, such as recognition molecules, signaling pathways and engulfment machinery; exploration of one or more satellite interests, such as autophagy; bringing together those who study the core molecular questions with those who study the role of apoptotic cell engulfment in physiological and clinical areas such as immune tolerance, inflammation, tumor immunology, and autoimmunity; and providing a networking opportunity, in part by speaker invitations, particularly for investigators who are new to the field or geographically isolated. Topics to be covered include (1) the PS Receptor; (2) Identification of the Apoptotic Target; (3) Recognition in Invertebrates; (4) Phagocyte Engulfment Mechanisms; (5) History and Proliferation of Engulfment Mechanisms; (6) Autoimmunity; (7) Apoptotic Cell Recognition and Disease; and (8) Autophagy.
