The p53 protein has been well characterized as playing a tumor suppressor role in human cancer. Indeed, a majority of human tumors have sustained missense mutation in the TP53 gene. Mdm2 is a major negative regulator of p53 that has been shown to act by inhibiting the transcriptional activity of p53 via direct binding as well as serving as an E3 ubiquitin ligase to target p53 for degradation. Consistent with such findings, Mdm2 has been demonstrated as also playing a role in human tumors with its overexpression or gene amplification being observed in a variety of cancers. The scientific need for the 8th International MDM2 Workshop arises from the central role that the p53 tumor suppressor and its negative regulator Mdm2 have regarding the development and progression of human cancer and the promise that the p53-Mdm2 interaction holds for development of novel therapies. The expansion of the scientific community studying Mdm2 and the need to pursue this area of research with a collaborative multidisciplinary approach has further made it necessary to have Mdm2 Workshops. Thus, while both the p53 and Mdm2 Workshops started as small gatherings of researchers in the field, they have become necessary for future progress. A p53 Workshop is held every two years to bring together the p53 field in order to report on the latest research and to facilitate collaboration and exchange of reagents. The first p53 Workshop was held in 1983 in the United Kingdom. Fourteen years ago, the first complementing Mdm2 Workshop was held in alternating years with the p53 conference. The Workshops have since been held every two years, alternating between Europe and the United States. The 8th International MDM2 Workshop will be held at Tulane University School of Medicine on November 1-4th, 2015. The meeting is being co-organized by Hua Lu (Tulane University) and Wei Gu (Columbia University). The site of the conference is in the Bowers Auditorium, 1555 Poydras Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. Tulane University is a major long-term leasee of the 1555 Poydras building. This Auditorium hosts research seminars and medical student classes for the Tulane Community. Therefore, we are applying for the R13 fund to support this highest level and exciting international meeting in this field, which would dramatically re-energize the research and promote scientific interactions and exchanges in the area.
Public Health Relevance The p53 protein has been well characterized as playing a tumor suppressor role in human cancer, whereas its inhibitor MDM2 plays a major role in suppressing p53 functions in various human cancers, thus basic and translational research focusing on this area has been considerably intensive. It is particularly important and essential for the cancer researchers in this field to get together and to report on their latest research and to facilitate collaboration and exchange of reagents. Hence, organization of the 8th International MDM2 Workshop at Tulane in New Orleans is a timely event that would dramatically re-energize the research and promote scientific interactions and idea exchanges in the area, tremendously conducive to anticancer drug discovery and beneficial to public health.
