Protein phosphorylation was discovered by Edwin Krebs and Edmond Fischer in the 1950s as a crucial aspect of regulation of glycogen metabolism. In the ensuing 40 years, it has become apparent that protein phosphorylation is the most ubiquitous regulatory mechanism in cell biology. It plays a central role in such diverse biological processes as cell migration and histogenesis in early development; hormone action; regulation of cardiovascular function; synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory in the nervous system; and control of cell growth and division in all cell types. Protein phosphorylation is also implicated in cellular dysfunctions which lead to disease such as altered growth regulation in cancer, failure of insulin regulation of glucose metabolism in diabetes, and altered phosphorylation of microtubules and microfilaments in Alzheimer's disease. What are the common themes that emerge from studies of protein phosphorylation in all of these varied cellular contexts? Our meeting is designed to reveal common themes by bringing together experts in the mechanisms of cellular regulation by protein phosphorylation in many different cell types for reflection on the development of the field and for intense consideration of the avalanche of recent advances in our understanding of the role of protein phosphorylation in different regulatory pathways. We believe that this broad consideration of the mechanisms through which protein phosphorylation participates in cellular regulation in endocrine pathways, in control of cell division, growth, and differentiation, and in regulation of the cardiovascular and nervous systems will be a catalyst for further research in the field and for new interdisciplinary initiatives to unravel the complexities of the phosphorylation networks which control cell function. The meeting is organized around a series of Symposia featuring lectures by leading scientists, Workshops featuring short talks on recent research, and Poster Sessions emphasizing presentations by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Support is requested for travel expenses of symposium speakers and workshop coordinators.
