The specific aim of this proposal is to obtain partial funding for the 2002, 2003, and 2004 Gordon Research Conference on Mechanisms of Hormone Action, the 32nd- 34th meetings of this conference. It is proposed that the conference be held in the United States in 2002 and 2003, and in Europe in 2004. This conference is one of the few that provides a forum for presentation and discussion of a broad spectrum of the latest advances in Mechanisms of Hormone Action. Oral sessions and poster presentations are planned that will span molecular, cellular, developmental and physiological studies of both plasma membrane receptor signal transduction mechanisms and hormonal pathways that employ intracellular nuclear receptors. The 2003 conference will consist of an opening keynote presentation on the topic of programmed cell death. The following four days will be organizing into morning and evening sessions devoted to the following themes: Day 1 - Regulation of gene expression by phosphorylation cascades; Day 2 - Transcriptional mechanisms; Day 3 - Hormones and development; Day 4 - Hormones and metabolic control. All meeting participants will be invited to submit an abstract to one of two poster sessions planned for the conference. These poster sessions allow all attendees, especially students and young investigators, to present data and fully participate in discussions. Traditionally, this conference brings together a diverse group of academic and industrial scientists from the US and abroad with interests ranging from basic mechanisms of hormone signaling pathways, to physician-scientists interested in the integrative actions of hormones and in understanding human endocrine diseases. With its interdisciplinary focus on signal transduction pathways, development and regulation of carbohydrate and lipid homeostasis, this conference is of potential interest to several Institutes, including NIDDK, NCI, NHLBI, NICHD and NIGMS, and many of the invited speakers will be presenting studies funded by these Institutes. Funding is requested to cover travel expenses and/or conference fees for invited speakers and to provide travel awards and defray meeting expenses for junior scientists, trainees and individuals from underrepresented groups.
