This application seeks partial support for the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Science Research Conference on ?Liver Biology: Fundamental Mechanisms & Translational Applications?. This conference, which has been held biennially since 1988, is recognized as the world's premier small conference covering all aspects of basic research involving the liver. It will be held from August 2-7, 2020 in New Orleans, LA. The main goals of the conference are to 1) present and integrate research advances in disparate areas of liver biology in order to foster new national and international collaborative projects, 2) encourage and support junior investigators/trainees, women and minority scientists to continue pursuing liver research ensuring that the study of hepatic disease and biology remains vigorous and 3) accelerate translation of fundamental advances into novel clinical treatments through the interactions of basic and clinical researchers. These goals will be achieved through specific programmatic themes and strategies. The program is divided into eight major sessions, includes one keynote and 36 invited speakers. Besides the invited speaker presentations, we will integrate 20 short talks chosen from abstracts. Preference will be given to junior/trainee, minority and women investigators. The program also includes two Poster Sessions preceded by oral ?Poster Blast? presentations, two lunch time ?Meet-the-Expert? sessions for one-on-one dialogue, and a Career Development session for junior investigators and trainees. New features for this conference include an ?Ambassador Program? (pairing a trainee and an investigator) and a ?Trainee Only Mixer? on the first night. Our goal is to get the trainees dialed into their peers and as many investigators as possible by facilitating introductions. We hope to provide many opportunities to find a mentor, national or international, that works per individual and their future research endeavors as they grow in their careers. We also hope that they will identify their peers for long term interactions and collaborations. There will be ?free-time? providing opportunities for informal scientific exchange among speakers and attendees. While the conference will keep the tradition of covering a wide range of basic science and translational topics - including liver organogenesis, regulation of hepatobiliary gene expression in health and disease, liver regeneration, liver injury and fibrosis - there will be particular focus on hepatic metabolism, fatty liver and liver cancer due to their growing relevance. For all topics, emphasis is given to translational application of recent and current discoveries. In summary, the program integrates the most relevant and timely topics in basic and applied aspects of liver health and disease to promote scientific exchange, dissemination, education, collaboration and translation to patient care.
The 2020 FASEB Science Research Conference on ?Liver Biology: Fundamental Mechanisms & Translational Applications? will be the 17th iteration of a conference held biennially since 1988. It is the highest-regarded national and international small conference on basic and translational research in liver biology, and has become one of the most successful FASEB conferences in terms of attendance. The conference has a tradition of attendance by the majority of leaders in the field, forming a core continuum in liver research in the United States of America, and is strengthened by promoting and encouraging junior investigators/trainees, women and minority scientists. The 2020 conference will continue to provide a key forum for scientific exchange between attendees of diverse scientific background, and will generate innovative ideas, collaboration and solutions for liver-related biology and medicine.
