This application seeks funding for travel costs to allow the attendance of 12 trainees or new investigators from the USA at the 2013 Aspen/Snowmass Perinatal Biology Conference. The longstanding tradition of perinatal research in the US underpins our knowledge of the physiologic basis of fetal development. Cellular and molecular techniques incorporated into investigation in the last 10 years have allowed in depth understanding of the developmental basis of fetal physiology and the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, IUGR, diabetes and premature delivery, situations associated with perinatal morbidity and mortality. There has been a burgeoning recognition that life in utero is associated with the development of disease in adult life i.e. the developmental origins of health and adult disease or fetal programming. This has brought renewed interest in perinatal physiology. The perinatal research community is multidisciplinary~ bringing together clinicians and basic scientists interested in maternal, fetal, and placental physiology and a substantial cadre of agricultural animal physiologists who perform comparative studies of great relevance to human physiology and development. It also has a strong tradition of training young basic and clinician scientists~ a vital part of their training experience is the opportunity to present work in venues where they can interact with senior scientists, and receive the benefit of mentorship from role models. This meeting will feature presentations from maternal, fetal, placental and agricultural animal research communities around an integrated theme of """"""""Fetal Adaptations to Maternal and Placental Dysfunction."""""""" The meeting will be 2 1/2 days with multiple oral plenary sessions including new investigators. Plenary sessions will be accompanied by two interactive workshop sessions addressing key questions. Two poster discussion sessions are scheduled and posters will be displayed for the entire meeting to allow time for in-depth discussion of work. Prizes will be awarded for the best poster presentations by trainee or new investigators. Trainees and new investigators will be selected based on review of submitted first author abstracts by the scientific committee for award of travel fuds. There has always been a high proportion (up to 40%) of women attendees at previous meetings and women speakers and session chairs at this meeting are well represented.
The purpose of this conference grant application is to provide travel funds for 12 trainee/young investigators to help support their attendance at the 2013 Aspen/Snowmass Perinatal Biology Conference, Fetal Adaptations to Maternal and Placental Dysfunction. This area of investigation has major public health consequences with the growing recognition that life in utero is a major determinant of disease in adult lif. The conference will bring together in an integrated manner maternal, fetal and placental physiologists together with agricultural scientists using animal models of relevance to perinatal biology.
