Faseb Summer Research Conference: Transport Atpases

Inesi, Giuseppe

Abstract

This is an application for partial funding for a FASEB summer research conference titled """"""""Transport ATPases: Genomics, Mechanisms and Relevance to Diseases"""""""". The conference will be held in the Vermont Academy, Saxton River, Vermont, on July 12-17, 2003. The Conference was reviewed and approved by the appropriate FASEB Committee, and will be the fourth meeting held every two years on this subject. The major goal of the meeting is to bring together about 150 participants, including the top scientists in this field, but also younger investigators and postdoctoral fellows. The conference schedule include two keynote lectures, nine sessions with 4 talks each, poster viewing and discussion, and a postdoc forum. The subjects of discussion will be: Genomic survey of transport ATPases, crystal structure and mechanism of the Ca 2+ATPase, crystal structure and mechanism of the ABC transporters, transport ATPases in yeast systems, crystal structure and mechanisms of the ATP synthase, comparative ATPase structure and mechanisms, mechanism and modulation of plasma Na+,K+ and Ca 2+ATPases, Ca 2+ATPase in cardiac function and disease, and relevance of transport ATPases to human diseases. In addition to lectures, there will be poster presentations and a post-doc forum to foster communication among more established and younger scientists. It is expected that the conference will be highly significant with regard to both basic and medical sciences. The astounding progress in definition of crystal structures facilitates understanding of mechanisms and open up avenues for modeling and drug development. Furthermore, genomic surveys reveal an increasing number of genetically linked diseases of transport ATPases. Finally, it is clear that pathogenetic features of common disease states, such as heart failure and drug resistance, are related to altered expression and/or function of transport ATPases. The conference is related to the mission of the NHBLI (Ca 2+ and Na+,K+ATPase; ABC transporters), NIAMS (Ca 2+ATPases), NIGMS (all transport ATPases), NIDDK (CFTR, copper ATPase), NCI (MDR/Pglycoprotein and MRP1, and the NEI (ABCR). There is a good representation of established and junior scientists at the meeting, both male and female.