2015 Cell Contact and Adhesion Gordon Research Conference & Gordon Research Seminar

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

? DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Intercellular adhesions are traditionally regarded as multi-protein complexes that form structural rivets or junctions between cells, effectively tethering the cytoskeletons of neighboring cells through these structures. Recently, it has become apparent that proteins that comprise these junctions are structurally altered under mechanical tension, resulting in different protein binding characteristics that lead to changes in the macromolecular structure of adhesions. Emerging evidence that a cell's stiffness promotes tissue proliferation and may serve as a biomarker for metastatic potential, indicate that a deeper understanding of the mechanical properties of cells within tissues will be an important new frontier in cancer research. Therefore, the goal of the 2015 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Cell Contact and Adhesion (CC&A) will be to focus the presentations and general discussions on how intercellular junctions respond to changes in tension and how such changes are conveyed to a cell's nucleus to coordinate collective cell behaviors relevant to development (e.g., cell-on-cell migrations or intercellular intercalations required for tissue elongation) and disease (e.g., tumor invasion-front migrations). Participants from diverse backgrounds who do not frequently interact in other venues--ranging from biophysicists and biochemists to cell and developmental biologists--are invited to this meeting to achieve a more integrated angstroms to tissue view of cell contact and adhesion relevant to heath and disease. One way to improve the current trend of featuring quantitative biologists as add-ons to various sessions will be to integrate these investigators within each session as a participant or discussion leader. Participation of scientists from different disciplines ensures deliberation over an integrated view of cell-cell adhesion that accommodates these very different methods/model systems, and thereby accelerates the pace of understanding. We will include measures that promote productive discussions among attendees, participation of woman and URM at all levels and help junior investigators build a network of colleagues/mentors. The GRC Board of Trustees has provided resources for a second CC& Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), which will precede the GRC and will be organized by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Altogether, these conferences will not only promote scientific exchange among established and new investigators in the field of cell contact and adhesion, but promote the development of a more interdisciplinary research pipeline by fostering graduate student and postdoctoral fellow participation.