Cytokine JAK-STAT Signaling in Immunity and Disease

Keystone Symposia, Silverthorne CO

Investigators

Abstract

? DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia meeting entitled Cytokine JAK-STAT Signaling in Immunity and Disease, organized by Curt M. Horvath, John J. O'Shea and Stephanie S. Watowich. The meeting will be held in Steamboat Springs, Colorado from January 10-15, 2016. Cytokines are important extracellular factors that direct a variety of biological responses in normal physiology and disease. Cytokine signaling is mediated in large part through four Janus kinase (JAK) proteins and seven Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT) proteins, and these molecules intersect with a wide array of additional intracellular signals to drive significant global alterations in gene expression. Cytokine JAK-STAT pathways are intimately associated with innate and adaptive immunity, inflammation, stem cell and developmental biology, and diverse aspects of cancer biology. As JAK-STAT pathways produce both common and unique phenotypes critical for a vast range of biological phenomena, the basic understanding of how these signal transduction cascades are regulated, function and integrate with additional cellular responses has been continuously refined by discoveries of general and pathway-specific mechanisms. Furthermore, drug discovery efforts have produced small molecules targeting JAKs and STATs that are promising agents in clinical treatment of inflammation, arthritis and a variety of cancers. This meeting, coinciding with the 25th year of the discovery of JAK-STAT signaling, will couple invited speakers who have made significant contributions to allied disciplines with both cytokine JAK-STAT veterans and newcomers to the field, with ample opportunities for short talks selected from submitted abstracts.