Conference Proposal: Smooth Muscle

Federation Of Amer Soc For Exper Biology, Bethesda MD

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application requests partial funding of the 2006 FASEB Smooth Muscle Conference to be held from July 29-August 3rd, 2006 at Snowmass, Colorado. This conference is the 9th in a highly successful series of smooth muscle meetings that have been held every 3 years since 1982. The FASEB Smooth Muscle Conferences are widely regarded as the premier forum in the field of smooth muscle biology. The meetings have been extremely popular and attended by leading investigators from Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. An understanding of smooth muscle biology is vital to those interested in cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urological and reproductive physiology and pathophysiology. Presentations will be focused on areas where rapid progress has been made during the past 3 years. These will include smooth muscle developmental biology, new in vivo imaging technologies, cytoskeletal function, protein-protein interactions, structural biology, channel biology, subcellular Ca dynamics, molecular mechanisms of kinase and phosphatase signaling, and cell to cell communication. Integration of these areas will be emphasized in discussions of new transgenic and knockout technologies to create animal models lacking or having defective signaling molecules and which reveal important connections to clinical disease states. Because many smooth muscle investigators work on specific organ systems and frequently attend society meetings related to the specifics of those organ systems, a comprehensive smooth muscle meeting where common issues related to the cell and tissue biology of smooth muscles are discussed is extremely important. The format of the meeting is especially conducive to informal discussion and opportunities to form new collaborations. In addition to the programmed lectures described in the application and organized into 9 topical symposia, contributions from young investigators will be selected from the abstracts submitted and added to the symposia as oral presentations. The 2006 FASEB Smooth Muscle Conference will provide a comprehensive review of state-ofthe-art smooth muscle biology and constitute an intensive short course for scientists who are beginning investigations in the field or clinical investigators with broader clinical interests in smooth muscle function. The extensive opportunities for informal interactions will allow investigators at all levels to meet new colleagues, explore new ideas and techniques, and develop new collaborations.