Molecular Pathways in Cardiac Development and Disease

Keystone Symposia, Silverthorne CO

Investigators

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): [unreadable] [unreadable] This proposal is to request support for a Keystone Symposium entitled "Molecular Pathways in Cardiac Development and Disease", which will be held in Breckenridge, Colorado from January 22-27, 2007. Over the past several years, it has become increasingly clear that converging biological pathways drive embryonic cardiovascular development and adult forms of human disease. The induction of embryonic gene programs have uncovered new molecular signals for cardiac disease and potential new therapeutic targets. Developmental defects in vasculogenesis and cardiovascular lineage specification have now been liked to cardiovascular diseases that present at the adult stage. Studies of cardiovascular stem cells have clearly underscored the value of utilizing insights from the genetic pathways that guide the formation of the distinct heart lineages from the anterior and posterior heart field to identify rare post-natal heart cells and the pathways that drive their formation, renewal, maturation and triggered differentiation into diverse cardiovascular cell lineages. In short, the barriers between development and disease in the cardiovascular setting are now largely erased. This meeting will highlight cutting edge work from a wide variety of investigators with expertise in diverse fields, ranging from pediatric to adult cardiology, developmental biology and physiology, and work in multiple models systems. The topics have been chosen to feature new approaches to mine disease genes, pathways, and therapeutic strategies by rigorous study of the developmental biology of the cardiovascular system. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]