Integration of Developmental Signaling Pathways

Keystone Symposia, Silverthorne CO

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (Provided by Applicant): This application is to request support for a Keystone ymposia meeting entitled Integration of Developmental Signaling Pathways, organized by Dr. Jim Woodgett and Dr. Joseph Kelleher, which will be held in Victoria, British Columbia from March 23 - 28, 2010. While the importance of developmental signaling pathways such as Wnt, Notch, TGF?, Hedgehog, Hippo, etc., in controlling cell fate determination, tissue organization/homeostasis, and their frequent abrogation in disease has been realized over the past few years, the molecular processes by which these pathways conspire combinatorially and temporally to build sophisticated cellular outcomes is only now becoming apparent. Moreover, simplistic approaches that selectively interfere with one pathway in isolation have resulted in unpredicted outcomes and revealed the presence of interdependencies that require consideration of contextual interactions. Therefore, effective therapeutic manipulation of these systems will require understanding of the mechanisms and interdependencies that determine complex physiology. This is emerging from diverse areas of biology and so requires a meeting of different minds to assimilate the findings. This symposium will bring together experts addressing the interactive mechanisms of developmental signaling with the aim of promoting better models of networks and the design of more effective therapeutic strategies. Opportunities for interdisciplinary interactions will be significantly enhanced by the concurrent meeting on New Paradigms in Cancer Therapeutics which will share a keynote address and a plenary session with this meeting.