? DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal requests support for the Gordon Research Conference, and associated Gordon Research Seminar on Thiol-Based Redox Regulation and Signaling to be held at the Stoweflake Conference Center, Stowe, VT on August 6-7 (GRS) / 7-12 (GRC) 2016. The subtitle of this conference, Thiols in Biology and Medicine: Innovations Driving Disease Prevention, Therapeutics and Quality of Life reflects the strong focus on topics that fit the programmatic mission of NIH. Redox biology is an all- encompassing term that refers to the multitude of reduction and oxidation processes occurring in biological molecules. This Gordon conference focuses specifically on the redox regulation of protein function by modification of cysteine and methionine residues and on the agents that modulate the redox state of these residues. These include both cellular protein reductases and oxidases, and endogenous and exogenous reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur species - ROS, RNS, and RSS, respectively that are sulfur-reactive. Given that aging, cancer and environmental diseases are suspected to result from progressive breakdown of redox homeostasis, a better description of the redox components in cellular processes from disease development to treatment and long-term follow-up will help with all aspects of disease management including prevention, prediction of disease and response to treatment, to patients' quality of life. This interdisciplinary conference is in its sixth cycle after five very successful meetings in the U.S. (2006 and 2012), Italy (2008 and 2010), and Spain (2014). It will continue to provide an important venue for the free exchange of ideas and methodologies among the chemists, biochemists, molecular and cell biologists, physiologists, and clinicians working on various aspects of the field. While the thematic area of the conference is broad-based, its relevance for understanding the molecular basis of human physiology and pathology related to the missions of NIA, NCI and NIEHS is highly significant. By bringing together investigators with varied expertise in biophysical methods, bioinformatics and animal and cellular model systems, with clinical researchers and physicians focused on disease processes, the meeting is expected to further stimulate collaborations and catalyze scientific progress as has been exemplified by the success of the previous meetings. For the third time, the GRC will be preceded by a Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) (August 6-7, 2016), which will provide an opportunity for graduate students and postdoctoral scientists to formally present research and engage in scientific discussions. We expect this to continue to attract and increase retention of young scientists to the field of redox biology in aging, cancer and environmental research.

R13AG053038

2016-04-01

2017-03-31