Gordon Research Conferences

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-05

The 2025 GRC “Archaea: Ecology, Metabolism and Molecular Biology” will bring together a group of ~200 scientists seeking to understand fundamental biology and evolution of Archaea and their relationships with eukaryotes, while looking into their potential for biotechnological, bioremediation, clinical and other applications. Emphasis will be placed on archaeal genomics and its application for understanding the origin and key pathways of eukaryotes, establishing the role of archaea in human health and for biotechnology applications. Scientific aims of the meeting are the following: 1) Promote experimental characterization of new archaea-specific CRISPR-Cas systems and numerous anti-CRISPR proteins identified in genomic and metagenomic data and develop biotechnological application of these systems for genome editing, molecular diagnostics and gene regulation; 2) Continue exploration of Asgard archaea, the closest relative of eukaryotes, which are viewed as future model organisms to study many components of eukaryotic pathways and complexes, which are challenging to study using eukaryotic model organisms; and 3) To investigate further the role of archaea in human gut microbiome. To achieve this we have invited and already received commitments from the top investigators in the respective fields of archaeal research and allocated ample time for discussion of relevant ongoing projects and establishing multidisciplinary collaborations. To promote using state of the art methods, we introduced a “Know How” topic featuring a lecture on CryoEM technology and experts in computational biology will share their knowledge on the best methods of sequence analysis. The prime objective of the meeting is to promote a balance of attendees across career stages with a specific emphasis on early career scientists. As such, 40% of oral presentations will be delivered by new investigators, postdoctoral scientists, and graduate students (early career researchers - ECRs). Such ECRs will be of high priority for financial support from the conference budget. A Gordon Research Seminar will be organized by and run for students and postdocs, who will present their most exciting research.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-05

Project Summary Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder accompanied by a broad range of motor and non-motor symptoms. It affects approximately 1 million Americans. With the gradual aging of the population in the Western World, the burden of this disease is expected to rise steeply over the next decades. Although there is still much to learn, research in PD is presently making a lot of progress and beginning to shed light on common pathways and mechanisms of pathogenesis and pathophysiology. The 2025 GRC/GRS meeting on PD aims to promote the translation and integration of knowledge across disciplines to accelerate the pace of discovery and its translation to new therapies. This PD GRS/GRC meeting will be held June 8-13 2025 at Waterville Valley in New Hampshire, a readily accessible location 2 hours north of Boston. It will be dedicated to the presentation of new research developments on the pathogenesis, pathophysiology and experimental therapeutics of PD. Based on previous editions of this meeting (2015, 2019 and 2023), we expect 200 attendees (the GRC maximum). Support is requested from the NIH to help cover the registration costs for 20 early-career investigators (PhD students & postdocs). We aim to put together a meeting that will be exemplary in its promotion of discussions and collaborations and that will be interactive and inclusive. This will be promoted by a few key features of the meeting. First, this will be a joint GRS/GRC meeting, the first of which will provide a unique opportunity for students and postdocs to establish a rapport and dialog prior to the GRC. Second, it will be mandatory that all attendees stay the full 5 days of the meeting. Third, the ratio of talks to discussion time will be longer compared to other typical meetings, thus favoring for in depth scientific exchange. Forth, communal dining, afternoon social time and interactive poster sessions, together with the presence of major thought leaders in a non-intimidating, approachable setting will facilitate the development of genuine scientific interactions between participants at all levels of experience. The meeting program was designed with input from a committee of 14 scientists (9 women/5 men) with diverse interests and backgrounds, representing North America, Europe and Oceania. The meeting’s program is intended to provide PD scientists an understanding of state-of-the-art research across disciplines and an appreciation of the critical questions that remain to be addressed. We will actively encourage participant diversity in many domains: career stage, institutional environment, geographical location, sex, age and ethnicity. The GRC preliminary program features females in 50% of speaker/discussion leader roles programmed to date. The proposed program also has strong international representation, with 43% of speakers and Discussion Leaders from outside the US. About 25% of speaking slots assigned so far are filled by junior investigators, and each of the 8 sessions will also have a 10-minute talk by a junior investigator chosen from the submitted poster abstracts.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-05

This project supports the 2025 Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar on Atmospheric Chemistry. The theme of the conference is “Understanding the Atmosphere via Molecular Processes and Global Impacts.” This conference brings together researchers from universities, government laboratories, and private research institutes, to promote the discussion of information and ideas on topics of contemporary interest in atmospheric chemistry. The conference concentrates on the latest developments in the field, including the fundamental understanding of chemical processes from the molecular level to global impacts on Earth and space. The intellectual merit of this symposium lies in bringing together leaders and scholars covering a broad range of research in the field of atmospheric chemistry, including research on the sources, sinks, transport, transformation and impacts of gases and aerosols in the atmosphere through models, observations, and experiments. This conference will have sessions on the following topics: atmospheric chemistry as a driver and consequence of climate change, chemistry in the remote and biogenic environments, multiphase processes in atmospheric chemistry, new insights into reactive nitrogen, pinning down our understanding of chemical mechanisms, exploring known and emerging air pollutants, challenges in indoor air chemistry, fires fueling atmospheric chemistry, and atmospheric composition from space. The broader impacts of the symposium derive from the exchange of ideas that help to focus the research community on the most pressing questions in atmospheric chemistry. Young scientists are invited to the Gordon Research Seminar that immediately precedes the conference. The Gordon Research Seminar provides an opportunity for young scientists to meet, network, and exchange ideas with leaders in the atmospheric sciences. The Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar on Atmospheric Chemistry create a broad intellectual impact on the atmospheric scientific community. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-05

PROJECT SUMMARY This application requests funds to support the 2025 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on the Biology of Aging, to be held at the Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco in Barga (Italy) on August 3 – 8, 2025, and the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), which will be held at the same location on August 2 – 3, 2025, immediately prior to the GRC. This will be the seventeenth Biology of Aging meeting since its origin in 1962. This meeting is unique in its diversity, reflected in the theme of the 2025 conference: “Biology of Aging Across Scales: Molecular, Cellular, Organismal”. Over recent decades, the field has made remarkable progress in elucidating the key hallmarks of aging at increasingly refined molecular and cellular levels. These advances have fostered a paradigm shift in our understanding of aging, revealing it to be a malleable process amenable to intervention. This plasticity extends beyond cellular models and invertebrates, encompassing a wide range of vertebrates and even humans. At the same time, rapid technological innovations and the diversification of experimentally tractable model organisms have enabled researchers to examine aging from a more holistic perspective. We now have a far more nuanced portrait of aging, offering unprecedented insights into the intricate interplay between the immune system, the brain, the genome, and the aging process itself. This has also opened new avenues for potential therapeutic interventions across various biological scales. Biology of Aging GRC will highlight some of these emerging top-down approaches to understanding aging with a focus on reproductive aging, intertissue signaling, epi/genetics, and comparative biology. Our goal is to remain the premier forum for coalescing the field and fostering the discussion of concepts and presentation of unpublished research at the forefront of discovery related to systemic aging. Funds are requested to help cover expenses of invited speakers, meritorious junior scientists and minority trainees who will benefit from formal and informal interactions with senior scientists, to present their research findings, receive feedback from experts in the field, and exchange ideas for shaping the field. Invited speakers include established as well as outstanding early career scientists selected for the quality of their science and ability to stimulate debate. We will provide a forum for both formal and informal interactions between trainees and faculty at all stages to promote the exchange of ideas and collaborative synergies around reproductive aging. Poster and oral presentations will examine aging at the molecular, cellular and organismal level, including its molecular drivers, and the effects of genetic and environmental factors on relevant cellular/system properties, interactions, and interventions across diverse model systems ranging from worms to humans. This unique conference will bring together scientists tackling this problem from fundamental to clinical angles to brainstorm creative ways to build and strengthen the field.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-05

PROJECT SUMMARY This proposal seeks partial funding for the 2025 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Cerebellum. The events will be held at Les Diablerets, Switzerland, a location chosen for both its seclusion for scientific exchange, its accessibility within a 4-hour flight from most of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, and easy access from the USA and Asia. The GRS, exclusively for trainees and managed by students and postdoctoral fellows, is scheduled for 7/5/25-7/6/25. The subsequent 5-day GRC, accommodating up to 200 participants, will run from 7/6/25-7/11/25. Recognized as the preeminent forum for cerebellar research, this conference unites a diverse international group of established investigators and trainees. The past five years have seen a substantial expansion of our understanding of the cerebellum's role beyond motor control to include cognitive functions. The 2025 GRC Cerebellum seeks to synthesize this remarkable progress with the firm and longstanding foundation established by the cerebellum as a motor-oriented brain structure. This dual role for the cerebellum provides the potential to provide conceptual linkages between movement disorders like ataxia, dystonia, and tremor to neuropsychiatric conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and schizophrenia. Our goal is to construct a novel, integrated framework for understanding cerebellar function by harnessing unique concepts and technologies from various disciplines to address challenging questions. The 2025 Cerebellum GRC will bring together advanced methodologies from molecular biology, physiology, anatomy, computation, and behavior. We have curated a diverse panel of 33 speakers (45% female, 24% early-stage investigator, 9% under-represented minorities). Each session is designed to tackle an unresolved problem, featuring a combination of speakers with expertise in neuroanatomy, developmental genetics, neurophysiology, disease mechanisms, and therapeutics. This integrated approach aims to stimulate lively and collegial participation from attendees at all career stages and across all disciplines. Both the GRS and GRC will feature talks by world-renowned keynote speakers. Poster sessions will provide a platform for attendees to present unpublished work. Additionally, we will host a "Power Hour" to promote diversity in cerebellar science and an informal session on grantsmanship and successful grant writing strategies. We are committed to fostering the future of women and underrepresented minorities in cerebellar research. The overarching theme of GRC Cerebellum 2025 is to leverage the field's breadth and depth to nurture the next generation of scientists. Through this conference, we aim to advance our understanding of the cerebellum's complex roles across many domains and its potential as a therapeutic target for many neurological and psychiatric conditions.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-05

Project Summary This proposal requests funds to support the 11th Gordon Research Conference (GRC) in Neuroethology, to be held June 29-July 4, 2025, at Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco in Lucca, Italy. Our objectives are 1) to organize a meeting that presents exciting, unpublished research illustrating different perspectives on how to study neural control of behavior to catalyze new interdisciplinary collaborations, and 2) to grow the field by welcoming early career scientists as respected members of the community with opportunities to share their work, receive feedback, and build connections. We will accomplish these goals by crafting a program of talks around themes for informative comparisons and by taking full advantage of the GRC structure of poster sessions, shared meals, and social activities as venues to encourage deep discussions. Neuroethology takes a broad view of ways to understand how nervous systems control behavior, a basic science question with medical and societal implications well aligned to the NINDS mission. This conference brings together researchers at different career stages, with different backgrounds, working in different animals, with different techniques, for a small interactive conference that exposes attendees to research they might not have come across at other meetings or in their usual science literature reading. While we are all fascinated by neural control of animal behavior in their environment, we have a lot to learn from each other. The 2025 GRC Neuroethology scientific program will blend powerful historical intellectual traditions with modern experimental approaches to make progress toward our shared goals of understanding how nervous systems produce behaviors and growing a vibrant, diverse scientific community. Session topics include measuring behavior in the lab and in the field, specialized sensors, adaptations for life at environmental extremes, invertebrate cognition, and how behaviors evolve with examples from different levels of analysis. The GRC will be preceded by a two-day Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) organized by a graduate student and postdoctoral fellow along with invited mentors that are leaders in the field. The GRS offers graduate students and postdocs an opportunity to present their current research and to build a sense of community prior to attending the GRC. New ideas, collaborations, and research directions grow when there is time for trainees to interact deeply with established experts. The structure and culture of the GRS/GRC meetings promote these critical interdisciplinary interactions. Funds received from the NIH will enable participation by more scientists by defraying registration and travel costs incurred by students, postdocs, and invited speakers, with preference being given to early career scientists, women, and members of under-represented groups in STEM.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-05

Project Summary We request partial support for the 23rd Chronobiology Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and the associated 6th Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) “Circadian Clock Dynamics and Physiology Across Biological Scales”. The 23rd Chronobiology Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and the associated 6th Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) will take place from July 5 to 11, 2025 at the Rey Don Jaime Grand Hotel in Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain. The theme of the 2025 GRC meeting, “Circadian Clock Dynamics and Physiology Across Biological Scales”, reflects the breadth of chronobiology across the domains of life and its integration with physiology, metabolic health, neuroscience, mental health, sleep and aging, areas falling within the core missions of NINDS. The GRS will focus on training and mentorship, while the GRC will present the latest unpublished work from both senior and emerging stars of the field. Apart from mentorship activities, the GRS will feature 20 trainee speakers, one of whom will be promoted to give a short talk at the GRC along with other 20 scientists selected from abstracts, providing a valuable learning experience for the trainees and early career scientists. Members of our Diversity Committee will help select the “late-breaking” talks, as well as shaping our recruitment efforts and our program. A new “Chronobiology Network Program” will offer funding to trainees from underrepresented groups selected for their potential to help transform our field. Program members will meet with two mentors in the field during the meeting, will assist with the Power Hour, and will be integrated into a small but diverse network of previous recipients of URM-directed fellowships in chronobiology (e.g., Carl Storm Underrepresented Minority Fellowship, GRC).

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-04

Microorganisms are present virtually everywhere on Earth. Microbes carry out processes that make Earth habitable and help to maintain plant, human, and animal health. In other words, an understanding of microorganisms and their activities is critical to sustain clean air and water, to maintain food security and to prevent human disease. This grant will support the participation of early-career scientists in the Gordon Conference on Applied and Environmental Microbiology (GRC-AEM)at Mount Holyoke College, July 13-18, 2025. Established in 1950, the GRC-AEM brings together scientists to address research on the importance of microbes in human health, interactions of microbes with animals and plants, terrestrial and aquatic biogeochemical cycles, bioremediation of contaminated land and water, production of biofuels, and use of microbes as biocatalysts in industry. Areas of microbiological research covered by the GRC-AEM have an immense societal impact on the environment and mankind and thus this GRC remains highly topical and a very vibrant research field. The main goals of the GRC-AEM are to provide an open forum for the presentation and discussion of the latest research findings on environmental and applied applications of microorganisms from the single cell to the ecosystem level. The GRC AEM will address critical or even controversial issues for the development of new technologies. The 2025 Conference subtitled "Bridging Scales to Unveil the Power of Environmental Microbiology". The Conference has a strong track record of stimulating cutting edge and innovative research by scientists in academia, research institutes/foundations and government and industrial laboratories. There will be a Gordon Research Seminar (GRS-AEM) associated with the GRC-AEM focussed on Exploring Complex Networks of Microbial Communities, which will be exclusively for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. The GRC-AEM program will also have several poster talks by early-career researchers chosen from poster abstract submissions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-04

Many animals, plants and fungi form long-term associations with microbes. These associations, termed symbioses, can provide the host organisms numerous benefits, including nutrition and protection from environmental stressors. The Animal-Microbe Symbioses Gordan Research Conference (GRC), to be held at the University of Southern Maine in June 2025, will bring together researchers working on animal-microbe symbioses across many different study system and environments. The small conference will allow attendees to interact through presentations and discussions about cutting edge science in the field. This project will provide support for early career scientists and new attendees to attend GRC Animal-Microbe Symbioses. These participants will be given opportunity to present their research, to get feedback on their research and to receive guidance on mentoring and professional development both through formal and informal discussion. Thus, this conference grant will support development of a vibrant STEM work force. The 2025 Gordan Research Conference on Animal-Microbe Symbioses will bring together researchers focusing on interrogating symbioses across multiple scales of biological organization. Sessions will focus on how symbioses shape ecology, evolution and organismal health. Several sessions will focus on the cellular and genetic bases of symbioses, including the intimate molecular crosstalk that occurs between animal hosts and their bacterial symbionts. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-03

This award will support participation of graduate students, postdocs, and junior scientists in the 2025 Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) and Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Mechanisms of Microbial Transcription, to be held June 14-20, 2025, at Southern New Hampshire University. This meeting, titled “Phylogenetic Contrasts and Commonalities in Gene Expression Mechanisms,” will spotlight the latest advances in the mechanisms and regulation of microbial gene expression. The GRC program will showcase distinguished invited speakers and selected talks from submitted abstracts, emphasizing early-stage investigators, postdocs, and graduate students. The daily poster sessions will facilitate dynamic exchanges of new findings and ongoing research, fostering interactions among all participants. The GRS will precede the main GRC in order to provide students and postdocs additional opportunities to present their research and build their networks. The overall goals of this GRS/GRC are to (1) present a comprehensive view of the latest conceptual, intellectual, and technical advances in the field of microbial transcription; (2) bring together a broad group of scientists at all career levels; (3) create an environment that fosters communication and collaboration among these researchers; and (4) promote the scientific and professional development of the next generation of researchers in the field. Bacteria, archaea, and viruses inhabit an extraordinary range of environments. These microbes commonly face changes in nutrients and temperature and must also contend with challenges from antibiotics/antivirals, phages, and host immune systems. To survive and replicate amidst these physical and chemical challenges, microbes have developed sophisticated mechanisms to precisely control transcription. Studies of transcriptional mechanisms continue to illuminate essential molecular processes in microbes, which have significant implications for biotechnology and human health. This meeting is expected to advance our understanding of microbial transcription and its impact on health and the environment, helping to produce a knowledge foundation and workforce that will support future advances in biotechnology and medicine. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-03

This award supports a Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on the use of Machine Learning (ML) for climate and earth system modeling. The conference will be held over five days in June 2025 at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island. Topics to be covered in the conference include: developing hybrid (physics+ML) Earth system models with greater fidelity; addressing climate extremes through large ensembles generated with ML-based emulators; using ML to enhance detection and attribution methods; and advancing ML-based techniques for climate model analysis and benchmarking. Motivation for the conference comes from the explosion of interest in ML in recent years and the potential of ML as a tool for improving weather prediction and climate projections. The conference provides an opportunity for practitioners working adopting ML-based tools for climate and earth system research to share results and jointly develop research agendas. The GRC has scientific broader impacts by bringing together researchers at the interface of ML and climate/earth system modeling. It also serves an educational purpose for the students and early career scientists whose participation is supported under this award. The conference also serves to strengthen and democrate the US AI innovation ecosystem, a key priority for NSF. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-03

This award will support the 2025 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Epigenetics titled “Epigenetic Variation: Mechanisms and Impact Across Systems,” as well as its associated Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), titled “Epigenetic Landscapes: Between Perception and Memory”. The GRS (August 9-10) will provide a forum for postdocs and graduate students to present their research and discuss new ideas in the field. The goals of the GRS are to support scientific discovery in the field of epigenetics and to promote the scientific and career development of attendees by creating a collegial, welcoming, and trainee-focused environment. The GRC (August 10-15) will include presentations by trainees, early-career, and established scientists performing leading-edge research in epigenetics using a variety of model systems and approaches. The GRC will also include a Power Hour to address issues related to broadening participation and retention of talent in STEM fields. Attendance at the GRC and GRS will be capped at 200 and 70 attendees, respectively; this small conference size will help promote open discussion and meaningful interactions. Epigenetics refers to heritable changes in gene expression or phenotypes that are not caused by changes to the underlying DNA sequence. Epigenetic regulation is critical for essential processes, including tissue growth, cellular differentiation, germ cell development, response to the environment, genome stability, and transgenerational inheritance. Conversely, dysregulation of epigenetic processes impacts organismal development, fertility, and fecundity. Hence, deeper understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms that govern these processes is relevant for human health, crop production, pest control, and understanding evolution in natural populations, among other biological challenges. The Epigenetics GRC/GRS brings together scientists from varied areas of epigenetics who may not otherwise have opportunities to interact and discuss unpublished research with each other, and thus serves as a critical forum for accelerating scientific discoveries and creating new research opportunities in the field. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-03

DNA and RNA constitute the molecular code of life, serving as the foundation for all cellular processes. Information is encoded not only in the sequence of nucleotides but also in nucleic acid structure, chemical modifications, molecular dynamics, and interactions with proteins and small molecules. Advances in nucleic acids research drive discovery and innovations in genetics, cellular biology, molecular biology, and biotechnology. For over sixty years, the biannual Nucleic Acids Gordon Research Conference has played a pivotal role in nucleic acids research by serving as an incubator for transformative discoveries and innovations in biotechnology. The associated trainee-focused Nucleic Acids Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) began in 2017 as a venue for graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and early career researchers to share their research and build their professional networks. This award will support the 2025 Nucleic Acids GRS, which will bring together trainees in the nucleic acids field to discuss cutting-edge and unpublished research findings. The GRS will feature presentations from trainees in scientific sessions focused on functional genomics and the structure, organization and dynamics of DNA and RNA. All participants will have ample opportunity to interact with peers and receive feedback in poster sessions. The program also features a keynote address from a leading researcher in the field and a career panel with experts from academia, industry, and scientific communication. The GRS provides trainees with an environment that inspires new directions in research, supports development of communication skills, and helps clarify future career paths, including as emerging leaders in the field. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-03

PROJECT SUMMARY This proposal seeks partial support for the 2025 Gordon Research Conference on "Nitric Oxide and Sulfide in Redox Signaling and Medicine" and the associated Seminar entitled "The chemistry and medicine of NO and sulfur species" to be held on February 9-14, 2025, at the Four Points Sheraton/Holiday Inn Express in Ventura, California. The broad and long-term goal of this conference is to bring together the world’s leading researchers in the fields of NO and sulfide, and to foster cross-disciplinary discussions and collaborations. The event will be chaired by Dr. Miriam M. Cortese-Krott from the University of Düsseldorf (Germany) and with the contribution of Vice Chairs Dr. Amrita Ahluwalia and Dr. Adam Straub. This conference will serve as a nexus for basic chemistry, cellular redox signaling, and emerging areas such as single-cell analysis, Redox Omics, and the application of deep learning in Redox Medicine. This will facilitate the exchange of unpublished findings, discussion of novel opportunities, and the establishment of collaborations, enhancing our understanding and application of NO and sulfur species in health and disease. The specific aims include (1) showcasing cutting- edge advancements in the NO/Sulfide/Redox Signaling field (single-cell analysis, FRET technology, cell-cell and interorgan communication, mechanobiology, and metabolism); (2) exploring the pathophysiology of the NO/sulfide interactome; (3) identifying environmental/nutritional effectors; (4) identifying new mechanisms and therapeutic targets; (5) promoting diversity; and (6) inclusion and education of trainees within the scientific community. The GRC program will be structured into nine sessions that comprehensively cover the field, with sessions on the chemistry and pharmacology of NO/sulfur species, non-canonical signaling, redox targets, mechanotransduction, translation, and clinical application. Basic, translational, and clinical research will be highlighted, with a major emphasis on Redox Medicine and the long-term goal of improving human health. Active participation by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the GRC will be facilitated and strongly encouraged by Chairs and Discussion Leaders, with “elevator pitch” presentations and a formal poster session in the afternoon. The significance of this application lies in the much-needed forum provided by the GRC and GRS to bring together and synergize the members of an international research community working on NO and Sulfide. The GRS, chaired by Drs. Sophia Heuser and Luke Dunaway is specifically designed for trainees, allowing them to present their research and interact in a relaxing and supportive environment that promotes their education as distinguished future members of the field. The Chairs will make every effort to promote gender parity and include minorities and people with disabilities. The meeting is structured to support the mission of advancing NO research, with a budget that reflects the goal of increasing participation among trainees by facilitating their attendance at events. This approach is expected to maximize opportunities for interaction and professional development within the community.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-03

The award provides support for participation in the 2025 Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on “Catchment Science: Interactions of Hydrology, Biology, and Geochemistry” and the associated 2025 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on “Creating Synthesis out of Complexity in Catchment Science.” The two events are interdisciplinary conferences that prioritize frontier research in catchment science, as well as community building. The GRC and GRS conferences are comprised of presentations of unpublished research from invited speakers, extended discussion periods after each talk, and dedicated time for unstructured research conversations. The events comprise a fully immersive experience, including shared accommodation and dining, that are designed to intentionally foster new connections amongst participants. The GRC and GRS conferences create a transformative experience where scientists across career stages and disciplines discuss and exchange ideas to push the boundaries of science. The award will support the participation of 25 students, postdoctoral researchers, and scientists in the GRC, and 21 participants in the GRS. The conferences address synergistic topics on innovation in catchment science amidst increasingly complex hydrologic stressors and the emergent opportunities and challenges to synthesize large and complex hydrologic data streams. The GRC is subtitled “Creating Synthesis out of Complexity in Catchment Science” and tackles the urgent question of how to take advantage of and synthesize increasing volumes of data across the catchment sciences to understand catchment processes and responses under accelerating environmental change. The GRS is titled “Navigating Emerging Catchment Stressors Under Global Change” and complements the GRC theme to emphasize innovation in catchment science research amidst increasingly complex hydrologic stressors. The GRC and GRS conferences are important venues to advancing knowledge by bringing together an interdisciplinary audience to promote cutting-edge discussions that share and adapt methods and theories at the intersections of multiple disciplines. Together the GRC and GRS provide unique opportunities for training, learning and discovery through interaction between and amongst catchment scientists. By supporting registration fees and limited travel expenses for participants, this award will ensure participation by attendees with expertise in interdisciplinary catchment science. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-03

Project Summary The 2025 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Mechanisms of Membrane Transport will be held at the Les Diablerets Conference Center, Switzerland, from May 25 to May 30, 2025. This marks the 29th conference in the highly esteemed GRC series, which has been ongoing since 1966. The theme of the 2025 GRC is “Crossing the Boundaries: Unraveling Molecules, Medicine, and Membrane Transport Mechanisms", focusing on the discovery of new membrane transport proteins, innovative methodologies for studying membrane transport, and the identification of new pharmacological interventions for various diseases. Concurrently, the 2025 Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Mechanisms of Membrane Transport, organized by graduate students and postdocs, will be held from May 24 to May 25 at the same venue. The theme of the 2025 GRS is “Understanding the Biological Role of Transporters and Channels”, concentrating on research within the context of how transport mechanisms contribute to health and disease, complementing the associated GRC's focus on the therapeutic opportunities these proteins present. The overarching goal of the 2025 GRC/GRS is to bring together scientists from all levels – from students and postdoctoral fellows to early-career researchers and leaders in the field – to advance our fundamental understanding of membrane transport function in cell membranes, promote diversity within the field, foster networking and collaborations, provide opportunities to share research and learn from others, and receive valuable mentorship from invited senior scientists. To accomplish these objectives, we have already invited and received commitments to participate from eminent scientists across many institutions, nations, and scientific fields. The conference plan includes ample discussion time, both formally after talks and informally during shared meals and organized activities, for attendees to exchange ideas and establish collaborations. More than half of our selected speakers are women, and 12% are from underrepresented minority groups. We are committed to recruiting a similarly diverse group of attendees through our meeting announcements. To support rising leaders in the field, the associated GRS will feature a panel of senior scientists who will share their experience navigating various complex career transitions commonly encountered by trainees as they mature as scientists. With these objectives and plans, we are confident that this conference will build upon the well-established success of the Mechanisms of Membrane Transport GRC.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-03

This proposal will support the participation of early career scientists in the June 2025 Interior of the Earth Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar. These meetings will focus on the impacts of volatiles, in particular water and carbon, on processes in the Earth’s interior. These impacts include the softening and melting of mantle rocks, with consequences on tectonic plates and the circulation of mantle material, and how the properties of Earth’s interior have evolved over time. These meetings will examine how volatiles cycle between the Earth’s interior to its atmosphere, and the water and ice reservoirs at its surface, including processes such as volcanism and erosion and weathering. Another topic will be how the strength of mantle rocks affects solid Earth deformation in response to the changing masses of ice sheets, which impacts predictions of sea-level change. This funding will enable early career scientists to learn from and contribute to the presentations and discussions at these meetings, and to build their research networks. By engaging new researchers in the community that studies the Earth’s interior, this proposal would contribute to workforce development and promote participation in research directions supported by the NSF Division of Earth Sciences. This proposal will provide funding for the registration fees of early career scientists for the 2025 Interior of the Earth Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS). The GRS, designed for early career scientists, is scheduled for June 21-22, 2025, and the GRC, open to researchers at all career levels, will take place from June 22-27, 2025. These meetings will be held at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA. The theme of the 2025 Interior of the Earth GRC is Volatiles, Melt and Viscosity: Consequences for Mantle Evolution and Climate System Interaction. The meeting will explore the cutting-edge of knowledge regarding: the distributions of volatiles and melt in the mantle; the nature of mantle viscosity, including whether it is intrinsically frequency-dependent or simply spatially variable; how volatiles and partial melt feed back into viscosity; the cycling of volatiles in the mantle, including subduction zone processes; and how metasomatism alters and potentially stores volatiles in the oceanic and continental lithosphere. The meeting will also examine the processes that dominate the cycling of volatiles between the Earth’s interior and its climate system, including its atmosphere, oceans and ice sheets. Key topics include: the impact of volatiles on crustal magma storage and volcanic eruptions, both on Earth and on other planetary bodies; the interplay of magmatism and surface erosion in regulating atmospheric carbon in the recent plate tectonic regime; and the potential role of mantle overturn in atmospheric evolution billions of years ago. Another focus will be the role of mantle viscosity in determining how the solid Earth responds to changing mass loads such as ice sheets and sea-level. The 2025 Interior of the Earth GRC will explore these fascinating and interwoven processes by integrating perspectives including geochemistry, petrology, geodynamics, seismology, geodesy, magnetotellurics, rock deformation, mineral physics, paleomagnetism, and geology. The meeting will include morning and evening sessions with talks and discussion, engaging poster sessions, and free afternoons to promote interaction among participants. The theme of the 2025 Interior of the Earth GRS is Coupled Surface-Interior Interactions: The Role of Volatiles in Subduction and Eruption Processes. The GRS will include a keynote talk, talks and posters based on submitted abstracts, and a panel on Science Communication Methods and Careers. Students and post-docs attending the GRS will be encouraged to participate in the GRC. A key broader impact of these meetings will be to engage and support early career scientists in study of the Earth’s interior and its links to the climate system, including researchers from underrepresented groups, and varied countries and institutions. We will implement strategies to create an inclusive meeting environment, where everyone is free to share their ideas in plenary discussions, poster sessions, meals, free afternoons, and a “Power Hour” discussion focused on careers and community-building. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-03

This project will support the attendance of numerous early career researchers at the 2025 Developmental Biology Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) and Gordon Research Conference (GRC). The Developmental Biology GRS and GRC is attended by scientists working on diverse organisms and biological systems at the forefront of the field of developmental biology. This meeting allows scientists (both leading experts in the field and emerging leaders, such as students and fellows) to present their work, engage in discussions and enable discoveries. These discussions result in national and international collaborations which greatly accelerate the pace of science and generation of knowledge. The GRS, held immediately before the larger GRC, brings together early career scientists and allows for an open networking opportunity rooted in exchange of scientific ideas. Of note, all conference presentations will be followed by dedicated periods of discussion to promote participation from trainees as well as senior scientists. This project will be used to defray the cost for US trainees to attend the GRS and GRC. The overall Broader Impacts of this award includes creating opportunities for those to attend this key conference who otherwise might not be able to attend, and enabling the Developmental Biology community to further develop their ideas and spur research forward. The generation and maintenance of the body plan and its subsequent tissues is essential for the existence of life. Most multicellular organisms undergo some form of cellular specification, organization, and morphogenesis. The universality of developmental processes highlights the importance of studying the mechanisms that regulate tissue development and maintenance. The goal of the 2025 GRS and GRC in Developmental Biology is to be a forum for the discussion and exchange of ideas about the latest discovery and innovations, both conceptual and technical, in developmental biology. The GRS is a trainee specific meeting that is held right before the GRC to provide student and postdocs an unintimidating environment to present their work to peers and a few senior scentists. This permits the trainees to build confidence and make the most out of the subsequent GRC, which is attended by both trainees and leading faculty and scientists. The GRS topics will be devoted to – 1 Insights from well-established and emerging models. 2- Classical questions through mathematical and physical paradigms and 3 - upgraded and innovative technologies in development. Thus, this conference will promote interactions among trainees and investigators from all career stages who use a multitude of organisms and approaches to define the molecular, cellular and genetic processes that control how bodies are shaped and maintained, leading to insights that inform stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-03

Project Summary This proposal requests partial support for a longstanding, well-attended, and well-received Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Excitatory Synapses and Brain Function to be held at Southern New Hampshire University (Manchester, NH, U.S.A.) from June 8 – 13, 2025. The GRC will be preceded by a Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), which is organized by and for trainees (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows) on June 7 – 8, 2025, at the same location. The 2025 GRC, subtitled "Multifaceted Interactions Between Molecular and Activity-Dependent Mechanisms," underscores new emerging themes in the field that emphasize the dynamic interplay between molecular signaling and neuronal activity in shaping excitatory synapses, which are crucial for the rapid transmission and long-term storage of information in the brain. This focus aims to shed light on how these interactions define the development, functionality, and plasticity of excitatory synapses by inviting speakers to exchange their cutting- edge findings anchored firmly in basic research and extend to investigations on neurological and psychiatric disorders. Dysfunctions of excitatory synapses can lead to severe consequences, contributing to myriads of disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, depression, drug addiction, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and epilepsy. Hence, scientific discussions at the GRC are expected to generate novel insights into understanding the basic mechanisms as well as the development of potential therapeutics and interventions to address neurological and psychiatric disorders. While decades of research in the field have established foundational knowledge about the structure and function of excitatory synapses, the recent advancements in tools and model systems have opened new frontiers providing opportunities for renewed discussions and collaborations. The 2025 GRC is organized to enhance the diversity of representations across gender, age, ethnicity, and geographical location. Such diverse representation in an inclusive and collegial environment is ripe for open discussions of divergent viewpoints that can lead to the synthesis of novel concepts. The organizers have planned various activities, such as GRC Power Hour and various mentoring/networking venues, to enable a collegial and respectful exchange of ideas and promote interactions that can lead to new collaborations across disciplinary boundaries.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-02

PROJECT SUMMARY Funds are requested to provide partial support for the 2025 Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar in Developmental Biology to be held from March 29- April 4, 2025, in California, US. This meeting has been held at 2-year intervals for the past four decades and has brought together outstanding early career and established scientists to share recent advances in the field of development and disease mechanisms building an outstanding and most prestigious mid-size scientific meeting. The meeting in 2025 is focused on the emergence of patterns and shapes in development integrating intrinsic cues from self- organization to the influence of extrinsic environmental impact on development. In 2025, 23 invited speakers, chosen based on their creative contributions to the field the field and their ability to promote fruitful discussions, have confirmed their attendance, of which eleven are men, and twelve women: three Black scientists, one Hispanic scientist, and two Asian scientists, representing nine countries. Chairs will select speakers from poster abstracts to further diversify the program. All participants will be given the opportunity to present their work in poster sessions. By providing a unique opportunity for interactions with senior leaders in the field the Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar in Developmental Biology, 2025 expects to define both the present state and the future of the field with a focus emergence of patterns and shapes in development. The meeting has several unique features. It is attended by the entire international field working on diverse organisms and cell systems advancing biology at various cellular and developmental levels, and at this time, this community will focus on specific topics and their current state of knowledge. The objective of this meeting is to exchange information, using a comparative approach to advance our understanding in various processes linking developmental biology. Many collaborations have resulted from these meetings: reagents were exchanged, experiments planned and new ways of looking at development and disease mechanisms have evolved. Topics for this year will revolve around the stem cell models, cell fate decisions, gene regulation, mechanics in development, morphogens and metabolic control, evolutionary principles and developmental disorders emanating from loss of principles of development.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-02

Project Summary The next Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on inhibition in the Central Nervous System will be convened at Sunday River in Newry, Maine, United States, on July 6-11, 2025. This international research conference has been held every two years since 2005 as part of the GRC conference series. As in previous years, it will be preceded on July 5-6, 2023, by the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), which provides a unique atmosphere for junior scientists, including postdocs and graduate students, to discuss and exchange novel findings and ideas in preparation for the GRC. Inhibition in the Central Nervous System is mainly driven by the neurotransmitter GABA, which has been proven to be fundamental for brain function and, when perturbed, it results in dysfunction. A deeper understanding of inhibitory neurotransmission and its function in health and disease emerges centrally in the design of novel therapeutic interventions for targeting inhibitory mechanisms to treat devastating brain disorders, chiefly including neurological and child developmental disorders. Therefore, our application aligns well with the mission statements of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). GRC will provide a major forum where leaders in the field and junior scientists who are rising new stars will have the opportunity to exchange novel concepts and approaches to advance the field. The general scientific goal of this meeting is to explore leading topics in the field of inhibition in healthy brains and to better understand the role of altered inhibition in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. To achieve this goal, the meeting will pursue the following specific aims: to select speakers that will discuss cutting-edge fundamental research questions in inhibition within health and disease, to increase diversity and promote network collaborations, provide training, networking and career promotion of graduate students and postdocs. The meeting will attain these aims by selecting 34 world-class speakers and 10 discussion leaders, many of whom are junior group leaders from 10 different countries (24 US-based scientists, 23 women). These speakers are leading experts in inhibitory function and dysfunction across model organisms (murine to human), brain areas (subcortical to cortical), levels of investigations (molecules to systems) and approaches (experimental and computational). We will also introduce new topics on rapidly emerging areas that were not covered in previous meetings. These include a topic on the relationship between inhibition and adult neurogenesis, a session on inhibition in subcortical circuits and, and a topic on computational modeling inhibitory function in healthy and diseases circuits. There is growing evidence linking deficits of inhibitory function to neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders. As such, the GRC/GRS meetings’ emphasis on health impact will maximize the discussion of fundamental questions in this field and seek novel therapeutic targets of inhibitory circuitries to treat devastating brain disorders.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-02

Project Summary The application seeks partial support for the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Quantitative Genetics and Genomics to be held in Lucca, Italy on February 15-21, 2025. The subtitle of the conference is “The Interactive Effects of Genetics, Environment, and Ontogeny on Quantitative Traits”. Almost all biological traits of importance are complex, with variation in such traits being controlled by many genes of small effect and environmental influences. Elucidation of the causes of variation in complex traits between individuals is critical to our understanding of the etiology of human health and disease, ultimately leading to personalized medicine. Our overarching theme includes a focus on longitudinal studies, including disease and developmental trajectories, response to environmental changes, and gene-by- environment interactions. In particular, we aim to discuss how the hundreds of genetic associations we have found for complex traits may be transformed into biological understanding—an ongoing and challenging endeavour. The outcomes from this research include new drug targets and information to support personalised or precision medicine. The overall aim of the conference and seminar is to bring together scientists working in the field of quantitative genetics and genomics to exchange information on the latest results in the field and to discuss the implications of these results. By creating an environment for networking, this conference will promote communication between scientists in the field, encourage new collaborations among those attending, and build a community for early career scientists. The funding sought from NHGRI is to support graduate students, post docs, early career scientists and underrepresented groups to attend the seminar and conference by assisting them with travel and registration costs. The proposed project supports the mission of the NHGRI by enhancing the pool of individuals from underrepresented backgrounds who are receiving training and/or conducting genomics research. The 2025 GRC on Quantitative Genetics and Genomics further supports the mission by providing an environment by which genomic researchers can discuss current and future research in all areas of quantitative genetics and genomics, including method development, advancement of precision medicine/healthcare, and long-term implications of genomics and bioinformatic research.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-02

Project Abstract The objectives of the Cancer Nanotechnology Gordon Research Conference (CN-GRC) are to: 1) bring together internationally renowned experts and young scientists to discuss groundbreaking discoveries in research, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer using nanotechnology; 2) highlight developments and opportunities for advancing nanomedicine technology to the marketplace; and 3) engage and educate a diverse group of students, postdoctoral trainees, and scientists from around the world. The target audience includes chemists, biologists, physicists, engineers, clinicians, and regulatory scientists from academia, industry, and government who employ nanotechnology for the treatment and diagnosis of cancer. Graduate students and postdocs comprise an important proportion of attendees, so the Cancer Nanotechnology Gordon Research Symposium (CN-GRS) was established as a dedicated forum for junior researchers, which will enhance the participation of young scientists at the upcoming conference. To address innovative developments and emerging trends in Cancer Nanomedicine the overall theme of the 2025 CN-GRC is “Nanoscale Discoveries to Transform Clinical Outcomes.” The meeting will include forward-looking sessions on the frontiers of cancer nanotechnology, including sessions focused on developing personalized nanomedicines for clinical translation, improving early diagnosis, and building new research tools to make novel discoveries. Revolutionary advances in cancer nanotechnology require collaboration among researchers working in diverse fields including materials science, chemistry, imaging, cell biology, tissue engineering, drug, and gene delivery, as well as clinical research. This meeting is unique because it provides a relatively small and focused venue for researchers to get to know each other personally and professionally, yet large enough for a comprehensive discussion of scientific, translational, and clinical aspects. The GRC format and spirit are well-suited to the interdisciplinary nature of cancer nanotechnology research, including the tradition of sharing unpublished data discussing emerging scientific questions, an environment that supports informal discussions, a longstanding custom of excellent interactions across all levels of seniority, from new students to world-renowned PIs, a mentoring component within the CN- GRS, active participation and an exceptional training environment for students and postdocs through the CN- GRS and short talks at the CN-GRC. The PIs include CN-GRC chairs, vice chairs, and CN-GRS chairs with substantial experience in cancer nanotechnology research, conference organization, and mentoring. This proposal requests funding for the 2025 CN-GRC and accompanying CN-GRS to enhance the participation of junior and underrepresented scientists. Our specific aims are to: 1) Bring together highly qualified, world- renowned speakers to share cutting-edge research in cancer nanotechnology, 2) Foster discussion, exchange of ideas, and promote collaborations, and 3) Enhance the training and development of young scientists and promote diversity.

NSF Awards · FY 2025 · 2025-02

Non-technical Description: This award funds the 2025 Complex Active and Adaptive Material Systems Gordon Research Conference (GRC) to be held on January 26 – 31, 2025, in Ventura, CA (USA). The GRC will bring together scientists from diverse fields to explore how the next generation of materials might "sense," "assess," and "respond" to their surroundings. Inspired by living organisms, the goal is to create materials that can adapt and change in real time. The event will focus on new ways materials can assemble themselves, imitate natural systems, process information, and be controlled through complex feedback mechanisms. Participants will discuss biological systems with these properties and consider synthetic systems, including self-assembling polymers, soft robots, and materials that combine chemical or mechanical oscillations. The conference aims to uncover shared principles and accelerate progress in creating adaptable materials by connecting researchers from different areas. The meeting will give opportunities to students and early-career scientists to work closely with leaders in the field. Technical Description: The 2025 Complex Active and Adaptive Material Systems Gordon Research Conference will unite multidisciplinary researchers to advance the understanding of dynamic sense-assess-response feedback loops in active, adaptive, and autonomous material systems. Key topics include embedding feedback mechanisms for advanced functionality, oscillatory multiphysics coupling, multiscale collective behavior, and structural/physical embodiment of information processing. Biological systems will serve as inspiration for achieving intrinsically non-equilibrium material systems. Discussions will explore synthetic systems like chemo-mechanical coupling, polymer self-assembly, colloidal systems, and soft robotics, identifying shared design principles for feedback-driven materials. The event aligns with the NSF DMREF mission to mentor the next generation of materials researchers by fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations and advancing theory, simulation, and experimental techniques. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2025 · 2025-02

Project Summary The 2025 GRC chairs are organizing a Gordon Research Conference (GRC) with an associated Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) for young scientists on “Modulation of Neural Circuits and Behavior” from May 18-23, 2025, in Les Diablerets, Switzerland. Brains adjust information processing and optimize behaviors in response to ever-changing environmental demands. This astonishing flexibility relies on neuromodulatory systems, encompassing catecholamine and neuropeptide signaling. Neuromodulation facilitates dynamic and adaptive neuronal processing both locally and brain-wide across various temporal scales. The modulation of brain functions regulates basic survival behaviors such as sex, aggression, or parental care, and it is of crucial importance for cognitive functions such as decision-making and learning. Deep insights into neuromodulation are not only critical to understanding the neural basis of intelligence and behavior but also to understanding how different mental states, motivations, salience, and other important phenomena are controlled. Moreover, mechanistic insights into neuromodulatory mechanisms are key to understanding brain dysfunctions and diseases, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and many others. Although foundational discoveries about neuromodulatory systems were made decades ago, new methods for in vivo imaging, neuronal and neural circuit manipulation, quantification of behavior, and computational modeling are revisiting and providing new insights into the role of neuromodulation in circuit dynamics and behaviors. The 2025 “Modulation of Neural Circuits and Behavior” GRC/GRS will bring together scientists with diverse backgrounds to discuss current concepts and exciting new results in this growing field. The meeting will cut across disciplines and model organisms and focus on topics with a high potential to synergize. Rather than following traditional subdivisions of the broad field of neuromodulation, the session topics will bridge between scientific communities and disciplines. The organizing committee expects that the organized and informal discussions will generate new insights and highlight promising directions for future progress.