Gordon Research Conferences

NSF Awards · FY 2024 · 2024-07

This award supports scientists and engineers, those early in their career and from under-represented groups and non-R1 institutions, to attend the eleventh Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Granular Matter to be held on June 21-26, 2024, at Stonehill College in Easton, MA. The award will also support early career scientists and engineers attending the associated Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) held during the two days before the GRC meeting at the same place. The goal of the 2024 GRC and GRS on Granular Matter is to significantly enhance the rate of progress in understanding granular materials in complex settings relevant to many disciplines. To do so, these meetings are designed to meet the following objectives: 1. Presentation and discussion of unpublished, novel findings from researchers of a wide range of backgrounds; 2. Cultivation and promotion of emerging junior researchers, particularly, those from underrepresented groups; 3. Provide opportunities for extended discussion periods and interaction among researchers of different disciplines, backgrounds, and professions whose paths do not normally overlap. This year’s invited sessions are cross populated by researchers with backgrounds in geoscience, physics, materials science, engineering, and applied mathematics. Various activities for diversifying the impact of the meeting are included, such as a career panel with participants from different sectors and a program on inclusion, equity, and professional development. Granular matter, conglomerations of particles or of particles and fluids, is abundant in nature and industry, studied in multiple science and engineering disciplines. Much is now known about the dynamics of relatively simple particulate systems (e.g., narrow size distributions of spherical particles) at low solids concentrations, and inroads have been made into behaviors of denser systems. Yet, fundamental questions remain out of reach for more complex systems including: (1) angular/aspherical particles (2) widely dispersed in size and density, (3) interacting via complex forces (e.g., via interstitial fluids). To address these fundamental challenges requires efforts from scientists and engineers coordinated across research fields. The biannual GRC and GRS provide platforms for researchers to discuss and exchange recent developments in granular matter and unmet needs across disciplines. The meeting chairs and vice-chairs are experts in granular media at different career stages and work in complimentary disciplines. The meeting structure emphasizes presentations of new work, and discussion among researchers from disciplines that typically do not have intersecting platforms. The GRC/GRS provide time for: (1) formal discussion after every talk (guided by a discussion leader), (2) time in the afternoons for informal follow-on discussions and late afternoon poster sessions, and (3) shared meals, all of which maximize interactions between participants across backgrounds during the meeting. 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 2024 · 2024-07

Non-technical Abstract The 2024 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Biomineralization (‘Revealing the Unifying Principles of Biomineralization through Model Systems’) and the associated Gordon Research Seminar (GRS: ‘Mineralization Pathways and Principles’) are being held at Colby Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire on August 3-4 and 4-9, 2024, respectively. These conferences will bring together early career and established scientists from around the globe with multidisciplinary backgrounds and diverse expertise to bridge the relevant scientific disciplines required for understanding the formation, function, environmental impact, and applications of biominerals. Together the GRC and GRS will create a supportive and open community that fosters fruitful interactions among graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early career investigators with established scientists. To this end, the conference brings together scientists from academia, national laboratories, and industry to discuss the latest advances and challenges in Biomineralization. Technical Abstract With support from the Biomaterials program, the organizers of the 2024 Gordon Research Seminar and Conference on Biomineralization will provide scholarships for students and postdoctoral to participate in the conference and join the "Biomineralization" community. A particular focus of the conference will be on unveiling fundamental biomineralization mechanisms that have been preserved through evolutionary times and understand how they have been adapted to fulfill a multitude of biological functions in a large variety of organisms. This year, the conference will address three specific areas: (i) identifying universal scientific principles and mechanisms that are common to biomineralization processes in evolutionary diverse organisms, (ii) identifying the most advanced in vitro and in vivo model systems, as well as state-of-the-art analytical technologies to study biomineralization mechanisms across scales, and (iii) exploring scientific principles for the purpose of translational research. Oral sessions will highlight new developments studying the main biominerals (Ca-carbonates, Ca-phosphates, SiO2, Fe3O4), from single-celled prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms to increasingly complex multicellular invertebrates and finally vertebrate animals and humans. 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 2024 · 2024-07

PROJECT SUMMARY The Chemistry and Biology of Tetrapyrroles Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) is the biggest and most diverse international meeting for sharing and discussing the latest research on tetrapyrroles, a diverse group of protein cofactors and metabolites which include heme, cobalamin (vitamin B12), chlorophyll, and bilins. Tetrapyrroles serve as important cofactors to control essential cellular processes important for normal cellular homeostasis and development as well as nutrient sources and important signaling and regulatory molecules in normal and disease states. Both the GRC and GRS are the leading conferences to present new unpublished tetrapyrrole related research findings and gather international scientists ranging from senior scientists to early stage investigators (ESI) and trainees in both formal and informal environments. Both the GRC and GRS will facilitate the creation of new connections and collaborations to advance the chemistry and biology of tetrapyrroles and foster an inclusive environment for the development of diverse scientists in an equitable and open setting. The 2024 GRC and GRS meetings will be held from July 13 - 19, 2024 at Salve Regina University in Newport, RI. The Chemistry & Biology of Tetrapyrroles GRC and GRS are one of a kind in terms of the international and diverse audience that they attract. The diversity of topics discussed span from clinical to biological to chemical aspects of tetrapyrroles and the range of organisms from bacteria to plants to humans. The 2024 GRC and GRS will highlight recent data from a variety of researchers at different levels in the following areas: trafficking tetrapyrroles; synthesis and metabolism of tetrapyrroles; tetrapyrroles and disease; tetrapyrroles in the environment, energy production and light harvesting; tetrapyrroles in signaling; tetrapyrroles in medicine; tetrapyrroles in chemistry and catalysis; tetrapyrrole protein structure and assembly; and lessons in tetrapyrrole metabolism. Given the critical roles that tetrapyrroles play in human health and disease including infectious diseases, inflammation, diabetes, kidney disease, porphyrias, anemias, and obesity, understanding the metabolism, trafficking, and homeostasis of tetrapyrroles is crucial for human health.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2024 · 2024-07

Project Summary/Abstract The Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and Symposium (GRS) for "Radionuclide Theranostics for the Management of Cancer", a rapidly emerging field in diagnostic and therapeutic oncology, will be held July 6- 12, 2024. The scientific goal of this meeting will be to address the challenges and advancements of radionuclide theranostics in the field of cancer. The inaugural GRS component will target the preclinical sciences whereas the GRC component will target the clinically translated science with ample time for discussions. Our aim is to create the hybrid space for radioimmunobiology in cancer and attract a significant number of attendees (250) including scientists, students, and physicians from academia and companies developing Radionuclide Theranostics for a viable conference and creating the future community. The unique format of GRC and GRS allowing participation by application and encouragement to share unpublished data with fostering discussions within and between sessions creates the opportunity for formal and informal interactions and collaborations that are likely to have significant and sustained impact on the field. We are witnessing a fundamental transformation and unprecedented growth to offer precise antitumoral therapies and diagnostics while increasing the awareness on quality of life with minimized toxicity and side effect profile. Today, there are more than 100 pharmaceutical companies, over 250 active clinical trials using beta, alpha or gamma emitting radionuclides that are supported by not only private but national laboratories and DOE (department of energy). As clearly seen, the field of Radionuclide Theranostics depends on collaboration between academia, federal and private organizations with the mutual aim of achieving improved patient outcomes. Funds from the NIH R13 conference grant will be specifically targeted to promote participation in the conference by women, under-represented minorities, people with disabilities and particularly graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early career investigators.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2024 · 2024-07

Abstract To deeply understand the pharmacology and toxicology of a molecule, whether it be a drug, endogenous chemical, or a natural product, the Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME) properties for the molecule must be known. ADME has a tremendous influence on efficacy, safety, and dosing of therapeutic agents. Thus, ADME science is at the core of translating basic science discoveries into effective therapies in the clinic, optimization and individualization of drug therapy, and informing clinical and regulatory decision making. There is unprecedented diversity in the approaches available for research and discovery of new treatments for disease. The pace of discovery has increased immensely, and an epic expansion of new knowledge and therapeutic modalities is well underway. In this 52nd meeting of the Drug Metabolism Gordon Research Conference we will embrace the foundational character of ADME science as a guiding force in what is now a multiverse of scientific discovery consisting of grand diversity. ADME science is characterized as being highly integrative, multidisciplinary, and based on structural, mechanistic, kinetic, quantitative, and computational approaches to predict and translate molecular discoveries to effective clinical application. At the forefront will be the presentation and discussion of research that embraces these foundational characteristics and their application to: 1) metabolite identification, pathways, and distribution, 2) ADME enzymes and transporters, 3) protein degraders, and 4) interpretation/application of fraction unbound for drug clearance prediction. We will share cutting-edge science and emphasize the importance of interconnectedness among disciplines so that we fully embrace the potential of emerging technologies to inform ADME studies, technologies such as mass spec imaging, cryogenic electron microscopy, new methods for drug-drug interaction prediction, and microphysiological devices. The conference will bring together academic, industry and regulatory scientists at all career stages and provide a stimulating and welcoming environment to discuss unpublished research. The informal venue with communal dining and housing provides an ideal environment to establish this. This conference will provide a forum for early career scientists to interact with leaders in their respective fields, expand their knowledge, establish collaborative relationships, and consider various career paths. Scientific sessions are held in the mornings and evenings over 4.5 days with the afternoons available for informal discussions and recreation. GRC meetings are small and designed for more discussion time during both the formal scientific sessions and during informal interactions (e.g., poster sessions, mealtimes, afternoon outings). To facilitate ample opportunity to discuss their work, the Drug Metabolism GRC organizes four, two- hour poster sessions, with each poster presenter (at least 60) available for discussion during two sessions. The 2-day Gordon Research Seminar will precede the main GRC conference. It provides a unique environment for students and early career scientist to present, connect and access mentoring.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2024 · 2024-07

Project Summary The delivery of small molecules, proteins and biological drugs, nucleic acids, and other molecular therapies relies on the site of the disease-causing target within the body and is highly dependent on the ability to manage solubility, stability, biodistribution, and pharmacokinetics of the drug. The Drug Carriers for Medicine and Biology Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and its accompanying Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) provide key platforms for discussion and dissemination of critical developments in the design of drug delivery systems to meet the many unique challenges of this field. Addressing these issues requires an interdisciplinary approach that engages researchers in basic biology and physiology, chemistry, and physics that inform design as well as engineering and clinical perspectives. The GRC provides a unique environment that successfully brings these groups together to discuss and debate fundamental questions about delivery and to share new innovations in the field. The specific aims of this GRC/GRS are: 1) to provide a forum for discussion of the key barriers to delivery and physiological understanding to inform carrier design, 2) to facilitate discussion in an intellectually and culturally diverse environment, 3) to discuss new innovations and cutting-edge research, and 4) to create opportunities for early career investigators to build relationships and partnerships for professional advancement. These aims will be accomplished via a carefully curated program describing cutting edge research, elongated discussion sessions following each talk, four poster sessions to highlight research from early career investigators, and social events to facilitate idea exchange and networking. The subtitle for the 2024 GRC in Drug Carriers for Medicine and Biology is: “Drug Carrier Design for Cell and Tissue Specific Delivery”. Areas of focus include lipid nanoparticle-mediated delivery, therapeutic carriers for reproductive health, biomaterials, immunoengineering-enabling delivery systems, nanosystems, cell and tissue-selective delivery, and sensing. The GRS that precedes the GRC enables graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to examine the field and address important questions from their own perspectives as early investigators while also providing important networking opportunities. Speakers will be selected from research trainees across a broad range of institutions and disciplines. The 2024 GRS theme, which is “Trafficking, targeting, and tropism-based strategies for the localization of drug carriers”, will provide a forum for discussion that connects ongoing laboratory research with issues that might ultimately determine translational success, such as off-targeting. The GRS will also feature a plenary speaker who will provide a deep perspective on this question and discussion leaders chosen to provide background and perspective during the discussions.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2024 · 2024-06

Project Summary/Abstract This proposal requests partial support for an internationally-attended meeting on Ion Channels, as part of the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) series, to be held at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, July 7 – 12, 2024 which immediately precedes with a Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) specifically aimed towards graduate students, post-docs, and early career scientists, to be held July 6-7, 2024, at the same location. The broad and long-term goal of the conference is to increase our understanding of the structure, function and physiological roles of ion channels, their targeting by next-generation therapeutics, and the molecular basis of channel dysfunction in disease. The 2024 iteration of the meeting will convene leading researchers to share unpublished, cutting-edge research on these proteins responsible for electrical signaling and ion transport. Recent advances in structural biology, high-throughput experimental methods, and machine- learning approaches can potentially revolutionize biological research. This edition of the meeting will highlight how big data and other emerging approaches are providing new insights into the role of ion channels in human physiology and diseases. Our diverse panel of speakers and discussion leaders will present the latest advances in understanding the biology and mechanisms of ion channel structure, gating, regulation and drug action. The specific aims of this meeting will be to assemble roughly 45 speakers and discussion leaders representing critical areas of ion channel research, with a maximum total of 200 participants, for a five-day meeting in a secluded setting. The program will have nine platform sessions that address current issues in ion channel mechanisms in human health and disease, incorporating late-breaking talks to be determined shortly before the conference, to promote discussion on the newest cutting-edge research. Ample time will be allotted during the platform sessions for discussion and exchange of ideas. In addition, four poster sessions will allow all participants to present their latest research and further scientific discussions. The significance of this proposal is that the Ion Channels GRC is widely regarded as a key, established conference to fertilize ideas and research in the community of ion channel biologists. Indeed, the small size and intensive discussions facilitated by the Ion Channels GRC make it uniquely important for the catalysis of new ideas and directions among the participants. The goals of the meeting are to advance our understanding of ion channels as key players in the function of nerves, muscles, sensory organs, and other systems and as therapeutic targets for the cure and treatment of human disease.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2024 · 2024-06

Project Summary/Abstract Centromeres remain perhaps the most enigmatic regions of the genome, even though they provide the foundation for chromosome segregation during every eukaryotic cell division. Despite the “complete sequencing” of the human genome more than a decade ago, it was only recently that the first assembly of a human centromere was completed. In addition, due to the highly repetitive nature of the centromere sequences in humans and most other organisms, data from centromeres is excluded from almost all genome-wide studies that typically require sequencing reads to map to a single locus. If we are to truly understand the genome, it is critical to address this important gap in our understanding to reveal the nature of centromeres. Breaking through these challenges requires a unique conceptual framework and set of tools and technologies that combine genome technologies (such as longer sequencing read lengths), computational and bioinformatics approaches, and together with complementary functional biological studies. The goal of the Centromere Biology conference is to substantially advance our understanding of the centromere regions of each chromosome by convening researchers of diverse disciplines focusing on this genomic locus. This meeting will bring together a diverse group of outstanding scientists to build a community interested in understanding diverse aspects of centromere properties including the sequence, nature, organization, evolution (including sequence diversity across the human population), and function of this incredibly important and unique genomic locus. Speakers will represent the diversity of disciplines that this community attracts including genomics, bioinformatics, genetics, epigenetics, biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, cell and molecular biology, as well as theory and modeling. We value this meeting as part of a larger effort to build an inclusive and diverse the centromere community, including strong representation from women and early career researchers.

NIH Research Projects · FY 2024 · 2024-06

Project Summary The 2024 Gordon Research Conference on Mutagenesis will explore cutting edge research into the mechanisms and consequences of changes in the genomic sequence of organisms across species. Despite being a well- established conference, “Mutagenesis” remains a forefront topic, bridging the traditional boundaries of many fields that do not usually interact with each other. Alterations to the genetic blueprint of an organisms drives many aspects of biology such as viral restriction and effective adaptive immunity and can have serious pathological consequences such as antimicrobial resistance development, aging and related diseases, to driving cancer, and dampening the effectivity of anti-cancer therapeutics. Importantly, common molecular mechanisms link these apparently diverse processes. To explore critical mutagenesis mechanisms, the meeting will highlight a wide range of experimental approaches from basic genetic and molecular approaches, to deep sequencing and single molecule biophysics, bringing together scientists of all career stages and backgrounds. The GRC will comprise of 27 invited speakers (junior and senior), 28 slots for talks to be selected from the abstracts, as well as an interactive poster session which will be summarized orally by the presenter in two “flash talk” presentations. In addition, the GRS, which precedes the main conference will have further oral and poster presentation opportunities specifically for graduate students and post-docs, as well as a career panel discussion. A ‘power hour’ in the main meeting will focus on the challenges facing women in science, the usage of appropriate pronouns (and the LGBT+ community), and navigating communication-related challenges between trainees and mentors. We aim to foster an interactive, friendly environment in which ideas can be freely exchanged independently of background or seniority. To that end, the sessions and working meals will be supplemented with a vigorous social program to foster these interactions. The GRC program will be organized into nine morning and evening sessions titled: (1) Critical mutagenesis mechanisms (Keynote session); (2) Replication fork- associated mutations (3) DNA damage and mutagenesis (4) Transcription associated mutagenesis (5) The influence of DNA sequence on mutagenesis (6) Mutagenesis mechanisms in cancer (7) How exogenous and endogenous DNA damage leads to mutagenesis (8) Barrier induced mutagenesis and (9) The ultimate consequences of mutations and evolution. The GRC and GRS will thus promote exchange of the latest ideas and techniques in the broad field of mutagenesis and drive new ideas and cross-field collaborations while enhancing and promoting the careers of the next generation of scientists in this exciting and important field.

NSF Awards · FY 2024 · 2024-06

This award will support the 2024 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and Seminar (GRS) on Cytoskeletal Motors, to be held July 7-12, 2024 at the University of Southern Maine in Portland, ME. This meeting will be attended by graduate students, postdocs, and junior and senior faculty researchers from broad-ranging disciplines to discuss and advance our understanding of all aspects of the structure and function of these protein engines that move the cell itself as well as the various structure such as mitochondria and chromosomes within the cell. The interactions of cell biologists, geneticists, biochemists, and biophysicists will increase understanding of these motors and how they function to maintain cell structure, and the senior scientists will engage with and train junior scientists. This engagement is a priority of the conference and especially the seminar, in talks and poster sessions to allow all participants to display and discuss their research. NSF support will be used to defray registration fees and/or travel costs to allow attendance of participants from early stages of their careers, and for members of groups under-represented in this field. This meeting will be attended by graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and senior researchers to discuss our understanding of all aspects of the motors that drive movement along actin and microtubule tracks of organelles and chromosomes to where they are needed within cells, as well as motility of the entire cell. Sessions will focus on recent advances and new understanding of topics such as “Movements Driven by Molecular Motors and Dynamic Filament Polymerization,” “Filaments and Motors as Active Matter,” “Motor Regulation: From Adaptors to Autoinhibition,” “Filament Diversity, Dynamics and Cross Talk,” and “High Resolution Views of Motors.” In addition to formal talks, engagement will be facilitated by two poster sessions to stimulate interactions between researchers. NSF support will be used to defray travel costs to allow attendance of participants from early stages of their careers, especially for members of groups underrepresented in this field. This award is funded by the Cellular Dynamics and Function Cluster of the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences in the Directorate for Biological Sciences. 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 2024 · 2024-06

The 2024 Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs) is being held at the Les Diablerets Conference Center in Switzerland on June 22-23, 2024. This will be the fifth of a series of biannual conferences primarily attended by a diverse group of graduate students and postdocs. This seminar will bring together trainees from a wide range of disciplines to discuss current directions in the IDP field, as well as examine the interdisciplinary experimental and conceptual demands of contemporary IDP research. The GRS provides an ideal setting to facilitate international and interdisciplinary collaboration. It will also provide key networking opportunities, as well as allowing a range of different perspectives to be discussed and compared - a key aspect for such a broad and diverse field. The 2024 IDP GRS is focused on the biophysics and biology of intrinsically disordered proteins. The GRS program features three formal sessions, one featuring a keynote speaker and two trainee-led sessions curated from abstract-selected talks. The three scientific oral presentation sessions highlight contemporary questions in the IDP field that have emerged from these cross-disciplinary conversations. There are also two poster sessions and a mentorship panel covering academic funding acquisition. The meeting will feature a small number of attendees (up to 90 participants). The keynote speaker will discuss disordered sensing from basic principles to the de novo sensor design. The first trainee-led session will highlight the recent discoveries enabled by studying IDP-mediated phenomena through a lens of polymer physics, biophysics, and biochemistry. The second trainee-led session will focus on the emergent properties that can arise when disordered proteins generate higher-order assemblies in the physical sense, such as multiprotein structures, biomolecular condensates, fibrils, aggregates, and cellular phenomena regulated by these assemblies. This session will also cover the interplay of these IDR-driven assemblies in cellular and organismal biology. The final session of the GRS is reserved for a mentoring panel where trainees can freely ask questions and engage in open discussion with a select group of faculty members. This panel is designed to help trainees better understand the grantsmanship process across career stages. 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 2024 · 2024-06

This grant will support the Environmental Sciences: Water Gordon Research Conference at Holderness, New Hampshire. The theme of the 2024 conference is Addressing Current Challenges in Aquatic Sciences through Innovative Solutions. The week-long conference will focus on three major themes: 1) chemical and biological exposures; 2) environmental and human health impacts; and 3) innovative solutions for the management of water resources. The focus on improving water quality will benefit both human and ecological health. The immersive format of the conference will facilitate networking and collaborative exchange among participants. The development of the next generation of environmental science leaders will be fostered through interactions with leading researchers in academia, industry, and government. Diversity and inclusion in the discipline will be enhanced through scholarships for attendees from underserved groups. Educational and career development success will be assessed by surveys of all participants at the end of the conference. The goal of this project is to support the Environmental Sciences: Water Gordon Research Conference, to be held June 2024 in Holderness, New Hampshire. The conference will feature a program of thought-provoking research that strives to address today's most pressing environmental challenges. Solutions to these challenges rely on research at the intersections of traditional disciplines, which will be fostered by bringing together 190 participants to discuss innovations in water quality science. The immersive format will enable meaningful networking and exchanges of ideas among conference participants. Student and post-doctoral research trainees will be fully engaged in this immersive scientific conference. Their development as researchers will be fostered through interactions with leading researchers in academia, industry, and government. All invited presenters will be first time speakers at the meeting, which will advance the next generation of environmental science leaders. The meeting will foster diversity and inclusion in the discipline through scholarships for attendees from underserved groups. The success and impacts of the conference will be enhanced through new approaches to fostering networking and social interactions across career stages through the establishment of mentoring groups and structured social interactions. 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 2024 · 2024-06

Project Summary/Abstract The proposal requests support for early-career investigators to attend the 2024 Gordon Research Conference on Image Science (in its fifth offering). The unique feature of this conference compared with more conventional medical imaging venues is the bringing together of renowned speakers from disparate application areas, including biology, medicine, astronomy, remote sensing, and security and defense industries, in a forum that encourages each to describe their most significant challenges and most promising solutions, to foster cross- fertilization between these fields. All speakers are invited based on their field leadership and willingness to debate fundamental issues shared by everyone developing, evaluating, and applying imaging in medicine and biology. The GRC format in a small remote venue promotes innovative interdisciplinary thinking that leads to breakthroughs. An environment where leading senior scientists debate core issues is valuable to young investigators trying to build prosperous independent careers in medical imaging in industry and academia. All attendees are invited to present a poster describing their research in poster sessions, a key element of the Gordon Conference format. The June 9-14, 2024, GRC conference theme is “Advances in Imaging and Visualization at the Junction of Physics, Engineering, and Data Science.” which is focused on the appropriate acquisition and efficient uses of the massive volume of imaging information now collected in many fields, in particular biomedical optical imaging. Speakers give ~40-minute presentations in a single-track format with ~20 minutes of discussions following each presentation that experts lead in the field. Biomedical-relevant topics range from “Live High- speed Biomedical and Medical Imaging” to “Elastography in Biomedical and Medical Imaging” and “Eyes and Vision.” Still, we also bring insight from sessions on Astronomy, Quantum Imaging, and Consumer Displays.” At the center of each presentation is a discussion of the core challenges shared by image scientists and novel techniques for acquiring and displaying information to maximize decision performance. We aim to build Image Science as an independent field of study through detailed interdisciplinary discussions and by fostering the success of a new generation of image scientists. The Image Science GRC will be complemented by the student-run Image Science Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on June 7-8, 2024.

NSF Awards · FY 2024 · 2024-06

This award supports the 2024 In Vivo Ultrasound Imaging Gordon Research Conference and Seminar, which will be held August 24 -30, 2024, at Waterville Valley, a Conference Center located in Waterville Valley Resort, West Dover, VT. The theme of the Conference is “Advances in Translational Applications of Imaging in Disease Diagnosis, Staging and Therapy.” Ultrasound is a ubiquitous clinical imaging modality supported by a dynamic and scholarly research community. Until the inaugural Gordon Research Conference (GRC), no conference or professional meeting was explicitly dedicated to basic science ultrasound research with the goal of improving diagnostic ultrasound. The first GRC on in vivo ultrasound imaging found an exceptional reception and outstanding feedback. Discussion among the 2022 participants quickly demonstrated the strong need to propose a Gordon Research Seminar (GRS). GRC and GRS will provide an intimate forum for scientific exchange among scientists and researchers whose primary area of research is the development of novel biomedical ultrasound techniques and approaches. The proposed inaugural GRS will feature 3 sessions with dedicated discussion leaders and 11 student speakers selected from abstract submissions. A 4-member panel discussion on mentorship will conclude the GRS and create a transition to the GRC for 5 days of fostering discourse and mentoring between trainees and researchers/educators. The 2024 In Vivo Ultrasound Imaging Gordon Research Conference and Seminar is divided into two sections, the first section being in the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) format and the second in the Gordon Research Conference format. This is the second GRC (first held in 2022) and first GRS on In Vivo Ultrasound Imaging. The GRS, which is designed for graduate students and post docs and will be held prior to the GRC, will highlight innovations and applications of next generation functional ultrasound imaging and include a mentorship session. The overall structures for both GRS and GRC sessions are the same. Sessions with three of four speakers will be managed by discussion leaders. Presentations will be followed by ample discussion time. Both sections host two poster sessions. For the GRS sessions, 3 discussion leaders and 4 panel experts have been invited and the speakers will be selected from submitted abstracts. For the GRC, 37 scientists with a focus in ultrasound research have been invited to attend as either invited speakers or discussion leaders. Topics for the 3 GRS scientific sessions are: Functional Imaging Modes, Functional Ultrasound Imaging in Therapeutic Applications, and Functional Ultrasound Neuroimaging. Topics for the 8 GRC scientific sessions are: Wearable Ultrasound Devices, Materials, and Application; Neuromodulation; Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy in Immunotherapy; Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound; Novel Uses of Contrast Agents; Lung Ultrasound; Applications of Machine Learning in Ultrasound; and Ultrasound Therapy. 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 2024 · 2024-06

This award provides participant support for a broad group of researchers to attend the 2024 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Additive Manufacturing of Soft Materials, Smithfield, Rhode Island; 11-16 August 2024. Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly termed 3D printing, represents a new direction in the fabrication of functional structures with precise geometric shapes. The conference will focus on the design of next-generation materials with functionality that is suitable for diverse AM printing techniques together with physical property measurements, and design of new printing operations. The conference will weave a thread of sustainability, recycling, and circularity into the program to expose the audience to the importance of end-of-life considerations when designing next-generation materials. This award would help expose new researchers to the field of additive manufacturing, nurture networking among scientists and engineers at all levels, and catalyze new convergence of disciplines. This conference provides professional development opportunities for graduate students and early career researchers to present the results of their research and interact with a larger network of professionals with specific priority given to women, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and/or early career investigators from underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities. This conference brings together established leaders and early career stage professionals in fields relevant to Additive Manufacturing of soft materials. This conference provides a forum for the presentation and discussion of results related to next-generation soft materials for future additive manufacturing modalities. Topics covered in this conference range from digital design, multiscale simulations, artificial intelligence and machine learning, multimodality manufacturing methods, materials synthesis, multi-material printing, composites, and performance engineering will have broad impact on the field. Attendees will include researchers from sustainability scientists and manufacturing engineers to entrepreneurs, designers, artists, and educators. Particular attention will be devoted to the introduction of photo-reactivity for light-based AM printing platforms together with photo-rheological measurements to predict printability. Recent efforts in machine learning, computational modeling, and artificial intelligence will guide topology optimization. The conference will speak to the importance of dematerialization and mono-materialization, which represent two critical pathways for sustainable material discovery. 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 · 2023-09

This R13 application requests support for the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and the associated GRS on Alcohol and the Nervous System that will take place in February 2024 and 2026 meetings at the Hotel Galvez in Galveston, TX. It seeks to build on the previous successes of the Alcohol and the Nervous System GRCs as this meeting has become critical for budding basic and translational alcohol researchers. It also provides a forum for interactions between trainees, early career and senior and established scientists and one that is highly valuable for exchange of new idea and concepts. The main goal of this meeting is to promote meaningful discussion of research developments, build new scientific collaborations, and move forward the next generation of scientific advances in alcohol neuroscience research. Another goal is to integrate preclinical and clinical alcohol research across multiple domains to further enrich the advancement of knowledge regarding translational and clinical neuroscience of alcohol. To accomplish these goals, we propose: 1) To provide a forum to promote open discussion of cutting-edge research at the forefront of alcohol effects on the nervous system and related neuroscience areas; 2) To introduce breakthrough neuroscience approaches that facilitate the understanding of brain mechanisms driving alcohol drinking and alcohol misuse as well as mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of alcohol exposure during development; 3) To promote interaction between early and senior investigators and exchange of ideas that shape the future directions of the alcohol neuroscience community; 4) To foster development of the next generation of alcohol researchers by encouraging the participation of students and postdoctoral fellows both in the alcohol and its related research fields. This conference will focus on presentation of cutting-edge unpublished science that is at the forefront of the field. The unique structure of the meeting integrates and encourages discussion within the sessions and provides ample opportunities for exchange of ideas at the poster sessions and during shared mealtimes. This R13 is important as it will allow support of the registration fees and/or travel support for participants, including junior investigators, postdoctoral fellows and/or graduate students for the GRC and the associated GRS. Historically, this approach allowed for a high level of participation from trainees, making this conference an outstanding networking opportunity that is of great value to career development. The inclusion of trainees and the establishment of an environment that welcomes free exchange of ideas adds tremendous value to the environment of this dynamic conference. This GRC fills a critical need for a continuing meeting that uniquely shares alcohol neuroscience research at the forefront of the field by renowned alcohol researchers and those that are starting their alcohol research careers. We envision the GRC and associated GRS to significantly advance our understanding of the neuroscience of alcohol addiction within a framework intended to have implications and considerations for the treatment of alcohol use disorder.