The 2010 Gordon Conference on Molecular Mechanisms in Lymphatic Function & Disease will present cutting-edge research in the rapidly advancing area of lymphatic biology. The program contains sessions about lymphangiogenesis, vascular development, lymphatic immunology and inflammation, genetics, molecular transport and mechanotransduction, tumor biology, therapeutic approaches and in vivo imaging. Novel findings about the role of lymphatics in important human diseases associated with obesity, hypertension, immune suppression, congenital and secondary lymphedema, inflammation, tumors and metastasis, and chemo-attraction between tumor cells and lymphatic endothelium will be discussed. The aim is to provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms mediating lymphatic development and function, and the design of new interventions against disorders involving the lymphatic system. This topic will be thoroughly discussed with special emphasis on future directions in therapeutic lymphangiogenesis and identification of new opportunities in lymphatic tissue engineering.

The Conference will bring together a collection of investigators who are at the forefront of their field, and will provide opportunities for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work in poster format and exchange ideas with leaders in the field. Some poster presenters will be selected for short talks. This conference is intended to provide a unique format for the exchange of ideas and information, to discuss the latest research findings and technical advances in a collegial atmosphere, with programmed discussion sessions as well as opportunities for informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings, providing an avenue for scientists from different disciplines to brainstorm and promoting cross-disciplinary collaborations in the various research areas represented.