The 2012 Gordon Research Conference on Microbial Toxins and Pathogenicity will present the latest and most exciting work in microbial pathogenesis, with special emphasis on bacterial pathogens and their secreted products, as well as on the host innate immune response to these microorganisms. The Conference will have seminar sessions on toxin biochemistry and biogenesis, molecular and cellular pathogenesis, evolution of pathogen genome structure, the role of the host microbiome in host health and disease, as well as novel host strategies for specifically sensing microbial pathogens. Sessions will be kicked off with a pair of keynote speakers who are prominent in the fields of infectious diseases and in toxin biology. Seminar sessions are chaired by prominent researchers who will provide overviews of each session topic, painting their own unique pictures of the progress and gaps in research for each topic. Discussions provide an opportunity for the exchange of new ideas and perspectives. In addition to the seminar sessions, the conference includes well-attended and interactive poster sessions. The 2012 conference will be preceded by the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Microbial Toxins and Pathogenicity. The GRS is planned by and for post-doctoral and pre-doctoral trainees who study microbial pathogenesis and provides an opportunity for our future leaders to present their research as seminars and posters in a collegial and interactive environment. Attendance at the GRS has added a great value to the Gordon Research Conference experience for these junior investigators.