Carotenoids are among the most ubiquitous of natural pigments and have been the focus of research efforts in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, nutrition, and medicine for over a century. The upcoming 6th tri-annual Gordon Research Conference on Carotenoids will uphold this multi-disciplinary tradition. Leading researchers and scientists in academia, government, and industry from the U.S. and abroad will present results of the latest developments in the various aspects of carotenoid science. We continue to encourage the participation of international and domestic scientists, post-docs, and graduate students who have an active interest in any of the various physical, chemical, and biochemical functions of carotenoids to apply to attend this conference. In addition to sessions devoted to carotenoid functions in human health and disease the conference will showcase developments and updates on the biosynthesis of carotenoids, the structural and electronic properties of carotenoids in photosynthetic systems, and carotenoid occurrence and physiology in animals. This year, sessions will spotlight the latest advances in our understanding of the structure, chemistry and physiology of carotenoids and their metabolites. We will hear up-to-the-minute reports on the physiological role of carotenoids in human health with special emphasis on carotenoid functions in the human eye and the relationship of carotenoids to eye diseases, carotenoid actions and their role in cancer, the influence of carotenoids on gene regulation, and the important development in the nutrient function of pro-vitamin A carotenoids.