Angiogenesis and Angiostability in Development, Disease and Engineered Tissues

The Angiogenesis GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.

This Angiogenesis Gordon Research Conference (GRC), “Angiogenesis and angiostability in development, disease and engineered tissues”, and the accompanying Gordon Research Seminar (GRS, organized by and for trainees) “Harnessing developmental angiogenesis to instruct cell therapies and regenerative medicine” are designed to explore the underlying hypothesis that the vast heterogeneity of blood vessels is driven and supported by unique molecular and cellular mechanisms ensuring their proper formation and stability. A better understanding of how and why blood vessels of different organs, sizes and morphologies grow and maintain their architecture, despite being under unrelenting hemodynamic assault, is critical to inform vascularization of engineered or regenerating tissues, and to normalize vascular malformations. The goals of the conference are therefore to bridge existing knowledge and communication gaps between researchers at all levels (students, postdocs, junior and senior scientists in academia and industry) who study angiogenesis and angiostability, and those focusing on vascular diseases, stem cell biology and disease-associated vascular dysfunction, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and stroke. These fields have recently developed paradigms, tools and models to aid this goal, and this integration is predicted to move science forward towards timely translation of basic discoveries. A complimentary GRS pre-meeting will also be included and will be organized by trainees and for trainees, with limited guidance from GRC Chairs and faculty mentors that will attend the GRS. The GRS will feature presentations of trainee work, to facilitate networking and provide them with a peer group as they transition into the larger meeting. The associated GRS will therefore support the overall goals of the meeting, with an emphasis on trainees.