Conference Description
The Directed Cell Migration 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scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages.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 an array 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.
The ability of cells to navigate to the correct destination is biologically fundamental. Guided movement sculpts the embryo, maintains and repairs adult tissues, and directs immune cells to sites of infection. When misregulated, it is a central driver of tumour invasion and metastasis. This Directed Cell Migration Gordon Research Conference focuses on how cells detect cues, polarise, and coordinate motion, connecting theory - how signals are perceived and information is processed - to practical questions in disease and development. For over two decades, the conference has brought together an international, cross-disciplinary community united by this challenge. It has become the field’s principal forum, where researchers studying migration in development, immunity, cancer, and engineered systems exchange ideas across traditional boundaries. Participants include cell and developmental biologists, immunologists, cancer researchers, bioengineers, physicists, and quantitative scientists, creating an environment in which conceptual advances, new technologies, and theoretical insights inform one another. A defining feature of the conference is the open discussion of unpublished work, fostering rigorous debate, fresh perspectives, and collaborations that often outlast the meeting. The programme features a balanced roster of established leaders and emerging investigators shaping the next phase of the field. Short talks and poster introductions selected from registered participants ensure that students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-stage faculty have prominent opportunities to present their discoveries to and discuss their work with the entire community.
The conference chair is currently developing their preliminary program, which will include 9 sessions and the names of the invited speakers and discussion leaders for each of these sessions. The preliminary program will be available by April 29, 2026. Please check back for updates.
