Promoting Health Across the Lifespan in Developing and Aging Lungs

The Lung Development, Injury and Repair GRC conference topics span basic and translational aspects of the inductive developmental interactions that inform adult lung repair and regeneration. Dysregulation of such interactions is a hallmark of both aging and the pathogenesis of chronic lung diseases. Thus, modulating an appropriate balance of these interactions is necessary to promote a return to functional tissue homoeostasis versus progression to chronic inflammation and vascular-mesenchymal-epithelial remodeling. Meeting this challenge requires the integration of knowledge from experts studying the diverse respiratory cell lineages of the lung together with those studying the complex physiology, structural integrity, regenerative mechanisms, and systems biology of this tissue during development and aging. Those with backgrounds in multiomic computational approaches as well as physicians with clinical expertise and translational experts immersed in diagnosis, therapeutic development and treatment of disease represent additional critical components of the many disciplines participating in this GRC. To enhance trainee and junior faculty contributions to the meeting, exceptional abstract submissions from individuals of all career stages will be programmed as short platform presentations and posters. Junior investigators will be paired with senior investigators to moderate sessions. The remote location and schedule, including afternoon free time, networking events, and communal meals, promote networking opportunities, increase the sense of camaraderie, and foster scientific collaborations to discuss new developments and advance the fields of study This combination of international cross-disciplinary expertise and participation by established and emerging leaders will create a unique environment necessary to translate biologic discoveries toward meaningful advances in respiratory medicine.

Abstracts will be reviewed for short talks and posters in late spring and notifications will be made by June.