Intracellular Ca Release Control Points Vital to Health and Disease

This meeting focuses on mechanistic insights into the process of excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) in muscle tissue, the phenomenon through which electrical signals at the plasma membrane are converted into a chemical signal. In recent years, many new insights have been obtained at both the structural, biochemical, and physiological level, including the identification of important new players in the process. This has led to putative therapeutic strategies to interfere with ECC components in disease. Scientific sessions will focus on the complex allosteric mechanisms that control ECC, auxiliary proteins and small molecule modulators, post-translational modifications, and various disease-associated mutations. A special emphasis will also be on novel therapeutics. Various techniques, ranging from high-resolution structural biology to animal models, will be covered throughout the sessions.

For the third time, this GRC will be preceded by a Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), during which graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will have ample time to present their research and network. Poster preview sessions will be used to augment visibility of the posters and young investigators in the ECC field. Some young investigators will also be paired with principle investigators as co-discussion leaders during each session.

The two overarching objectives of the 2019 ECC GRC are: Objective 1: Assemble the top basic and disease-focused ECC researchers to share new breakthroughs, to discuss the molecular mechanisms governing ECC in health and disease and to accelerate development therapeutic options to address muscle fatigue, atrophy, sarcopenia, rhabdomyolysis and genetically-inherited forms of skeletal and cardiac muscle disease. Objective 2: Increase the visibility and leadership of junior ECC investigators (students, postdoctoral fellows and new independent scientists) and inspire/motivate their research careers to new highs by providing an interactive informal forum in which to present their work and network with each other as well as established ECC leaders.