Intrinsic and Extrinsic Control of Myogenesis Under Physiological and Pathological Conditions

Myogenesis is the process of building muscle from myogenic stem/progenitor cells during development and regeneration, which is critically regulated by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The goal of the 2021 Myogenesis Gordon Research Conference is to promote scientific exchange among scientists in the myogenesis field that will provide a deeper understanding of how intrinsic and extrinsic pathways contribute to healthy muscle formation, while revealing insight into the defects in the myogenic process that lead to disease. Meeting attendees will cover muscle formation using a variety of models ranging from invertebrates to humans, applying both in vivo and ex vivo approaches to study muscle formation. In particular, we will focus on emerging single cell technologies that are being used to understand how different cell types in the muscle microenvironment contribute to muscle formation through development, and how this changes as an organism ages. Specific areas of interest include cell signaling, altered metabolism and epigenetic mechanisms that affect muscle formation. Leaders in the field of myogenesis will be invited to present recent unpublished data on these topics to educate conference attendees while stimulating interactive discussion amongst the group. The program will provide opportunities for platform presentations from young emerging leaders in the field through both “invited speaker” and “abstract-selected talk” mechanisms. Additional program events, including poster sessions, poster previews, specific social events and informal gatherings in the afternoons, will ensure maximal level of interaction between established scientists and junior scientists/trainees. The venue of the conference offers a relaxing atmosphere conducive to creative thinking and the exchange of ideas that will benefit attendees at every professional level. Thus, we expect the 2021 Myogenesis Gordon Research Conference will provide both a stimulating program and an ideal setting for attendees to advance their understanding of skeletal muscle biology.