Nitric Oxide Biochemistry in Mammalian, Plant and Microbial Systems

Conference Overview: The Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) is a unique forum for graduate students, post-docs, and other scientists with comparable levels of experience and education to present and exchange new data and cutting edge ideas. All GRS attendees are expected to actively participate by giving an oral presentation or presenting a poster. Attendees are strongly encouraged to attend the preceding Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on nitric oxide at the same venue. The GRS compliments the GRC, occurring at the same venue and immediately preceding the GRC, but caters to students and early career investigators. GRS offers scientific, career, and leadership opportunity for early phase investigators, elaborated below.

Scientific component: The first GRS on Nitric Oxide (NO) will be held on February 18-19, 2017 in Ventura CA and will explore NO biochemistry in mammalian, plant, and microbial systems. While the molecular mechanisms of NO production, metabolism, and function differ among in living organisms, understanding NO biochemistry in multiple systems can offer invaluable insights. The goal of the 2017 GRS on NO is to broaden our understanding of the NO molecule by connecting researchers from diverse research backgrounds.

The GRS on NO will consist of four sessions: The conference will begin with a keynote lecture (Session 1) from Professor Serpil Erzurum, an international expert in nitric oxide in lung physiology and pathophysiology. The subsequent two scientific session will focus on NO biochemistry. Session 2 will focus on nitric oxide biosynthesis, transformation, and function in physiology and pathophysiology. Session 3 will focus the molecular mechanisms of nitric oxide formation and signaling and the methodology used to study NO. Both sessions will feature oral and poster presentations by GRS attendees. Posters will be displayed in an adjacent lecture hall throughout the conference, in an effort to facilitate discussion among attendees. The GRS will conclude with a career development seminar (Session 4), elaborated below.

Career Development Component: Session 4 is dedicated to career development and will focus on how to complete an effective and efficient research fellowship. Instead of the traditional lecture format, we organized a panel of established investigators and mentors (Drs. Rakesh Patel, Victor Darley-Usmar, Miriam Cortese-Krott, and Serpil Erzurum) to answer questions proposed by the GRS audience. Please come prepared to ask questions on career development and participate in this informative and inclusive group discussion.

Leadership: Because this is the first GRS on NO, we must establish a group of early career investigators in the NO field to carry on the GRS tradition by organizing subsequent conferences. Elections for the 2019 NO GRS co-chairs will be conducted during the 2017 conference. Every attendee will have the opportunity to vote for the next NO GRS co-chairs. Additionally, individuals interested in soliciting funds for the GRS, leveraging social media, and acting as discussion leaders, are encouraged to contact the GRS chairs.