The Pancreatic Diseases 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scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages.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 Pancreatic Diseases GRC was founded in 2013 and is the only conference that broadly covers the spectrum of diseases that affect the pancreas, including pathologies impacting both exocrine and endocrine functions. This GRC has a preceding Gordon Research Seminar (GRS). Recent years have brought rapid advances in our understanding of pancreas development, tissue injury and repair, and malignant transformation. Technological innovations have enabled analysis from molecular aberrations to structural changes in the tissue. Further, refinement of computational and tissue models has permitted interrogation of homeostatic and disease processes in human cells, organoids, and animal models. Clinical and translational studies are revealing clear associations between different pancreatic diseases. These studies have identified previously unappreciated signaling and functional links between the various cell types in the pancreas and have revealed the plasticity of these cells in response to environmental influences. These critical insights are deciphering novel molecular targets for the treatment of all pancreatic diseases. The goal of this GRC is to offer insights into the common, divergent, and interdependent biology of exocrine and endocrine pancreas development, function, and dysfunction, which will advance opportunities for intervention in human diseases.
This conference convenes experts who study all aspects of pancreas biology as well as clinicians working on translational approaches for pancreas diseases including (but not limited to) diabetes, pancreatic cancer, and pancreatitis. The upcoming seventh Pancreatic Diseases GRC will focus on the genetic and molecular etiologies of pancreatic diseases, using foundation knowledge of developmental processes underlying tissue and cell function to address how these are pathologically rewired in disease and how understanding these processes can be used to guide therapeutic development and deliver clinical impact. The themes that will be discussed throughout the conference will seek to exemplify how homeostatic and developmental processes are being conscripted in the pathology setting, how cellular, organismal and computational models can be applied to identify such rewiring and subsequently can be applied to improve disease management and deliver clinical impact.
The program will include international world-class scientists, thought leaders, and paradigm shifters engaged in research relevant to different aspects of pancreatic diseases. Attendees can expect to learn and discuss novel concepts in pancreatic diseases that might be amenable to pharmacological and cell-based therapeutic approaches. As with all GRCs, the guiding principle of this conference is the presentation of new, unpublished results and the free, unhampered discussion that follows. Participation of trainees and early-stage scientists is highly emphasized, with opportunities for short talks and poster presentations.
