We are at the crossroad in our understanding of the biology of the proprotein processing enzymes, the maturation of proteins/peptides, their cellular trafficking and the therapeutic applications of post-translational modulation.

The seventh Gordon Conference in this series focuses on the most recent, innovative and interdisciplinary research in some of the cellular and molecular events in the secretory pathway, focusing on the maturation of proteins and peptides. These include protein folding events in the endoplasmic reticulum; all post-translational processing steps including structural, biochemical and cellular analyses of endo- and exoproteolysis and N- and C-terminal modifications; intra-Golgi and post-Golgi sorting events; mechanisms of vesicle formation and trafficking; and molecular mechanisms of regulated and constitutive secretion. Studies on the implications of defective processing for physiology and disease, as well as the development of animal models and silencing techniques for various protein/enzyme targets are some of the main attractions of this meeting. An additional important focus is on emerging functions of processing enzymes, including intramembrane proteolysis, and the associated pathologies whose underlying basis relates to protein processing and/or cellular trafficking. These include childhood diseases, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, dyslipidemias such as hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis, chronic pain, hypertension, viral glycoprotein maturation, cancer/metastasis, and many others. Moreover, many new and emerging investigators have been invited alongside more established ones. Over a dozen short talks are reserved for young investigators, and in the final format of the meeting, time slots will be allotted to late breaking stories. It is our sincere hope that presentations and fruitful discussions during the meeting will enhance our knowledge of processing enzymes and protein/peptide cellular trafficking, for both in vitro and in vivo settings. This should enhance our understanding of these physiologically important processes to a level high enough to begin to envisage viable therapeutic applications.