The 2012 meeting will be the tenth Gordon Conference on this subject, having started in 1994. The 2012 meeting will focus on recent research in the cellular and molecular events in the secretory pathway, including post-translational processing, trafficking and secretion of bioactive peptides and other secretory pathway proteins, as well as the significance of these processes to cellular physiology and human disease. In particular this meeting renews its continuing interest in protein folding events in the endoplasmic reticulum; post-translational processing steps including structural, biochemical, proteomic and cellular analyses of proteolysis and peptide-terminal modifications; intra-Golgi and post-Golgi sorting events including targeting to secretory granules; mechanisms of secretory granule formation and trafficking; and molecular mechanisms of regulated and constitutive secretion. An additional important dimension is on pathologies and diseases whose underlying basis relates to protein processing and/or trafficking (e.g., cancer, diabetes; Alzheimer's; hypercholesterolemia; bacterial toxin activation; viral glycoprotein maturation; and others).

The Conference will bring together investigators at the forefront of their research field and will provide many opportunities for junior scientists to present their work and exchange ideas with leaders in the field. In addition to regular talks, a group of poster presenters will be selected to give short oral presentations. The collegial and inter-disciplinary atmosphere of this Conference, with programmed discussion sessions as well as opportunities for informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings, provides an excellent opportunity for scientists from different disciplines to develop collaborations.