Our knowledge of vascular cell biology has dramatically increased over the past several years. In particular, there have been remarkable advances in our understanding of fundamental processes and genes that regulate the early stages of blood vessel formation and morphogenesis, and many genes and gene products have been identified that play a key role in this process. In addition, and perhaps of even greater significance, there have been major advances in our understanding of how normal control processes are disrupted in various diseases, and identification of many new potential therapies. Indeed, exciting developments involving combinatorial use of stem cells and gene therapy offer the hope of ways to cure or prevent the adverse consequences of many of our major diseases including hypertension, coronary artery disease, arthritis, retinopathies, and thrombotic disorders. However, as is usually the case with any discipline, the new knowledge that we have gained has raised many new questions and challenges, and has impressed upon us that the systems we study are far more complex than originally imagined.

The 8th Vascular Biology Gordon Research Conference which will bring together academic and pharmaceutical industry investigators, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students for 5 days of intense discussion of the major scientific discoveries and challenges in the vascular biology field. The conference will be held at the west coast Gordon Research Conference Site in Ventura California on January 26-31, 2003. The major themes for the conference include: vascular development/angiogenesis; blood vessel morphogenesis/patterning; vascular cell induced organogenesis; cell-matrix interactions and neovessel formation; mechanisms of smooth muscle and endothelial cell specification, differentiation, growth, and gene expression; vascular cell signaling in response to mechanical stimuli; potential therapeutic uses of stem cells; vascular remodeling; and vascular patho-physiology. We have developed a program that includes many of the leading investigators in the field as well as many rising stars. We are confident that the meeting will foster interactions and collaborations among scientists from diverse disciplines, as well as provide an environment for intense, frank, and open discussions that will lead to new testable hypotheses and perceptions in vascular cell biology and our understanding of a wide plethora of vascular diseases and potential therapeutic interventions.