Abstract

The well-studied process of mRNA translation is fundamental to all biology, yet the relevance of this process to disease is newly emerging. The 2019 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Translational Machinery in Health and Disease will provide a unique forum for both new and established investigators to discuss their latest findings on the relationship of mRNA translation to disease. This interdisciplinary conference will cover connections between translation and a broad range of diseases including cancer and neurological, metabolic, inflammatory, and mitochondrial disorders. Scientific sessions will highlight recent discoveries on the genetic and molecular disturbances of translation that underlie pathophysiology. Other talks will focus on new technologies to monitor translation, and translation during stress, in pathogens, and in the microbiome. A major goal of this conference will be to foster interactions among scientists at all levels to stimulate data exchange and collaborations that cut across scientific disciplines. Thus, ample time will be provided for formal discussions during the scientific sessions and time will also be set aside for informal discussions. Multiple poster presentations as well as the selection of speakers from "late-breaking" abstracts will ensure participation from investigators at all stages of their career. In addition, this GRC will be preceded by a Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Translational Machinery in Health and Disease which will be open only to students and postdoctoral fellows. The GRS will complement the GRC and provide a forum for trainees from around the world to broaden their peer network and to explore new directions in translation research.