The RAAS: Integrating Novel Technologies, Clinical Studies and Personalized Therapeutics to Preserve Health

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the 2020 Angiotensin GRC will focus on "The RAAS: Integrating novel technologies, clinical studies and personalized therapeutics to preserve health".

Significant advances in the field of the RAAS are now possible due to recent intellectual and technological advances such as single cell transcriptomics, epigenomics, locus-specific (epi)genomic engineering, genome-wide exploration, systems biology, imaging and drug discovery and testing among others. These advances lead to groundbreaking fundamental discoveries and pave the way for the development of personalized therapeutics. The conference will, therefore, highlight research innovations on the RAAS that expand from solid basic research to clinical applications and public health impact. Novel discoveries regarding higher brain function, neuroimmune mechanisms, regeneration, circadian rhythm, the microbiome and the risks and benefits of therapeutics targeting the RAAS among others will be discussed.

Following the tradition of GRC, preliminary unpublished results not only from Basic Research Studies but also from Clinical Studies and Trials will be presented by a diverse group of basic, clinical and translational investigators at all career levels. To stimulate discussions and explore applications of discoveries from other scientific fields to the RAAS area, we invited internationally recognized experts from both the basic and clinical science who have not previously attended the Angiotensin GRC. Speaking slots have been purposely left available for oral presentations from abstracts of late-breaking advances and trainees. And finally, to nurture interactions between trainees and senior scientists we have scheduled: 1) four poster sessions, 2) the Power Hour: open forum to support the professional growth of women by discussing the challenges that women face in science and 3) a mentee-mentor pairing program: pre-arranged meetings between individual trainees and assigned senior investigators during lunch on Monday. The conference will be preceded by a two-day Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) for scientists in training.

This Conference creates the perfect environment to advance the scientific career of early career investigators and trainees and establishing new cross-disciplinary national and international collaborations.