Sunday
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Arrival and Check-in
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm
Introductory Comments by GRC Site Staff / Welcome from the GRC Chair
7:40 pm - 9:30 pm
Keynote Session: Landmarks in Carotenoid Research
Discussion Leaders: Paul Bernstein (University of Utah, USA) and George Britton (University of Liverpool, United Kingdom)
7:40 pm - 7:50 pm
Opening Remarks
7:50 pm - 7:55 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:55 pm - 8:15 pm
Peter Beyer (University of Freiburg, Germany)
"Carotenoid Biosynthesis: Biochemical Aspects and Implications"
8:15 pm - 8:25 pm
Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:45 pm
John Landrum (Florida International University, USA)
"Lutein and Zeaxanthin: Packaging, Transport, and Delivery"
8:45 pm - 8:55 pm
Discussion
8:55 pm - 9:15 pm
Koichi Yoneyama (Utsunomiya University, Japan)
"Carotenoid-Derived Rhizosphere Signaling Chemicals - Strigolactones"
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm
Discussion
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm
General Discussion
Monday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Biosynthesis and Metabolism
Discussion Leaders: Li Li (Agricultural Research Service, USDA / Cornell University, USA) and Philip Kiser (Case Western Reserve University, USA)
9:00 am - 9:05 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:25 am
Johannes Von Lintig (Case Western Reserve University, USA)
"Biology and Chemistry of Vitamin A Production in Mammals"
9:25 am - 9:35 am
Discussion
9:35 am - 9:55 am
Joseph Hirschberg (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel)
"Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Tomato: The Transposons Behind the Colors"
9:55 am - 10:05 am
Discussion
10:05 am - 10:20 am
Antonio Granell (Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-UPV, Spain)
"Natural Variability in the Tomato Carotenoid and Apocarotenoid Networks and Its Adaptation to Internal and External Perturbations"
10:20 am - 10:25 am
Discussion
10:25 am - 10:50 am
Coffee Break
10:50 am - 11:10 am
Eugenia Poliakov (Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, NIH, USA)
"Versatile Evolution of Animal Carotenoid Oxygenases: Mechanisms and Biological Implications"
11:10 am - 11:20 am
Discussion
11:20 am - 11:40 am
Charles Hunter (Chemistry Research Unit, USDA-ARS, USA)
"Examination of Maize White Seedling 3 Reveals a Plastoquinone-Independent Route for Phytoene Desaturation"
11:40 am - 11:50 am
Discussion
11:50 am - 12:05 pm
Charles Ampomah-Dwamena (Plant and Food Research, New Zealand)
"Chasing Yellow-Flesh Apple Through the Carotenoid Pathway"
12:05 pm - 12:10 pm
Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:25 pm
Poster Previews
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Power Hour
The GRC Power Hour is an optional informal gathering open to all meeting participants. It is designed to help address the challenges women face in science and support the professional growth of women in our communities by providing an open forum for discussion and mentoring.
Organizers: Jessica Cooperstone (The Ohio State University, USA) and Rachel Kopec (The Ohio State University, USA)
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Regulation and Signaling
Discussion Leaders: Dean Dellapenna (Michigan State University, USA) and Patricia Leon-Mejia (Intitute of Biotechnology Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico)
7:30 pm - 7:35 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:35 pm - 7:55 pm
Michel Havaux (CEA Cadarache, France)
"Beta-Cyclocitral-Mediated Signaling Pathways Leading to Plant Stress Resilience"
7:55 pm - 8:05 pm
Discussion
8:05 pm - 8:25 pm
Judith Storch (Rutgers University, USA)
"Intracellular Lipid Binding Proteins in Intestinal and Systemic Metabolism: Old Proteins and New Questions"
8:25 pm - 8:35 pm
Discussion
8:35 pm - 8:55 pm
Alexandra Dickinson (Duke University, USA)
"Identifying Carotenoid-Derived Regulators of Lateral Root Organogenesis"
8:55 pm - 9:05 pm
Discussion
9:05 pm - 9:20 pm
Made Airanthi Widjaja-Adhi (Case Western Reserve University, USA)
"A Protective Role of Carotenoids in the Visual Cycle"
9:20 pm - 9:25 pm
Discussion
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm
General Discussion
Tuesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Carotenoid Photochemistry
Discussion Leader: Roberto Bassi (University of Verona, Italy)
9:00 am - 9:05 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:25 am
Graham Fleming (University of California, Berkeley, USA)
"Role of Carotenoids in the Regulation of Photosynthetic Light Harvesting"
9:25 am - 9:35 am
Discussion
9:35 am - 9:55 am
Gabriela Schlau-Cohen (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)
"Carotenoid-Mediated Light Harvesting in Green Plants"
9:55 am - 10:05 am
Discussion
10:05 am - 10:20 am
Luca Dall'Osto (University of Verona, Italy)
"In Vivo Functional Architecture of Carotenoid-Chlorophyll Clusters Regulating Fast Photoprotection Response in Higher Plants"
10:20 am - 10:25 am
Discussion
10:25 am - 10:50 am
Coffee Break
10:50 am - 11:10 am
Roberta Croce (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
"Breaking the Dogma: Photosynthesis Without Carotenes"
11:10 am - 11:20 am
Discussion
11:20 am - 11:40 am
Diana Kirilovsky (Institute of Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Université Paris Saclay, France)
"Carotenoid Transfer Between Proteins: CTDH, a Transient Carotenoid Protein"
11:40 am - 11:50 am
Discussion
11:50 am - 12:05 pm
Bruno Robert (CEA, France)
"Lycopene Photochemistry in Natural and Artificial Aggregates"
12:05 pm - 12:10 pm
Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:25 pm
Poster Previews
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Biofortification and Bioavailability
Discussion Leaders: Eleanore Wurtzel (Lehman College / The Graduate Center, City University of New York, USA) and Antonio Melendez-Martinez (Universidad de Sevilla, Spain)
7:30 pm - 7:35 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:35 pm - 7:55 pm
Amanda Palmer (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA)
"Bioefficacy of Carotenoid-Rich Maize in Improving Maternal and Infant Vitamin A Status"
7:55 pm - 8:05 pm
Discussion
8:05 pm - 8:25 pm
Yaakov Tadmor (Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Israel)
"Biofortification of Agricultural Products: Lessons from the OR Gene"
8:25 pm - 8:35 pm
Discussion
8:35 pm - 8:55 pm
Torbert Rocheford (Purdue University, USA)
"Genetics, Genomics and Breeding for Improved ProVitamin A, Total Carotenoids and Orange Color in Maize Grain"
8:55 pm - 9:05 pm
Discussion
9:05 pm - 9:20 pm
Jessica Cooperstone (The Ohio State University, USA)
"Insights on Carotenoids, β-Apocarotenoids and Apolycopenoids in Human Plasma and Mouse Liver After Tomato Consumption"
9:20 pm - 9:25 pm
Discussion
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm
General Discussion
Wednesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am
Group Photo
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Apocarotenoids and Retinoids
Discussion Leaders: Earl Harrison (Ohio State University, USA) and Michael Walter (Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Germany)
9:00 am - 9:05 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:25 am
William Blaner (Columbia University, USA)
"Retinol Binding Protein 4 (RBP4) in Obesity and Metabolic Disease"
9:25 am - 9:35 am
Discussion
9:35 am - 9:55 am
Salim Al-Babili (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia)
"The Plant Apocarotenoid Family: New Members and New Functions"
9:55 am - 10:05 am
Discussion
10:05 am - 10:20 am
Guo Zhong (University of Washington, USA)
"Vitamin A and Retinoid Metabolism in Human Tissues: What We Know and What We Don't Know"
10:20 am - 10:25 am
Discussion
10:25 am - 10:50 am
Coffee Break
10:50 am - 11:10 am
Natalia Kedishvili (University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA)
"Role of Short-Chain Dehydrogenases in Beta-Carotene and Retinoid Metabolism"
11:10 am - 11:20 am
Discussion
11:20 am - 11:40 am
Gianfranco Diretto (ENEA, Italy)
"Plant Crocin Biosynthesis: Enzymology and Compartmentation"
11:40 am - 11:50 am
Discussion
11:50 am - 12:05 pm
Ulrich Hammerling (Rutgers University, USA)
"Retinol Enables PKCd-Dependent Control of Mitochondrial Energy Homeostasis by Its Intrinsic Resonance Energy Transfer (RET) Capacity"
12:05 pm - 12:10 pm
Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:25 pm
Poster Previews
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Vision and Pigmentation
Discussion Leaders: Joseph Corbo (Washington University in St. Louis, USA) and Kevin McGraw (Arizona State University, USA)
7:30 pm - 7:35 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:35 pm - 7:55 pm
Gebhard Schertler (Paul Scherrer Institute / ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
"Room Temperature Crystallography of Retinal Proteins: Investigating the Retinal Isomerization Mechanism"
7:55 pm - 8:05 pm
Discussion
8:05 pm - 8:25 pm
Julie Mares (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA)
"Macular Pigment and Vision Function - Results from a Prospective Cohort Study in Women"
8:25 pm - 8:35 pm
Discussion
8:35 pm - 8:55 pm
Geoffrey Hill (Auburn University, USA)
"Plumage Redness Linked to Mitochondrial Function in the House Finch"
8:55 pm - 9:05 pm
Discussion
9:05 pm - 9:20 pm
Matthew Toomey (Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, USA)
"Evolutionary Co-Option of Carotenoid Metabolic Pathways from the Visual System Underlie Avian Color Diversification"
9:20 pm - 9:25 pm
Discussion
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm
General Discussion
Thursday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am
Business Meeting
Nominations for the Next Vice Chair; Fill in Conference Evaluation Forms; Discuss Future Site and Scheduling Preferences; Election of the Next Vice Chair
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Carotenoids and Chronic Disease
Discussion Leaders: Elizabeth Johnson (Tufts University, USA) and Yoav Sharoni (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel)
9:00 am - 9:05 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:25 am
Xiang-Dong Wang (Tufts University, USA)
"Carotenoids, SIRT1 and Inflammation-Accelerated Aging"
9:25 am - 9:35 am
Discussion
9:35 am - 9:55 am
Howard Sesso (Brigham and Women's Hospital, USA)
"Recent Evidence on Carotenoids and Chronic Disease via Prospective Studies and Clinical Trials"
9:55 am - 10:05 am
Discussion
10:05 am - 10:20 am
Jaume Amengual (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA)
"β-Carotene Conversion to Vitamin A Delays Atherosclerosis Progression and Accelerates Atherosclerosis Regression"
10:20 am - 10:25 am
Discussion
10:25 am - 10:50 am
Coffee Break
10:50 am - 11:10 am
Lisa Renzi-Hammond (University of Georgia, USA)
"Carotenoids in Brain Health, Cognitive Function and Neural Efficiency: Emerging Evidence from Across the Lifespan"
11:10 am - 11:20 am
Discussion
11:20 am - 11:40 am
Dingbo Lin (Oklahoma State University, USA)
"Xanthophyll Metabolism in Gut Microbiota and Inflammation"
11:40 am - 11:50 am
Discussion
11:50 am - 12:05 pm
Binxing Li (University of Utah, USA)
"Imaging Macular Carotenoids by Confocal Resonance Raman Microscopy"
12:05 pm - 12:10 pm
Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:25 pm
Poster Previews
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Poster Session
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Microorganisms and Biotechnology
Discussion Leaders: Paul Fraser (Royal Holloway, University of London, United Kingdom) and Dario Piano (University of Cagliari, Italy)
5:30 pm - 5:35 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
5:35 pm - 5:55 pm
Krishna Niyogi (HHMI / University of California, Berkeley / Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA)
"Biosynthesis of Algal Carotenoids"
5:55 pm - 6:05 pm
Discussion
6:05 pm - 6:25 pm
Javier Avalos (University of Sevilla, Spain)
"Regulation of Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Fusarium "
6:25 pm - 6:35 pm
Discussion
6:35 pm - 6:55 pm
Daisuke Umeno (Chiba University, Japan)
"Re-Designing Carotenoid Biosynthetic Pathways"
6:55 pm - 7:05 pm
Discussion
7:05 pm - 7:20 pm
Robin Ghosh (University of Stuttgart, Germany)
"Fast-Forward Evolution: High-Level Expression of the Plant Carotenoid β-Carotene in Purple Bacterial Light-Harvesting Complexes"
7:20 pm - 7:25 pm
Discussion
7:25 pm - 7:30 pm
General Discussion
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Dinner
Friday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am
Departure