The Gordon Research Conference on Cell Contact and Adhesion first convened in 1973, celebrated its historic 30th anniversary in 2003, and is now entering its fourth decade. Over the years attendees of this conference have witnessed the spectacular advances made in the field of cell adhesion, gathering in the early years to discuss the initial identification of the major classes of cell adhesion molecules, and progressing to the elucidation of their detailed structure and function in fundamental aspects of embryonic development and in disease. As each major family of cell adhesion molecule has become the subject of increasingly focused research, so have the several conferences devoted to their study also evolved. This year, for the first time, the subject matter of the Cell Contact and Adhesion Conference will reflect this degree of maturity in the field, and will be devoted to discussion of the biology of one major family of cell adhesion molecule, the cadherins.

Cadherins play a fundamental role in the development of multicellular organisms, as they function to mechanically integrate cells into tissues and provide key forces that shape the embryo. Furthermore, in addition to their cell adhesive function, cadherins are increasingly recognized as central players in a variety of cell signaling pathways that regulate many aspects of cellular biology. In addition to playing a critical role in normal embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis, cadherin misexpression is recognized as contributing to tumor progression and other disease processes, and study of cadherins is a topic of intense research effort and interest that has contributed significantly to our understanding of cancer biology.

Thus, the principal objective of the 2005 Cell Contact and Adhesion Gordon Conference is to bring together senior and junior scientists from diverse backgrounds who are studying fundamental aspects of cell contact and adhesion regulated by the cadherin family of adhesion molecules, and how these processes are studied from the perspectives of genetics and structural biology, cell signaling, receptor interactions, embryonic development, and cancer biology.

The invited speakers and session chairs represent a broad spectrum of leaders in the field of cadherin research, as well as additional speakers, especially junior investigators, selected from among those submitting abstracts to the meeting. The format of the conference, defined by the Gordon Research Conferences, consists of a series of morning and evening lecture sessions, and also provides ample time for discussion and mingling of junior and senior scientists during afternoon poster sessions, communal meals, and other social events. There will be two poster sessions that will each remain on display for two afternoons and evenings.

The Proctor Academy setting provides a beautiful and hospitable venue for the meeting, and we look forward to a week of exciting science and spirited discussion, with ample time for both senior and junior investigators to share our interests in the traditionally congenial atmosphere of the Cell Contact and Adhesion GRC. We look forward to seeing you this summer in Andover, NH.