The Gordon Research Conference on Cell Death was initiated in 1995 and continues as a major venue for new breakthroughs in a growing field. Contrary to expectation, millions of cells in the human body die every few minutes by purposeful programmed processes that include apoptosis and other emerging pathways. Two decades of cell death research have uncovered a multitude of cellular pathways and molecular mechanisms that underlie countless human disorders. These evolutionarily conserved pathways interface with virtually all other pathways, making this a diverse field of study. A major goal of this conference is to bring together scientists from many arenas to share their insights.

The 2006 conference attendees are primarily faculty from academia, scientists from industry and students, but also includes representatives from scientific publishers, the National Institutes of Health grants administration, postdoctoral fellows and many others.

In addition to the major long-standing and rapidly advancing topics, this years' conference will include an emphasis on mitochondria, energetics and the merge of these topics in the nervous system, in cancer, in autoimmune disorders and during development and aging. In addition, this conference includes cell death and aging programs in unicellular organisms (still a controversial subject) as new tools to unravel the intricacies of cell death.

In addition to the invited lectures from new and established investigators, several abstracts will be presented as talks, and there are an abundance of outstanding posters scheduled for presentation. To further stimulate participation, chalk talk sessions and fun outings are in the planning. All are also welcome to join the speakers and attendees for late night discussions. Several musician scientists will also perform on the last night of the conference.