Cell Polarity

The 2014 Gordon Research Conference on Cell Polarity Signaling is a forum for discussion at the frontiers of cell polarity research. Cell polarity is a universal biological process that is fundamental to all aspects of cell division, growth, development, and tissue morphogenesis. It is also perturbed in numerous developmental diseases, in aging, and in cancer. Cell polarity underlies the generation of diverse cell types by asymmetrically dividing stem cells, and provides the organizational structures for tissue architecture. The recognition that cell polarity, and defects in polarization, are of such broad biological importance has led to an explosion of interest in this area. Therefore, the conference will cover a broad range of topics from cell polarity in development and cancer, to neural stem cell biology, inheritance of DNA and centrosomes, ciliogenesis and tissue morphogenesis, and will be an excellent opportunity to discuss the latest developments in the field. Key questions to be discussed at the Conference will include the following: How do signaling networks spatially organize the cell into polarized structures? How are these signals used to polarize membrane traffic? Are similar signals and mechanisms used in different contexts, such as in neurons versus epithelial cells, germ cells, or yeast? Does differential inheritance of DNA strands occur in stem cells, and how important is it? How do stem cells orient their mitotic spindles and segregate cell fate determinants? How common is asymmetric cell division in stem/progenitor cells? How important is EMT and/or loss of polarity during cancer initiation and progression? How and why are RNAs polarized within cells? Is differential segregation of damaged proteins between daughter cells important in aging? Participants will include established investigators from disciplines both within and outside the cell polarity field, and participation by young investigators will be strongly emphasized. Poster presentations will take place on each day of the meeting, allowing for widespread participation of conference attendees at all career stages. Speakers will also be selected from the abstracts submitted for poster presentations, to provide opportunities for presentation of the newest findings. We envision that this GRC will facilitate discussion of cutting edge research in cell polarity and will foster collaborations that will help drive the field forward.