The Cellular and Molecular Fungal Biology Conference provides a forum for presentation of the latest advances in fungal research with a particular emphasis on filamentous and pathogenic fungi. This open-registration scientific meeting brings together the leading scientists from academia, government and industry to discuss current research results and future directions at Holderness School, on outstanding venue for scientific interaction. A key objective of the conference is to foster interaction between scientists working on model fungi such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Neurospora crassa and Aspergillus nidulans and scientists working on less tractable filamentous fungi or fungal pathogens of plants and animals. Similarly, the CMFB conference is a unique venue for fostering discussions among leaders in the fields of medical mycology and phytopathology and those studying fungi that form important symbiotic associations with other organisms (e.g. mycorrhizal, lichen-forming fungi, invertebrate associated fungi etc). This area of dialog is becoming increasingly important as areas of common interest are discussed. For example, the conserved role of signal transduction pathways in the regulation of virulence factors in both plant and animal pathogens has been illustrated by conference presentations in previous meetings. Overall, the CMFB conference provides a unique opportunity to examine the breadth of fungal biology in a small meeting format that encourages in-depth discussion among the attendees.