Navigating Cells into Tissue Niches and Controlling their Fate and Functions in Health and Pathologies

The chemokine system consists of structurally related protein chemoattractants, their cognate G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and a family of atypical receptors (ACKRs), which are structurally related but do not couple to G-proteins. Unraveling the complexity of the chemokine-GPCR-ACKR requires different tools, approaches and techniques. A prominent feature of the chemokine system is to guide cell migration, primarily immune cell migration, and to position these and other cells in specific niches both in homeostatic conditions as well as in pathologies such as infection, inflammation, and cancer. The 2024 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Chemotactic Cytokines, subtitled "Navigating Cells into Tissue Niches and Controlling their Fate and Functions in Health and Pathologies” is an internationally renowned meeting, dedicated to the mechanisms and functions of the chemokine system. As in previous meetings, the 2024 Chemotactic Cytokine GRC will attract scientists from diverse cell biology, biochemistry, imaging, biophysics, and biomedical disciplines to discuss the latest published and particularly unpublished results in chemokine-related research. The proposed program will include outstanding specialists that will present new findings, new concepts and potential implications, including translational perspectives. The meeting will cover basic biochemical, cell biology and clinical aspects of chemokines and GPCRs related to their contributions to cell migration and function in inflammation, infection, autoimmunity and cancer. New developments of chemokine-GPCR related drugs and treatment strategies will also be discussed.

The Chemotactic Cytokine GRC will be accompanied by a preceding Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Chemotactic Cytokines. The GRS subtitled "Exploring Chemokine-GPCR Mediated Cellular Crosstalk's in Health and Pathologies" is particularly designed for young scientists, graduate students and early postdocs. These next generation scientists will present their work and receive feedback on their research projects from their peers and from a selected panel of senior internationally renowned field experts who will attend both the GRS and the GRC meetings. The GRS and GRC will promote integration and networking within the field of chemokine research. These meetings will also foster the development of new collaborative projects which will lead to new discoveries for the diagnostics and treatment of human pathologies, including inflammatory, autoimmune, infectious and malignant diseases. While the GRC and GRS are one related community, each attendee must apply for the GRC and the GRS individually if wanting to attend both events.

The Chemotactic Cytokines GRCs have traditionally been oversubscribed, so, to ensure your participation, apply early! Once applied, applications will be reviewed and accepted on a case-by-case basis. We look forward to seeing you in the pristine Green Mountains of Vermont in June 2024!