The development of craniofacial tissues, i.e. structures of the head and face, involves extremely complex patterning and morphogenetic processes and their integration. Many specialized tissues such as bone, cartilage, muscle and brain differentiate and a multitude of organs including eyes, ears, teeth, hairs and various glands form in specific locations. The shapes, sizes, structures and numbers of the different craniofacial structures have changed during evolution, and they are affected in humans by gene mutations causing a variety of congenital malformation syndromes. The rapid increase in the understanding of the molecular and genetic mechanisms of craniofacial development during recent years is starting to be translated into novel possibilities in tissue regeneration and bioengineering. This meeting will highlight the many cutting-edge advancements in the field. It will bring together junior and senior scientists representing many different research areas including developmental biology, evolution, human genetics, stem cell research and tissue engineering. The talks will deal with the mechanisms underlying the development, regeneration and evolution of craniofacial tissues, and the genetic basis and pathogenesis of human syndromes affecting craniofacial structures. Focus will be on the molecular and genetic regulation of patterning, morphogenesis and cell differentiation. The topics include the neural crest, the signal pathways mediating cell communication, development of skeletal tissues such as bones, cartilages, and teeth, advances in stem cell biology and regeneration, and biological replacement of craniofacial tissues by tissue engineering. In addition to platform presentations, poster sessions will be scheduled to increase the interactions among participants.