Translational Drug Carriers: From Design and Understanding Mechanism of Action to Clinical Use

The 2012 Gordon Conference on Drug Carriers in Medicine and Biology is a well established forum with three decades of history, focused on the principles and means for improvement of pharmacotherapy and diagnostics of human maladies employing advanced drug delivery systems. It will bring together an exciting multi-disciplinary group of prominent academic and pharmaceutical/biotechnology researchers working to develop and implement such new medical and experimental interventions. The conference will feature integrated sessions that bring together cutting-edge advances in intracellular drug delivery, biotherapeutics including protein and nucleic acid drugs, nanotechnology and nanomedicine, polymer- lipid- and cell-based carriers, carriers for targeted therapeutics, vascular and CNS targeting, vaccine delivery. Themes to be explored include molecular and cellular targets for drug delivery and action, siRNA and other nucleic acid therapeutic and delivery platforms, drug transport across biological and cellular barriers, defining biological factors modulating drug delivery and effects and enabling experimental and translational approaches for pre-clinical and clinical development. The conference provides a dynamic, diverse and collegial environment for collaboratively identifying current barriers and interdisciplinary solutions to pressing medical needs, and facilitates the informal mixing of an international group of researchers, junior and senior scientists, as well as academic, industrial and regulatory viewpoints. The conference is also noted for its lively poster sessions and selected short talks from poster presenters. The wonderful resort setting at the Waterville Valley Resort will provide many opportunities for informal discussions and outdoor recreation activities as part of the conference registration. We recommend early application to the Drug Carriers in Medicine and Biology GRC as attendance is limited, and welcome applications from junior scientists to attend and present their research findings. A number of travel awards will be made based on submitted poster abstracts.