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Signal Transduction by Engineered Extracellular Matrices

Gordon Research Conference

Engineered Microenvironments for Next-Generation Biology, Disease Modeling and Therapeutics

July 21 - 26, 2024

Chairs

and

Vice Chairs

and

Southern New Hampshire University

2500 North River Road

Manchester, New Hampshire, United States

Venue and Travel Information

Conference Description

The Signal Transduction by Engineered Extracellular Matrices GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.

The Signal Transduction by Engineered Extracellular Matrices (STEEM) GRC is a leading forum for sharing cutting-edge research on the biology and engineering of cell-ECM crosstalk. The 2024 meeting will host a diverse range of speakers, discussion leaders, and junior investigators who span the biological sciences, physical sciences, and engineering, and who share a common goal of studying and modulating the cellular microenvironment to investigate tissue function and improve human health. Featured themes for this year include: ECM regulation of cell death mechanisms; co-evolution with cancer and neurodegeneration; the synthesis of living material environments and microphysiological systems; effects of sex and ancestry on cell-ECM signaling; and integration of systems biology, screening, and multi-scale modeling tools with engineered environments.

Related Meeting

This GRC will be held in conjunction with the "Signal Transduction by Engineered Extracellular Matrices" Gordon Research Seminar (GRS). Those interested in attending both meetings must submit an application for the GRS in addition to an application for the GRC. Refer to the associated GRS program page for more information.

Conference Program

Sunday
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm	Arrival and Check-in
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introductory Comments by GRC Staff / Welcome and Introduction from the Chairs
7:40 pm - 9:30 pm	Cell Death Mechanisms Discussion Leader:
7:40 pm - 7:45 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:45 pm - 8:10 pm	"Engineering Signal Transduction to Create 'Dual Switch Selection Gene Drives'"
8:10 pm - 8:20 pm	Discussion
8:20 pm - 8:45 pm	"New Insights into Pyroptotic Cell Death"
8:45 pm - 8:55 pm	Discussion
8:55 pm - 9:20 pm	"Regulated Cell Death in Development and Disease: Focus on Population Dynamics"
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Monday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Metabolism in Engineered Microenvironments Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:05 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:30 am	"The Roles of Cell Shape in Signal Transduction"
9:30 am - 9:40 am	Discussion
9:40 am - 9:55 am	"Investigating the Role of Gut Microbiome-Derived Metabolites and Proteases in Human ECM Remodeling"
9:55 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Coffee Break
10:30 am - 10:55 am	"Biomechanical Signals in Brown Fat Activation"
10:55 am - 11:05 am	Discussion
11:05 am - 11:20 am	"Investigating the Tumor Microenvironment Using DNA-Directed Patterning"
11:20 am - 11:25 am	Discussion
11:25 am - 11:50 am	"Mechanomodulating Developing Microenvironments to Discover Regenerative Therapeutic Targets"
11:50 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:15 pm	"Phototransducer Biomaterials for Directing Excitable Tissue Structure and Behavior"
12:15 pm - 12:20 pm	Discussion
12:20 pm - 12:30 pm	General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm	The GRC Power Hour™ The GRC Power Hour™ is designed to address diversity and inclusion in the scientific workplace by providing a safe environment for informal and meaningful conversations amongst colleagues of all career stages. The program supports the professional growth of all members of our communities, including ethnicity, race and/or gender identity by providing an open forum for discussion and mentoring. Organizers: and
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	ECM Drivers of Cellular Quiescence, Senescence and Stress Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:35 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:35 pm - 8:00 pm	"Interstitial Fluid Flow as a Modulator of Engineered Tissue Environments"
8:00 pm - 8:10 pm	Discussion
8:10 pm - 8:35 pm	"ECM Regulation of Metastatic Tumour Growth"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm	Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:10 pm	"Multimodal Interrogation of the Organ Microenvironment"
9:10 pm - 9:20 pm	Discussion
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm	General Discussion
Tuesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Reporters of Cell-ECM Signaling Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:05 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:30 am	"High-Throughput Molecular Tension Sensors to Probe Cell-ECM Interactions"
9:30 am - 9:40 am	Discussion
9:40 am - 9:55 am	"A Perfusable Human Collecting Duct-on-Chip Model"
9:55 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Coffee Break
10:30 am - 10:55 am	"Mechanogenetics for Cell ImmunoTherapy"
10:55 am - 11:05 am	Discussion
11:05 am - 11:20 am	"Crystal Ribcage and Extracorporeal Cross-Circulation: A Platform to Dissect the Role of Systemic vs Resident Factors in Lung Pathologies at the Cellular Resolution"
11:20 am - 11:25 am	Discussion
11:25 am - 11:50 am	"Engineering Biomaterial Microenvironments to Scale Stem Cell Expansion and Differentiation for Clinical Translation"
11:50 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:15 pm	"Determining the Role of Mechanosensitive PIEZO1 Channel in Directing Skeletal Muscle Fibro-Adipogeneic Progenitor Function"
12:15 pm - 12:20 pm	Discussion
12:20 pm - 12:30 pm	General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Sex and Ancestry in Cell-ECM Signaling Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:35 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:35 pm - 8:00 pm	"Engineering Microphysiological Models of Vaginal, Cervical, and Endometrial Epithelium"
8:00 pm - 8:10 pm	Discussion
8:10 pm - 8:35 pm	"Determining Sex Chromosome Regulation of Cardiovascular Diseases using Engineered Extracellular Matrices"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm	Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:10 pm	"Glioblastoma Sex Differences in Immune Responses Reveal Cell Adhesion Differences that Impact Tumor Growth"
9:10 pm - 9:20 pm	Discussion
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm	General Discussion
Wednesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Group Photo
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Dynamic, Responsive and Living Materials Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:05 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:30 am	"Engineered ECM for Novel Target Discovery in Cancer"
9:30 am - 9:40 am	Discussion
9:40 am - 9:55 am	"Variations in Fluid Chemical Potential Induce Fibroblast Mechano-Response in 3D Hydrogels"
9:55 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:25 am	"Adaptive Materials via Mechanically Mediated Chemical Reactions"
10:25 am - 10:35 am	Discussion
10:35 am - 11:05 am	Coffee Break
11:05 am - 11:30 am	"4D Hydrogels for Regenerative Medicine"
11:30 am - 11:40 am	Discussion
11:40 am - 11:55 am	"Surface-Functionalized Microgels as Artificial Antigen-Presenting Cells to Regulate Expansion of T Cells"
11:55 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:15 pm	"Microinterfaces in Biopolymer-Based Bicontinuous Hydrogels Guide Rapid 3D Cell Migration"
12:15 pm - 12:20 pm	Discussion
12:20 pm - 12:30 pm	General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Dynamics and Turnover of Engineered ECMs Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:35 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:35 pm - 8:00 pm	"Powers (and Problems) of Proteolytic Activity in ECM Turnover: A Systems Approach"
8:00 pm - 8:10 pm	Discussion
8:10 pm - 8:35 pm	"The Caf/Ecm Unit Maestro: Decoding Pancreatic Cancer’s Melody via Harmonic Output of Stromal Traits (Host)-Factor"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm	Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:10 pm	"Engineering the Cell-Matrix Interface to Probe Stem Cell Function"
9:10 pm - 9:20 pm	Discussion
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm	General Discussion
Thursday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Business Meeting Nominations for the Next Vice Chair(s); Complete the GRC Evaluation Forms; Election of the Next Vice Chair(s)
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Multiscale Modeling in Cell-Matrix Mechanobiology Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:05 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:30 am	"Motor-Clutch Dynamics of Glioblastoma Cell Migration in Brain Tissue"
9:30 am - 9:40 am	Discussion
9:40 am - 9:55 am	"Multifunctional Viscoelastic Hydrogel for the Regeneration of Large Muscle Injury"
9:55 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Coffee Break
10:30 am - 10:55 am	"Role of Microenvironment Memories in Cell Migration"
10:55 am - 11:05 am	Discussion
11:05 am - 11:20 am	"Unraveling the Matrix: Collagen Density Guides Neutrophil Function in an Inflammation-on-a-Chip Device"
11:20 am - 11:25 am	Discussion
11:25 am - 11:50 am	"Controlling Cell Contractility through the Rho-Pathway: Insights from Optogenetics and Mathematical Modelling"
11:50 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:15 pm	"Engineering Endometrial Mucosal Barriers by Organoid Fusion in Synthetic Hydrogel"
12:15 pm - 12:20 pm	Discussion
12:20 pm - 12:30 pm	General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Microphysiological Systems Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:35 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:35 pm - 8:00 pm	"Vascularized Lung-Cancer Organoid towards Enabling Therapeutics"
8:00 pm - 8:10 pm	Discussion
8:10 pm - 8:35 pm	"Tissue Engineering Approach to Defining Exercise Molecular Cues"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm	Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:10 pm	"Exploring the Links between Hematologic Disease and Endothelial Mechanotransduction using Engineered Microsystems"
9:10 pm - 9:20 pm	Discussion
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm	General Discussion
Friday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am	Departure

Contributors

Funding for this conference was made possible (in part) by 1 R13 EB035919-01 from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute on Aging. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the NIH; nor does mention by trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Conference Links

Conference History Signal Transduction by Engineered Extracellular Matrices (GRS)

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