The 2009 Gordon Conference on Staphylococcal Diseases will present cutting-edge research on S. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococcus. The Conference will feature a wide range of topics, including the evolution of antibiotic resistance; exoproteins; the immune response to infection; regulatory control mechanisms; biofilm production and metabolism; therapeutics and vaccines; and animal models and virulence. Invited speakers include representatives from both academic and industrial settings who are at the forefront of their field. The Conference will provide opportunities for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work in poster format and exchange ideas with leaders in the staphylococcal field. As usual, selected poster presentations will be selected for short talks. The collegial atmosphere of this Conference, with organized discussion sessions as well as opportunities for informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings, fosters the development of interdisciplinary collaborations in the various research areas represented.