2026 Endothelial Cell Phenotypes in Health and Disease Gordon Research Conference and Seminar

About This Grant

Project Summary The Gordon Research Conference (GRC), “Endothelial Cell Phenotypes in Health and Disease”, and the accompanying Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) have the underlying hypothesis that an improved understanding of endothelial cell as an organ system is crucial promote systemic health and understand many acute and chronic diseases so that effective therapeutic approaches could be developed rationally. The goals of this conference are to 1. summarize the latest advances in the field by bringing together researchers at all levels who study endothelial cell with those who study vascular disease and therapeutic development; 2. Identify knowledge gaps and areas of opportunity for collaborative interdisciplinary work and 3. Promote networking and career development of junior researchers with more established scientists in this field. The GRC Chair and Vice- Chair are leaders in the field and well-suited to organize the meeting. The Chairs will ensure that the meeting goals are accomplished by bringing together a selected group of ~150 researchers to a small, semi-isolated site for a week, with a meeting structure designed to foster extensive discussion of mostly unpublished data, and in a venue that promotes informal interactions and networking through shared meals and afternoon social activities that especially benefit trainees. Invited speakers were chosen based on excellence in research, topic, and willingness to engage trainees. Participants will be chosen based on topic, demographics, broad participation and experience within and outside the vascular biology fields to promote “out-of-the-box” ideas and discussions. The GRS pre-meeting will be organized by trainees for trainees to facilitate knowledge exchange and networking and provide them with a peer group as they transition into the larger meeting. Together, the GRC and GRS will thereby foster lasting interdisciplinary interactions and collaborations amongst NIH-funded and international vascular biologists to impart a strong and lasting impact on the field whose progression is now timelier and more urgent than ever, with the growing knowledge of that vascular health is key not only for lifespan but also health span.