Barbara L. Mulach
$6,000
LEE QUINTON
Gordon Research Conferences
Rhode Island
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Despite the public health impact of acute respiratory infections, which has been made even more apparent by the COVID-19 pandemic, recent and upcoming conferences focused on lung infections (of any kind) are remarkably scant. This Gordon Research Conference (GRC) titled Biology of Acute Respiratory Infection seeks to bridge multiple, diverse disciplines around this focal point with the goal of inciting novel translational approaches to disease. This conference is designed to facilitate interaction and collaboration between microbiologists, immunologists, pulmonologists, infectious disease physicians, veterinarians, epidemiologists, public health officials, and others in related biomedical fields and at different stages of their career, who do not usually attend the same meetings. Important in the design of the conference is the integration of basic and applied scientists from academia, industry and the government from around the world. The GRC is preceded by the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), a unique forum for trainees and early career scientists with comparable levels of experience to present and exchange new data and cutting-edge ideas. The primary goals of the GRC/GRS Acute Biology of Respiratory Infections are to 1) to promote an interdisciplinary, coordinated approach to understanding and controlling acute respiratory infections by integrating the scientific input from clinicians, public health, and basic scientists; 2) To afford junior scientists multiple opportunities to present their work to leading world experts; 3) provide a forum to facilitate collaborations. A secondary goal is to provide training and career development opportunities for both new faculty and trainees at the associated GRS and throughout the meeting. Interwoven in this goal is opportunity for women and others from underrepresented groups to interact and develop relationships (e.g., mentors) with successful scientists from these same groups. These goals will be accomplished by organizing a format where basic scientists meet and interact with physicians, public health officials, scientists from industry and the government. The speaking program will include a diverse mixture of invited Senior and Junior Scientists as well as speakers selected from submitted abstracts. In addition, there will be poster sessions where all attendees will be encouraged to present. The venue and program are designed to encourage social interaction and discussion outside of presentations to provide the opportunity for fruitful exchange of ideas and to enable development of collaborations and future training opportunities. The GRC Power Hour™ remains an integral part of the conference and is designed to address challenges women and others from underrepresented groups face in science and issues of diversity and inclusion. It is an open forum for discussion and mentoring in a safe environment that is open to all attendees. This meeting provides the single-most comprehensive venue for discussing the latest advances in pneumonia biology. We have chosen presentations specifically to increase the likelihood that attendees think differently and more creatively about their research endeavors.