The 2009 Gordon Conference on Atherosclerosis will present cutting-edge research on the molecular, cellular, immunological, structural and therapeutic aspects of atherosclerotic plaque formation and regression. The Conference will feature a wide range of topics, such as macrophage subsets, vascular calcification, vascular progenitor cells, genetic regulation of lipid metabolism, nanotechnology for diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis, cardiac valve atherosclerosis, inflammatory mediators, systems biology, lesion dynamics and reversibility, and clinical translation to novel therapeutics. Invited speakers represent a variety of scientific disciplines, including biochemistry, lipid metabolism, molecular genetics, bioengineering, immunology, vascular biology, cell biology and imaging. The Conference will bring together a collection of investigators who are at the forefront of their field, and will provide opportunities for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work in poster format and exchange ideas with leaders in the field. Some poster presenters will be selected for short talks. The collegial atmosphere of this Conference, with programmed discussion sessions as well as opportunities for informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings, provides an avenue for scientists from different disciplines to brainstorm and promotes cross-disciplinary collaborations in the various research areas represented.

The Polyamine Gordon conference will be held at the Waterville Valley Resort in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire from June 21-26, 2009. Since 1975, the Polyamine GRC has been a multidisciplinary conference focused on the polyamine metabolic pathway, the role of polyamines in cellular homeostasis and the development of small molecules that modulate polyamine metabolism as potential therapeutic agents. This meeting is widely regarded as the pre-eminent venue for the presentation and discussion of polyamine research. Polyamines are small organic polycations found in virtually all prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Despite their importance and ubiquitous occurrence, the cellular functions of polyamines are not fully understood. Polyamines are closely linked to cell growth, and inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis are promoted as anti-proliferative agents. Polyamines are highly regulated at the levels of transcription, translation and protein turnover. Thus the field brings together researchers interested in the physiological role of polyamines in a wide array of organisms, and researchers interested in therapeutic applications such as cancer and parasitic or bacterial infection. The 2009 Polyamine GRC will feature presentations from scientists at the forefront of polyamine research in the areas of anticancer and antiparasitic drug development. The meeting will also include presentations outlining the role of polyamine metabolism in cellular homeostasis, with an emphasis on basic mechanisms of genetic, epigenetic and physiological control. It will also include short talks by students or postdocs whose work has been chosen from the poster presentations by the organizing committee. To further encourage the participation of student and postdoctoral scientists in the meeting, the Polyamine GRC will be held in conjunction with the second Gordon-Kenan Graduate Research Seminar (GKGRS) on Polyamines. The GKGRS will be held from June 20-21, and students and postdocs participating in the GKGRS will be expected to also attend the regular GRC meeting, which immediately follows.

The Gordon Research Conference on Nucleic Acids was first established more than 50 years ago. Since that time the field of nucleic acids has exploded with tremendous discoveries regarding the chemistry, functional potential and biologic significance of nucleic acids. Through all of these advances the Nucleic Acids GRC has provided a critical forum for discussion of new ideas and interaction between investigators specializing in all the diverse areas of nucleic acids research. In particular, the past decade has brought renewed recognition and excitement regarding the breadth of nucleic acid functions in cells (i.e. all classes of ncRNAs) and the extent to which various steps in nucleic acids biosynthesis and processing are mechanistically intertwined. The involvement of RNAi in chromatin silencing and remodeling is a prime example for the usefulness of bringing seemingly diverse areas of nucleic acid researchers together. The 2009 meeting of the Nucleic Acids GRC will highlight recent advances in these areas of DNA and RNA biology, biochemistry and biophysics with a view toward identifying emerging concepts and technologies in these fields. Specific topics of discussion will include: DNA recombination and repair, DNA replication, Transcription and chromatin dynamics, pre-mRNA processing, small non-coding RNAs, Ribosome assembly and function, Regulation of translation and Catalytic RNA. Young scientists, or those newly engaged in nucleic acids research, will be particularly encouraged to attend and present; with time built into the schedule for short talks selected from submitted abstracts.

Archaea, one of three major evolutionary lineages of life, are a fascinating and diverse group of microbes with deep roots overlapping those of eukaryotes. The focus of the "Archaea: Ecology Metabolism & Molecular Biology" GRC conference expands on a number of emerging topics highlighting new paradigms in archaeal metabolism, genome function and systems biology; information processing; evolution and the tree of life; the ecology and diversity of archaea and their viruses; and industrial applications. The strength of this conference lies in its ability to couple a field with a rich history in high quality research with new scientific findings in an atmosphere of stimulating exchange. This conference remains an excellent opportunity for younger scientists to interact with world experts in this field.

The Archaeal Gordon Research Conference brings more than 35 internationally renowned speakers who will review the current state of progress and knowledge in the field of the metabolism, molecular biology and ecology of archaea. Leading scientists will present recent unpublished developments in fundamental aspects as well as key advances in industrial applications of archaea. Topics of archaea to be addressed will include:

• systems biology and genome function
• ecology and diversity of archaea and their viruses
• enzyme structure and function
• transcription and gene regulation
• translation and post-transcriptional modification
• physiology and regulation of metabolism
• extremophiles and biotechnology applications
• replication, repair and recombination
• evolution and the tree of life

The GRC on Archaea also invites presentations in the form of posters, from which 3-4 student oral talks will be selected.