FASEB Research Conference: Glucose Transporter Biology

This is an application requesting partial support for a summer research conference entitled GLUCOSE TRANSPORTER BIOLOGY sponsored by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). This conference has been scheduled to take place from June 30 to July 5, 2001 in Snowmass Village, Colorado. This will be the fifth bi-annual international meeting specifically devoted to the cellular, molecular and physiological regulation of glucose transport and metabolism. The aim of this conference is to focus on new and novel cutting-edge approaches and findings that directly impact upon our understanding of the complex regulatory processes and are necessary to maintain normal glucose homeostasis and pathological conditions that result in a dysregulation of this process resulting in states of insulin resistance and diabetes. In addition, this conference will provide a venue to encourage and promote new young investigators in this critical area of disease research. In total, this conference will be limited to 150 participants from individuals with clinical and/or basic science backgrounds, selected on the basis of their expertise and interests. There will be eight major scientific sessions consisting of 4 invited talks, approximately 30 min each (20 min + 10 min discussion) followed by a 30 min period where selected abstracts and/or late breaking data will be presented. At the end of each session, there will also be a 20 min period for an overall general discussion. Posters will also be displayed throughout the duration of the meeting and specific poster presentations will be organized in two afternoon sessions. The oral presentation of selected poster abstracts and the poster sessions themselves will provide opportunities for junior participants to directly interact with and to discuss their data with experts in the field. The eight specific topics that will be discussed include: 1) Transporter structure/function, 2) Physiology and pathophysiology of glucose transporters, 3) Identification and characterization of novel glucose transporters, 4) Physiology of glucose utilization and metabolism, 5) General and GLUT4 specific vesicle trafficking pathways, 6) Dynamic visualization of GLUT4 trafficking in real time, 7) Molecular signaling pathways leading to GLUT4 translocation, and 8) Intrinsic activation of glucose transport activity. The areas of agreement, controversy, and uncertainty within each of these sessions will be defined and discussed. Importantly, these areas have been selected to provide a unique opportunity for basic and clinical scientists interested in glucose transporter biology/biochemistry/cell biology to interact with each other and with other scientists in closely related but distinct research programs, for example synaptic vesicle, endosome and aquaporin trafficking. As has previously been the case, the interactive environment at this conference will stimulate collaborative research efforts among the conferees and will identify the future critical goals for our understanding of glucose transporter regulation and the mechanisms responsible for the maintenance of glucose homeostasis.