Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells in Development, Regeneration, and Adaptations

PROJECT SUMMARY This application seeks partial support for the upcoming Society for Muscle Biology (SMB) conference entitled, "Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells in Development, Regeneration, and Adaptations", which will be held July 14-19, 2024 in Esterel, Quebec, Canada. This will be the 12th edition of this conference focusing on skeletal muscle

stem cells (MuSCs) and the 1st sponsorship by SMB. This biennial meeting has traditionally been operated by FASEB, but we decided to run the 2024 conference under SMB to allow the organizers and participants more autonomy. This change lends to a more robust and vibrant SMB, which will focus on providing more support for

trainees. We expect approximately 130 attendees from around the world of whom ~50% are expected to be women and ~60% junior researchers. No other scientific meeting has a primary focus on MuSCs. The need for a conference with this focus is demonstrated by the steady increase in attendance since the meeting's inception

and the consistently excellent post-meeting evaluations provided by meeting attendees. This meeting attracts all leading MuSC researchers from around the world, further demonstrating its value for established and future leaders in the field. The overall objectives of this meeting include: 1) to provide a comprehensive analysis of

recent discoveries in the field, with the goal of understanding the regulatory mechanisms controlling normal and abnormal functions of MuSCs in muscle development, homeostasis, regeneration, hypertrophy, aging, and myopathy; 2) to create and foster an interactive environment for the exchange of ideas and unpublished data,

so as to hasten discoveries and facilitate new and existing collaborations; 3) to provide opportunities for junior investigators to present their work and network with senior investigators; and 4) to facilitate career development of women and other underrepresented groups by ensuring representation in all aspects of the conference

program. Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Juan Carlos Belmonte, a renowned biochemist and developmental biologist. Scientific sessions are planned, presenting 48 speakers (24 confirmed invited speakers and at least 24 selected from submitted abstracts) at all career levels. Session topics include: (i) molecular regulation of

MuSCs, (ii) MuSC aging, (iii) MuSC transcriptional states, (iv) MuSC activation and fusion, (v) dynamics of muscle regeneration, (vi) engineering and translating MuSCs, (vii) MuSCs and friends during exercise and growth. Invited speakers have been selected for their scientific excellence, with particular attention to equal

representation of women and minorities and geographical diversity. Speakers are explicitly required to present unpublished work, to ensure scientific discussion is at the forefront of the field. We will have poster sessions, each preceded by a “posters blitz” where poster presenters will give a one-minute talk to highlight their work;

career-oriented workshops and “meet-the-speaker” breakfast and lunch sessions. This meeting will provide a forum to foster discussion and cross-fertilization from diverse areas of research, to advance our understanding of muscle regeneration and aid in the development of therapeutics.