Conference: 2024 Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation Gordon Research Conference and Seminar: The Versatility of RNA in the Living World

This award will provide support for the 2024 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation titled “The Versatility of RNA in the Living World” as well as its associated Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), “RNA in Gene Regulation and Its Therapeutic Potential”. The GRS (July 13-14) will provide a forum for postdocs and graduate students to present their work and discuss new ideas in the field, and it will include a career mentorship panel.

The goal of the GRS is to contribute to the advancement of scientific discovery in RNA biology by creating a collegial, inclusive, and trainee-focused environment to facilitate both scientific and career development of attendees. The five-day GRC program (July 14-19) will include talks from trainees, early stage, and senior scientists in RNA biology, all of whom are at the cutting-edge of the post-transcriptional gene regulation field.

In addition, the GRC will include a Power Hour that specifically addresses issues related to increasing participation and retention of broad and diverse talent in STEM fields. Attendance at the GRC and GRS will be capped at 200 and 70 attendees, respectively. This small conference size will help to ensure that there is ample opportunity for open discussion and meaningful interactions among the participants that propel new insights into post-transcriptional gene regulation.

All organisms respond to their environment and maintain normal cell behavior through post-transcriptional gene regulation. By regulating gene expression post-transcriptionally through RNA splicing, 3´ end formation, RNA stability, etc., cells establish the proper gene expression patterns required for any given environment. Thus, an understanding of these mechanisms in RNA biology is essential to define both normal and disease states and will be important in developing therapies.

For example, the recent history of COVID19 mRNA vaccine development exemplifies how the fundamental RNA biology that drives posttranscriptional gene regulation can broadly impact the human condition. An in-depth understanding of posttranscriptional gene regulation was required for the development of mRNA vaccines. The scientific programs at the Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation GRC and GRS address cutting-edge topics in the field, including RNA modifications and structure, RNA and disease, and noncoding RNA, among others.

Importantly, the science that will be presented at the GRC/GRS is expected to be unpublished work, so that the conferences stimulate discussions on novel ideas and emerging questions, and thus catalyze scientific advances in the field.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.