Description of event:
New Frontiers in Neurodegenerative Disease Research
Scientific Organizers: Li-Huei Tsai, Steven M. Paul and Michael Hutton
February 3—8, 2013
Santa Fe Community Convention Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
Meeting Summary
It has been more than two decades since
genes causing familial Alzheimer’s
disease, Parkinson’s
disease, Huntington’s
disease, motor
neuron disease and other neurodegenerative disorders were identified. While numerous molecular and cellular events contributing to these devastating illnesses have been revealed, key pathological events and feasible targets for
therapeutic intervention still elude us. Increasing evidence supports that mechanisms underlying neuronal demise may be shared amongst multiple neurodegenerative disorders. For example, compromised
mitochondria function, although prominent in Parkinson’s
disease, is also shared in Alzheimer’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Emerging evidence also indicates a negative influence of neurotoxic stress upon the epigenome, and that the restoration of the epigenome can be beneficial for cognition. Recent insights into the relationship between
genome integrity and the aging
brain have emphasized the role of
DNA damage and repair in neuronal function. Particularly intriguing are the recent observations that
protein misfolding can have either beneficial or detrimental effects and that misfolded
proteins implicated in several neurodegenerative
disease can propagate themselves. New tools for the study of neurodegenerative disorders include the use of human neurons derived from
induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in addition to advances in the field of
biomarkers and functional
imaging. This meeting aims to address emerging areas in neurodegenerative
disease research that may reveal novel mechanisms and targets for
therapeutic intervention. It bring together experts studying various degenerative diseases using diverse approaches to provide reviews of up-and-coming areas in these fields and inspire new insights and approaches to the battle against neurodegenerative
disease. Opportunities for interdisciplinary
interactions will be significantly enhanced by the concurrent meeting on Neurogenesis, which will share two plenary sessions with this meeting.
General information:
The Santa Fe Community Convention Center is located within a few blocks of the Santa Fe marketplace, where local Indians exhibit and sell their hand-crafted products. Museums, art galleries and restaurants are easily accessible. Downhill and cross-country skiing is available at the nearby Santa Fe Ski Basin. Keystone Symposia will arrange a complimentary ski shuttle from the hotel to the Santa Fe Ski Basin.
Location:
Santa Fe Community Convention Center
201 West Marcy
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501-2032
USA
Travel information:
Conference Center Notes: The Santa Fe Community Convention Center is located in a separate building from the guest rooms. A short walk outside will be necessary to access the convention center.
Shuttle Information: A free shuttle to and from the Santa Fe Ski Area will be provided for Keystone Symposia conferees. Twenty seats will be available on a first come first serve basis. Sign up sheets will be located on the message board at the meeting.
Contact us:
Keystone Symposia
160 U.S. Highway 6, Suite 200
PO Box 1630
Silverthorne, CO 80498