Project Summary
Despite the public health impact of acute respiratory infections (e.g. the COVID pandemic), conferences focused
on lung infections are remarkably scant, making this Gordon Research Conference (GRC) titled Biology of Acute
Respiratory Infection which meets every 2 years particularly impactful. The theme for 2024 is Microbial and Host
Mechanisms Regulating Infection and Outcomes. This conference is designed to facilitate interaction and
collaboration between microbiologists, immunologists, pulmonologists, infectious disease physicians,
veterinarians, epidemiologists, public health officials, and others in related biomedical fields and at different
stages of their career, who do not usually attend the same meetings. It is purposely designed with speakers
working on bacterial, viral and fungal pathogen-induced pneumonia to allow for cross-disciplinary insights.
Important in the design of the conference is the integration of basic and applied scientists from academia,
industry and the government from around the world. The GRC is preceded by the Gordon Research Seminar
(GRS), a unique forum for trainees and early career scientists with comparable levels of experience to present
and exchange new data and cutting-edge ideas. The primary goals of the Biology of Respiratory Infections
GRC/GRS are to 1) to promote an interdisciplinary, coordinated approach to understanding and controlling acute
respiratory infections by integrating the scientific input from clinicians, public health, and basic scientists; 2) To
afford early career scientists multiple opportunities to present their work to leading world experts; and 3) provide
a forum to facilitate collaborations. A secondary goal is to provide training and career development opportunities
for both new faculty and trainees at the associated GRS and throughout the meeting. Interwoven in this goal is
opportunity for women and others from underrepresented groups to interact and develop relationships (e.g.,
mentors) with successful scientists from these same groups. These goals will be accomplished by organizing a
format where basic scientists meet and interact with physicians, public health officials, scientists from industry
and the government. The speaking program will include a diverse mixture of invited Senior and Junior Scientists
as well as speakers selected from submitted abstracts. In addition, there will be poster sessions where all
attendees will be encouraged to present. The venue and program are designed to encourage social interaction
and discussion outside of presentations to provide the opportunity for fruitful exchange of ideas and to enable
development of collaborations and future training opportunities. The GRC Power Hour™ remains an integral part
of the conference and is designed to address challenges women and others from underrepresented groups face
in science and issues of diversity and inclusion. It is an open forum for discussion and mentoring in a safe
environment that is open to all attendees. This meeting provides the single-most comprehensive venue for
discussing the latest advances in pneumonia biology. We have chosen presentations specifically to increase the
likelihood that attendees think differently and more creatively about their research endeavors.
