Hippo Pathway in Biology and Diseases - PROJECT SUMMARY This application requests funding support for early-career researchers (PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty) to attend for the 2026 FASEB Scientific Research Conference: Hippo Pathway in Biology and Diseases, to be held September 1–4, 2026 at the Fort Garry Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre in Winnipeg, Canada. Organized by Drs. Anwesha Dey, Kenneth Irvine, Kun-Liang Guan, and Wenqi Wang, this four-day meeting will bring together Hippo signaling researchers from around the world. The Hippo pathway functions in numerous physiological processes and is frequently dysregulated in cancer and other diseases. We will convene an outstanding and broad group of scientists working at the forefront of the Hippo field to gain new insights into the Hippo pathway in biological processes, its alteration in cancer and other diseases, and advances in therapies targeting the Hippo pathway. Investigators working on Hippo signaling remain dispersed across disciplines, disease areas, and continents, and given the rapid advancements and breadth of the field a regular conference dedicated to this pathway is greatly needed. The program will include a keynote lecture, themed scientific sessions, plenary talks, short talks and lightning talks, poster sessions, a “Meet the Hippo Experts” workshop, and parallel career development workshops tailored to trainees and junior faculty. Through this program, we aim to 1) Stimulate scientific exchange and catalyze new collaborations for scientists, clinicians, nonprofits, and industry partners sharing and discussing cutting-edge research on Hippo pathway regulation, function, and therapy; 2) Advance the careers of early-stage investigators by providing networking and professional developmental opportunities for early-career researchers and junior faculty, promoting participation and engagement through presentation opportunities, traveling awards, and poster/workshop discussions; and 3) Disseminate the latest discoveries in the field and establish a recurring conference series by publishing the proceedings of the conference, boosting new collaborations, and providing a regular forum for exchange and training. R13 support will be used primarily to provide 20 travel awards for PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and beginning assistant professors. By fostering scientific exchange, catalyzing new collaborations, and providing structured mentoring, networking, and professional development opportunities, this FASEB conference will have a major impact on the field, accelerating advances in Hippo signaling and its application to cancer, regenerative medicine and diseases of high
