2025 Pancreatic Diseases Gordon Research Conference - Gordon Research Conferences (GRCs) are prestigious, non-profit, international scientific conferences that have been held since 1931. The goal of this R13 proposal is to support the GRC on Pancreatic Diseases: “Deciphering Disease Etiologies and Identifying Advancing Therapeutic Targets” and the associated trainee-led Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), to be held June 15-20th, 2025 in Newry, Maine. Recent years have brought rapid advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying pancreatic development, injury, regeneration, diabetes development, and malignant transformation at the single cell level. Furthermore, there has been an emergence of novel technologies to model these processes, which have revealed important lineage relationships and plasticity between pancreatic cell types. Historically, studies of the endocrine and exocrine pancreas have occurred in siloed communities; however, epidemiological studies show a clear association between pancreatic diseases, highlighting previously unrecognized relationships between diabetes, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and exocrine insufficiency. The objective of this GRC is to convene experts from the endocrine and exocrine communities to promote synergy between disciplines and fill important knowledge gaps underlying the co-occurrence of pancreatic diseases. To achieve this objective, this GRC will provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of cutting-edge unpublished concepts from researchers studying all aspects of pancreas biology, leading to interdisciplinary collaborations and the discovery of novel therapeutics. Furthermore, this meeting will empower young scientists and early-stage investigators to showcase their work to peers and leaders in the field, while also providing them with important leadership opportunities within the meeting. The upcoming sixth Pancreatic Diseases GRC will focus on understanding the genetic and molecular etiologies of pancreatic diseases and will highlight how endocrine and exocrine cells communicate to one another in health and disease. A major thread throughout the conference will be the role that inflammation and metabolism play in organ homeostasis and pathology. The guiding principle of this conference is the presentation of new, unpublished results and unhampered discussion. Additionally, to further enhance career development opportunities, a GRS has been integrated into this meeting. The GRS is organized by trainees and early-stage investigators and features posters and talks given exclusively by trainees as well as mentorship sessions. Together, this GRC and GRS provide a rare platform for collaboration, the establishment of interdisciplinary approaches to human pancreatic diseases, and support of young researchers.
