2025 Tissue Repair and Regeneration Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar - PROJECT SUMMARY: Therapies that enhance tissue repair and regeneration have the potential to significantly improve human and animal health, as both under- and over-zealous responses to tissue damage represent major health problems. Compromised wound repair, for example chronic wounds and pressure ulcers in aging or associated with diabetes, are estimated to contribute over 10 billion dollars to annual healthcare costs in the US alone. Moreover, scarring and fibrosis following trauma or associated with a range of diseases are a significant cause of death in the developed world, as it causes many vital organs to fail, including heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control repair and regeneration in vivo and uncover the reasons why some organisms can regenerate while others cannot. This is key in progressing regenerative medicine to a new level. Advances in regenerative medicine occur through innovative research, and also through the rapid dissemination of breakthroughs in this field through fostering communication and collaboration in the scientific community. The Gordon Research Conference on Tissue Repair and Regeneration (GRC-TRR) has been pivotal in sharing the latest discovering and fostering collaboration in this field for three decades. The 2025 GRC-TRR will be the 16th meeting in this seminar series, aiming to unite top researchers, clinicians, and early career scientists to drive new ideas in regenerative medicine (previous programs can be found at the GRC website). Specifically, we have planned nine scientific sessions, ranging from basic science involving developmental biology and insights from model organisms, to the more applied and clinical aspects, such as tissue engineering, the role of infection, inflammation and immunity in tissue destruction and healing, as well as the latest approaches in clinical treatments. This will bring novel insights into how we can precisely manipulate tissues and organs in patients towards a regenerative outcome in a wide range of contexts, from developmental defects to fibrosis in chronic diseases.
