Conference on Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolic Diseases: Gender-Specific Implications in Physiology - Project Summary/Abstract
The purpose of this proposal is to seek support for the American Physiological Society (APS) conference
entitled Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolic Diseases: Gender-Specific Implications in Physiology scheduled
for September 30th through October 3rd, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Recently, NIH mandated that researchers study both males and females in all studies, where applicable. As
more women are included in clinical trials and more female animals are included in basic science research we
are rapidly expanding our understanding of how profoundly biological sex impacts both normal physiology and
numerous pathologies. Thus, interest in the topic of sex and gender continues to grow, and there is an unmet
need for scientific conferences and symposia that provide a forum to bring greater focus to this field.
The objectives of the 2018 Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolic Diseases: Gender-Specific Implications in
Physiology conference are to: 1) gather a critical mass of expert clinical and basic researchers with interests in
the role of sex hormones, sex chromosomes, and gender in cardiovascular-renal diseases, obesity and
metabolic syndrome, and population studies to promote the exchange of ideas, develop scientific relationships,
and to promote potential collaborations in the future; 2) promote and encourage early career investigators and
trainees (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows) to develop new studies into women's/men's health issues
and/or sex and gender differences in cardiovascular, renal and metabolic function in health and disease; and,
3) provide context and greater understanding for the consideration of sex as a biological variable in clinical and
basic science studies of cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases.
In order to achieve the objectives above, APS has developed a three-day conference program organized by
specific organ systems (i.e., brain, kidney, heart, and vasculature), aging, obesity and metabolism, and female-
and male-specific cardiovascular, renal and metabolic complications/diseases. Multiple poster sessions, a
poster competition, and a career development workshop will encourage trainees and early career investigators
to attend and present their research. Importantly, APS proposes to administer a travel award program for
trainees, early career investigators, and/or individuals from underrepresented groups participating in the
conference program.
