2025 Vascular Cell Biology Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar - Project Summary This Gordon Research Conference (GRC), “Vascular Cell Biology”, and the accompanying Gordon Research Seminar (GRS, organized by and for trainees) of the same name have the overarching hypothesis that gaining a better understanding of how endothelial and mural cell (smooth muscle cell, pericyte) phenotypes are established and maintained to enable proper vascular function in distinct tissue environments is important basic knowledge that is crucial for preventing disease progression and promoting vascular repair and regeneration. The goals of this GRC/GRS are to bridge existing knowledge and communication gaps between researchers at all levels (students, postdocs, junior and senior scientists) in academia, industry and government who study vascular cell biology and those who study vascular disease, bioimaging, genomics and other related areas. These fields have recently developed paradigms, tools and models to aid this goal, and this integration is predicted to move all fields forward towards timely translation of basic discoveries. This GRC will strongly foster lasting interdisciplinary interactions and collaborations amongst NIH-funded and international vascular cell biologists, between academic, industry and government scientists, and development of the next cadre of scientists at the intersection of these fields by exposure to new ideas, issues and opportunities. The associated GRS will also support these goals with an emphasis on trainee development. The GRC Chair and vice-Chair are leaders in the vascular biology field and well-suited to organize the meeting. The meeting goals will be accomplished by bringing together a selected group of researchers (about 150 participants) to a small, semi- isolated site (in Ventura, California) for a week, in a venue and meeting structure designed to foster extensive discussion after presentation of largely unpublished data, and to promote informal interactions and networking through shared meals and afternoon social activities that especially benefit trainees. Invited speakers and discussion leaders are chosen based on excellence in research and willingness to engage trainees. Participants will be chosen based on topic and demographics. Female, early/mid-career stage and minority speakers have been invited, and those groups will be encouraged to apply as participants. A GRS pre-meeting will be organized by trainees, for trainees (with limited input from GRC chairs and GRS faculty mentors), and feature presentation of trainee work, to facilitate networking among this group and provide them with a peer group as they transition into the larger meeting. This GRC/GRS meeting will have a strong and lasting impact on the field, as it addresses important basic questions and health issues in vascular biology at a propitious time.
