2026 Plasminogen Activation and Extracellular Proteolysis Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar - The 2026 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Plasminogen Activation and Extracellular Proteolysis and the associated Gordon Graduate Research Seminar (GRS) are paired conferences held sequentially at the same location in Ventura, CA. The GRS will take place on February 7-8, and the GRC on February 8-13, 2026. The GRC has been held continuously every two years since 1990 and enjoys an outstanding international reputation. In this 20th GRC, we will discuss breakthrough findings in plasminogen activation and extracellular proteolysis in areas such as vascular biology, central nervous system function and dysfunction, trauma, tissue homeostasis and regeneration, hematopoiesis, angiogenesis, stem cell biology, metabolism and obesity, tumor biology, cardiovascular function, and aging. For the 2026 GRC meeting, emphasis will be placed on bringing together the biomedical practice with the biology of plasminogen activation and other extracellular proteases, their effectors and associated pathways, as they are relevant to multiple diseases and disorders. Basic and Physician Scientists will discuss the relevant clinical needs and possible therapeutic strategies that can be accommodated using the knowledge generated through basic science. Early and mid-career investigators in the field will have the chance to present and discuss their new and exciting findings alongside senior, established researchers. Basic research, technological advances, and cutting-edge therapeutic approaches in the field of extracellular proteases will be debated and discussed, with the expectation that new collaborations and scientific discoveries will develop from these in-person interactions. Research themes of the 2026 GRC on Plasminogen Activation and Extracellular Proteolysis will capture the most exciting areas of contemporary cutting-edge research in the field. Emerging roles for molecules of the fibrinolytic system and other proteases in pathologic settings such as cancer, cardio- and cerebrovascular disease, metabolic complications, aging, trauma, and neurological diseases will be presented. The development and application of novel technologies in the field will also be discussed. Each session will include a discussion of how basic research in our field can help conquer human disease. The associated GRS will provide a venue for pre- and postdoctoral trainees to discuss their research in a collaborative and stimulating environment to help build their informal network of peers and colleagues. We expect that the 2026 Plasminogen Activation and Extracellular Proteolysis GRC and GRS will bring together a group of highly motivated and interactive participants with different scientific backgrounds to engage in intensive discussions at the frontier of research related to the plasminogen activation system and associated extracellular proteases in an “off-the-record” fashion. The information gained from this meeting will advance the plasminogen activation/extracellular proteolysis field by teaching us about additional direct and nuanced roles for these proteins, which should in turn stimulate the development of new applications and strategies to improve the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of a wide range of diseases.
