2025 Neurotrophic Mechanisms in Health and Disease Gordon Research Conference and Seminar - Project Summary This proposal aims to support junior investigators, post-doctoral fellows, and students to attend the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Neurotrophic Mechanisms in Health and Disease at Salve Regina University, Newport, RI, from June 1-6, 2025, along with the preceding Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on May 31-June 1, 2025 for early career researchers. The conference aims to foster interactions among diverse researchers from all over the world, discuss new approaches and emerging concepts in neurotrophic factor research, and integrate young researchers into the neurotrophic factors' community. Emphasis is placed on diversity, inclusion, and a family-friendly approach, with significant representation of women and under-represented groups among the speakers and targeted efforts to promote attendance from these groups. For over 26 years, this interdisciplinary conference has brought together neuroscientists, cell biologists, and clinicians to lead advancements in molecular, cellular, and developmental neuroscience and translate neurotrophin biology into therapies. Neurotrophic factors play critical roles in nervous system development, including neurogenesis, neuronal survival and death, axon and dendrite growth and pruning, synaptic plasticity, myelination, and behaviour regulation. Emerging research reveals their involvement in stem cell niches, tissue regeneration, neuron-glia/immune signalling, and cancer progression. Neurotrophin signalling mechanisms are increasingly recognized in human developmental disorders, psychiatric disorders, chronic inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases, with neurotrophin-based treatments now available and in late phase clinical trials.
