The Gordon Research Seminar on Matrix Metalloproteinases is a unique forum for graduate students, post-docs, and other scientists with varying levels of experience and education to present and exchange new data and cutting edge ideas. In an informal, confidential and friendly setting young minds can interact and make invaluable collaborations with experienced researchers from academia and industry alike.

The focus of this meeting is to highlight recent developments in the field of metallo-protease biology with a focus on the ADAM, ADAMTS and MMP enzyme families. The discussions will center on the role of these enzymes in regulating the complex biological processes involved in development, tissue homeostasis, immune system regulation and diseases such as auto-immune conditions, cardiovascular and neurological disorders, infectious diseases, and cancer.

Proteases act in the context of complex cascades creating a multifaceted universe of protein-protein interactions dynamic and modulated in disease states. Whether your interest lies in substrate/inhibitor design, cell signaling pathways or utilizing existing tools to study a biological condition involving metallo-proteases, this Gordon Research Seminar series is the place for you. You will gain insight into the role of proteases in various disease states, new technology being developed to investigate and image these enzymes and leveraging this knowledge for drug discovery. We will take you back in time to what we know about metallo-proteases to move forward and fill in the gaps of what remains elusive. We will also discuss how to tackle the next generation problems in the field of proteolysis to solve crucial biological problems in human pathologies. 

The GRS attendees are also suggested to attend the related GRC on Matrix Metalloproteinases (Chair, Howard C. Crawford and Vice Chair, Rama Khokha). This meeting will indeed have a strong representation from the next generation of scientists.

The GRS on Matrix Metalloproteinases will feature oral presentations, two poster sessions and a career panel to advise on and discuss the range of career paths available to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.