The 2009 Gordon Conference on Atherosclerosis will present cutting-edge research on the molecular, cellular, immunological, structural and therapeutic aspects of atherosclerotic plaque formation and regression. The Conference will feature a wide range of topics, such as macrophage subsets, vascular calcification, vascular progenitor cells, genetic regulation of lipid metabolism, nanotechnology for diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis, cardiac valve atherosclerosis, inflammatory mediators, systems biology, lesion dynamics and reversibility, and clinical translation to novel therapeutics. Invited speakers represent a variety of scientific disciplines, including biochemistry, lipid metabolism, molecular genetics, bioengineering, immunology, vascular biology, cell biology and imaging. The Conference will bring together a collection of investigators who are at the forefront of their field, and will provide opportunities for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work in poster format and exchange ideas with leaders in the field. Some poster presenters will be selected for short talks. The collegial atmosphere of this Conference, with programmed discussion sessions as well as opportunities for informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings, provides an avenue for scientists from different disciplines to brainstorm and promotes cross-disciplinary collaborations in the various research areas represented.