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Antimicrobial Peptides

Gordon Research Conference

Roles in Infectious and Non-Infectious Human Diseases, Across Different Kingdoms and Contexts

February 23 - 28, 2025

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GRC Education Requirements: Undergraduates or those who have not obtained a bachelor's degree in science/engineering (or acceptable equivalent) are not eligible to apply to attend Gordon Research Conferences or Seminars.

Chairs

and

Vice Chairs

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Four Points Sheraton / Holiday Inn Express

1050 Schooner Drive

Ventura, California, United States

Venue and Travel Information

Application Information

Applications for this meeting must be submitted by January 26, 2025. Please apply early, as some meetings become oversubscribed (full) before this deadline. If the meeting is oversubscribed, it will be stated here. Note: Applications for oversubscribed meetings will only be considered by the conference chair if more seats become available due to cancellations.

Conference Description

The Antimicrobial Peptides GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.

We are now approaching 50 years of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) history. What started as an observation of AMP-mediated immunity in insects has found broad expression in diverse contexts in human health and disease, cross-cutting multi-system impact(s) in the human body (especially with recent work on crosstalk between AMPs and the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the digestive system, the integumentary system, the endocrine system), host-pathogen interactions, inter-kingdom biology. What different functions do AMPs play in different biological contexts in the full complexity of an organism? What are the synergies and trade-off’s? What can we learn from their conservation or diversification? The purpose of this meeting is to give a broad overview of our current state of knowledge by bringing together researchers from different disciplines around a multi-faceted topic that has consistently attracted and rewarded attention.

Related Meeting

This GRC will be held in conjunction with the "Antimicrobial Peptides" Gordon Research Seminar (GRS). Those interested in attending both meetings must submit an application for the GRS in addition to an application for the GRC. Refer to the associated GRS program page for more information.

Conference Program

Sunday
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm	Arrival and Check-in
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introductory Comments by GRC Staff / Welcome and Introduction from the Chairs
7:40 pm - 9:30 pm	Keynote Session: Multiple Functions of Antimicrobial Peptides in Immunity and Beyond Discussion Leader:
7:40 pm - 7:45 pm	Opening Remarks
7:45 pm - 8:00 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
8:00 pm - 8:35 pm	"Hepcidin: A Multifunctional Host Defense Peptide"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm	Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:20 pm	"A Metaorganismic Perspective of the Origin and Function of Antimicrobial Peptides"
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Monday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Group Photo
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Antimicrobial Peptides Discovery, Design and Synthesis Discussion Leaders: and
9:00 am - 9:15 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:15 am - 9:35 am	"Zosurabalpin: A Novel Antibiotic Targeting Lipopolysaccharide Transport"
9:35 am - 9:45 am	Discussion
9:45 am - 10:05 am	"Artificial Intelligence-Driven Antimicrobial Peptide Discovery"
10:05 am - 10:15 am	Discussion
10:15 am - 10:25 am	"Design of Multimodal Antibiotics Against Intracellular Infections Using Deep Learning"
10:25 am - 10:30 am	Discussion
10:30 am - 11:00 am	Coffee Break
11:00 am - 11:20 am	"Microcins: Diversity and Function"
11:20 am - 11:30 am	Discussion
11:30 am - 11:50 am	"Harnessing Iron Acquisition Machinery to Target Enteric Pathogens"
11:50 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm	"De Novo Design of Protease-Activated Antimicrobial Proteins"
12:10 pm - 12:15 pm	Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm	"Manipulating Antimicrobial Peptide Membrane Specificity: A High-Throughput Approach"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm	The GRC Power Hour™ The GRC Power Hour™ is designed to address diversity and inclusion in the scientific workplace by providing a safe environment for informal and meaningful conversations amongst colleagues of all career stages. The program supports the professional growth of all members of our communities, including ethnicity, race and/or gender identity by providing an open forum for discussion and mentoring. Organizers: and
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Interactions of Antimicrobial Peptides with Antibiotics or Non-Antimicrobial Peptides Discussion Leaders: and
7:30 pm - 7:45 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:45 pm - 8:05 pm	"Interactions Unveiled: Antimicrobial Peptides and Antibiotics in Current Therapeutics"
8:05 pm - 8:15 pm	Discussion
8:15 pm - 8:35 pm	"Synergistic Antimicrobial and Anticancer Action Based on the Antimicrobial Peptide Piscidin"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm	Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:05 pm	"SARS-CoV- 2 as a Reservoir of AMP-like Peptides Capable of Disrupting Innate Immune Responses"
9:05 pm - 9:15 pm	Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm	"CLEC3A-Derived Antimicrobial Peptides Reduce Bacterial Burden in an in vivo Biomaterial Associated Infection Mouse Model"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Tuesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Antimicrobial Peptides Across Multicellular Organisms Discussion Leaders: and
9:00 am - 9:15 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:15 am - 9:35 am	"More Than A Cocktail: Antimicrobial Peptides in the Evolution of Specific Host-Microbe Interactions"
9:35 am - 9:45 am	Discussion
9:45 am - 10:05 am	"Antimicrobial Peptides in Obligate Insect–Bacteria Nutritional Mutualism"
10:05 am - 10:15 am	Discussion
10:15 am - 10:45 am	Coffee Break
10:45 am - 11:05 am	"Bactericidal Permeability-Increasing Proteins in a Mollusk and Their Essential Role in Host Immunity"
11:05 am - 11:15 am	Discussion
11:15 am - 11:35 am	"A Novel Role for AMPs in Marine Invertebrate Developmental Transitions and Metamorphosis"
11:35 am - 11:45 am	Discussion
11:45 am - 12:05 pm	"How fungal Pathogens Manipulate Host Microbiota to Promote Infection"
12:05 pm - 12:15 pm	Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm	"Translation of Pleurocidin-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide Therapeutics"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Antimicrobial Peptides in the Biology and Ecology of Microbes Discussion Leaders: and
7:30 pm - 7:45 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:45 pm - 8:05 pm	"The Microbiome-Shaping Roles of Bacterial AMPs"
8:05 pm - 8:15 pm	Discussion
8:15 pm - 8:35 pm	"Understanding How Plant Peptides Modulate the Life Cycle of Symbiotic Bacteria"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm	Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:05 pm	"Peptide YY: A Paneth Cell Antimicrobial Peptide That Maintains Candida Gut Commensalism"
9:05 pm - 9:15 pm	Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm	"Candida Albicans Reduces Staphylococcus Aureus Susceptibility to Antimicrobial Peptide SAAP-148 in Mixed Biofilms"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Wednesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Antimicrobial Peptides in Infectious Diseases and Therapeutics Discussion Leaders: and
9:00 am - 9:15 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:15 am - 9:35 am	"Ruminococcin C: A Promising Multifunctional Peptide Therapeutic Produced by a Human Gut Symbiont"
9:35 am - 9:45 am	Discussion
9:45 am - 10:05 am	"A Novel Fabrics Modified with Human-Derived Nanodefensin for Multi-Scenario Application"
10:05 am - 10:15 am	Discussion
10:15 am - 10:25 am	"Turning Defensins into Regulators: Myeloperoxidase-Driven Tyrosine Halogenation as a Novel Immunomodulatory Mechanism"
10:25 am - 10:30 am	Discussion
10:30 am - 11:00 am	Coffee Break
11:00 am - 11:20 am	"The Cytoskeleton-Regulating Activity of Human Enteric Defensin 5 and its Implications in Enteric Infection and Intestinal Physiology"
11:20 am - 11:30 am	Discussion
11:30 am - 11:50 am	"Unravelling Esc Peptides for Treatment of Lung Pathology in Cystic Fibrosis: Beyond Antimicrobial Activity"
11:50 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm	"The Antimicrobial Daptide from Human Skin Commensal Staphylococcus Hominis Protects Against Skin Pathogens"
12:10 pm - 12:15 pm	Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm	"Psychological Stress Increases Susceptibility to Staphylococcus Aureus Infection by TGF-ß-Mediated Suppression of Cathelicidin Expression"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Evolution of Resistance to Antimicrobial Peptides Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:45 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:45 pm - 8:05 pm	"Combinatorial Action of Regulatory Systems Generates Colistin Heteroresistance"
8:05 pm - 8:15 pm	Discussion
8:15 pm - 8:35 pm	"Tackling the Complexity of Antimicrobial Resistance Evolution"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm	Discussion
8:45 pm - 8:55 pm	"Effect of Antimicrobial Peptide Sequence on Resistance Evolution"
8:55 pm - 9:00 pm	Discussion
9:00 pm - 9:10 pm	"Engineering Multifunctional Antimicrobial Peptide Hybrids to Decelerate Resistance Emergence"
9:10 pm - 9:15 pm	Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm	"Phage Delivery of Antimicrobial Peptides"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Thursday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Business Meeting Nominations for the Next Vice Chair(s); Complete the GRC Evaluation Forms; Election of the Next Vice Chair(s)
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Antimicrobial Peptides in Non-Infectious Diseases Discussion Leaders: and
9:00 am - 9:15 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:15 am - 9:35 am	"Utility of Host Defence Peptides to Control Severe Asthma"
9:35 am - 9:45 am	Discussion
9:45 am - 10:05 am	"Stapled Oncolytic Peptides: Harnessing Antimicrobial Peptides for Cancer Therapy"
10:05 am - 10:15 am	Discussion
10:15 am - 10:25 am	"Exploring the Role of Fibroblast Reg3 Proteins in Response to Intestinal Inflammation"
10:25 am - 10:30 am	Discussion
10:30 am - 11:00 am	Coffee Break
11:00 am - 11:20 am	"On the Induction of Antimicrobial Peptides and Proteins in the CNS Following Infection"
11:20 am - 11:30 am	Discussion
11:30 am - 11:50 am	"Increased LL37 in Psoriasis and Other Inflammatory Disorders Promotes Uptake of Low-Density Lipoprotein and Development of Atherosclerosis"
11:50 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm	"Genetic Dissection of Defensin Signaling in Skin Immunity and Psoriasis"
12:10 pm - 12:15 pm	Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm	"Tristetraprolin as a Novel Target of Innate Defence Regulator (IDR) Peptide in the Modulation of IL-33 Production in the Lungs"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Late Breaking Topics Discussion Leaders: and
7:30 pm - 7:45 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:45 pm - 8:05 pm	"Antimicrobial Peptides Construct the Biogeography of the Gut Microbiota in the Insect Riptortus Pedestris"
8:05 pm - 8:15 pm	Discussion
8:15 pm - 8:35 pm	"Pushing the Viral Envelope: Biomimetic Peptoid Oligomers as Membrane-Active Antimicrobials"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm	Discussion
8:45 pm - 8:55 pm	Late-Breaking Topic
8:55 pm - 9:00 pm	Discussion
9:00 pm - 9:10 pm	Late-Breaking Topic
9:10 pm - 9:15 pm	Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm	Late-Breaking Topic
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Friday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am	Departure

Contributors

Jiangsu Defensin Biomed

Jianjun Cheng

Old Herborn University Foundation

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R13AI188923. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

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Poster Information

Poster sessions are an integral part of the our conferences, and offer all conferees an opportunity to discuss their research.

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Diversity Funding

Financial assistance is available for qualified applicants through the GRC Carl Storm Underrepresented Minority Fellowship Program. This program provides a grant to underrepresented minority graduate students, postdocs, faculty and scientists to help fund their attendance at their first GRC meeting. Learn more.

Registration Fees

Conferee Single Room:

$1,720.00

Conferee Shared Room:

$1,375.00

Conferee Off-Site:

$945.00

Guest Single Room:

$1,530.00

Guest Shared Room:

$1,185.00

Guest Off-Site:

$755.00

Child 4-12 yrs Shared Room:

$593.00

Child 4-12 yrs Off-Site:

$378.00

Child Under 4 yrs Shared Room:

Free

Child Under 4 yrs Off-Site:

Free

Additional Fee Info

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