Conference Description
The Craniofacial Morphogenesis and Tissue Regeneration 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scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages.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.
Craniofacial differences are among the most common congenital anomalies, occurring with a frequency of 1 in 700 live births. The biomedical burden for treating these conditions is over 700 million dollars a year in the US alone. Thus, understanding the genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms essential for craniofacial development is of great value to public health. Comprehensive understanding of development and etiology of disease requires partnership and communication between discovery-based research scientists, geneticists, clinicians, and surgeons.
The scientific program will focus on integrating our knowledge of genetics, model systems, and biological mechanisms, with the end goal of improving craniofacial health. A keynote session will explore rare disease genetics from both a human geneticist and research perspective. Challenges and solutions related to linking gene discovery to functional genomics will be identified, with a focus on advancing the craniofacial field into the era of stem cell and organoid medicine. Molecular and biochemical mechanisms that contribute to patterning the building blocks of the face will be discussed, alongside how these mechanisms go awry under pathological conditions. Cross-disciplinary collaboration will be promoted to ensure translationally relevant data is shared, facilitating the realization of the bench-to-bedside vision from diagnosis to therapeutics. Open discussion within the community will aim to establish a consistent set of protocols for data comparison and reproducibility across laboratories, enhancing the efficiency and impact of craniofacial research. Beyond sharing cutting-edge, unpublished research, the meeting will provide opportunities for scientists at all career levels to network and form collaborations with colleagues from various disciplines to advance craniofacial research.
The conference will consist of nine sessions, on the topics listed below. The conference chair is currently developing their preliminary program, which will include the names of the invited speakers and discussion leaders for each of these sessions. The preliminary program will be available by June 25, 2025. Please check back for updates.
