Programming and Reprogramming the Vertebrate Germline

Germline cells play a unique and pivotal role as the carriers of genetic information from one generation to the next. Intense interest has centred on their origins, how their properties and behaviour are regulated genetically and epigenetically, and the molecular signals that drive meiosis and gamete formation. Insights into these processes are crucial for understanding and managing reproductive disorders including infertility, environmental endocrine disruption, and gonadal cancers. Especially topical are the issues of how germ cells come to be programmed initially, how their pluripotency is controlled, and how germline stem cells can be experimentally deprogrammed/reprogrammed, raising the prospect of generating functional gametes from induced pluripotent stem cells, and differentiated somatic cells from germline stem cells. Moreover, recent advances in germline genome editing have raised new possibilities for human disease treatment and agricultural biotechnology.

This conference will assemble leading scientists at the forefront of international research in a range of vertebrate systems. Participants have the opportunity to present their latest research through poster and platform presentations, and the informal setting of the Gordon Research Conference will provide ample opportunities for interaction and establishing new connections and collaborations. As a venue for presenting unpublished findings and for robust discussion, the conference will highlight emerging trends and define new research directions. The conference is located on the green and fragrant campus of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, welcoming participants to explore one of the world's most vibrant cities and a gateway to the heady delights of East Asia.