Integration of Developmental Signaling Pathways (Z2) 2010

While the importance of developmental signaling pathways such as Wnt, Notch, TGFb, Hedgehog, Hippo, etc., in controlling cell fate determination, tissue organization/homeostasis, and their frequent abrogation in disease has been realized over the past few years, the molecular processes by which these pathways conspire combinatorially and temporally to build sophisticated cellular outcomes is only now becoming apparent. Moreover, simplistic approaches that selectively interfere with one pathway in isolation have resulted in unpredicted outcomes and revealed the presence of interdependencies that require consideration of contextual interactions. Therefore, effective therapeutic manipulation of these systems will require understanding of the mechanisms and interdependencies that determine complex physiology. This is emerging from diverse areas of biology and so requires a meeting of different minds to assimilate the findings. This symposium will bring together experts addressing the interactive mechanisms of developmental signaling with the aim of promoting better models of networks and the design of more effective therapeutic strategies.