2022 Gordon Research Conference on: Chemotactic Cytokines

The biannual Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Chemotactic Cytokines is the most important forum for presenting new findings on the chemokine system. The 14th edition of the GRC on Chemotactic Cytokines will take place at the Eurotel Victoria in Les Diablerets (Vaud, Switzerland) from 11.06-17.06.2022. The event scheduled for June 2020 was canceled due the pandemic situation. Hence, it is highly important and necessary that the scientific community interested in chemokines has the opportunity to meet in person for extended networking. Under healthy conditions the key activity of the chemokine system is to control immune surveillance. Leukocyte migration is a hallmark of the immune defense system driven by chemotactic cytokines. The system comprises a family of about 50 small proteins with 3D structural homology, which direct cell migration and control cell positioning through cognate Gi-protein-coupled receptors. Moreover, the chemokine system is involved in many human pathologies including allergy, autoimmunity, inflammation, infection and many more. In addition, chemokines play an important role during embryogenesis and contribute to tumor survival and positioning. Landmark discoveries made on the role of the chemokine system have been steadily discussed at the GRC over the last 26 years.European research always had a strong impact on advances in knowledge on the chemokine system, in particular research in Switzerland. In the late 80ties and 90ties the group of Marco Baggiolini in Bern discovered many chemokines and deorphanized several cognate receptors. Most of the seminal discoveries were published in top ranking journals. Hence, as designated chair of the GRC 2022 it was my first intention to bring the conference to Switzerland to commemorate the Swiss contribution to the knowledge on the chemokine system. A Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) is organized 1.5 days before the GRC Chemotactic Cytokines. This satellite meeting will be chaired by two young scientists, who are assisted by four experienced mentors, the chair and vice chair of the 2022 GRC. The GRS is a satellite meeting for students and postdocs to allow them to achieve higher visibility and empowerment and to provide a forum for their concerted mentoring by senior scientists in our field who attend this meeting and stay through the GRC meeting. In addition there will be a 'Power hour' which is designed to help address the challenges women face in science and support the professional growth of women in our communities.The Gordon Conference organization is a charitable non-profit organization and individual conferences are sponsored by GRC only for a very small fraction of the costs. The chairs therefore rely heavily on support from third parties (industry and scientific organizations) that support the science focus of the conference. The Chairs of each conference thus have a daunting task to attract sufficient funding to be able to reimburse invited speakers, provide fellowships for young investigators. The GRC organization does not allow advertising or commercial exhibitions to be associated with any GRC, which excludes an important source of income. Hence, financial support from the SNFS is requested to contribute to the expenses to sustain invited speakers and young scientists at the meeting.