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The 2010 Gordon Conference on Intermediate Filament will present cutting-edge research on the molecular and cellular aspects of the structure and function of intermediate filaments and their proteins. Intermediate Filaments (IFs) are the basic building blocks of the architecture of all cells except bacteria. They belong to a gene family of over 70 functional proteins that form intermediate filaments, one of the three major scaffolding elements in cells. These Intermediate filament proteins are diverse and cell specific and provide stability as well as mechanical resilience to the cell. The study of IFs is one of the most rapidly advancing fields at present in biomedical research and the bi-annual Gordon Research Conferences are barely able to keep up with the pace of new information and insights into their biological function. Over the past decade, pioneering work in this field has progressed to characterize the complexity of this large heterogeneous family of genes. Recent studies on their interaction with other cellular elements continue to unfold their unique role in structure and function of the cell/organisms. The current biomedical studies also take center stage when it comes to human diseases, given the complex array of human diseases that they either cause or predispose to, which is a reflection of their ubiquitous but tissue specific expression. The discovery that mutations in cytoskeltal IF genes give rise to a large number of human disorders has attracted the attention of many clinicians and sparked interest into the elucidation of pathomechanisms. Diseases of the skin, musculature and the nervous system including cancer are attributed to mutations in specific IF genes. Recent breakthrough research showing, for example, the regulation of protein biosynthesis by keratins (skin IFs) and the control of gene expression by nuclear IFs (lamins) demands a revision of the classical view that IF proteins are primary structural proteins, and also links IF research to additional research communities with an interest in protein folding, inflammation and signaling. Neural cell IF (neuronal IF) abnormalities are responsible for the pathology of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alexander disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, diabetic neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), heavy metal associated neuropathy. IFs have come to occupy a central position in cellular regulation of different cell types in a wide variety of tissues in most organisms. Their cell specific expression and structural modifications are tightly regulated under physiological conditions. It is anticipated that further insights into the biology and molecular biology of these special cytoskeletal elements may lead to the development of therapeutic approaches to a wide range of human disorders such as premature aging, certain cancers and degenerative neurological diseases. Recent advances in our understanding of the structure and assembly of IFs have opened up the field to further studies of the interaction of IFs with other cellular proteins and their regulators in different tissues. This invites contributions from scientists studying the molecular biology, biochemistry and cell biology of a wide range of structural and regulatory proteins and often leads to cooperative interactions among several laboratories. Every 2 years the Gordon Research Conference on IF brings together participants of junior, senior and minority ranks from all over the world, who study IF proteins from functional, regulatory and structural perspectives. The GRC has traditionally fostered a free-flowing exchange of novel ideas, tools and reagents, and facilitated the establishment of productive collaborations. Scientifically and intellectually, GRC provides a unique cross-disciplinary setting in which investigators, junior and senior from diverse backgrounds can come together for innovative and collaborative brainstorming in an informal, relaxed setting. Oral presentations and posters, representing the most recent cutting-edge research are presented by seniors and juniors, inviting free discussions among all participants. The exchange of information is open, lively and provocative, evoking exciting new ideas that lead to future fruitful collaborations. The program for the 2010 edition of the conference will have a major focus on novel structural and functional findings, their emerging role in cell signaling and organelle function, the enlarging list of associated proteins they interact with, and potential novel approaches for their study. The conference will have tremendous impact on understanding of intermediate filament biology for scientists who are studying basic IF functions in diverse animal systems. It should also provide new insights into the structure/ behaviorial aspects of IF based biology. This conference will provide an important entry into other disciplines relating IF functions to cell biology, neurobiology, physiology, cellular transport, cell architecture, cell division, cell signaling, and cell-cell interaction. In short, this conference will serve both a scientific and a training function. Moreover, the conference organization, with its invitation to junior and minority investigators, exposes them to cutting edge research in laboratories world-wide, to senior scientists and their post-docs, in an exciting week of discussions and critical reviews.