Trace Elements in Biology and Medicine

Since 1983, this conference has been dedicated to illuminating the role of trace elements in biological systems in plants, microbes, and mammals. These include elements such as copper, iron, manganese, selenium, and zinc, which are classified as micronutrients critical for human health. 

This year’s program will bring together biochemists, chemists, geneticists, microbiologists, and clinicians to bridge the basic biology of trace elements with their impact on cellular metabolism and human health.

The research previously presented at this conference has a long history of providing clinical, therapeutic, and pharmaceutical breakthroughs, particularly in addressing disease and major public health challenges. This includes the development of the copper-transporting drug, Elesclomol, to treat genetic conditions that cause copper deficiency, such as Menkes Disease. The development of a treatment using lipoic acid supplementation to alleviate copper toxicity associated with Wilson’s disease was also developed through this conference.

Attendees will learn about:

· Molecular mechanisms of transport, storage, and distribution of trace elements in organisms.

· Human diseases associated with disruption in trace element homeostasis.

· Novel techniques in the detection and measurement of trace elements in living systems.

· New roles for trace elements in cell signaling and regulation of physiology and metabolism.

Program Topics

· Trace elements in plants

· Trace elements in metabolism and death

· Trace elements in microbes and microbial pathogens

· New techniques in trace elements biology

· Cofactor biogenesis and trafficking

· Human nutrition and disease

Workshops

During the Meet the Experts session, early-career investigators will join small groups of senior researchers from academia and industry to discuss science and career trajectories.

A Career Development Workshop will feature an interactive panel discussion with representatives from academia, government, and industry about opportunities and challenges in their respective careers.