2019 Kern Lipid Conference

Abstract Since its inception in 1985, the goals of the Kern Lipid Conference have been to promote metabolic science and increase understanding of metabolic pathobiology. The conference strives to provide an inclusive, open forum for established and young emerging scientists from academia and industry. The 2019 Kern Lipid Conference chaired by J. Mark Brown, Russell DeBose-Boyd, and Rebecca Haeusler will have the theme ?Signaling Lipids in Health and Disease.? The 2019 conference's goal is to provide a dynamic interactive environment that leads to novel insights into disease mechanisms involving lipid sensing and lipid metabolism. We will examine multiple tissues including liver, brain, adipose, and gut. We will delve into metabolic diseases including obesity, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and atherosclerosis, and other associated conditions such as cancer and neurodegeneration. The program will cover basic cell biological processes such as intracellular lipid trafficking all the way into translational and clinical research into novel therapeutics for cardiometabolic disorders. Intensive daily sessions with 26 confirmed speakers will be enriched with 6 young investigator talks, an evening poster session, and an evening discussion about how collaborations between industry and academia can move science and medicine forward. Breaks, lunches and a closing dinner on the premises promote interactions between participants. Idea exchange is maximized by allocating ample time for questions after didactic presentations and through fostering discussion by session chairs and other attending Kern board members. The Conference traditionally attracts early career scientists (~40%) and established scholars as well as creative scientists from industry. Participation of young scientists is strongly promoted by including them among the invited speakers and in 2019, three early careers investigators will be particularly highlighted with awards: The Journal of Lipid Research (JLR) Junior Investigator Award will go to an accomplished Assistant Professor, Lale Ozcan, MD from Columbia University, and two other young investigators will be selected as recipients of the competitive prestigious awards, David L Williams and Roger Davis Lectureships. The setting and meeting format which facilitate interaction and discussion, the confirmed participation of internationally recognized authorities (e.g. Benjamin Cravatt, Bob Farese, Jens Brüning) inclusion of young emerging stars (e.g. Lale Ozcan, Alison Kohan, and Sarah Cohen) and translational researchers (Kiran Musunuru, Russell Miller), make it likely that novel insights into disease mechanisms and therapeutic approaches for cardio-metabolic disease and associated comorbidities will emerge from the 2019 Conference.