Diabetes is associated with significantly accelerated rates of several microvascular and macrovascular complications including nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy and atherosclerosis. Furthermore, results from both clinical trials and animal studies indicate that these complications might progress despite glycemic control, a phenomenon termed metabolic memory. Ongoing studies have identified biochemical and nuclear mechanisms, genetic determinants, epigenetic factors and non-coding RNAs in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. Thus, the study of the key mechanisms leading to injury in target organs and failure of adaptive processes holds great promise for the identification of mechanism-targeted therapeutic approaches. These experimental approaches have been aided by tremendous advances in high-throughput genomic and epigenomic technologies, integrated systems biology and bioinformatics. Advances in the fields of stem cell therapies, induced pluripotency and regenerative medicine have provided new hope for the treatment of complications. The goal of this interdisciplinary meeting is to integrate these evolving concepts with current knowledge to facilitate a systems-level understanding of diabetic complications.

Other deadlines: Abstract & scholarship - November 10, 2011 Late-breaking abstract - December 14, 2011