Abstract/Summary: Protein phosphatases play a key role in cellular signaling pathways, opposing kinase activity to dynamically balance protein phosphorylation. Despite their critical role in cell signaling, they remain understudied as compared to protein kinases. We are submitting an application requesting support for the 2024 edition of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Science Research Conference on Protein Phosphatases. For over 34 years, this conference has explored the roles of protein phosphatases in normal physiology and pathological conditions. Recent research has expanded our understanding of the functions and regulation of the more than 1000 forms of these complex enzymes, identifying them as integral to cellular homeostasis. As such, roles of specific phosphatases, and their associated newly identified mutations found to be causal to a variety of human diseases, continue to be elucidated, as basic, translational, and clinical researchers across academia and industry work to decipher the complexities of phospho-regulated pathways and to identify novel therapeutic targets. This Protein Phosphatase conference is an effective and focused forum that helps to educate newcomers and disseminate and integrate recent advances in this rapidly growing and changing field. Highlighting its critical role in the scientific community, this conference will be the 17th edition of a recurring series of bi-annual FASEB meetings, held continuously since 1990, and continues to be the sole meeting in North America on this topic. We are planning the 2024 conference to continue the merger (second time) between two of the longest-standing world protein phosphatase conferences: the FASEB protein phosphatase conference and the Japanese Association for Protein Phosphatase Research (JAPPR) conference. The Specific Aims of the 2024 FASEB-JAPPR Conference on Protein Phosphatases are 1) to present and discuss the most current work on the structure, regulation, and function of protein phosphatases; 2) to highlight major achievements and new approaches to fuel the interest of industrial and academic groups in drugging phosphatases; and 3) to refresh and renew the field through the engagement and development of early career investigators (ECIs) and underrepresented individuals (URIs) including women. This application requests limited financial support, particularly for invitations of ECIs and URIs to attend and contribute to this joint conference held in Palm Springs, California in December 2024.