# 2020 Marine Natural Products Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar

> **NIH NIH R13** · GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCES · 2020 · $28,000

## Abstract

Project Summary
Natural products research is undergoing a transformative period driven by genomics, advances in our
understanding of the molecular genetics of natural product biosynthesis, chemical biology solutions to
identifying molecular targets and mechanism of action, and new analytical techniques for molecular structure
determination. In particular, natural products from marine organisms have delivered unique molecular scaffolds
that interact with cellular macromolecules and pathways, altering phenotype and physiology in ways not seen
by molecules from other sources. In addition to informing scientists of how biological systems function, the role
of natural products as ligands with highly specific affinities for disease-relevant targets has presented
opportunities for designing therapies for human disease including cancer, neurological disorders, and many
infectious pathogens. With this proposal, support is requested for the 2020 Marine Natural Products Gordon
Research Seminar (GRS) and Gordon Research Conference (GRC) to be held in Ventura, California on
February 22-28, 2020. The GRS is a unique forum for graduate students and postdocs to present and
exchange new data and cutting-edge ideas encompassing the field of marine natural products with applications
that range from basic science discoveries to human health impacts. The GRC will bring together early career
and established researchers from academia, industry, and government (including all of the GRS participants)
to address the discovery, characterization and functional development of marine natural products.
Presentations and discussion will focus on how natural products modulate cellular processes and present
opportunities to treat human disease; applications of natural product research to medicine and marine
conservation; cutting-edge techniques in natural product structure elucidation, synthesis, and determination of
modes of action; and the biosynthetic origin of marine natural products including genome mining, heterologous
expression, and genetic advances to facilitate the expression of silent gene clusters. Graduate students and
postdocs will gain experience in poster and oral presentations at the short-format GRS immediately prior to the
GRC, and thus be poised to develop career opportunities and new collaborations during the GRC via direct
interaction with established leaders in the field. The collegial atmosphere of the GRS and GRC will facilitate
new research directions and training opportunities for early career scientists, and the exchange of ideas among
leaders in the field and new participants. NIH support will be directed towards participation of graduate student
and postdoctoral presenters and discussion leaders at the GRS and GRC, and female and under-represented
minority presenters at the GRC.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9907017
- **Project number:** 1R13AT010821-01
- **Recipient organization:** GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Kerry Leigh McPhail
- **Activity code:** R13 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $28,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2019-12-01 → 2020-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9907017

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9907017, 2020 Marine Natural Products Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar (1R13AT010821-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9907017. Licensed CC0.

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