2026 Cellular and Molecular Fungal Biology Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar

About This Grant

Project Summary This R13 application seeks support for the 2026 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Cellular and Molecular Fungal Biology, to be held June 20–26, 2026. This premier, international scientific meeting, is dedicated to advancing the frontiers of fungal biology through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research. The conference prioritizes discussion and fosters informal interactions among scientists of all career stages, with a strong emphasis on supporting early-career researchers. The broad, long-term goal of the conference is to disseminate knowledge about fungal biology and pathogenesis. The 2026 meeting marks the 50th anniversary of the Cellular and Molecular Fungal Biology GRC series and will focus on fungal evolution across multiple scales as a lens to explore the remarkable complexity of fungal phenotypic and genomic diversity. Discussions will address the drivers of fungal evolution—including environmental pressures, microbial communities, and competition—as well as the technologies used to study them. Topics will span metabolic, cellular, intra-organismal, functional genomic, and ecological perspectives. The conference is five days long and is held in a remote location to foster camaraderie and build lasting scientific communities. In addition to premier talks, the program includes poster sessions for participants at all career stages, afternoon free time, and communal meals to encourage informal networking. The meeting is co-convened with a Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), and most attendees will participate in both events. The specific aim is to convene 50 speakers and 150 participants, representing a wide range of sub-disciplines, to explore the leading edge of fungal research, promote early-career development, and shape the next 50 years of discovery in cellular and molecular fungal biology.