2nd Stem Cell - Niche Interactions in the Gastrointestinal Tract Conference

The past ten years have seen an explosion of information regarding stem cells (SCs) within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, due to an improved ability to identify SCs, follow their fates, and manipulate them in vitro. The next frontier in the field of GI stem cell biology is understanding the role that dysregulated ISC behavior plays in the etiology of numerous diseases, and conversely, the impact of GI diseases on proper SC function. This meeting will bring together a diverse group of investigators to discuss topics such as how the environment of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon impacts SC behavior in healthy and diseased states, how SC behaviour and the niche differ along the proximal-distal axis of the GI tract, and the strengths of various models for investigating the relationship between gastrointestinal SCs, the niche, and the onset and propagation of disease states.