UC Davis Cardiovascular Symposium 2012, March 1-2

System Approach to understanding Cardiac Excitation-Contraction Coupling and Arrhythmias
Ca²⁺ Current and SR Ca²⁺ release

Organizing Committee Donald M Bers, Ph.D. (Chair) Ye Chen-Izu, Ph.D (Contact) Nipavan Chiamvimonvat, M.D. Leighton T Izu, Ph.D

Advisory Board Fred Meyers, M.D. Reginald Low, M.D. Scott Simon, Ph.D. Saul Schaffer, M.D.

Conference Goals

The main goal is to combine perspectives of experimental and mathematical modeling approaches in studying complex heart disease mechanisms. The expert modelers and experimentalists attending are encouraged to exchange information, identify points of consensus and controversy, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, and share information via white-paper publication. We will use the joint experimentalist-modeler format (which was very successful in our previous symposium) to gain in-depth quantitative understanding of the focus area of this symposium: Cardiac Ca²⁺ current and SR Ca²⁺ release.

Format of Sessions

The symposium will have 8 sessions. Each session contains a 30 min experimental presentation (+10 min Q/A), a 30 min modeling presentation (+10 min Q/A), and a 30 min panel discussion on critical issues from both.
Speakers: Please summarize points of both consensus and controversy on your topic, being provocative is OK to stimulate discussion. Try not to use a routine seminar on your own research.
Discussion leaders and panelists: The panelists are expected to identify critical issues, controversies, and important questions that warrant further investigation. We ask the Discussion Leaders to set the stage and actively stimulate discussions on the topic. This is a major part of the Conference.

White Paper

We plan to summarize Conference outcomes in a white paper that we plan to submit to Circulation. One or two participants from each of the eight sessions will be asked to help draft parts of the white paper.

Feedback

We ask you to give us feedback on the meeting contents and format. Your post-meeting comments will be critical for helping us to apply for conference grants and plan potential future symposia.