SUMMARY Support is requested for the 14th through 18th Annual Meetings of the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD). The 14th Annual Meeting of the OSSD will be held May 4-7, 2020 at the Marriott Hotel in Marina del Rey, California, near the Los Angeles International Airport. Subsequent meetings are planned annually beginning with San Antonio TX in 2021, and Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 2022. The mission of the OSSD is to enhance knowledge of the biological basis of sex/gender differences and the contribution of sex as a biological variable to health and disease by facilitating interdisciplinary communication and collaboration among scientists and clinicians from diverse scientific and professional backgrounds. The primary goal of the OSSD annual meeting is to provide a forum for scientists to explore aspects of sex differences research at the genetic, molecular, cellular, organ, and systems levels in humans and model systems. The annual meeting consists of one workshop, major Keynote and Capstone lectures, 16-20 parallel scientific symposia including a New Investigators Symposium, and two poster sessions highlighting the work of new investigators and trainees. The title for the OSSD 2020 meeting is “Sex Differences Across the Lifespan”, with a specific focus on aging and age-related diseases. Session topics are selected in a highly competitive process, with emphasis on scientific excellence and diversity of topics. The meeting typically serves 250 participants. A strong focus on trainee education includes several programs aim specifically at didactic activities and career development. Underrepresented minority scientists are well represented among meeting leaders, speakers, and attendees. Specific programs are organized to foster involvement of underrepresented minority individuals at all levels. Funds are requested to support registration fees for invited distinguished speakers, conference / travel support for junior investigators and trainees, attendance by minority undergraduate students, and expenses related to room rental and associated technical support, and poster board rentals. The annual meeting program, including speaker and poster abstracts will be freely available on the OSSD website.

NARRATIVE The proposal requests partial support for the 14th through the 18th Annual Meetings of the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD). The 14th Annual Meeting, entitled “Sex Differences Across the Lifespan”, will be held in Marina del Rey, Los Angeles, California, in May 4-7, 2020, with a particular focus on the effect of sex on age-related diseases. The OSSD is a scientific membership society with the mission to enhance the knowledge of sex/gender differences in human health and disease by facilitating nterdisciplinary communication and collaboration among scientists and clinicians from diverse backgrounds.