Established in 1964, the Heterocyclic Compounds meeting is one of the longest running Gordon Research Conferences. This longevity reflects the continuing importance of the subject area to researchers in academic, government and industrial laboratories worldwide, as well as the impact of the problem-solving skills of organic chemists on important challenges in a variety of fields. Recent meetings have expanded inclusion of young scientists, women and minority scientists who are the faces of contemporary heterocyclic chemistry. In keeping with the GRC mission of exploring the frontiers of science, the 2014 conference will highlight contemporary topics in the synthesis and applications of Heterocyclic Compounds. The diverse line up of invited speakers will present exciting unpublished work in a range of areas including target directed synthesis, cancer research, synthetic methods development, chemistry and the environment, and the treatment of neglected tropical diseases. Poster Sessions: A key component of the conference is the poster sessions, which provide an opportunity for all conference participants to share research findings and make connections with others having similar research interests. Poster presenters will therefore be given preference for acceptance into the meeting. In addition, three poster abstracts will be selected by the Chair and Vice-Chair for presentation as short talks during the conference. The GRC format with the combination of formal presentations by leading researchers in the field, time allotted on the program for lively follow-up discussions, poster sessions, and ample time for informal interactions during the week provides an outstanding opportunity for any scientist with an interest in this important field. Scientists from groups under-represented in the scientific community are particularly encouraged to participate.