The 2013 Gordon Conference on Stem Cells and Cancer will present cutting-edge research on the molecular, cellular and genetic mechanisms controlling self-renewal and differentiation of both normal and cancer stem cells. Normal stem cells are essential to maintain regenerative tissues, and are a critical component of repair in response to tissue injury. Genetic alterations of stem cells or their progeny can lead to the generation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) that drive tumorigenesis in hierarchically organized cancer entities. Related to their remarkable resistance to chemotherapy and radiation, CSCs are thought to be responsible not only for tumor re-occurrence but also for initiation and maintenance of metastases. The goal of this meeting is to discuss the genetic, epigenetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms that control stem cell activity in normal and cancerous tissues. Topics that will be explored in this meeting include: regulation of self-renewal, cellular reprogramming mechanisms, stem cell niches, cancer stem cell generation, dynamic evolution of cancer stem cells during tumor progression and metastasis formation, novel methods to isolate normal and cancer stem cells, mathematical modeling of stem cell driven populations and innovative strategies to target cancer and metastasis stem cells. The conference will bring together world-wide leaders at the forefront of stem cell and cancer research and will provide opportunities for postdoctoral fellows and graduate students to present their work in poster sessions and in a selected set of short talks. The conference will provide ample opportunities for discussions in an informal setting thus helping to foster interactions between researchers studying different areas of stem cell and cancer biology.