The 2013 Cell Contact and Adhesion Gordon Research Conference marks the 40th year since the inauguration of this conference exploring the mechanisms of cell-cell interactions in the context of development, disease and the maintenance of adult tissue architecture. The 2013 meeting will focus on intercellular contacts mediated by classical and other types of cadherins, as well as a variety of cellular interactions mediated by eph/ephrins, nectins, tight and gap junction components. Speakers and poster discussions will examine how these receptors are integrated with signaling networks to modulate cell adhesion, migration and tissue patterning in a wide variety of model systems and organisms, and how the function of these networks is disrupted in human disease. Diverse experimental approaches to be highlighted include developmental, cell biological and biochemical, imaging and structural, as well as biophysical and materials science. The 2013 conference will be held at the newly renovated Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort, near the historical town of Lucca, in the Tuscany region of Italy. Meeting organizers are committed to an inclusive atmosphere that facilitates the informal exchange of ideas among all participants, including students and postdocs, as well as senior investigators and session leaders. The first Cell Contact and Adhesion Gordon Research Seminar will be held in conjunction with this long standing GRC to facilitate participation among trainees new to the field, and the conference schedule will include generous amounts of free time for informal discussions and recreational activities with colleagues.