The 2014 Gordon Research Conference on Microbial Toxins and Pathogenicity will present the vanguard of infectious disease research. How bacterial pathogens, their secreted products, and the host dictate the outcome of infection will be discussed by thought leaders in toxin biochemistry and biology, molecular and cellular pathogenesis, innate immunity, and genomics of infectious disease. The opening session will feature a pair of keynote speakers who are prominent in the infectious diseases and toxin biology arenas. Each oral session will be chaired by an expert who introduces its theme and provides personal perspective on the state of the field. Ample time will be allotted for engaging discussions as participants grapple with unanswered questions and propose new ideas. All attendees are invited to share their research in the highly interactive poster sessions. In conjunction with the 2014 Conference will be the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Microbial Toxins and Pathogenicity, "New Approaches to Understand the Host-Pathogen Dynamic". Planned and attended exclusively by post-doctoral and pre-doctoral trainees, the GRS is an excellent forum for the next generation of scientists to discuss their research and to build community in the microbial pathogenesis field. Make your plans early to join your colleagues in Waterville Valley: Historically, both the GRC and GRS are over-subscribed.