There have been substantial recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of membrane transport of folates, including the role that folate receptors and folate solute facilitative carriers play in the delivery of nutrients and both established and emerging antineoplastics, as well as diagnostic agents. This has extended therapeutic applications beyond the development of novel small molecules to encompass the delivery of immune-modulating agents and imaging agents via folate receptors. In parallel, there has been growing understanding of the role of folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism in cancer and inflammatory diseases, including the recent discovery of innovative small molecule enzyme inhibitors that target both cytosolic and mitochondrial one-carbon metabolism, and that exploit tumor specificities of folate transporters. A new addition in this area involves the tremendous advances in the structural biology of folate solute carriers and one-carbon enzymes that now permit the discovery of an exicitng new generation of targeted therapeutics.  Accompanying the clear pharmacologic ramifications of this research has been the elucidation of the molecular, structural, and functional basis for inherited disorders associated with folate transporter deficiencies.

Reflecting these ongoing developments, the Folate Receptor Society has sponsored a biannual meeting since 2006, alternating between North America and Europe. This meeting brings together leaders in these fields from throughout the world, including basic and translational scientists and clinical investigators in oncology and rheumatology from academia and industry, along with trainees at the graduate and postdoctoral levels. The informal format of these meetings is designed to foster maximal scientific exchange and collaboration focused on the latest developments in this continuously evolving field.