Summary: The 2018 Molecular Pharmacology Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) will highlight the latest advances in understanding G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and how they mediate regulation of physiological processes. Broadly, our goals are to disucss: 1) How ligands and modulators interact with receptors; 2) How receptors respond to these interactions; 3) How context, both spatial and temporal, affects the signaling output; and importantly 4) How we can harness these events to treat disease. The GRS is the trainee organized component of the conference and will kick-off the meeting on the first 2 days. GPCRs are well established effective therapeutic targets and presentations will focus on how we can further improve therapeutic development across diverse disease states, including cancer, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and pain. There will be focused session on developing non-opioid pain therapeutics and also on means to attenuate opioid use disorders. Funding is requested to support trainee participation in the GRS and the GRC. The GRS consists of 12 student or post-doc podium presentations; the GRC has ~70 speakers and discussion leaders. The GRS also includes a Mentorship workshop on how to transition to an independent career in academia or industry.