This conference is designed to bring together a diverse group of scientists and physicians to share and discuss the latest, cutting-edge research findings in the field of trace element biology. Essential micronutrients such as iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and selenium (Se) play critical roles in nutrition and health as illustrated by the wide range of diseases and disorders associated with defects in trace element metabolism. This meeting will be the 13th iteration of this long-standing conference series and will span a range of scientific interests from developmental biology, genetics, and biochemistry, to chemistry, nutrition, and clinical medicine. Session topics at the 2014 meeting will cover trace element uptake, trafficking, and regulation in microorganisms, higher eukaryotes, and plants, and the role of trace elements in genetic diseases, immunity, and nutrition. In addition, novel techniques to monitor trace elements in cells will be discussed. This conference series has been highly successful in integrating molecular, nutritional, and biomedical research and fostering fruitful collaborations across a broad range of disciplines.