Gordon Research Conference: 2006 Macromolecular Organization & Cell Function: Cellular Systems Biology Conference to he held in Mt. Holyoke, MA on August 6-11,2006

2006年戈登研究会议（GRC）的大分子组织和细胞功能的重点是活细胞的内部组织发挥的重要功能作用，以提供一个系统水平的理解如何特定的分子成分之间的相互作用有助于基本细胞功能。 亚细胞组织通常是瞬时的，如分子马达与细胞骨架的动态相互作用、信号转导途径中的大分子的动态相互作用或代谢途径中的酶组分的动态相互作用。 这些相互作用中的许多依赖于完整细胞内存在的独特条件和区室化，这些条件和区室化使用常规的体外方法被干扰甚至破坏。重点放在生物化学和结构数据的解释，在已知的细胞内条件，包括蛋白质和代谢物的空间分布。讨论了大分子组装，非侵入性亚细胞成像，第二信使信号通路的细胞拓扑结构，以及细胞蛋白质和代谢物的全球分析的研究。此外，理论建模，包括处理大量生物信息学数据的机制的开发和测试，是会议的一个主要重点，因为认识到没有计算工具就很难研究复杂的相互作用。 在这方面，本次会议所涵盖的主题是前沿的，并解决了一个独特的需求，即将还原论的数据整合到更广泛和全面的理解细胞环境及其对细胞功能的影响。更广泛的影响本次会议传统上由具有广泛兴趣和专业知识的科学家参加，从实验学家到理论家，从广泛的学科。 有积极的跨学科的讨论，已大大刺激和宝贵的参与者，这也促进了许多记录的合作。 与会者对会议本身的评价一直很高，会议结束时分发的一份调查问卷记录了这一点。 鼓励和促进妇女和少数民族以及博士后、研究生和本科生的参与。 在2006年的会议上，40%的发言者是妇女;在2004年的会议上，同样数量的与会者是妇女和/或少数民族。 整整40%的参与者也将自己列为初级科学家。NSF的支持有助于实现这种高水平的多样化参与这次会议是独一无二的，通过跨越学科和专业领域，将越来越多的专注于细胞组织和生物复杂性的科学家聚集在一起，以解决多样化但重叠的科学问题和目标。 过去与会者的评论支持这样一种观点，即对具有共同起源的问题的这种想法和方法的多样性是本次会议的主要好处。

The 2006 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Macromolecular Organization and Cell Function focuses on the essential functional role played by the internal organization of the living cell to provide a systems level understanding of how interactions between specific molecular constituents contribute to basic cell function. Subcellular organization often is transient, as in dynamic interactions of molecular motors with the cytoskeleton, of macromolecules in signal transduction pathways, or of the enzymic components of metabolic pathways. Many of these interactions depend on the unique conditions and compartmentation that exist within the intact cell that are disturbed or even destroyed using conventional in vitro approaches. Emphasis is placed on interpretation of biochemical and structural data in the light of known intracellular conditions including the spatial distribution of proteins and metabolites. Discussed are studies on macromolecular assemblies, non-invasive subcellular imaging, cellular topology of second messenger signaling pathways, and the global analysis of cellular proteins and metabolites. In addition, theoretical modeling, including the development and testing of mechanisms for handling large amounts of bioinformatics data, is a major emphasis of the conference based on the recognition that complex interactions are very difficult to study without computational tools. In this respect, the topics covered at this conference are cutting edge, and address a unique need regarding integration of reductionist data into a broader and holistic understanding of the cell environment, and its effect on cell function.Broader Impacts This conference is traditionally attended by scientists with a wide range of interests and expertise, ranging from experimentalists to theorists, and from a wide range of disiplines. There is active cross-disciplinary discussion that has been greatly stimulating and valuable to the participants, and which has also fostered numerous documented collaborations. The meeting itself has consistently been judged very highly by the participants, as documented via a questionaire distributed at the end of meetings. The participation of women and minorites, as well as post-doctoral, graduate and undergraduate students is encouraged and promoted. For the 2006 meeting, 40% of the speakers are women; at the meeting in 2004, an equal number of total participants were women and/or minorities. A full 40% of participants also list themselves as junior scientists. NSF support is instrumental in acomplishing this high level of diverse participation This meeting has been unique with repsect to bringing together a growing community of scientists focused on cellular organization and biocomplexity by cutting across disciplines and areas of expertise to address diverse, yet overlapping, scientific questions, and goals. Comments by attendees in the past support the notion that this diversity of ideas and approaches to questions with common origins is a primary benefit of this conference.