International Symposium of Rice Functional Genomics Conference to be held at Jeju, Korea November 10 - 12, 2008

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Rice is one of the world's most important food crops and a major crop in some U.S. states. Rice is also used as a model system for the cereals because of its small genome that has been completely sequenced and because of other features that facilitate experimental biology such as ease of transformation. Unraveling the functions of the estimated 40,000+ genes in rice will have a significant impact on the biology, as well as breeding, of rice and other cereals. The International Rice Functional Genomics Consortium (http://irfgc.irri.org/) of rice researchers from 10 leading countries including the USA is responsible for the coordination of all international efforts towards this end. A major activity of the Consortium is the International Symposium of Rice Functional Genomics (ISRFG), which is held in a different country each year. The ISRFG is the most important conference in rice genomics and attracts wide international participation. The 6th ISRFG will be held in Korea in November 10 - 12, 2008, and is expected to attract 400 participants from 30 countries. This conference will provide information about the current status of rice functional genomics research, stimulate exchanges of ideas, collaborations, and efficient strategies for achieving the goal of understanding the functions of all rice genes. The funding provided by NSF will be used to broaden participation of young scientists from the US community. Their participation in this conference will benefit and enhance research in the US using rice as an experimental system, as well as research into other cereal crops.