2010 Enzymes, Coenzymes, and Metabolic Pathways Gordon Research Conference in Waterville, NH on July 18-23

生命是由化学物质控制的。数千种生命赖以存在的重要化学反应都是由酶催化的。尽管人们系统地研究了一个多世纪，酶如何加速化学反应仍然不清楚。酶学已经深入到揭示生物学中催化的机制，现在试图从大分子结构和大分子的动态运动的角度来理解反应性。结构和它们的运动促进了一些化学上复杂的、生物上关键的反应。同样重要的是，这些相同的结构可以防止有害的副作用。酶反应性的优雅调整是在选择压力下进化的结果。不断变化的环境，或不断变化的代谢需求，导致新的酶活性进化。了解酶是如何催化反应的，它们的活性是如何被控制的，以及新的活性是如何出现的，需要从许多角度来理解。本次戈登酶，辅酶和代谢途径会议将提供一个高度互动的场所来展示和讨论酶研究的前沿。更广泛的影响戈登酶、辅酶和代谢途径研究会议（GRC）是目前酶学领域最具影响力的会议之一。它聚集了该领域的领导者，学生或博士后水平的受训者，以及介于两者之间的人。学院的非正式氛围，加上GRC的保密政策，在促进思想和前沿成果的自由交流方面非常有效。酶GRC确实是许多卓有成效的合作和新的研究方向的发源地。酶GRC也是将妇女和代表性不足的少数民族纳入酶学和代谢途径社区的一个非常有效的机制。该活动使参与者能够与学术界，工业界和政府领域的领导者建立宝贵的网络。今年的会议延续了这一包容性的传统，演讲者和讨论领袖中有很大比例是女性和代表性不足的少数群体。会议还为研究生和博士后提供了重要的交流机会和智力发展机会，因此，通过培养新的人才，有助于维持该领域。

Intellectual MeritLife is controlled by chemistry. The thousands of vital chemical reactions that allow life are catalyzed by enzymes. Despite being studied systematically for more than a century, it is still not clear how enzymes accelerate chemical reactions. Enzymology has delved deeply into uncovering the mechanism of catalysis in biology and now attempts to understand reactivity in terms of macromolecular structure and in the dynamic motions of macromolecules. Structures and their movements promote some chemically complex, biologically critical reactions. Just as important, these same structures prevent deleterious side-reactions. The elegant tuning of enzyme reactivity is the result of evolution under selective pressure. Changing environments, or changing metabolic imperatives, cause new enzyme activities to evolve. The task of understanding how enzymes catalyze reactions, how their activity is controlled, and how new activities can emerge requires insight from many perspectives. This Gordon Conference on Enzymes, Coenzymes and Metabolic Pathways will provide a highly interactive venue to present discuss and debate the cutting-edge of enzyme research.Broader ImpactThe Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Enzymes, Coenzymes and Metabolic Pathways is now one of the most influential in the broad area of enzymology. It gathers the leaders in the field, trainees at the student or postdoctoral level, and those in between. The collegial, informal atmosphere, coupled to the GRC non-disclosure policy, is extremely effective in fostering the free exchange of ideas and cutting-edge results. The Enzymes GRC has truly been the birthplace of many fruitful collaborations and new research directions. The Enzymes GRC has also been a very effective mechanism for incorporating women and underrepresented minorities into enzymology and the metabolic pathway community. The event allows participants to build invaluable networks with leaders in the field from academia, industry, and government. This year's conference continues this tradition of inclusiveness, with a very high proportion of speakers and discussion leaders being women and underrepresented minorities. The conference also provides important networking opportunities and intellectual development for graduate students and postdoctoral associated, and, therefore, helps to sustain the field by developing new talent.