Conference: Plant DNA Repair and Recombination 2010; Pacific Grove, CA; March 2-5, 2010

近年来，专注于DNA修复和重组研究的植物科学家，以及在修复和重组方面受过训练和有经验的人，已经开始使用植物模型，创造了一个充满活力和富有成效的新学科。现有文献1 000多篇。该领域80多个实验室的研究继续扩大我们对植物如何应对环境和内源性威胁的理解，以促进其生长，发育和基因组稳定性，并显着推进植物同源基因靶向和定点诱变的长期目标。此外，许多拟南芥突变体，缺乏关键的和高度保守的DNA修复和DNA损伤反应蛋白（缺陷，这是致命的哺乳动物）的活力已被利用，以获得洞察，广泛的生物适用性，到一般机制的修复和损伤反应途径。然而，处理DNA修复和重组的国际会议继续关注细菌，酵母和动物模型系统，尽管大型植物会议或大会有时包括DNA修复和重组会议，但这些会议未能吸引来自世界各地的科学家的临界质量。这次会议将汇集一个国际小组的高级和初级研究人员，博士后，研究生在这一领域工作或感兴趣。 他们将接触到尖端科学-基础和应用-通过既建立调查人员和更多的初级科学家的谈话。该领域知名研究人员参加会议的情况已经很好，包括来自美国、加拿大、欧洲、以色列、日本和澳大利亚的实验室。通过提供这一关键质量的有才华的科学家在这一领域的广泛兴趣，我们希望促进活跃和广泛的讨论，包括所有与会者，无论是在正式的问题期间，并在更非正式的设置。 与会者的高素质，加上会议的亲密规模，确保所有的互动将是富有成效的，主要的科学家将接触到新兴的研究人员。这项提案的重点--专门为本科生、研究生、博士后科学家和助理教授的注册和住宿提供资金--是促进和便利美国年轻科学家，特别是那些来自传统上代表性不足的群体的科学家参与这一领域。

In recent years, plant scientists who have focused their research on DNA repair and recombination, together with individuals with previous training and experience in repair and recombination who have begun to employ plant models, have created a dynamic and productive new discipline. The literature now includes over 1,000 papers. Research by the more than 80 laboratories in this field continues to expand our understanding of how plants deal with environmental and endogenous threats to their growth, development, and genomic stability, and to advance dramatically the long-standing goals of in planta homologous gene targeting and site-directed mutagenesis. In addition, the viability of many Arabidopsis mutants that lack critical and highly conserved DNA-repair and DNA-damage-response proteins (deficiencies which are lethal in mammals) have been exploited to obtain insights, of broad biological applicability, into general mechanisms of repair and damage-response pathways. Nevertheless, international conferences dealing with DNA repair and recombination continue to focus on bacterial, yeast and animal model systems, and although large plant meetings or congresses sometimes include a DNA repair and recombin¬ation session, these fail to draw a critical mass of scientists from around the world. This meeting will bring together an international group of senior and junior investigators, postdoctorals, and graduate students working in or interested in this area. They will be exposed to cutting-edge science - both basic and applied - via talks from both established investigators and more junior scientists. Enrollment in the meeting by well-established investigators in the field is already excellent, and includes labs from the US, Canada, Europe, Israel, Japan, and Australia. By providing this critical mass of talented scientists with a broad range of interests in this field, we hope to promote lively and wide-ranging discussions that include all attendees, both in formal question periods and in more informal settings. The high quality of the participants, combined with the intimate scale of the meeting, ensures that all interactions will be productive ones, and that major scientists will be accessible to emerging investigators. The focus of this proposal- which specifically funds registration and lodging for undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral scientists, and Assistant Professors- is to promote and facilitate participation in this field by young US scientists, especially by those from traditionally underrepresented groups.