Conference: 2012 Sensory Transduction in Microorganisms Gordon Research Conference; to be held January 15-20, 2012 in Ventura, CA

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Intellectual Merit The 2012 Sensory Transduction in Microorganisms Gordon Research Conference (STIM) will be held January 15-20 at the Ventura Beach Marriott in Ventura, California. This conference will focus on how microorganisms, particularly bacteria, sense and respond to their environment. This research will aid in understanding the basic mechanism of signal transduction and motility in all living organisms. The specific objectives of the conference include: 1)To provide a forum for investigators from a range of disciplines that spans computational modeling through biophysics to bacterial physiology to integrate their research results on microbes across the scale of molecular to population biology.2)To provide a mechanism for investigators with cutting-edge technical expertise to share their expertise and establish collaborations. Techniques of interest to the participants are modern high-throughput methods in bacterial genetics and phenotypic screening, cryo-EM tomography, microfluidics, single cell microscopy and in vitro reconstruction of signal transduction complexes.3)To promote junior investigators in the field and to encourage diversity within the research community.4)To stimulate interactions and collaborations between established investigators and graduate students/ postdoctoral fellows and to nurture the scientific development of early stage investigators.Some of the sessions for this year?s conference include: Diversity in chemotaxisReceptor signaling and architecture designSmall molecule signalingResponses to the physical environmentPhosphorylation and acetylation in signal transductionFlagella structure and functionBroader Impacts GRC STIM has a legacy of bringing together researchers from a variety of disciplines at all stages of their career. In 2010, approximately 40% of the participants were female and 49% were graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Feedback from the conference attendees in 2010 was solicited to help with broadening and sustaining participation for the 2012 conference. Based on the feedback, approximately 65% of the speakers for the 2012 conference have not spoken in four years and are either assistant or associate professors. In addition, the GRC STIM actively encourages participation of women and underrepresented groups.