Conference: Cell Decision Making Workshop, Arlington VA

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Conference: Cell Decision Making Workshop, Arlington VA, June 10-11, 2013.Cells from across the biological kingdoms are continuously engaged in the process of decision making, by which is meant that cells take information from their surroundings (including neighboring cells), process this data through complex signal transduction and genetic circuits, and modulate their cellular phenotypes in response. Decision making implies that choices are made from competing options and that once made, these choices have some degree of persistence even as conditions change. This workshop will bring together theoretical and experimental scientists to discuss major issues in cell decision-making processes and the new approaches that may be employed to study these issues. This workshop will serve to catalyze discussions between research scientists with shared interests, but working on very different cell systems (eukaryotic vs. prokaryotic). Broader impacts. The workshop will point the direction to new research partnerships between theorists and experimentalists, and help develop a consensus for this field of research driven by the similarities in the biology of diverse cellular systems. The workshop organizers will write a report summarizing the status of the field, including the limits to current understanding; identification of the key questions for future research efforts; and the barriers to be overcome as the field moves forwards. The workshop supports the goal of broadening participation by the inclusion of women and members of groups under-represented in science.This award is supported by all clusters in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences and by the Physics of Living Systems Program in the Division of Physics.