2008 Bacterial Cell Surfaces Gordon Research Conference

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal seeks support for the 18th Bacterial Cell Surfaces Gordon Conference, to be held from June 22 - 27, 2008, at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire. The overall theme of the meeting is the structure and function of bacterial envelopes and surfaces, including bacterial membranes, cell walls, and surface appendages. The uniqueness of this conference is to present a diverse program in topics and approaches combining biochemistry, molecular genetics, structural biology, and imaging. Fundamental aspects of molecular microbiology will be presented in 9 sessions on secretion, protein traffic, envelope biogenesis, cell walls, surface polymers, cell envelope stress response, division and shape, channels and transporters, and cellular compartmentalization. The objectives of the Conference are two-fold: 1) to highlight cutting-edge research in these areas by bringing together a collection of investigators who are at the forefront of their field, and 2) by providing opportunities for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work in poster format and exchange ideas with leaders in the field. The traditional format of the Gordon Conference, with programmed discussion sessions and opportunities for informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings, conveys a collegial atmosphere where interactions between attendees are easily attained. Although the science presented is basic in nature, the topics of this multi-faceted conference are of practical interest to the biomedical community in the areas of pathogenesis, antibiotic action and resistance, and host-microbe interactions, as many of these phenomena involve processes at the level of membranes, cell walls or cell surface. Therefore, this proposal is relevant to the mission of the NIH and the Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease to support research in emerging infectious diseases, drug-resistance, development of new antibiotics and bioterrorism. Processes at the bacterial surface and envelope play fundamental roles in the interplay between bacteria and their human hosts, for example for the secretion of toxins, adaptation to host environments and resistance to antibiotics. In the current public health climate of bioterrorism threats and increased drug-resistant organisms, understanding the molecular basis of these processes is of vital importance. Success in these research endeavors is enhanced by the exchange of information and ideas promoted by the Bacterial Cell Surfaces Gordon Conference.