Ligand Recognition & Molecular Gating 2008 Gordon Research Conference

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal requests partial support for an international meeting on Ligand Recognition and Molecular Gating as part of the Gordon Research Conference series to be held in Ventura, CA, March 2-7, 2008. The broad and long term goal of the conference is to increase our understanding of how integral membrane proteins bind ligands (ions, small molecules, proteins) and transmit signals across membranes. The conference focuses on ion channels, G-protein coupled receptors, and transporters of all types, with emphasis on combining high resolution structural data with functional and theoretical data to probe gating or activation by ligands of these proteins. The specific aims of this meeting will be to convene approximately 40 speakers that represent critical areas of membrane protein research with a total of 150 participants for a five day conference in a relatively isolated setting. The program will have a keynote address and eight sessions that broadly address nucleotide-coupled transporters; transporters of ions, small molecules and sugars; ligand- and voltage-gated ion channels, ligand recognition in G-protein coupled receptors; the influence of lipids on protein folding and function; and new methods for obtaining structural information on membrane proteins. The significance of this application is that the Gordon Research Conference on Ligand Recognition and Molecular Gating is a critical component of the series of conferences that drive research in the international community of membrane protein structure/function researchers. The health relatedness of this application is that well over 50% of current pharmaceutical targets are integral membrane proteins of the types discussed at this conference, with structural and functional descriptions directly relevant to the design of new chemotherapeutic agents. The presentation and discussion of new results among biochemists, biophysicists, structural biologists, and theoreticians will define the questions that require experimental resolution in this field, impacting areas such as cancer (ABC transporters), vision/depression/cardiovascular diseases (G- protein coupled receptors), and neurological diseases (ion channels). PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The health relatedness of this application is that well over 50% of current pharmaceutical targets are integral membrane proteins of the types discussed at this conference, with structural and functional descriptions directly relevant to the design of new chemotherapeutic agents. The presentation and discussion of new results among biochemists, biophysicists, structural biologists, and theoreticians will define the questions that require experimental resolution in this field, impacting areas such as cancer (ABC transporters), vision/ depression/ cardiovascular diseases (G-protein coupled receptors), and neurological diseases (ion channels).