2009 Physical Virology Gordon Research Conference

描述（由申请人提供）：病毒具有自组织、对称和单分散结构。它们是动态的结构，对它们的环境做出反应。这些特性使病毒成为成功的寄生虫。然而，病毒行为的基本物理化学机制知之甚少。此外，越来越多的科学家正在利用病毒作为治疗载体、成像剂、纳米结构的支架、大型结构中的组件以及微反应器。在病毒学之外，通过使用生物自组装和源自生物模型的概念，在设计新材料方面取得了巨大进展。数学家、物理学家、化学家、材料科学家和生物学家已经对病毒学和拟病毒系统的这些方面进行了研究。这种多样性是一种优势，因为视角的广度，但也带来了挑战，因为学科之间的沟通不畅。物理病毒学戈登研究会议的目标是将这些研究人员聚集在一起，建立新的跨学科交流和合作。 公共卫生相关性：描述病毒行为的物理基础将有助于更好地了解它们的生物活性。这种更深入的理解也可能导致基于病毒和病毒模拟系统的新疗法和新材料。这次会议将汇集来自生物学，化学，物理学，工程学和数学的研究人员，以建立新的跨学科交流。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Viruses have self-organizing, symmetrical, and monodisperse architectures. They are dynamic structures that respond to their environment. These properties make viruses successful parasites. However the underlying physical chemical mechanisms of virus behavior are poorly understood. Furthermore, a growing community of scientists are taking advantage of viruses as therapeutic vectors, imaging agents, scaffolding for nanostructures, components in larger constructions, and as microreactors. Outside of virology, there have been tremendous advances in the design of new materials by using biological self-assembly and concepts derived from biological models. These aspects of virology and virus-mimetic systems have been investigated by mathematicians, physicists, chemists, material scientists, and biologists. This diversity is a strength because of the breadth of perspectives but poses challenges because of the poor communication between disciplines. The goal of the Physical Virology Gordon Research Conference is to bring together these investigators to establish new interdisciplinary communication and collaboration. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Describing the physical basis for virus behavior will lead to a greater understanding of their biological activities. This greater understanding may also lead to new therapeutics and new materials based on viruses and virus-mimetic systems. This meeting will bring together investigators from biology, chemistry, physics, engineering and mathematics to establish new interdisciplinary communication.