2010 Biopolymers Gordon Research Conference

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Funds are requested for partial support of the 2010 Biopolymers Gordon Research Conference. This conference has a long and distinguished history of serving the segment of the scientific community that is focused on understanding fundamental physical-chemical properties of biopolymers (proteins, RNA, DNA), including their structures, folding, dynamics, stability, and interactions. The 2010 Biopolymers GRC is particularly interested in supporting the participation of minorities and women. The broad goals of the conference are to improve our understanding of the fundamental properties of biopolymers and the relationship of these properties to their biological function. The specific aims of this meeting are to assemble leaders in the biopolymers field with junior scientists, postdocs and students in a five-day conference to discuss current approaches to elucidating the structures, function and folding of biopolymers and their complexes. The significance of the proposal is the unique role that the Biopolymers Gordon Conference plays in fostering interdisciplinary interactions among scientists who apply a breadth of techniques to understanding a number of distinct systems. Regular interdisciplinary meetings of this type inevitably support advances in science by promoting integration of distinct approaches to solving problems. Most importantly, the format of the Gordon Research Conference, in which much time is allotted to informal and formal discussion, is ideal for fostering the interactions that are critical precursors to interdisciplinary science. Furthermore, the Biopolymers GRC, by advancing understanding of the fundamental properties of biological macromolecules will directly benefit biomedical research across diverse fields. In choosing topics and speakers for the 2010 meeting, input was sought from members of science community. The organizers have also incorporated suggestions offered in response to the 2008 program. In addition to a keynote session, the 2010 schedule includes the following regular sessions: 1. RNA structure, folding and dynamics 2. Molecular Machines Acting on Nucleic Acids; 3. Binding, Allostery and Dynamics; 4. Proteins from Birth to Death; 5. Biopolymers by Design; 6. Membrane Proteins: Structure, Folding and Function; 7. Folding and Unfolding, Order and Disorder, and 8. Amyloid (Death by Misfolding). PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Biopolymers (proteins, RNA, DNA) are central to biological processes including signal transduction, metabolism and gene expression. Since defects in biopolymers are implicated in many human diseases, they are drug targets and are increasingly utilized as therapeutic agents themselves. The 2010 Biopolymers Gordon Research Conference will feature discussion of recent advances in understanding the structure, stability and dynamics of biopolymers as well as engineering of biopolymers for new function.