2006 Theoretical Biology and Biomathematics Gordon Conference

戈登理论生物学和生物数学研究会议（GRC）每两年举行一次，已经举办了30多年。会议的主要目标是汇集来自定量生物学广泛领域的成熟和年轻研究人员，分享新方法，并讨论这一令人兴奋和快速发展的科学领域的进展。这次会议延续了会议的悠久传统，由杰出和热情的发言者在该主题的前沿提出新的研究成果。相对较少的与会者人数和非正式的会议形式为萌芽新的科学合作提供了理想的环境。这个多学科的会议对于确定理论生物学和健康科学的新挑战和方向至关重要。会议的形式是九个正式会议，每个会议由会议主席介绍该领域，然后是两个或三个邀请演讲。除了正式会议外，还有两个下午的海报会议。会议主席和特邀演讲者由既有领导者和充满活力的新研究人员组成。与传统一致，本次会议将代表各种各样的主题：生物系统中的噪声，生物聚合物和膜，生物网络，癌症，环境化学计量学，钙动力学，社会昆虫，突触可塑性和免疫学。主题的广度涵盖了生物现象的许多空间和时间尺度，反映了今年会议的主题“从分子到网络”。受邀演讲者是根据他们的专业知识和成就挑选的，同时努力平衡性别和少数群体的代表性。本次会议的广泛影响是多方面的。它的多学科性质促进了生物学家和数学科学研究人员之间的新合作。会议为研究生和博士后研究员提供了一个理想的环境，与理论生物学领域的领导者进行互动。会议上所代表的主题的广度使研究人员接触到在不同领域开发的新的数学和计算工具。最后但并非最不重要的是，会议提供了一个合议和包容的环境，鼓励妇女和其他在科学领域代表性不足的群体的参与。

The Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Theoretical Biology and Biomathematics is held every two years and has been running for more than 30 years. The primary goal of the conference is to bring together established and young investigators from a wide range of fields in quantitative biology to share new approaches and discuss advances in this exciting and rapidly growing area of science. This meeting continues the conference's long tradition of exceptional and enthusiastic speakers presenting new research results at the frontiers of the subject. The relatively small number of attendees and informal format of the meeting provide an ideal setting for germinating new scientific collaborations. This multidisciplinary conference is crucial for identifying new challenges and directions in theoretical biology and the health sciences.The format of the conference is nine formal sessions, each beginning with an introduction to the field by the session chair followed by two or three invited talks. In addition to the formal sessions, there are two afternoon poster sessions. The session chairs and invited speakers consist of both established leaders and energetic new researchers. Consistent with tradition, a wide variety of topics ranging will be represented at this conference: noise in biological systems, biological polymers and membranes, biological networks, cancer, environmental stoichiometry, calcium dynamics, social insects, synaptic plasticity and immunology. The breadth of topics cover many spatial and temporal scales of biological phenomena, reflecting the theme of this year's conference, ``From Molecules to Networks.'' Invited speakers have been selected based on their expertise and accomplishments, while trying to balance gender and minority representation.The broader impacts of this conference are numerous. Its multidisciplinary nature fosters new collaborations between biologists and researchers from the mathematical sciences. The conference provides an ideal setting for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to interact with leaders in the field of theoretical biology. The breadth of topics represented at the meeting exposes researchers to new mathematical and computational tools that are being developed in fields different from their own. Last but not least, the conference provides a collegial and inclusive environment that encourages the participation of women and other groups that are underrepresented in science.