Gordon Research Conference: 2006 Macromolecular Organization & Cell Function: Cellular Systems Biology Conference to he held in Mt. Holyoke, MA on August 6-11,2006

2006年戈登大分子组织和细胞功能研究会议（GRC）聚焦于活细胞内部组织所发挥的基本功能作用，以提供对特定分子成分之间的相互作用如何促进基本细胞功能的系统级理解。亚细胞组织通常是短暂的，如分子马达与细胞骨架的动态相互作用，信号转导途径中的大分子，或代谢途径中的酶成分。许多这些相互作用依赖于完整细胞内存在的独特条件和区隔，这些条件和区隔被常规体外方法干扰甚至破坏。重点放在解释生化和结构数据的光已知的细胞内条件，包括蛋白质和代谢物的空间分布。讨论了大分子组装的研究，非侵入性亚细胞成像，第二信使信号通路的细胞拓扑结构，以及细胞蛋白质和代谢物的全局分析。此外，理论建模，包括处理大量生物信息学数据的机制的开发和测试，是会议的主要重点，基于认识到复杂的相互作用很难在没有计算工具的情况下进行研究。在这方面，本次会议所涵盖的主题是最前沿的，并且解决了将还原论数据整合到更广泛和全面地理解细胞环境及其对细胞功能的影响方面的独特需求。这个会议传统上是由具有广泛兴趣和专业知识的科学家参加的，从实验家到理论家，来自广泛的学科。积极的跨学科讨论对参与者具有极大的激励和价值，并且也促进了许多记录在案的合作。与会者对会议本身的评价一直很高，会议结束时分发的一份调查问卷记录了这一点。鼓励和促进妇女和少数民族以及博士后、研究生和本科生的参与。在2006年的会议上，40%的演讲者是女性；在2004年的会议上，妇女和/或少数民族的与会者人数相同。整整40%的参与者还将自己列为初级科学家。美国国家科学基金会的支持有助于实现这种高水平的多样化参与。这次会议是独一无二的，它汇集了越来越多的科学家，他们专注于细胞组织和生物复杂性，通过跨学科和专业领域来解决不同的，但重叠的科学问题和目标。过去与会者的评论支持这样一种观点，即对具有共同起源的问题的思想和方法的多样性是本次会议的主要好处。

The 2006 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Macromolecular Organization and Cell Function focuses on the essential functional role played by the internal organization of the living cell to provide a systems level understanding of how interactions between specific molecular constituents contribute to basic cell function. Subcellular organization often is transient, as in dynamic interactions of molecular motors with the cytoskeleton, of macromolecules in signal transduction pathways, or of the enzymic components of metabolic pathways. Many of these interactions depend on the unique conditions and compartmentation that exist within the intact cell that are disturbed or even destroyed using conventional in vitro approaches. Emphasis is placed on interpretation of biochemical and structural data in the light of known intracellular conditions including the spatial distribution of proteins and metabolites. Discussed are studies on macromolecular assemblies, non-invasive subcellular imaging, cellular topology of second messenger signaling pathways, and the global analysis of cellular proteins and metabolites. In addition, theoretical modeling, including the development and testing of mechanisms for handling large amounts of bioinformatics data, is a major emphasis of the conference based on the recognition that complex interactions are very difficult to study without computational tools. In this respect, the topics covered at this conference are cutting edge, and address a unique need regarding integration of reductionist data into a broader and holistic understanding of the cell environment, and its effect on cell function.Broader Impacts This conference is traditionally attended by scientists with a wide range of interests and expertise, ranging from experimentalists to theorists, and from a wide range of disiplines. There is active cross-disciplinary discussion that has been greatly stimulating and valuable to the participants, and which has also fostered numerous documented collaborations. The meeting itself has consistently been judged very highly by the participants, as documented via a questionaire distributed at the end of meetings. The participation of women and minorites, as well as post-doctoral, graduate and undergraduate students is encouraged and promoted. For the 2006 meeting, 40% of the speakers are women; at the meeting in 2004, an equal number of total participants were women and/or minorities. A full 40% of participants also list themselves as junior scientists. NSF support is instrumental in acomplishing this high level of diverse participation This meeting has been unique with repsect to bringing together a growing community of scientists focused on cellular organization and biocomplexity by cutting across disciplines and areas of expertise to address diverse, yet overlapping, scientific questions, and goals. Comments by attendees in the past support the notion that this diversity of ideas and approaches to questions with common origins is a primary benefit of this conference.