2016 Plant Volatiles GRC/GRS: Diversity of Targets, Effects and Applications of Plant Volatiles (Jan 31 to Feb 5, 2016, Ventura, CA)

气味是生物信息最常见、化学成分最多样化的载体。植物释放的挥发性化合物具有多种功能，包括细胞间的信号传递、植物间的交流、吸引传粉者等有益生物以及防御病原体。在人类的感知中，植物挥发性化合物是花、水果或香料的气味、香气或风味，是香水和芳香化产品的成分，或精油的活性成分，以及传统和替代医学中其他植物应用的活性成分。植物挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）是一个新兴的研究领域，尽管经过了近三十年的深入研究，但仍有许多核心问题有待解决。戈登研究会议“植物挥发物”（GRC-PV）（2016年1月31日至2月5日，加利福尼亚州文图拉）旨在通过促进多学科之间的知识和研究理念交流，启动植物挥发性有机化合物科学的转型，目的是了解挥发性有机化合物介导的植物与环境相互作用的令人难以置信的多样性的分子机制，并增强我们对植物挥发性有机化合物在一系列应用中的潜力的认识。会议将集中讨论四个主要的知识领域：-单细胞和植物系统水平voc生物合成多样性、分子调控和排放机制-植物voc在种内和种间相互作用中的多种作用-有机感知VOCs的分子机制-将VOCs作为生物基产品和可持续农业生物防治剂的技术和概念2016年GRC-PV将邀请来自16个国家的博士后和资深科学家在9场会议上发表演讲。GRC-PV和相关的针对青年科学家的戈登研究研讨会（GRS）将促进学生和早期职业科学家的参与，并提高与会者中代表性不足群体的比例。在整个会议期间，GRS与会者将有机会与学术界、科学出版界和工业界的导师就植物挥发物科学和职业发展的未来方向进行非正式讨论。该计划将在植物挥发物研究的多学科领域吸引并留住下一代有才华的年轻科学家。会议的目的是加强业界代表的参与，以促进研究挥发性有机化合物的可能应用。社交媒体和新闻稿将提高未来科学家和公众对“植物无声语言”重要性的认识。

Odor is the most frequent and chemically diverse carrier of biological information. Volatile compounds released by plants serve multiple functions, including cell to cell signaling, plant-plant communication, attraction of beneficial organisms such as pollinators, and defense against pathogens. In the human perception, plant volatile compounds are the odors, aromas or flavors of flowers, fruits or spices, the ingredients of perfumes and aromatizing products, or the active components of essential oils and other plant-based applications in traditional and alternative medicine. In spite of intensive research efforts over the last three decades, many central questions in the young research field of plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) remain to be answered. The Gordon Research Conference 'Plant Volatiles' (GRC-PV) (Jan 31 to Feb 5, 2016, Ventura, CA) has been designed to initiate a transformation of plant VOC science by boosting the exchange of knowledge and research philosophies among multiple disciplines with the goal to understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie the incredible diversity of VOC-mediated interactions of plants with their environment and to enhance our awareness of the potential of plant VOCs in an array of applications. The conference will focus on four major areas of knowledge: -VOC biosynthetic diversity, molecular regulation, and mechanisms of emission at the single cell and plant systems level -The diverse roles of plant VOCs in intra- and interspecific interactions -Molecular mechanisms of the organismal perception of VOCs -Technologies and concepts for applying VOCs as bio-based products and biocontrol agents in sustainable agricultureThe 2016 GRC-PV will host speakers from 16 countries ranging from postdocs to senior scientists in 9 sessions. Both the GRC-PV and the associated Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) for junior scientists will foster the participation of students and early career scientists and enhance the proportion of underrepresented groups among the attendees. GRS participants will have the opportunity throughout the conference for informal discussions with mentors from academia, science publishing, and industry about future directions in plant volatile science and career developments. This initiative will engage and retain the next generation of talented junior scientists in the multidisciplinary field of plant volatile research. The conference aims at enhancing the presence of representatives of the industry to facilitate the search for putative applications of VOCs. Social media and press releases will promote the awareness among future scientists and the general public of the importance of the 'silent language of plants'.