Recipient Organization
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
3400 N CHARLES ST W400 WYMAN PARK BLDG
BALTIMORE,MD 21218-2680
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The plant Arabidopsis thaliana has been the subject of genetic analysis for more than forty years. During the last decade the number of research laboratories using Arabidopsis as a model system has increased tremendously and has led to a rapid pace of discovery. Arabidopsis research has especially impacted our understanding of agriculturally important plants. A key component in the synergistic interactions among Arabidopsis research laboratories is the opportunity to meet and share results with colleagues from around the world at the annual International Conference on Arabidopsis Research (ICAR). The 17th annual meeting of ICAR, to be held June 28-July 2, 2006 on the campus of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, promises a scientifically intense program. The conference brings together over 1000 participants from the international community to exchange scientific results and report on progress in the field. The conference will include fourteen platform sessions each
featuring 4-5 speakers, the majority of whom will be junior faculty, post-Doctoral fellows, and graduate students. In addition, the conference will feature at least 600 poster presentations and several workshops on special topics such as database resources and teaching strategies. This year's conference will emphasize extending Arabidopsis studies to other plant species, stimulating innovative strategies for improvement of agricultural plants.
Animal Health Component
20%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
80%
Applied
20%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
A key component in the synergistic interactions among Arabidopsis research labs has been the opportunity to meet and share research with colleagues from around the world. The Conference on Arabidopsis Research has proven to be a highly effective venue for this purpose since its inception in 1965. The annual Arabidopsis meeting is a key forum for keeping researchers abreast of the latest advances in understanding Arabidopsis gene function, and for presenting innovative strategies to translate this understanding to other plant species. The objectives of the Conference are to 1) exchange information on the cutting edge of plant science, 2) foster collaborations among researchers with common interests, 3) stimulate translation of Arabidopsis research to agricultural plants, 4) provide professional training opportunities for junior scientists, and 5) foster participation from minority scientists.
Project Methods
The Arabidopsis Conference will feature several different venues in which to exchange scientific results including fourteen platform sessions, each of which will feature 4-5 speakers, three poster sessions on the evenings of June 29-July 1, and several workshops on topics proposed by conference attendees. The meeting will also promote informal interactions and discussions among participants through community meals and refreshment breaks between platform sessions. Several new sessions including Other Systems, Comparative Genomics, Systems Biology, and Energy have been added to feature ideas for extending results from Arabidopsis research to agriculture. The conference also places special emphasis on the professional development of junior scientists. In particular, approximately half of the platform presentations will be made by post-Doctoral researchers and graduate students selected on the basis of their poster abstracts. Finally, the Arabidopsis community strives to
foster minority participation in the meeting through a special advertising program aimed at minority institutions and travel/registration awards for minority applicants. This year eight minority awards will be offered to cover the full costs of attending the meeting.