Recipient Organization
GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCES, INC
512 LIBERTY LN
WEST KINGSTON,RI 02892-1502
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
This application requests supplemental support for the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) entitled CO2 Assimilation in Plants: Genome to Biome to be held on August 17-22, 2008 at the University of New England in Biddeford, ME. The emphasis of this conference on extensive, forward-thinking discussion of research on the carbon-side of photosynthesis is not duplicated by other conferences. Under the general theme of photosynthetic CO2-assimilation, the elected, international organizing committee has developed a timely and exciting program consisting of nine formal sessions and three contributed poster sessions with dedicated time during the evening sessions for poster discussion (see http://www.grc.org/programs.aspxyear=2008&program=co2). Consistent with recent trends in the field's advancing science, the sessions are designed to be integrative and to encourage participants to think beyond their specific research interests. In addition to sessions on specific topics from a diverse group of speakers, the program also includes a session devoted to hot-off-the-press findings from early-career scientists. The goal of this modest funding request is to provide fixed-fee or travel support to 10-15, mainly early-career, plant scientists, including graduate and advanced undergraduate students; postdoctoral research associates; and unfunded, beginning PIs. The participation of junior scientists will bolster the dynamic, cutting-edge nature of this GRC and stimulate ideas that could lead to future exciting advances in this active field of plant biology; one that is related directly to the enhancement and sustainability of crop productivity in a climate-changed world.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
100%
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The main goal of the Gordon Research Conference on CO2 Assimilation in Plants: Genome to Biome, to be held 17-22 August 2008, is to provide a single venue for researchers who investigate the wide range of topics associated with the carbon-side of photosynthesis from whole planet carbon exchange through molecular analysis of individual photosynthetic enzymes. The meeting is intended to foster new, interdisciplinary collaborations and to generate an understanding of the biochemical processes that control assimilation of CO2 by photosynthesis. Photosynthetic carbon assimilation by plants is the main driver of the global carbon cycle and determines the availability of the food, fiber and fuel resources used by mankind. This established field of research is inherently interdisciplinary, and has seen a resurgence in activity in recent years, spurred on by advances in molecular approaches for manipulating plant metabolism. In addition, the looming food and energy crises facing the world has renewed societys appreciation for the importance photosynthesis research in developing new varieties of plants that can provide the fixed carbon for meeting the food and biofuels needs of the future. The conference, which is held triennially, is instrumental in bringing together a diverse group of international scientists from industry, academia and government to exchange ideas and views on carbon assimilation from various vantage points. The enthusiasm and high caliber of interchange among the attendees, fostered by the extensive amount of time allotted for discussion, makes this conference the main venue for disseminating cutting-edge information about all aspects of photosynthetic carbon assimilation in plants, from genome to biome. A hallmark of the conference is the strong encouragement for participation by early-career investigators. To this end, the major objective of this modest funding request is to provide fixed-fee or travel support to 10-15, mainly early-career, plant scientists.
Project Methods
The Gordon Conference on CO2 Assimilation in Plants: Genome to Biome will bring together about 100 scientists for 5 days in an informal setting that will foster interchange among the participants. The program will address new research areas within the multidisciplinary field of carbon assimilation, with emphasis placed on new developments in metabolic pathways for CO2 uptake, assimilation and accumulation, engineering of the enzymes for CO2 assimilation, regulation of photosynthetic carbon assimilation from the whole plant to molecular levels and aspects of photosynthetic carbon assimilation related to biofuels, global climate change and the planetary carbon balance. The program will have 9 sessions, each with 1-6 speakers, led by a Discussion leader who will introduce the session. The morning session will have 4 speakers and conclude with a lengthy discussion period. The evening sessions will begin with an interactive discussion of the posters that were presented that afternoon and be followed by talks from 2 invited speakers. We have invited leading scientists for the invited talks, with special emphasis on diversity and young up-and-coming investigators. To further increase participation by early-career scientists, we have devoted an entire morning session (6 speakers) to presentations by early career scientists. To ensure that we have the latest, cutting-edge science, the talks for this session will be picked from the abstracts. Each day, speakers will give talks during the morning and evening, with the late afternoon devoted to poster presentations and the early afternoon free for informal discussions and leisure time. Prior to the formal talks in the evening session, discussion leaders will lead an interactive discussion of the posters by inviting presenters to summarize their posters and integrate their findings into an open discussion. The conference will close with a final plenary talk that will provide a multifaceted perspective on the field of photosynthetic carbon assimilation. The invited speakers at this conference are from a diverse range of geographic areas, representing 10 countries on 5 continents. We have planned the formal program to provide balance in gender and in senior/junior investigators, and are encouraging all participants, especially non-speakers, to present posters. Since the field of photosynthetic carbon assimilation is experiencing a resurgence of interest, it is our hope to provide financial support to all of the early-career scientists who attend the conference.