This application requests partial support for the 2008 Gordon Research Conference on Biointerface Science to be held in Aussois, France, September 14-19, 2008. The broad and long-term goal of the conference is to enhance our understanding of interactions between biomolecules and surfaces, and the behavior of complex macromolecular systems at materials interfaces, driven by the important role these interactions play in the fields of biology, biotechnology, diagnostics, and medicine.
The specific aims of this meeting will be to convene approximately 135 participants, including 22 invited speakers and 9 discussion leaders, whose research interests lie in biointerface science. Nine sessions will broadly cover the following aspects of biointerfaces: neural interfaces, regenerative medicine, computational modeling of biointerfaces, bionanosystems for drug delivery and imaging, membranes and membrane-based biosensing, biomolecules at biointerfaces, molecular design of biointerfaces, biointerfacial aspects of diagnostic devices, and nanoparticle interfaces. In addition to the oral sessions, two poster sessions as well as significant informal interactions will contribute to the goals of the conference. The significance of the application is that this conference has quickly become one of the main international conferences totally devoted to biointerface science, rather than the typical approach of being a small part of a larger conference. Furthermore, the conference embraces an intense experimental and theoretical understanding of molecular aspects of biointerfacial interactions. The health-relatedness of the application is that this fundamental research will lead to a myriad of new or improved healthcare technologies spanning genomics, proteomics, clinical diagnostics, biosensors, and biomaterials for regenerative medicine and dentistry. ? ? Project Narrative: The health-relatedness of the application is that enhanced understanding of experimental and theoretical aspects of biointerface science will lead to a myriad of new or improved healthcare technologies spanning genomics, proteomics, clinical diagnostics, biosensors, and biomaterials for regenerative medicine and dentistry. ? ? ?
