Support is requested for the FASEB Summer Research Conference on Molecular Biophysics of Cellular Membranes. The importance of cellular membranes can hardly be overstated. The content of this meeting will integrate diverse areas of membrane biology and physics to seek answers to address critical questions regarding the biology of membranes. The 2010 conference will be the 11th in a 22 year series of FASEB meetings devoted to this area of research. The conference focus will be on the basic biophysical and structural principles underlying membrane structure and function, including membrane protein structure and assembly, and molecular descriptions of the mechanisms of membrane protein function. A principal objective of this conference has always been to stimulate cross-pollination of ideas amongst a diverse group of membrane biophysicists, cell biologists, biochemists, and physiologists by bringing them together in an intimate setting to share the latest developments in their fields. For example in past meetings, talks have ranged from highly biophysical (membrane protein folding, design, structure, and modeling), to highly biological (viral entry/exit and bacterial toxins). Thus, biophysicists are exposed to interesting biological problems in need of physical insight and biologists can learn about new ideas and techniques for studying and understanding membranes. The intention of the proposed conference is to continue the success of this broad mix, although the focus will remain on membrane biophysics. The requested funds will be used to support the registration and travel expenses of a diverse set of speakers, who include young investigators.
This project will provide support for world class speakers to participate in the FASEB Summer Conference on Molecular Biophysics of Cellular Membranes, which is held every other summer. Membranes and membrane proteins play a host of critical roles in health and disease but are extremely difficult to study. This conference will promote advances in membrane biology and biophysics by providing a venue for collegial sharing of cutting-edge advances and for promoting future advances by cross-fertilization of ideas among the diverse set of participants in this meeting.
