The 15th Annual International Conference on Microbial Genomics will continue the tradition of? bringing investigators from biology, technology and computer sciences together to discuss the most recent? advances in microbial genomics. This year?s series will continue to incorporate frontier areas including new? microbial communities, metagenomics, structural proteomics, synthetic biology including the modeling and? building of genetic circuits and metabolic pathways and conceivably the synthesis of completely artificial? genomes. We will also emphasize a new topic for this conference, bioenergy. The combination of topics? presented by leaders in the field, will offer attendees both the opportunity to build on existing genomic? projects or initiate new research utilizing the latest technology. As with past meetings, we expect? participants from a wide range of disciplines, including those from both academic and industrial institutions.? In addition, this conference will provide fellowship awards to support graduate students in order to train the? next generation of genomic experts.? ? The conference will consist of seven sessions: (1) Community biology/metagenomics and? pathogenesis; (2) Bioenergy; (3) Pathway engineering and Synthetic biology; (4) Evolution and Comparative? Genomics; (5) Regulation of Genomes; (6) Computer modeling resources and systems biology; and (7)? Structural genomics and biology. There will also be an afternoon poster session on Monday, Tuesday and? Wednesday offering the opportunity for all the participants to present their work.? ? The conference will be held at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center on the University of Maryland? College Park campus from September 16 to 20, 2007. Frederick Blattner (UW-Madison), who has been an? integral part of the Conference since its inception, will chair this year?s meeting. The organizing committee? consists of Patricia Kiley (UW-Madison), Jeffrey H. Miller (University of California at Los Angeles), Nicole T.? Perna (UW-Madison), Elisabeth Raleigh (New England Biolabs, Inc.), Steven Salzberg (UMD-College? Park), George Weinstock (Baylor College of Medicine), Jizhong Zhou (Oklahoma University).
