The cell is extremely crowded. As a result, much of the water inside the cell is in close proximity of macromolecular surfaces. Proximity is known to alter water's physical chemical behavior. The central question is the manner in which this altered behavior influences the behavior of local ions and macromolecules and attendant biological processes. Although there has been much conjecture on this subject, the issue remains controversial and unresolved. A Gordon Conference (GRC) has been set up to explore these issues in depth in an open, interdisciplinary setting. The meeting will be co-chaired by Gerald Pollack (University of Washington) and Chaim Frenkel (Rutgers University), and will be held at Mt. Holyoke College on June 6 - 11, 2004. Seed support has already been granted by the GRC, by the University of Washington and by Rutgers University. Because the subject of water is central to behavior of all biological systems, support from the NIH is being requested to conduct this meeting.
