This application requests partial support of the Gordon Research Conference entitled Mechanisms of Membrane Transport, to be held June 14-19, 2009, at Colby College, Waterville, Maine. This conference has met biannually for over 40 years, focusing on areas mechanistic aspects of membrane transport proteins and channels. High resolution protein structures are emerging at an increasing pace and functional analysis of transport is undergoing a rebirth as a consequence;mechanistic analysis guided by transporter and channel structures are literally transforming the field. Insights gained from such work now allows critical evaluation of mechanisms central to the functioning of renal, GI and other epithelial systems, the basis of excitability in muscle and nerve, signal transmission at nerve synapses and extrusion of drugs. In addition to highlighting timely and important advances, this Conference will bring together junior and senior scientists from a broad range of disciplines, promoting interactions that are otherwise difficult to establish. The conference will include 9 formal sessions, with a focus on 24 primary lectures, each of 30 minutes length, followed by sufficient time (15 minutes) for significant dialog with the audience. Time on the podium will also be devoted to highlight the contributions of selected outstanding poster presenters, with an emphasis on new findings by students, postdoctoral fellows and young investigators. All Attendees will be encouraged to bring posters of their most recent work;based on historical data, this will allow for two poster sessions (Monday/Tuesday and Wednesday/Thursday) with 30-40 posters each. We have consciously selected a number of young investigators to present primary lectures, and have recruited a number of speakers who have not before attended this conference. Some flexibility remains in the program to take advantage of late-breaking unanticipated findings with significant impact.
This application requests support for a Gordon Research Conference entitled Mechanisms of Membrane Transport. The Conference, ongoing for the past 40 years, focuses on membrane proteins with a special interest in those involved in disease, including drug-resistant cancer, infectious diseases as well as pathologies that affect the neural, pulmonary, renal, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. By emphasizing basic mechanisms revealed by high-resolution structures in an atmosphere fostering the free and open exchange of ideas, the Conference hopes to accelerate optimal design of drug therapies and other interventions to ease the burden these disease states place on the nation's public health.
