Biomolecular recognition and biosensing have grown into large fields, with many subgroups of researchers who rarely communicate with each other across subfield boundaries. By bringing leading experimentalists and theorists from various subfields, from protein folding and allostery to ionic recognition, the International Symposium on "Solvation and Ionic Effects in Biomolecules: Theory to Experiment" will allow scientists to exchange ideas on current developments in corresponding subfields. The need for close collaboration between theory and experiment will be emphasized at the Symposium by alternating corresponding speakers. The Symposium speakers will be encouraged to submit a manuscript to the special issue of Biophysical Chemistry, which will highlight current progress in biorecognition and biosensing. The Symposium will be held in the Republic of Armenia from May 17th to 21st, 2010. The Symposium will be hosted by Yerevan State University, the leading scientific and educational institution in Armenia. Encouraging future scientific exchange between Western participants and Armenian scientists is another key goal of the Symposium. Better understanding of physics and chemistry of biomolecular recognition will lay groundwork for design of the next generation of biosensing applications. The organizers will also maximize participation of woman and minorities.
Water and ions provide a ubiquitous milieu for all life processes. Because of its importance in biology, there has been much focus on exploring the role of water and ions in the energetics and kinetics of biochemical processes. However, a detailed microscopic understanding of many solvent-mediated and ion-specific processes is still lacking. For example, how solvent contributes to the kinetics and thermodynamics of protein folding is a problem of great current interest. To answer questions like this, a systematic and concerted effort of theoreticians and experimentalists is required. In particular, theoretical analyses and simulations may provide molecular details necessary to interpret high resolution macroscopic ensemble measurements as well as single molecule results. Deepening our understanding of basic science of biomolecular recognition will provide groundwork for designing the next generation of biosensing applications. These questions were the focus of the International Symposium on "Solvation and Ionic Effects in Biomolecules: Theory to Experiment" which was in part supported by the National Science Foundation. The Symposium was carried out in the Republic of Armenia, in May 2010. The Symposium brought together leading experimentalists and theorists in the field of protein biophysics and bio-recognition. The latest research developments on investigating the role of ionic and solvent interactions on biomolecular interactions and complementarity were reported. Ample time was allowed for thorough scientific discussions after each presentation. Significant interactions occurred between the Symposium participants from various countries and local researchers and students from Armenia. Numerous students from Armenia both helped with logistics of organizing the conference, and participated in discussions during Symposium talks. A Facebook page was created where both international and local participants keep in touch after the Symposium has ended. Conference participants reported on significant advances in understanding the thermodynamics of biomolecular recognition from various physical experiments and computer simulations. Students from the United States, Armenia and other countries were exposed to leading researchers in biophysics, for many of whom this was their first international science exchange experience. The symposium was covered by major news organization in Armenia. Conference speakers and posters presented were invited to make a manuscript submission to a special themed Issue of Biophysical Chemistry on "Solvation and Ionic Effects in? Biomolecular Recognition: Theory to Experiment", that will be peer-reviewed. In summary, the contributions to the Symposium came from multiple fields of experimental and computational science, broadly focused on understanding molecular basis of recognition in biomolecular systems. Hence, the corresponding presentations and discussions in the Symposium helped to develop a physical framework for such fields as biosensing and small molecule detection by biological polymers.
