9513084 Olson This award supports the participation of 15 U.S. scientists in a U.S.-Japan seminar entitled "Molecular Dynamics of Ligand Binding to Myoglobins and Related Heme Proteins" to be held at Rice University in Houston, Texas on March 2-5, 1997. The co-organizers are Professor John S. Olson from Rice University and Professor Teizo Kitagawa from the Institute for Molecular Science, Okazaki National Research Institutes, Japan. The specific aims of the seminar are to: (1) summarize current successes in correlating computer simulations with kinetic measurements of oxygen, carbon monoxide, and nitric oxide binding to myoglobins and hemoglobins; (2) identify key problems associated with extending computations and structure determinations to physiologically important time scales (nano- to milliseconds); and (3) propose new approaches to address these issues and their relationship to the design of heme protein-based blood substitutes. The long-term goals are to create joint research programs between a cross section of leading Japanese and American scientists which will push further the limits of computational, protein engineering, and time-resolved spectroscopic techniques, and which will fulfill the objectives of the U.S./Japan Program through the exchange and transfer of scientific knowledge by international collaboration. ***
