The Gordon Research Conference on Environmental Bioinorganic Chemistry is an important forum that brings together bioinorganic chemists, geochemists, environmental microbiologists, and industrial researchers to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the function, fate, and effect of trace elements in environmental systems. In this proposal, funds are requested to defray expenses of speakers, discussion leaders and conference chairs attending the conference, as well as other attendees on the basis of financial need. Funds will supplement monies provided by the Gordon Research Conference itself.
Trace metals are essential for the functioning of organisms and ecosystems and are also pervasive contaminants, emitted by a variety of industrial sources. Generally, their importance is associated with their roles in metalloenzymes that catalyze critical biogeochemical processes, such as nitrogen fixation. The effects of both essential and toxic metals are also modulated by intracellular and extracellular metal-binding compounds that control their biological availability and reactivity. There is increasing recognition that processes involving these metals must be understood at the molecular level in order to predict how their geochemical cycles are coupled to ecosystem structure and function. Moreover, geochemistry often poses severe constraints on cellular biochemistry, through extremes in temperature and pressure, as well as exceedingly low concentrations of certain metals that lead to the development of novel metalloenzymes and metal acquisition strategies. New knowledge about these processes provides the bioinorganic chemistry community with vast new opportunities to explore the relationships between coordination environment and reactivity. The 2004 Gordon Conference will be a very important meeting for the dissemination of new findings between the geosciences and basic chemistry communities.
The broader impacts of this Conference are expected to be substantial. The inaugural conference, held in 2002, was an outstanding success in bridging gaps between fields that are highly interdependent, but generally do not communicate very well. The Conference has promoted new and productive collaborations between chemists and environmental researchers, led to the exchange of graduate students and postdocs between these disciplines, and it has fostered a diversified and supportive intellectual community to help young scientists foster their careers. New disciplines provide opportunities for early-career scientists, affording a special opportunity to encourage the career development of female scientists. Moreover, participation of a diverse community of scientists in the conference will be encouraged, and will be a consideration in decision-making if the conference is over-subscribed.
