The Gordon Research Conference on Macromolecular Organization and Cell Function has met biannually since 1987. This proposal requests partial funding for the11th conference in this series and the first at Mt. Holyoke College; the past 5 conferences have been held at Queens College in Oxford, UK. As for all Gordon Conferences, the meeting is limited to 125 participants. The proposed conference will focus on the essential functional role played by the internal organization of the living cell to provide a systems level understanding of how interactions between specific molecular constituents contribute to basic cell function. Subcellular organization often is transient, as in the dynamic interactions of molecular motors with the cytoskeleton, of macromolecules in signal transduction pathways, or of the enzymic components of metabolic pathways. Many of these interactions depend on the unique conditions and compartmentation that exist within the intact cell that are disturbed or even destroyed using conventional in vitro approaches. Emphasis is placed on interpretation of biochemical and structural data in the light of known intracellular conditions including the spatial distribution of proteins and metabolites. Discussed are studies on macromolecular assemblies, noninvasive imaging, cellular topology of second messenger signaling pathways, and the global analysis of cellular proteins and metabolites. In addition, theoretical modeling, including the development and testing of mechanisms for handling large amounts of bioinformatics data, is a major emphasis of the conference based on the recognition that complex interactions are very difficult to study without computational tools. The conference is traditionally attended by scientists with a wide range of interests and expertise, ranging from experimentalists to theorists, and from a wide range of disciplines. There is active cross-disciplinary discussion that has been greatly stimulating and valuable to the participants, and which has also fostered numerous collaborations. The meeting itself has consistently been judged very highly by the participants. The participation of women and minorities, as well as post-doctoral and graduate students is encouraged. Although much of the program is now in place, several slots are being kept open, to be filled early next year, for presentations on the most recent developments in this rapidly moving field. ? ? ?
