The Plant Sensing, Response and Adaptation to the Environment meeting will be held Jan. 11-16 at Big Sky Resort in Big Sky, Montana. This meeting brings together ecologists, geneticists and biochemists all interested in integrating systems approaches, the simultaneous experimental investigation of the many different complex interacting molecular components of cells and organisms. To understand the mechanisms that drive the appropriate growth responses under a wide range of environmental conditions, plant physiology is pursuing a level of sophistication that requires the field to move into such systems-type approaches. A major goal of this meeting is to excite a new generation of multidisciplinary students to study the basis of phenotypic plasticity, i.e., how plants with the same genome give rise to different characteristics. In the future, such studies may explain how to more efficiently create ethanol-based fuels and will be crucial for understanding the consequences of global warming and climate change on plant life. This meeting will enhance infrastructure by fostering networking and initiation of collaborations. We anticipate the following educational benefits: acquaint trainees and investigators new to the field with the state-of-the-art; critical scientific feedback; and career development for trainees and new investigators, including opportunities both to see successful scientists presenting cutting-edge science and to network with prospective mentors and others who might contribute to their scientific and professional development. Invited speakers are top-notch scientists who will present unpublished results. Keystone Symposia provides an internationally recognized platform as well as resources to ensure the success of this meeting.
