With the rapid increase in new research findings, new tools and techniques, the soon-to-be-finished genome, the increased number of laboratories that work in all aspects of Medicago truncatula biology, and recent projects on next-generation genotyping in Medicago, a Medicago-specific meeting would benefit many researchers. The 2009 Medicago truncatula Model Legume Congress, to be held July 12-16, 2009 at the Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, CA, will provide such a venue for the international Medicago community. Scientific sessions will cover recent advances in legume biology, including symbiosis and other plant-microbe interactions, plant development relevant to legumes, nutrient homeostasis and secondary metabolism, and ecological genomics. Cross cutting themes will include subjects such as genome analysis (especially next generation technologies, phylogenetics and comparative genomics), ecology and population genetics, natural and induced variation, as well as bioinformatics and functional genomics tool development. The Congress will emphasize cross cutting themes and participation of researchers at all career stages, and will strive for gender balance. The participation of graduate students, postdoctoral and beginning investigators will be fostered through travel awards to attend the Congress. Funding provided by NSF will be used to broaden participation of young scientists from the US scientific community and from developing countries. Conference program and abstracts will be publicly available online on the conference website and through a program book of abstracts that will be distributed to meeting attendees.
