Intellectual Merit: Lipids are fundamental macromolecules required for all cellular life. Lipids delimit cellular compartments, are components of energy generating membranes, serve as storage reserves to support growth and development and act as signals in cellular communication networks. Plant-derived oils provide a major source of calories for humans and include essential dietary components required by all mammals. Plant oils continue to play an increasingly important role in US energy independence offering remarkable promise in biodiesel applications and oleochemical feedstocks in a bio-based economy. Furthermore, there are growing numbers of examples of plant-derived lipids that have important therapeutic applications. It is important, therefore, for plant lipids to be at the focus of a detailed, coordinated research effort by a diverse group of scientists. Despite their involvement in virtually all aspects of biology and importance to society, lipids are by far the least well understood of the major cellular components and tend to be an underrepresented topic at large plant biology meetings. In response, a new Gordon Research Conference was launched in 2007 entitled Plant Lipids: Structure, Metabolism and Function. The first conference took place in February 2009 with 143 conferees, of whom 81% rated the meeting "above average" on science, discussion, management, atmosphere and suitability. Based on this positive evaluation, the second Gordon Research Conference on Plant Lipids will take place in February of 2011. This second conference will accelerate research productivity in the field of plant lipids. The conference will continue to promote the integration of two groups and concepts in the field of plant lipids, one group with a focus on biochemistry and molecular biology and one group with a focus on lipid signaling functions. Nine session themes will broadly address important contemporary biological, analytical, or biotechnological aspects of plant lipid research and will provide an umbrella for a discussion of the newest findings and trends in the field.
Broader Impacts: The conference will facilitate wide dissemination of research breakthroughs, support recruitment of young scientists to the field and encourage broad participation of the plant lipid community in guiding future directions for research. The conference will be open to all researchers interested in plant lipids and will provide a venue for the presentation of the latest research results, networking opportunities for young scientists, and a forum for the development and exchange of useful lipid resources and new ideas. The setting will facilitate the sharing of a broad range of insights enabling the community of plant lipid researchers to function as a network of vested partners. The discussion leaders and speakers represent diversity in rank, geographical area and gender. Applications from underrepresented minority participants will be encouraged and a dedicated committee will help to identify and support diverse participation. Award funds will offset meeting costs for as many participating students, postdoctoral researchers and young investigators as possible. This is important for the vitality and sustained growth of the plant lipid research community.
The Gordon Research Conference on PLANT LIPIDS: STRUCTURE, METABOLISM & FUNCTION was held at Hotel Galvez, Galveston, Texas on January 30 – February 4, 2011. The Conference was well-attended with 127 participants (attendees list attached). The attendees represented the spectrum of endeavor in this field coming from academia, industry, and government laboratories, both U.S. and foreign scientists, senior researchers, young investigators, and students. Of the 127 attendees, 38 voluntarily responded to a general inquiry regarding ethnicity which appears on our registration forms. Of the 38 respondents, 26% were Minorities – 0% Hispanic, 26% Asian and 0% African American. Approximately 26% of the participants at the 2011 meeting were women. In designing the formal speakers program, emphasis was placed on current unpublished research and discussion of the future target areas in this field. There was a conscious effort to stimulate lively discussion about the key issues in the field today. Time for formal presentations was limited in the interest of group discussions. In order that more scientists could communicate their most recent results, poster presentation time was scheduled. Attached is a copy of the formal schedule and speaker program and the poster program. In addition to these formal interactions, "free time" was scheduled to allow informal discussions. Such discussions are fostering new collaborations and joint efforts in the field. Thank you for your support of this Conference. As you know, in the interest of promoting the presentation of unpublished and frontier-breaking research, Gordon Research Conferences does not permit publication of meeting proceedings.
