Conference on Force Transduction in Biology; Arlington, VA.; July 24 - 26, 2000

Harvard University, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

This award provides support for an NSF-sponsored Workshop on Force Transduction in Biology, to be held in Arlington, VA, July 24-26. The transduction of mechanical force into biological response occurs at many length scales, ranging from the molecular to the macroscopic. This Workshop will examine mechanisms of force transduction that span these multiple length scales. Or particular interest are hierarchical aspects of force transduction, or common themes that may unify concepts at the cellular, sub-cellular, tissue, organ and organism levels. Also important are specific force-response events that may occur within the cell, between cells, among tissues, etc. The major themes of the conference will be (1) force transduction at the molecular, cellular tissue, and organism levels, (2) relations between molecular structure and mechanical properties, and (3) relations between mechanical forces and biological function. The Workshop is interdisciplinary and is intended to encourage and facilitate communication at the Physics/Biology interface. Participants come from a wide range of disciplines, including bioengineering, biology, mathematics, physics, and the neural sciences. Support will be provided for younger faculty and advanced graduate students. The results of the workshop will be presented in a Workshop Report, which will be discuss opportunities and challenges in the general area of force transduction in biology. %%% This award provides support for an NSF-sponsored Workshop on Force Transduction in Biology, to be held in Arlington, VA, July 24-26. The Workshop is interdisciplinary and is intended to encourage and facilitate communication at the Physics/Biology interface. Participants come from a wide range of disciplines, including bioengineering, biology, mathematics, physics, and the neural sciences. Support will be provided for younger faculty and advanced graduate students. The results of the workshop will be presented in a Workshop Report, which will be discuss opportunities and challenges in the general area of force transduction in biology