Conference: 2002 Gordon Research Conference on CO2 Fixation and Metabolism In Green Plants; August 11-16, 2002, South Hadley, Massachusetts

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

This grant provides support for the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on CO2 FIXATION & METABOLISM IN GREEN PLANTSlI to be held at Mount Holyoke College on August 11 th -16 th , 2002, four days after the Plant Biology 2002 meeting in Denver. This international GRC regularly takes place on a triennial basis, alternating between sites in the US and Western Europe. Its specific focus on extensive, forward-thinking discussion is not duplicated by any other plant-related conference. The internationally recognized organizing committee, comprised of Drs. Raymond Chollet (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) and Christine Foyer (IACR-Rothamsted, UK) as the elected Co-Chairs and Drs. George Bowes (University of Florida) and Susanne von Caemmerer (Australian NationalUniversity) as the elected Co-Vice-Chairs, has developed and finalized a timely, exciting program consisting of nine informal sessions and four contributed poster sessions. Consistent with recent trends in this GRC and this field's advancing basic science, the former sessions will be both integrative and rather wide-ranging under the general theme of photosynthetic CO2-fixation and metabolism in plants, including [1] Photosynthesis in the Ecosystem, [2, 3] CO2-Assimilating Enzymes & Their Regulation, [4] CO2-Concentrating Mechanisms, [5] Starch and Sucrose Metabolism, [6] C- and N-Signaling, [8] Chloroplast-Mitochondrial Interactions, and [9] a featured, after-banquet presentation on the emerging role of the chloroplast and photosynthesis in secondary metabolism in green plants. In addition, one entire session [7] will be devoted to early-career scientists and/or late-breaking, hot-off-the-press results selected from among the poster presentations and/or very recent literature. Along these lines, the critical, singular goal of this grant is to provide partial, fixed-fee and/or travel support to 12 early-career, US plant scientists, including graduate and advanced undergraduate students; postdoctoral research associates; and unfunded, beginning PIs. The participation of these junior US scientists will not only be of immense professional benefit and encouragement to them, but also to the dynamic, cutting-edge nature of a GRC, the success of Session 7, and to future exciting advances in this active field of experimental plant biology.