2010 Cellular and Molecular Fungal Biology Gordon Research Conferences

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to advance the scientific study of filamentous fungi. These eukaryotes serve as models for biology and are socially important as symbionts (mutualists, parasites and pathogens) and in industry (food, chemical and pharmaceutical manufacture, including enzymes important to conversion of plant biomass to transportation fuels). The project will feature research on the key programmatic areas of symbioses (mutualists and pathogens) and defense from virus and horizontally transferred DNA, areas of research new to filamentous fungi, fungal small RNA, fungal population genomics and systems biology, an area of current social importance, fungal conversion of plant biomass to transportation fuels, and the core areas of filamentous fungal cell and molecular biology. The meeting that is the focus of this project, the Gordon Research Conference on Cell and Molecular Fungal Biology, is unique among regularly scheduled meetings on filamentous fungi in that it is small, that it emphasizes discussions led by experienced researchers, that it consciously avoids duplication of topics with other meetings, and that it has an unusually large percentage of young scientists making oral presentations to the entire group. Support for this project is directed at these young scientists to ensure the future of biological research on these important microbes. The project aims to help train these young scientists in making effective presentations of their research, in networking with researchers globally, and in developing collaborative research projects. The project is certain to accelerate scientific progress by stimulating the transfer of information and the development of new research programs in a field that impacts socially important areas such as environmental quality, public health and food production.