Conference: 2011 RNA Editing Gordon Research Seminar and Conference to be held in Galveston, TX; January 8-14, 2011

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports the 8th Gordon Research Conference on RNA Editing, which will be held at the Hotel Galvez in Galveston, TX on January 9-14, 2011. The award also supports the associated Gordon Research Seminar at which graduate students and postdoctoral fellows partake in a meeting organized for and by them from January 8-9, 2011 at the same site. This biannual conference is the only regularly scheduled meeting devoted exclusively to RNA and DNA editing and modification. The conference will bring together a small group of scientists, both established scientific leaders and junior scientists, in a casual setting that fosters informal discussion among participants. To promote cross-fertilization between the editing and modification communities, the conference program is organized in thematic sessions that focus on questions of common interest. Talks will be presented in the mornings and evenings, with afternoons reserved for informal discussions, leisure activities, and poster sessions. Intellectual merits. Since scientists investigating the diverse processes of RNA and DNA editing and modification face similar theoretical and technical challenges, there is a huge benefit for these investigators to interact at a single meeting to discuss their recent findings in the context of the central questions in the field. Scientists will be encouraged to present their unpublished results as talks or posters. Important and exciting breakthroughs are expected to be presented at the 2011 meeting, including: the discovery of new enzymes that catalyze diverse types of editing and modification; the identification of molecular parts of multi-component editing and modifying machines; the precise definition of the mode of recognition of target RNAs and DNAs of editing or modifying enzymes from various organisms; the identification of new targets of RNA and DNA editing and modifying enzymes; insights into the mechanism of action of these enzymes; structural analysis of several enzymes, and of the mechanism by which they bind substrates to catalyze reactions; new understanding of the biosynthesis and subcellular trafficking of editing and modification enzymes and of substrate RNAs that are important for their biology; new insights into the diverse roles of editing and modification in biological systems; and new insights into the origin and evolution of editing and modification processes. Scientists attending this meeting will benefit from hearing the latest information in related systems, which can provoke new insights and experimental approaches in their own system. Furthermore, scientists will also benefit immensely by learning about the cutting edge methods by which new questions are addressed, including the latest mass spectrometry methods, deep sequencing methods, genetic approaches, and bioinformatic methods. Broader impacts. A major goal of the conference is to advance discovery and to promote learning by early dissemination of unpublished results, by discussion of emerging questions in the field, and by explanation of new techniques to address these questions. This conference is the only scheduled meeting that provides an overview of this rapidly growing field. It provides a unique opportunity to discuss new hypotheses and models, to exchange information about new experimental strategies, to generate ideas for future projects, and to initiate collaborations. The meeting strives for gender balance and an ethnically and geographically diverse group of speakers. Eleven of the thirty-seven confirmed speakers, the co-chair, and the co-vice chair are women. Several women will also chair sessions. In addition, two of the invited speakers and the chair of the Gordon Research Seminar are minorities. A further major goal of the conference is to encourage participation of junior scientists. To promote junior scientists, all participants will be encouraged to present posters, from which the organizers will choose at least seven from graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and at least two from junior faculty to present platform talks. In addition, there are four confirmed invited speakers who are junior faculty scientists. The Graduate Research Seminar offers a further opportunity for the education and training of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. This mini-scientific meeting features three platform sessions and a poster session in which attendees in these groups can present and discuss their results in a setting ideal for scientific discussion.