Workshop: How Molecules Come to Life: Biophysics Vision 2016 on April 28-29, 2011 in Arlington, VA

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

This award is in support of a two-day meeting entitled "How Molecules Come to Life: Biophysics Vision 2016" to be held in the Westin Arlington Gateway, Arlington, Virginia, April 28-29, 2011. This meeting will convene about 20 speakers that represent new emerging areas of biophysics research, and will be attended by NSF personnel, including program directors. The goal of physics is to explain the world around us using a set of guiding principles that are quantitative, simple and universal all at the same time. One of the great challenges for physics in this new millennium is to achieve this goal with regards to the world of living systems. The goal of the meeting is to address the creation of a quantitative narrative for the living organism, and to attempt to apply simple physical principles towards the understanding of living systems. This meeting will bring together scientists to present their views on where the physics of living cells stands and where it can go in the coming years. The format of the meeting is designed to provide attendees with ample opportunities to actively participate in the scientific discourse. This Workshop represents a unique vehicle to promote the development of new technologies and the dissemination of emerging technologies with novel applications to important biological problems. The members of the workshop represent diverse scientists at different stages of their careers, from both academia and industry, from both the life and physical sciences. At least 25% of the members are women. Part of the discussion of this workshop will be to explore how best to educate a new generation of scientists to think about how molecules come to life. An understanding of the fundamental relationships between living and non-living systems is critical to an understanding of the life sciences and their impact on the world around us. This workshop is jointly supported by the Biomolecular Dynamics, Structure and Function Cluster in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences in the Directorate for Biological Sciences, and the Physics of Living Systems Program in the Physics Division in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences.