Genetic and Phenotypic Evolution at the Organismal, Cellular and Molecular Levels

The 2023 Gordon Conference on Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution will assemble international experts in molecular, medical and evolutionary biology to present the latest findings and diverse perspectives on the molecular basis of evolutionary change. Molecular biology and evolution are the two fundamental unifying principles of life on earth. It is only through the combination of knowledge from these two disciplines that we can (i) unravel how the molecular components of organisms allowed them to survive their past environments, (ii) understand the challenges imposed by present day ongoing evolution occurring in immune cells, cancer tissues or microbial populations, including pathogens, (iii) predict the future responses of organisms to climate changes and other human-driven current selective pressures. To promote this combination of disciplines, the conference program will cover a wide range of topics including: the evolution of proteins and RNAs, the evolution of mutation and recombination rates, non-genetic variation and inheritance, metabolic evolution, the making of complex traits. The principal goal of this GRC is to encourage and nurture a community of researchers, spanning several formal disciplines, with a shared interest in the molecular basis of evolutionary change. Evolutionary scientists include ecologists, geneticists, evolutionary, cellular, and molecular biologists, physicists, and applied mathematicians. With such a wide range of disciplines, it is important to provide an opportunity to experts in these diverse disciplines to appreciate the important discoveries and new technologies from across the breadth of evolutionary science. This conference will provide an engaging atmosphere for open and creative discussions aimed to stimulate collaborations among the participants. In addition to invited speakers, 20 short talks will be chosen from submitted abstracts (primarily from postdocs and graduate students). Engaging poster sessions will provide additional opportunities for the free exchange of ideas. These short talks and posters will provide young scientists and their ideas access to the opinions and suggestions of the more experienced scientists who are invited speakers and chairs.