Light-Dependent Molecular Mechanism, Cellular Response and Organismal Behavior

Light is one of the most pervasive and persistent of environmental stimuli. As such, living organisms possess a wide range of molecular systems to sense and respond to the ambient spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. Highly evolved proteins and their associated small-molecule cofactors convert light absorption into metabolic changes that include alterations in gene expression, cell differentiation, molecular trafficking and cell motility, to name but a few.

This Gordon Research Conference, and the associated Gordon Research Seminar, will examine broad aspects of light sensing in biology, from the detailed physicochemical mechanisms of photoreceptors to their downstream impact on cellular function, organismal behavior and the environment. Indeed, photosensory signaling underlies biological processes of major importance, including vertebrate vision, plant growth and development, circadian rhythms, magnetosensing, microbial pathogenesis and the organization of biological communities and ecosystems. To be also discussed are the sophisticated and cutting-edge methods that are required to study rapid photoinduced mechanisms and to also leverage light stimulation for the biological control at the molecular level. Optogenetics, whereby natural photoreceptors are engineered to enable new functionalities, is an impactful application, of which the latest creative advances will be presented. Light-driven systems allow unique means to probe and observe biological phenomena and their integration with advanced genetic, cellular and physiological approaches provide unprecedented views into the mechanisms that allow organisms to live and evolve in concert with their environment.

The 2024 GRC program will consist of invited oral contributions by established and emerging scholars and welcomes suggestions of exciting new developments in the field, which can be made to the chairs. Oral contributions will be also selected from submitted abstracts and the meeting will feature extensive poster sessions so that all participants have the opportunity to present their work. A preceding Gordon Research Seminar will provide junior scientists opportunities to highlight their research and interact with senior leaders in the field.