Probing the Biology: Chemistry Interface from Molecules to Ecosystems

One carbon (C1) metabolism plays a central role in microbial metabolism and global biogeochemical cycles. Key molecules of C1 metabolism include methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and methanol, coenzyme-bound one-carbon moieties (e.g., methyl-corrinoids), as well as organic compounds without carbon-carbon bonds such as dimethyl sulfide. Many of them (e.g., methane) are important energy sources, some (e.g., carbon dioxide and methane) are potent greenhouse gases, and others (e.g., dichloromethane) are toxic chemicals used industrially in large quantities. The conference spans natural and synthetic systems under oxic and anoxic conditions at scales from molecules to ecosystems. There is an emphasis on the molecular aspects of autotrophic microbes, methanogens, methylotrophs, methanotrophs, and acetogens. Participants will hear the latest cutting-edge research on microbial C1 metabolism, the role of these reactions in biogeochemical cycles, and current approaches to engineer microbes and biochemical pathways for societal applications. These applications include the production of biofuels and the remediation of environmental contamination.

The conference program will feature talks from a mix of junior and senior investigators. Complementary perspectives will be provided by leaders in biochemistry, general microbiology, molecular biology, structural biology, microbial ecology, and systems and synthetic biology. The meeting will also feature dynamic and interactive poster sessions. Selected poster presenters will be invited to give short talks in appropriate sessions. The GRC format, with extensive discussion sessions and informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings, and the collegial nature of this long running meeting provides an ideal setting for researchers from different fields and generations to exchange ideas, brainstorm and discuss cross-disciplinary collaboration.