The 2008 Gordon Conference on Bacterial Cell Surfaces will present cutting-edge research on the molecular and cellular aspects of the structure and function of bacterial envelopes and surfaces. The Conference will feature a wide range of topics, such as secretion, protein traffic, envelope biogenesis, cell walls, surface polymers, cell envelope stress response, division, transport, and cellular compartmentalization. Invited speakers represent a variety of scientific disciplines, including biochemistry, molecular genetics, structural biology, cell biology and imaging. The Conference will bring together a collection of investigators who are at the forefront of their field, and will provide opportunities for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work in poster format and exchange ideas with leaders in the field. Some poster presenters will be selected for short talks. The collegial atmosphere of this Conference, with programmed discussion sessions as well as opportunities for informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings, provides an avenue for scientists from different disciplines to brainstorm and promotes cross-disciplinary collaborations in the various research areas represented.