The 2010 Gordon Conference on Bacterial Cell Surfaces will feature novel and exciting research results on the molecular and cellular aspects of the structure, function, and biogenesis of bacterial envelopes and surfaces. The Conference will cover a wide range of topics, including envelope biogenesis, protein localization and secretion, nutrient transport, extracellular matrices and surface polymers, signal sensing and transduction, cell envelope stress response, microbial communities and antibiotics, and cell morphogenesis. The invited speakers are at the forefront of their field and represent a variety of scientific disciplines, including biochemistry, molecular genetics, structural biology, biophysics, cell biology and imaging. The Conference will also provide opportunities for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work in poster format and to exchange ideas with leaders in their field. From the submitted poster abstracts, additional speakers will be selected to present short talks*. Besides the programmed discussion sessions, there will be plenty of opportunities for informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings. The diversity, together with the collegial atmosphere of this Conference, provides an ideal venue for scientists from different disciplines to brainstorm and initiate interdisciplinary collaborations in the various research areas represented.