There will be a strong focus at this conference on mechanisms. We are planning general sessions that will highlight some of the important efforts to characterize the mechanism of action of enzymes that catalyze a diverse set of chemical reactions of small molecules and more complex substrates; and, on the mechanisms of specialized cofactors that have been recruited by enzymes. In addition, there will be focused sessions on: (i) the mechanism of action of enzymes that catalyze reactions at membrane surfaces, (ii) protein catalysts that use RNA and DNA as substrates, and RNA catalysts that use small molecules as substrates, (iii) development of enzyme inhibitors as therapeutic agents, and (iv) frontiers of mechanistic enzymology.