Understanding Intrinsically Disordered Regions (IDRs) at Different Scales: From Single Molecules to Complex Systems

The 2014 Gordon Conference on Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs) will present cutting-edge research aimed at understanding the role of disordered regions: from studies on single molecules to complex systems and from research that investigates changes that happen at the millisecond time-scale to the evolutionary time-scale.

The conference will feature a wide range of topics involving Intrinsically Disordered Regions (IDRs) that will be of interest to biophysicists, biochemists, computational, evolutionary and structural biologists, molecular geneticists, and cell biologists. The session topics have been carefully chosen to highlight exciting new science in the last couple of years including (a) breakthroughs in peptide motif biology, (b) emerging views on how disordered regions mediate the formation of functional and non-functional aggregates, reversible assemblies and phase transitions, (c) state-of-the-art experimental approaches to investigate the structure, function and dynamics of IDRs, (d) emerging methods to exploit IDRs for therapeutic applications and synthetic biology, (d) new concepts in evolutionary, molecular, and systems biology that describe how IDRs rewire interaction networks, and are able to link genotype to phenotype through their highly dynamic structural ensembles and (e) the future directions of the "unstructural" biology field. The conference also has an underlying theme that will highlight how IDRs are involved in human diseases.

The conference will bring together a collection of investigators who are at the forefront of their respective field, and will provide ample opportunities for interdisciplinary interaction that will catalyze the cross-fertilization of ideas, and provide a chance for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work. The session chairs promise to orchestrate lively discussions. 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. There will be a poster competition judged by a committee of experts. Two awards will be given to graduate students whose posters are deemed to be the best by the committee. The new location for this conference is scenic, convenient, and promises to be an excellent setting for numerous informal interactions.

For the first time in the meeting series, a Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) will precede the conference. The Intrinsically Disordered Proteins GRS is designed to further facilitate the participation of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Planned by and for the trainees, it will provide an opportunity for our junior researchers to present seminars and posters in a supportive, interactive environment. It will act as an important springboard for the development of the future thought leaders in the field.

This conference will highlight the pervasiveness of IDPs in biology and enhance our understanding of their dynamic structure and function. We therefore warmly welcome you to participate, experience and enjoy the IDP GRC 2014.