The 2009 Gordon Conference on Liquid Crystals will address current issues in liquid crystal science, applications of liquid crystals, and areas of biology and medicine in which liquid crystal concepts are important. The coverage of the Conference will be extremely broad, ranging from the latest fundamental theories and experiments into the nature of liquid crystals to the cutting-edge work on the role liquid crystals play in biological systems. Invited speakers representing both academia and industry will come from a wide range of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, engineering, medicine, and physics. This collection of leading investigators will discuss the latest (often unpublished) results within this broad array of disciplines and explore the most pressing questions still to be answered. In addition, the group of participants will include a good number of junior scientists and graduate students, affording them the opportunity both to form relationships with other young investigators and to make connections with many of the leading scientists in a wide variety of fields. All participants will be given the opportunity to present a poster describing their research. The Conference atmosphere will be collegial, with scheduled time for discussion and ample time devoted to poster presentations. Free time in the afternoon and evenings together with common meals will provide a wealth of opportunities for participants to engage in fruitful conversations and begin exciting collaborations.