Origins and Applications of Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution

This is the first Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution. This seminar weekend is linked to a relatively new Gordon Research Conference that has received outstanding participation and reviews. Such exceptional interest is evidence that diverse scientists from different fields and countries are eager to discuss molecular mechanisms underlying evolution and how it relates to their subfield. The goal of this GRS is to bring graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and young scientists together to present new data, ideas, and questions regarding molecular mechanisms in evolution. In particular, this GRS will focus on basic investigations of how evolution works, such as mutational biases, and translational studies using evolutionary perspectives, like antibiotic resistance and cancer research. At the GRS we will provide an environment that encourages young scientists to present, debate, and support their newest ideas. Furthermore Gordon Conferences are respected as a place where scientists share their newest and most exciting unpublished data without fear of infringement by competitors; in this atmosphere of growth, young scientists will discuss cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks. Moreover this seminar weekend will include panels on career development. Young scientists will closely interact with career panelists and receive guidance and perspective on career trajectories. In sum, this intimate weekend amongst the future leaders in molecular evolution will foster career-long, interdisciplinary collaborations and, as a result, scientific achievement.

This Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution GRS will bring together scientists of diverse backgrounds. The disciplines that study evolution range from anthropology and the study of human origins to medicine and the battle against drug resistant pests. Not only are these research topics diverse, but the research methodologies are wide ranging. Population geneticists use computer programs and mathematics to study evolution while microbiologists study mutagenesis in vivo at the single cell level. All these studies of molecular mechanisms in evolution have real life implications that have led to a better understanding of cancer, infectious disease, and antibiotic and pesticide resistance. We are confident that this weekend will attract young scientists from fields of mechanistic molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics, biophysics, population genetics, evo-devo, medicine, biotechnology, evolutionary biology, ecology, and crop science. Uniting scientists of varied expertise helps them to break from their specific field's paradigms and thus push discovery forward.