Discovering the Mechanisms Behind Microbial Signaling Systems and Targeting Them for Therapeutics

The 2020 Gordon Research Seminar on Sensory Transduction in Microorganisms (GRS STIM) welcomes young scientists from all backgrounds to attend the GRS to Ventura Beach, CA. Here, trainees at the graduate student and post-doctoral fellow levels, from around the globe, will present and discuss the latest developments in the field. This GRS will be held the weekend immediately prior to its associated Gordon Research Conference (GRC). The GRS is a trainee-led forum that is designed to complement the GRC with a focus on guiding trainees on 1) presenting and discussing cutting-edge scientific findings and 2) developing "soft skills" as well as professional networking within the scientific community within a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. This seminar will allow trainees the opportunity for:

• networking with their peers from other institutes
• presenting and discussing their latest research
• developing their confidence for the upcoming GRC
• recognition for their own outstanding scientific accomplishments

The 2020 STIM GRS scientific focus will be on topics from the latest research unveiling how microorganisms sense and respond to changing conditions and explore the potential avenues these mechanisms can be exploited by novel therapeutics. The GRS will embrace the strength in scientific diversity with an array of oral and poster presenters from molecular biology, biochemistry, and chemical biology fields that implement their specialties to understand and re-wire signaling networks. Attendees will view various presentations including the following subjects: gene regulation by sensory input, energy and metabolite monitoring, chemotaxis and regulation of motility apparatus, the role of signaling in community behaviors, regulation of pathogenicity, host-bacterial interactions, and secondary signaling molecules.