As research in the plant sciences begins to adopt systems biology approaches, exciting opportunities continue to emerge to redesign and engineer the biochemical and molecular networks responsible for agronomic traits, increased nutritional value, and for the generation of alternative, renewal fuels, and commercial products. This is the third Plant Metabolic Engineering GRC to integrate the most recent advances in genetics and genomics with biochemical, metabolite and gene expression analyses. Fundamental topics covered include i) understanding how biosynthetic pathways are assembled to facilitate substrate competition and channeling, ii) how enzymes and biochemical pathways evolve, and iii) exploring opportunities for the manipulation of biochemical transformations towards novel substrate specificities, regio- and stereochemical transformations, and models to explain the localization, structure, and assembly of biosynthetic metabolons in native and nonnative environments. This GRC provides the ideal environment to present and discuss recent discoveries and novel approaches for metabolic profiling and flux analysis, the mathematical modeling of metabolism and conceptualization of rational metabolic engineering strategies. The Conference brings together multidisciplinary investigators from around the world who are at the forefront of their field, and will provide opportunities for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work and exchange ideas with leaders in the field. Some short talks have been selected from the abstracts submitted to assure complete coverage and the latest information in emerging research areas. The collegial atmosphere of this Conference, with programmed discussion sessions and 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.