Conference Description
The Metals in Biology GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.
Forty percent of proteins containing metals. This meeting focuses on the diverse and critical roles that metal centers play in a wide range of essential biological processes. These metal ions form and stabilize biomolecular structures; carry molecules, ions, and electrons; serve as catalytic centers; and participate in regulation and signaling. We also will cover the mechanisms by which metals influence the global carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen cycles and how organisms exchange (acquire, utilize, and export) metals with their environment. This MIB will also focus on recent advances in metalloprotein structural and computational biochemistry and the design and synthesis of bioinspired molecules (especially catalysts) to yield detailed insights into biological function, while also moving the field of inorganic chemistry in new directions. Sessions will also describe advances in the roles of metals in cell biology and medicine.
The MIB GRC brings together scientists from diverse backgrounds to present and discuss recent progress in this area. Experts in chemistry, physics, biology, environmental science, and biomedicine at a range of career stages will participate. The conference includes dedicated discussion time after each lecture and during poster sessions as well as free times for informal discussions during the afternoons.
The Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) in Bioinorganic Chemistry is closely associated with the MIB GRC. This meeting typically draws graduate and postdoctoral students from a variety of laboratories studying metals in biology. The GRS overlaps with the MIB GRC meeting for one evening session, including a poster session that allows students to meet and interact with established scientists in their research areas. We specifically encourage graduate students and postdocs to take advantage of these unique educational opportunities and to participate in either the MIB GRC conference or the Bioinorganic Chemistry GRS or both.
The topics, speakers, and discussion leaders for the conference sessions are displayed below. The conference chair is currently developing their detailed program, which will include the complete meeting schedule, as well as the talk titles for all speakers. The detailed program will be available by September 23, 2023. Please check back for updates.
Keynote Session: Fundamental Concepts in Bioinorganic Chemistry
Discussion Leaders
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J. Martin Bollinger Jr. (The Pennsylvania State University, United States)
Speakers
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Judith Klinman (University of California, Berkeley, United States)
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Vahe Bandarian (University of Utah, United States)
Recent Advances in the Structural Biology of Metalloproteins
Discussion Leaders
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Catherine Drennan (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States)
Speakers
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Jan Kern (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, United States)
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Ritimukta Sarangi (Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, United States)
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Simone Raugei (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, United States)
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Kylie Vincent (University of Oxford, Department of Chemistry, United Kingdom)
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Aina Cohen (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, United States)
Cell Biology of Metals
Discussion Leaders
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Angela Wilks (University of Maryland, United States)
Speakers
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Jennifer Bridwell-Rabb (University of Michigan, United States)
The Roles of Metals in the Global Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Oxygen Cycles
Discussion Leaders
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Patricia Dos Santos (Wake Forest University, United States)
Speakers
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Michael Koepke (LanzaTech, United States)
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Lance Seefeldt (Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University, United States)
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Amy Rosenzweig (Northwestern University, United States)
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Junko Yano (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, United States)
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Kyle Lancaster (Cornell University, United States)
Design and Engineering of Functional Metalloproteins
Discussion Leaders
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Shabnam Hematian (University of North Carolina at Greensboro, United States)
Speakers
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Nicolai Lehnert (University of Michigan, United States)
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Hannah Shafaat (University of California, Los Angeles, United States)
Trafficking, Storage and Delivery of Metals
Discussion Leaders
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Emma Raven (University of Bristol, United Kingdom)
Speakers
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Amit Reddi (Georgia Institute of Technology, United States)
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Melissa Zastrow (University of Houston, United States)
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Mak Saito (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, United States)
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Sabeeha Merchant (University of California, Berkeley, United States)
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Caryn Outten (University of South Carolina, United States)
Metals in Medicine
Discussion Leaders
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Eric Gale (MGH/ Harvard Medical School, United States)
Speakers
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Eric Skaar (Vanderbilt University Medical Center, United States)
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David Giedroc (Indiana University, United States)
Metals, Electron Transfer, Bifurcation, and Energy Conservation
Discussion Leaders
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Gerrit Schut (University of Georgia, United States)
Speakers
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Victoria Orphan (California Institute of Technology, United States)
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Lisa Olshansky (University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign, United States)
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John Peters (University of Oklahoma, United States)
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Shiyu Zhang (The Ohio State University, United States)
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Carola Schulzke (University of Greifswald, Germany)
Oxygen Evolution, Protection and Manipulation
Discussion Leaders
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John Anderson (University of Chicago, United States)
Speakers
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Abhishek Dey (Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, India)
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Jonathan Rittle (University of California Berkeley, United States)
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Amie Boal (Pennsylvania State University, United States)
The GRC Power Hourâ„¢
Organizers
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Ekaterina Pletneva (Dartmouth College, United States)
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Katherine Rush (Auburn University, United States)