GoingToMeet

The objective of the Gordon Research Conference on Biomineralization is to explore the biological, chemical and physical controls on biomineralization in vertebrate, invertebrate, plant and biomimetic systems. Particular attention is paid to the consequences of interactions at the organic-inorganic interface. The interest in this topic stems from the important role that biomineralization processes play in biology, biotechnology, medicine, chemistry, interfacial science, materials science, and nanotechnology. Over the years attendees of this conference have witnessed the spectacular advances made in the field of biomineralization, which have been, in part, due to the interactions and collaborations stimulated by this GRC. The goal of this year's GRC is to bring together chemists, physicists, biologists, physicians and engineers, who would otherwise not overlap on the conference circuit, in a setting that promotes cross-disciplinary fertilization of new ideas. In doing so, our intent is to create the premier venue to discuss fundamental and applied aspects of biomineralization that intersect biology, chemistry and materials science.

We anticipate an exciting meeting with invited oral sessions that will cover cellular and genetic controls on mineral formation, in vitro models of mineralization, interactions and molecular contacts between macromolecular and mineral components, pathological mineralization, macromolecular scaffolds for materials synthesis and organization, new directions in tissue engineering, biomineral architecture in marine systems, the link between architecture and function, and biomineralization through time. Special emphasis will be placed on novel unpublished results, new experimental techniques, and the role of simulation and modeling.