Fungal genetics meeting to showcase breakthroughs in molecular biology
Nearly 1,000 scientists from 35 countries will attend the 28th Fungal Genetics Conference organized by the Genetics Society of America (GSA), March 17-22, 2015, at the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, CA. The conference will feature approximately 900 presentations (including over 200 talks) of cutting-edge fungal genetics research - with a focus on filamentous fungi - on topics including genomics, gene regulation, cell biology and development, evolutionary biology, fungal-host interactions and biotechnology.
Professor Michael J. Hynes from the University of Melbourne will present the Perkins/Metzenberg Lecture on Saturday, March 21 at 5:45 pm, just prior to the closing conference banquet. This lecture is given at each Fungal Genetics Conference by a leader in fungal genetics research; it often includes an historical and thought-provoking perspective as well as an outlook on the future of the field. For more information on the conference program, including the timing of plenary sessions - each of which ends with a Chair's Choice Talk presenting high impact studies nominated by the scientific community - please see the schedule of events.
Numerous species of fungi are instrumental model organisms for the study of biology - particularly of genetics and related phenomena including heredity, gene function, reproduction, metabolism, and evolution. For example, the field of molecular genetics is said to have begun in Neurospora crassa, where experiments showing that genes act by regulating definite chemical events led to the 1958 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The genetic and experimental tractability of fungi make them excellent systems for studying the effects and mechanisms of mutations and transposable DNA elements that move to different locations in the genome. Their short yet complex life cycles allow for studies of long-term evolution and sexual reproduction, while their multicellularity allows for studies of development, intracellular communication, and morphogenesis. Interactions between fungi and other organisms have also enabled studies of pathogenesis, infection, and symbiotic relationships. The industrial applications of fungi are numerous, including biotechnology, biofuels, fermentation, pharmaceuticals, citric acid production, and more. The 28th Fungal Genetics Conference will integrate the areas in which fungi have been instrumental as model organisms or industrial tools.
Provided by Genetics Society of America