The Physics of Bacterial Infection

19-20 March 2014
Department of Physics, Warwick University
Workshop Chair: Jamie Hobbs, University of Sheffield.

This meeting is the first of a series of Focussed Workshops which will consider several themes of the EPSRC NetworkPlus in ‘Understanding the Physics of Life’, which have developed through intensive discussion of participants during the network’s three earlier Plenary Events.

Here we will focus on the specific challenges relating to “Forces in Biology”. These concern questions spanning molecular to tissue scales, including, but not limited to, molecular motors, the use of force measuring apparatus to access structure and interaction, how applied force can influence biochemical reactions, mechanical properties of biological systems from individual molecules to whole tissues, the influence of mechanical properties on form and function, as well as the instrumentation necessary for probing and measuring forces in biology. The meeting will include a series of short talks from leading biologists and biophysicists to “set the scene” for intensive discussion into developing novel and exciting lines of research in this area.

Purpose

Our Focussed Workshop will provide a mechanism to nucleate new collaborative partnerships that will lead to outstanding science and the award of grants by research councils. Discussion sessions will be a very important element of the event, and it is hoped that all attendees will come ready to engage fully in that element of the programme. Our aim by the close of the meeting is to have seeded potential new collaborations and novel lines of cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in this area.

Who should attend?

We invite participation by academic, industrial and clinical scientists in the UK who are interested in the central goal of generating new collaborative research interactions at the physical/life sciences interface focussed on challenging questions pertaining to forces in biology. The main business of these meetings will be to provide opportunities for researchers to talk and interact through, for example, brief flash presentations, speed-dating exercises, poster presentations, facilitated discussions and other activities.

Programme

Day 1

12.30	Lunch
13.30	Introduction
13.35	Plenary Talk – Erik Schaeffer: “Bionanomechanics with Optical Tweezers”
14.20	Talk 1 Siobhan Braybrook: “Developmental Biology: a science, but not Science”
15.00	Coffee
15.20	Discussion
16.10	Reporting
16.30	Flash Presentations 1 (x 10)
17.00	Speed-Date 1
17.30	Flash Presentations 2 (x 10)
18.00	Speed-Date 2
18.30	Dinner
20.00	Talk 2 – David Brockwell: “Pulling proteins and their complexes apart using force”
20.40	Close

Day 2

9.00	Talk 3 – Massimo Antognozzi: “Challenges in nanoscale mechanics”
9.40	Flash Presentations 3 (x10)
10.10	Speed-Date 3
10.40	Coffee
11.00	Flash presentations 4 (x 10)
11.30	Speed-Date 4
12.00	Talk 4 – Peter Winlove: “The Mechanics of Elastic Tissue”
12.45	Lunch and Close

Registration

The workshop is heavily subsidised by the Network, and the full registration fee of only £95 includes lunch on both days and dinner, bed and breakfast for the night of March 19. Register on line.

Directions

The meeting will take place at Warwick University, in the Department of Physics. Maps and directions.