Life in Extreme Environments

10-11 November 2014
Weetwood Hall, University of Leeds
Workshop Chair: Stephen Evans and Lorna Dougan, University of Leeds

Weetwood Hall Hotel, Leeds

This meeting is the third of a series of focused 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 conference events.

Here we will focus on the specific challenges at the physical/life sciences interface relating to life in extreme environments. These concern questions spanning molecular to cellular scales and include but are not limited to: uncovering the biophysical origins of molecular evolution, the effects of high pressure, high/low temperature and salt on the structure, dynamics and mechanics of biological systems, the current and potential applications of enzymes from extremophilic organisms in industrial biotechnology and biocatalysis, and DNA replication, recombination and repair under extreme environmental conditions. 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 interfacial research in this area.

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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 academics (including early- and mid-career research fellows), clinical researchers and industrial 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 Life in Extreme Environments. 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.

Confirmed speakers and their talk titles

Prof Joseph Zaccai, Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble
‘Dynamics and adaptation to extreme environments’
Prof Michael Danson, Centre for Extremophile Research, University of Bath
‘Extremophiles and their enzymes: finding the balance between structural rigidity and catalytic flexibility’
Prof Jennifer Littlechild, Biosciences, University of Exeter
‘Thermophilic Enzymes for Biocatalysis’
Dr Thorsten Allers, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham
‘Life without DNA replication origins – How to improve on nature’
Dr Nick Brooks, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London
‘Probing membrane structure and dynamics at high pressure’

Programme

Day 1

12.30	Registration and Lunch
13.30	Welcome and Introduction – Dr Lorna Dougan, University of Leeds
13.35	TALK 1: “Extremophiles and their enzymes: finding the balance between structural rigidity and catalytic flexibility” – Prof Michael Danson, Centre for Extremophile Research, University of Bath
14.10	Flash Presentations 1
14.40	Speed-Networking 1
15.10	TALK 2: “Life without DNA replication origins – How to improve on nature.” – Dr Thorsten Allers, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham
15.45	Coffee break
16.10	Flash Presentations 2
16.40	Speed-Networking 2
17.10	KEYNOTE TALK : “Dynamics and adaptation to extreme environments” – Prof Joseph Zaccai, Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble
18.00	Flash Presentations 3
18.30	Speed-Networking 3
19.00	Roundtable discussion
19.30	Dinner
21.30+	Networking in bar

Day 2

9.00	Welcome back – Prof Steve Evans, University of Leeds
9.05	TALK 3: “Thermophilic Enzymes for Biocatalysis” – Prof Jennifer Littlechild, Biosciences, University of Exeter
9.40	Discussion Group 1
10.10	Report back and discussion
10.30	TALK 4: “Probing membrane structure and dynamics at high pressure” – Dr Nick Brooks, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London
11.05	Coffee break
11.30	Discussion Group 2
12.30	Report Back and Discussion
13.00-14.00	Close of meeting and Lunch

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 November 10. Open registration for this event has now closed. To check whether there is any late availability for this event, please contact Christina Metcalfe: c.metcalfe@sheffield.ac.uk.

Directions

The meeting will take place at Weetwood Hall, Leeds. Please visit Weetwood Hall’s conference website for location information and maps.