Upcoming Events
ASPS Conferences
2008
ComBio 2008
http://www.asbmb.org.au/combio2008
National Convention Centre, Canberra
Sunday 21 to Thursday 25 September
Combined Annual Conferences of the Australian Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, the Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology and the Australian Society of Plant Scientists.
Arrangements are already underway for ComBio2008, to be held from Sunday 21st and Thursday 25th September 2008 at the National Convention Centre in Canberra. Further information may be obtained from the ComBio2008 Secretariat: Sally Jay Conferences, or phone 08 8362 0009.
VEGETATION FUNCTION NETWORK — MERIT BURSARIES FOR PARTICIPATION AT COMBIO2008 The ARC-NZ Research Network for Vegetation Function (www.vegfunction.net) offers up to five Merit Bursaries to HDR/ECR (Higher Degree by Research students and Early Career Researchers) to support attendance and participation at COMBIO2008 in Canberra, 21–25 September 2008 http://www.asbmb.org.au/combio2008/
COMBIO is a joint meeting of Aust Soc Mol Biol Biochem, Aust Soc Plant Sci and ANZ Soc Cell and Devel Biol. The Veg Function Network is organizing sessions “Plants from Genes to Geoscience” on Tuesday 23rd Sept (provisional program below). The purpose of the Bursaries is to help ECR-HDR contribute to discussion in these sessions. Awardees are encouraged to attend the remainder of COMBIO also, and to offer a talk or poster in other sessions. Bursaries will support airfare from hometown in Australia plus up to $730 towards registration and accommodation (see below for explanation). Eligibility and conditions: enrolment as HDR at an Australian university, or Early Career Researcher under ARC definition (less than 5 years since PhD) and making career in Australia. After the meeting you will be required to write a brief (1 page) account of research opportunities you see arising. Application deadline for bursaries is 9th June 2008 (this is so you can meet the 20th June deadline for earlybird registration at COMBIO). Send applications to . A selection committee will choose among applications and notify you by 11th June. Applications should include CV, publications list, academic record or other indicators of research potential. If your current or future research interests have potential for contributing to the discussion sessions at COMBIO or to future working groups of the Network, please explain (max 1 page). Please include email and phone numbers of two academic referees we could contact. EXPLANATION ABOUT FINANCIAL SUPPORT: A bursary of airfare to Canberra plus up to $730 is calculated to cover one day’s registration plus two nights accommodation. Day registration is $290 for members of ASBMB or ASPS, or $380 for non-members. Since membership costs about $100, it is worth joining one or other of the societies. This leaves $250 to cover two nights accommodation. You are certainly encouraged to stay for the whole of the COMBIO meeting, and the funding we offer here will go a long way towards covering costs for the whole meeting, especially if you can economize on accommodation. PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE, COMBIO2008, Tuesday 23 September SYM-19 and SYM-25 Plants from Genes to Geoscience (Concurrent Symposia 3&4) Speakers will describe highlights of activity in working groups of the ARC-NZ Research Network for Vegetation Function (www.vegfunction.net). The aim of these sessions is to identify new research possibilities that bridge between different activities. Structured discussion will elicit ideas from participants as well as from speakers. Chairs: Mark Westoby, Adrienne Nicotra, Marilyn Ball 1100–1120 Nick Williams (U Melbourne) Traits of plant species that are successful in urban areas 1120–1140 Peter Franks (JCU) Geological-time history of stomata and their function 1140–1200 John Beardall (Monash) Size-scaling and stoichiometry in phytoplankton 1200–1215 Yusuke Onoda (Macquarie) Leaf toughness and biomechanics 1215–1230 structured discussion 1600–1620 Stephen Simpson (U Sydney) Herbivory and plants 1620–1640 Lucas Cernusak (CDU) Water use efficiency and isotope indicators 1640–1700 Susanne Schmidt (UQ) Nitrogen in savannas 1700–1715 Andy Leigh (UTS) Leaf temperature 1715–1730 structured discussion FURTHER INFORMATION? Please contact: Samantha Newton, Administrator, ARC NZ Research Network for Vegetation Function Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University NSW 2109 email: Phone: +61 (0)2 9850 8170 Fax: +61 (0)2 9850 8228 Website: http://www.vegfunction.net/
COMBIO Satellite and Boden Conference on Plant Energy and Water Productivity: from genes to environment, September 18–20th: •18 International and 18 National speakers covering hormone signalling, transpiration, photosynthesis, drought and oxidative stress signaling, organelle biogenesis and metabolism, artificial photosynthesis, biofuels, genomics and global climate change. •The aim of the symposium is to bring together scientists to assess the future strategies necessary to develop improved plants for agriculture and bio-fuel production and to assess plants in natural environments. •We thank our sponsors, including ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, CSIRO, GRDC, Australian Academy of Science, COMBIO and ASPS. Further information: http://www.plantenergy.uwa.edu.au/webpages/conferences/index.html or www.csiro.au/events/CropBio2008-symp
Non-ASPS Conferences
2008
International Conference on Biotic Plant Interactions
http://www.uq.edu.au/plants/icbpi
Brisbane
27 to 29 March, 2008
Traditionally plant-microbe and plant-insect interactions have been looked at as two separate issues. The International Conference on Biotic Plant Interactions will bring together scientists, industry delegates and students who are interested in molecular plant pathology and beneficial interactions of plants with other organisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, oomycetes, parasitic plants, nematodes, insects and other herbivores. A special emphasis will be given on overlaps between plant-insect and plant-microbe interactions. There is also the possibility to organise special workshops.
Abstract submission and registration are open until 31 January 2008. Please contact ASPS representative for Plant-Microbe Interactions, Peer Schenk () if you have any questions or need assistance with registration or abstract submission.
20th New Phytologist Symposium
Arsenic: Unravelling its metabolism and speciation in plants
http://www.newphytologist.org/arsenic
Copthorn Hotel, Aberdeen, Scotland
26 to 27 June, 2008
XVI Congress of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology
(FESPB 2008)
Tampere, Finland
17 to 22 August, 2008
More information may be downloaded here
FESPB 2008 Congress secretariat:
Congress website: http://www.fespb2008.org
Gordon Research Conference
CO2 ASSIMILATION IN PLANTS: GENOME TO BIOME
University of New England, Biddeford, Maine, USA
17 to 21 August, 2008
The 2008 conference covers basic plant research related to photosynthesis and the subsequent regulation and engineering of carbon assimilation. The meeting provides a single venue for discussing all aspects of the 'carbon-side' of photosynthesis — from genome to biome.
For information and a preliminary program see the Conference website: http://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?year=2008&program=co2
Co-Chairs: Mike Salvucci () & Anne Borland ()
Gordon Research Conference
SALT & WATER STRESS IN PLANTS
http://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?year=2008&program=salt
Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, Montana
September 7-12, 2008
Water deficit and salinity are two of the most important environmental stresses affecting global crop productivity with water deficit from drought being the leading cause of agricultural productivity losses. The scientific progress on these topics since the last GRC in this series (Oxford, UK, September, 2006) has been quite remarkable. Cell biology and molecular genetics research in model and crop species is identifying novel determinants and natural variation in stress adaptive processes in salt and water stress tolerance. Novel components of salinity and water deficit stress signal transduction pathways that mediate plant stress response(s) continue to be discovered. Expression profiling, saturation mutagenesis, and protein interaction networks are providing genome-wide insight into processes involved in plant salt and water-deficit stress adaptation, and proteomics and metabolomics are identifying key enzymatic and metabolic steps. Whole plant responses to salinity and water deficit stress are providing key insights into the efficacy of strategies for crop improvement. The 2008 GRC will include new and exciting research accomplishments. This GRC will be an international forum for discussion of the 'frontiers of science' on salt and water stress in plants. The tentative program includes participants whose research is at the forefront of the field. 2008 Chairs, GRC on Salt & Water Stress in Plants John Cushman () Mark Tester () Application Deadline: August 17, 2008
12th International Lupin Conference
Fremantle, Western Australia
14 to 18 September, 2008
The theme of the Conference – “Lupins for Health and Wealth” reflects the expanding opportunities for lupins in aquaculture as well as their role in underpinning profitable and healthy agricultural systems.
Presentations, product displays, tours and workshops on the latest developments in genetic improvement, agronomy, livestock and aquaculture feeds, and food products will stimulate researchers and industry professionals alike. This will be a major event attracting experts from throughout the world and we are confident that attendance will be a rewarding experience.
Convenors: Mark Sweetingham and Jon Clements
LINK for all details: www.lupins.org or email query to: and information will be emailed back.
Physiological Sculpture of Plants: new visions and capabilities for crop development
Timberline Lodge, Mount Hood, Oregon, USA
17-20 September
19th New Phytologist Symposium In recent years there has been a great expansion of knowledge of genes that influence the regulatory pathways that control organismal properties of adaptive and economic importance, such as vegetative architecture; flowering and fruit characteristics; and tolerance of stresses. The goal of this meeting is to discuss this rapidly moving body of knowledge with an eye to future translation, i.e., how the knowledge might be used to create major advances in breeding, biotechnology, and genetic engineering. By `physiological sculpture’ we connote a primary interest in designed modifications to plant properties using knowledge of molecular plant physiology and recombinant DNA methods, rather than importation of simple gene functions or novel pathways from distantly related organisms (i.e., not GMOs” in the popular sense). It will consider how to improve efficiency, or extend the limits, for phenotype- or marker-based breeding, not to duplicate what breeding can already do well. The genes identified have encoded a wide variety of functions, including transcription factors; hormones, metabolic enzymes, receptors, and signal transduction factors; regulatory and translocated RNAs; ion transport and homeostasis; and regulators of epigenesis. Contact Holly Slater – New Phytologist Central Office, Bailrigg House, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YE, UK.
First International Alternative Oxidase (AOX) and Stress Tolerance Symposium
Evora, Alentejo, Portugal
23 October to 27 October
The symposium is a new way of approaching a scientific hypothesis at an international meeting in a common effort from fundamental to molecular plant breeding research. Alternative oxidase is suggested to play an important role for plants in cell reprogramming related to adaptive growth and development. Differential regulation of AOX is supposed to interact with the general fitness of plants. Polymorphic gene sequences have been described, indicating a potential for molecular plant breeding. Thus, AOX was highlighted as candidate for functional marker development. Robust plants that can confront complex and changing stress conditions during plant development are of general interest for crop and tree improvement. Breeding on more robust plants can assist development of the socio-economy in a regional and global sense. The organizers invite to join international, interdisciplinary capacities and focus on a defined hypothesis in this meeting. Especially, it is the aim to advance strategic ideas, technologies and current knowledge in AOX gene and protein research, in AOX molecular-physiology, genetics, and molecular breeding during this meeting. We welcome all kinds of abstracts related to these topics. Presentation sections will be followed by round-table discussions to reflect and summarize the outcome for the hypotheses. No parallel sections will run. At the end of the conference, a paper will be launched together with all group leaders. The paper will be submitted to a highly ranked journal with all participants of the conference as a consortium. By this way, we hope to create a comfortable atmosphere with free and joyful discussions. Chairs and Speakers will be invited for every main session. Oral and poster presentations are welcome. The number of participants is restricted to 120.
APGC Symposium "Plant Functioning in a Changing Global Environment"
University of Melbourne, Melbourne
Sunday 7 to Thursday 11 December 2008
Global change is a combination of environmental factors potentially stressful or detrimental to plant life. The APGC Symposium series has a successful tradition of bringing together plant and environmental scientists and students to address these problems on a functional plant biology level. The APGC Symposium 2008 "Plant functioning in a changing global environment" will be held at the University of Melbourne Campus in Creswick, Victoria, Australia from 7–11 December 2008. Presentations will cover a wide range of aspects of plant function in relation to global change and include applications in mitigating climate change effects. Contributions are invited from all fields of plant related sciences as long as they address functional aspects. Preliminary registration is now open. Abstract submission and final registration guidelines will be available by end of March. Please do not hesitate to contact the local organiser and ASPS representative for Whole Plants, Michael Tausz () if you have any questions.
2009
International Biogeography Society Fourth Biennial Meeting
Merida, Mexico
January 8-12
2010
Molecules of life: from discovery to biotechnology
Melbourne Convention Centre
26 September to 1 October
This premier international scientific meeting brings together the 12th IUBMB Conference, the 21st FAOBMB Conference and the ComBio2010 meeting. This unique blend of participating societies will generate an outstanding scientific event, which will be of major interest to biochemists, molecular biologists, cell and developmental biologists, and plant scientists. Planning of the program is now underway and we value your input from ASPS, as a Society participating in the ComBio conferences each year. We welcome your suggestions of suitable overseas speakers that you would like to be present at the conference and who have broad scientific appeal. We also welcome your ideas on possible symposia to include and any co-sponsorship proposals. Please send your responses to Giselle Roberts <> no later than 30 June, 2008.
Society funding for Workshops and Conferences
Click here to view guidelines for Conference seed funding applications.
Click here for application form for Conference funding.
Student Travel Grants
Funds are set aside each year to sponsor student travel to our annual conference, and in this way contribute to their professional development in plant science.
Support will vary from year to year depending on the Society finances, location of meeting and number of applications. The Treasurer will apply a formula in calculating individual entitlements and takes these factors into account. Applicants must be financial members of ASPS and presenting a paper or poster.
Download student travel grant application form here.