PROTEIN/LIPID INTERACTIONS

This proposal requests funds for assistance in organization and implementation of the 3rd international Conference on Protein-Lipid Interactions. The first two conferences have been held in Maastricht, The Netherlands with the University of Limburg serving as the host institution. In consultation with the European organizers of the first two international meetings, a decision has been made to alternate the meeting venue between Europe and the United States every three years. The 3rd International Conference will be held in Minneapolis, MN May 15,16 and 17, 1997 with the University of Minnesota serving as the host. This conference (formerly the International Workshop on Fatty Acid Binding Proteins) focuses on the biochemical and biophysical basis for lipid recognition by proteins. As such, it emphasizes enzyme/protein systems which form high affinity complex's with fatty acids, acyl CoA's, retinoids, prostaglandin's and eicosanoids. There are over 100 known proteins expressed from several gene families which form extremely high-affinity, high-selectivity complexes with lipids. Our awareness of such hydrophobic ligand binding proteins has spawned considerable interest in the field of protein-lipid interactions and their relationships to metabolic disease. For example, mutations in the intestinal fatty acid binding protein correlate very strongly with development of NIDDM in Pima Indians and t he expression of the adipocyte lipid binding protein has been implicated in the development of obesity. Based upon past attendance at meetings nd the increase in citations covering this area, we anticipate that 120-150 people will attend the meeting. We have an organizing committee in place which contains scientists from a number of U.S. institutions as well as two European members from the last conference to provide continuity. We envision morning and afternoon sessions for formal lectures, a number of talks by students as well as poster sessions. We consider the objectives of the meeting to be: 1. The facilitation of information transfer in this rapidly expanding area of biological science by providing a venue for presentation. 2. The introduction of new experimental techniques into the study of protein-lipid interactions. 3. To introduce students and postdoctorals to the community of biologists who study protein-lipid interactions. 4. The establishment of a World Wide Web network organized at the University of Minnesota to disseminate information from the meeting.