Smithfield, Rhode Island - The capture of solar energy by photosynthesis has had a most profound influence on the development and sustenance of life on earth. It is the engine that has driven the proliferation of life and, as the source of both energy and oxygen, has had a major hand in shaping the forms that life has taken. Both ancient and present day photosynthetic carbon fixation is intimately tied to issues of immediate human concern, global energy and global warming. Decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels by tapping photosynthesis in a more direct way is an attractive goal for sustainable energy. Meeting this challenge means understanding photosynthetic energy conversion at a molecular level, a task requiring perspectives ranging through all disciplines of science. Researchers in photosynthesis have a strong history of working across conventional boundaries and engaging in multidisciplinary collaborations. The Gordon conference in photosynthesis has been a key focal point for the dissemination of new results and the establishment of powerful research collaborations. In this spirit the 2009 Gordon conference on biophysical aspects of photosynthesis will bring together top international researchers from diverse and complementary disciplines, all working towards understanding how photosynthesis converts light into the stable chemical energy that powers so much of our world.

Focal points for talks and discussions will include:

• Watersplitting, structure and function of the oxygen evolving complex
• Antenna, the diversity, optimization and regulation of energy capture and transfer
• Reaction center structure and function, including functional roles for the protein
• Electron transport, proton transport and energy coupling
• Photoprotection mechanisms, including secondary electron transport pathways
• Biofuels, hydrogen production
• Artificial photosynthesis and solar energy conversion strategies

The 2009 conference will have a close eye on practical applications of photosynthetic energy conversion. We are reaching out to share knowledge and perspectives with colleagues in fields that can contribute to the development of practical, sustainable solar energy conversion. The Gordon conference venue is ideally suited to the forging of new collaborations which can make the most of lessons learned from Nature’s most successful energy source.