Bacterial Machines in Action

A suite of sophisticated molecular machines drives virtually all essential cell functions of bacteria - from fundamental processes such as DNA replication and gene expression to highly specialised multi-component systems required for the interaction of bacteria with their environment. Identifying individual machine parts and understanding how they act together is key to recognising major events during the successful colonisation of ecological niches by bacteria and to harnessing their enzymatic capacity for manufacturing biotechnological commodities. We would like to bring together leading researchers in the field and provide the audience with a comprehensive and timely insight into the actions of bacterial machines. We aim to integrate structural, functional, physiological, and applied research across a diverse range of biological processes. The conference sessions will highlight bacterial machines that are involved in gene expression, cell cycle progression & morphogenesis, biological interactions, and the response to light. We will also showcase how current knowledge in these areas is used to design molecular machines with novel enzymatic functions. We hope this conference will serve as a platform for our audience that enables the exchange of ideas and knowledge, and the creation of new networks for future collaborative, multi-disciplinary research.