Biophysical Chemistry, with its combination of physical and chemical approaches to systems of biological importance, is a fascinating area of research in which to be involved. Because of its interdisciplinary nature, however, biophysical chemistry doesn’t fall neatly within the bounds of any of the current divisions of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI). Nor does it fall clearly within the realm of any single panel of the Australian Research Council (ARC). The current Australian scientific framework is, therefore, not conducive to the effective promotion of biophysical chemistry in this country.
The major objectives of this meeting are to provide a forum for physical chemists interested in biophysical research questions to interact, to educate a new generation of Australian biophysical chemists and to raise the profile of Australian biophysical chemical research. Talks will be presented by both expert invited international speakers and Australian researchers on modern research techniques and their applications to topics of biological importance. The topics this would include are:
- Spectroscopy of biological molecules
- Kinetics and thermodynamics of biological systems
- Biophysical chemistry of membranes and membrane proteins
- Protein crystallography and mass spectrometry
- Molecular modelling of biological systems
- Photosynthesis
- Physical chemistry of natural products and polymers
- Bioelectrochemistry
The talks will be presented at a nonspecialist level, so that postgraduate students and researchers wishing to expand their expertise into new biophysical areas and techniques will benefit in particular. The program will also include a poster session to enable the presentation of new research results and a group discussion on how the Australian biophysical chemical community can be promoted further. |
