The structural basis and biophysical mechanisms of voltage-gated ion channels have been extensively studied by electrophysiology, biophysics and structural biology. Voltage-gated ion channels translate changes in membrane potential into intracellular chemical signals. Transduction of electrical signal into biochemical signals is mediated not only by regulation of ion permeation, but also by other possible molecular mechanisms: proteins that have the voltage sensor domain and proteins associated with ion channels that have activities of enzyme functions. These mechanisms will be relevant not only to membrane excitability, but also to other diverse biological phenomena, such as reproduction, development, and immunology. How electrical signals are coupled with chemical signals by membrane proteins will therefore be one of the exciting topics in bioscience.

We are very happy to announce the SOKENDAI International Symposium/ 36th SEIRIKEN Conference/ 2nd Symposium on the Partnership Project on Frontiers of Membrane Proteins (IPR-OIIB), devoted to the molecular mechanisms of transduction of electrical signals into cellular chemical information by membrane proteins. The symposium will mainly focus on biophysical mechanisms of voltage-sensor containing proteins, proton transporting proteins with related genomics and biology. The invited speakers are active in areas from biophysics, bioinformatics and developmental biology.

There will be about 12 invited foreign speakers and about 10 Japanese speakers. The meeting will also include poster session by participants including nonspeakers on the second day (Marcdh 15, 2007). The meeting will take place at the OKAZAKI Conference Center at the campus of National Institutes of Natural Sciences at Okazaki in Aichi Prefecture, about 50 miles away from Chubu International Airport, Centrair. Information on registration of the participation and poster presentation will be announced later.