Abstract

"Virus" is often synonymous with infectious disease. And while viruses can teach us about disease, viruses are also excellent instructors of self-assembly and cell biology. Viruses are paradigms to study the principles and mechanisms of macromolecular assembly, genome packaging and release, allosteric regulation, and membrane dynamics. What we learn about these fundamental processes from viruses allows us to design and engineer virus-based platforms (i.e. nanotechnology) with environmental and medicinal applications. The goal of the 2019 Physical Virology GRC is to provide a forum for basic scientists and engineers from broad range of disciplines to discuss their research that emphasizes the physical manifestations found in virology. The conference is one of the few where material scientists, physicists, biochemists, biologists, mathematicians, and chemists are brought together to foster communication and collaboration. To emphasize the overlap between disciplines, sessions are arranged by physical principles, and include speakers with different areas of scientific expertise. In addition to the GRC, a Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) is organized by graduate students for graduate students and post-docs. The GRS is held in conjunction with the GRC and incorporates the goals and diverse scientific background of the parental GRC. We strongly encourage students and postdocs to register for the Physical Virology GRS.