Symposium: Cellulose synthesis, structure, matrix interactions and technology

International symposium on the structure of cellulose in primary and secondary cell walls, the mechanism of its synthesis and its interactions with matrix polymers, and new uses of cellulose for energy and material applications. May 16-18, 2013 at Penn State University. 

For more information and registration, see the symposium site at www.plantbiosymposium.psu.edu

About the Symposium

This symposium deals with frontier research in the structure of cellulose in primary and secondary cell walls, the mechanism of its synthesis and its interaction with matrix polymers, and new uses of cellulose for energy and material applications. Disciplinary approaches range from molecular genetics, cell biology, physical chemistry and plant physiology to material science, computational biology, chemical engineering, bioinformatics and other ways of understanding this most useful of materials.

In addition to 22 lectures from leaders in these fields, we had workshops and posters, and four additional speakers were selected from contributed abstracts.

• An international conference at Penn State University, University Park, PA, May 16-18, 2013;
• Hosted by the PSU Graduate Program in Plant Biology;
• Sponsored by the Center for Lignocellulose Structure and Formation, a DOE-funded Energy Frontiers Research Center.
• www.plantbiosymposium.psu.edu
  

Speakers List

Cellulose synthesis & deposition (Chaired by Candace Haigler)

• Jochen Zimmer, University of Virginia; Insights from the crystal structure of a bacterial cellulose synthase
• Vincent Bulone, KTH & Biomime; Cellulose synthesis in plants: current limitations and future prospects
• Simon Turner, University of Manchester; Cellulose synthesis in secondary cell walls
• Staffan Persson, Max Planck Inst. –Mol. Plant Phys.; Bio-informatics approaches to understanding plant cellulose synthesis
• Ying Gu, Penn State University; Connecting CESAs with microtubules
• Samantha Vernettes, INRA Versailles; The role of KOR1-type endoglucanases in cellulose synthesis
• Nadav Sorek, EBI, University of Berkeley; Control of cellulose desposition by COBRA and newly discovered genes (selected short talk from abstracts)
• Round table discussion/workshop of controversial issues

Cellulose structure (Chaired by Seth DeBolt)

• Yoshiharu Nishiyama, CERMAV, France; Detailed structure of the cellulose microfibril
• Per Tomas Larsson, Innventia, KTH; ss-NMR analysis of cellulose supramolecular structure
• James Matthews, Nat. Renewable Energy Lab.; computational approaches to cellulose structure
• Seong Kim, Penn State University; Cellulose through the lens of SFG spectroscopy
• Janna K. Maranas, Penn State University; Determining the structure of cellulose and hemicellulose in the primary plant cell wall using small angle neutron scattering (selected short talk from abstracts)
• Round table discussion of controversial issues

Cellulose-matrix interactions (Chaired by Charlie Anderson and Jeffrey Catchmark)

• Roger Newman, Scion, New Zealand; Physical analysis of primary and secondary cell walls
• Mike Jarvis, University of Glasgow; Structural analysis of secondary cell walls
• Lennart Salmén, Innventia; Connecting wood structure and wood mechanics
• Mike Gidley, University of Queensland, Australia; Insights into cellulose-matrix interactions with bacterial nanocomposites analogs
• Daniel Cosgrove, Penn State University; Rethinking the connections between cellulose microfibrils in growing cell walls & loosening by expansins
• Anja Geitmann, University of Montreal; Micromechanics & cell wall growth in pollen tubes
• Marta Busse-Wicher, University of Cambridge; Distinct domains of glucuronoxylan may create interfaces for interaction with cellulose and lignin (selected short talk from abstracts)
• Round table discussion of controversial issues

Cell wall structure, mechanics & applications (Chaired by Kenneth Keegstra and Jeffrey Catchmark)

• Paul Langan, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.; What happens during cell wall deconstructions – insights from neutron scattering
• Yihua Zhou, Chinese Academy of Science; Insights into wall construction from rice brittle mutants
• Ingo Burgert, ETH Zurich & Empa; Micromechanical design of cell walls
• Tsuguyuki Saito, University of Tokyo; TEMPO-oxidation for analysis of cellulose characteristics and for preparing novel bio-based nanomaterials
• Orlando Rojas, North Carolina State University; Frontiers in nanocrystalline cellulose and its applications
• Shawn Mansfield, University of British Columbia; Modifying sink strength as a means to change cellulose structure, wall properties and recalcitrance;
• Loukas Petridis, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Molecular simulation of lignocellulose (selected short talk from abstracts)
• Round table discussion of controversial issues

For more information visit www.plantbiosymposium.psu.edu or email Daniel Cosgrove (dcosgrove@psu.edu).