Physics of Molecular Machines
Joining theory and experiments
May 22 - 26, 2006

Organisers: Naoko Nakagawa (Ibaraki University, Japan), Claudia Veigel (National Institute for Medical Research, London, England), and Michel Peyrard (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France)

Scientific advisors: Christian Van den Broeck (Limburgs Universitair Centrum, Diepenbeck, Belgium) Toshio Yanagida (Osaka University, Japan)

Scientific motivation:

The process by which molecular motors operate appears as an extreme example of the ability of proteins to exhibit very large, concerted, conformational changes for a well defined biological purpose. It is particularly challenging to understand. Understanding the physics of molecular machines is not only a tantalising goal by itself, but also a possible pathway to understand how many proteins perform their function.
In the last few years, studies of molecular motors have progressed in two directions. The development of experimental methods to manipulate and visualise single molecules has been remarkable and it has allowed a precise exploration of some of their properties. On the other hand theory has developed various tools for these systems which are operating on a scale where the thermal fluctuations cannot be ignored, and are even an integral part of the process.
This workshop, co-organised by theoreticians and experimentalists, intended to improve the contacts between the two viewpoints. It included long lectures by theoreticians and experimentalists.

Lecturers:

• Theoretical approaches:
  • Dean Astumian (Orono, Maine, USA)
  • Felix Ritort (Barcelona, Spain)
  • Ken Sekimoto (Paris, France)
• Experimental studies:
  • Justin Molloy (London, England)
  • Christoph F. Schmidt (Amsterdam, Netherland)
  • James R. Sellers (Bethesda, Maryland, USA)
  • Toshio Yanagida (Osaka, Japan)

Contacts:

• Michel Peyrard (Michel.Peyrard@ens-lyon.fr)
• Naoko Nakagawa (nah@mx.ibaraki.ac.jp)
• Claudia Veigel (cveigel@nimr.mrc.ac.uk)

Approved by the Biophysical Society of Japan   

Support:

European Science Foundation      (Stochdyn program)	British Biophysical Society	Service pour la Science et la Technologie de l'Ambassade de France au Japon	Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

The Physics School in Les Houches is affiliated to the University Joseph Fourier and National Polytechnical Institute in Grenoble. It is subsidized by the French Ministry of Education and Research, the CNRS, and the CEA.