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KEW PLANT GENOME SIZE DISCUSSION MEETING |
Sponsored by Annals of Botany11th - 12th September 2003 |
Variation in genome size is an important aspect of biodiversity. Information regarding this character is used in a strikingly wide range of biological fields. Variation in genome size and its significance is probably more widely studied and better understood in angiosperms than in any other group of organisms. Experimental interest remains high, yet there remains a significant need for more data.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has hosted many significant and enjoyable international scientific meetings. These include a series of Kew Chromosome Conferences, the latest (the IVth) held in September 1994, attended by 182 delegates from 27 countries. In September 1997 the Angiosperm Genome Size workshop and Discussion meeting was held at Kew. The conclusions and recommendations of the workshop have been highly influential in guiding new work in the field during the past five years. Over five years have now elapsed and it is therefore timely to hold a second meeting to review progress since 1997 and to look forward to assess needs and opportunities for the future. Consequently, a discussion meeting is now being organised and will be held at Kew from 11th to 12th September 2003. It is expected to be another scientifically exciting and significant meeting that will be attended by up to 100 scientists from around the world.
Scientists at Kew have studied genome size in angiosperms since the 1970s. This interest was enhanced when Dr Michael Bennett moved to Kew in 1987. Since then four large reference lists of DNA amounts in angiosperms have been published in 1991, 1995, 1997 and 2000 with a fifth in preparation. In addition, the C-value data from these reference lists have been combined together with data available for pteriodophytes, gymnosperms and bryophytes into the Plant DNA C-values database (release 2.0) which went live Feb. 2003 (http://www.kew.org/cval/homepage.html).
You are invited to attend this Kew discussion meeting which will be held on Thursday 11th September and Friday 12th September 2003. A registration form is here, which we invite you to return as soon as possible to avoid disappointment, because the number of participants will be strictly limited. Bookings exceeding the maximum number will be returned to the senders.
The registration form can be found here
The discussion meeting will take place in the well-appointed Jodrell Laboratory and Lecture Theatre, situated in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Kew is a few miles west of central London, near the M3 and M4 motorways and is easily reached by underground train from central London or Heathrow Airport.
This will comprise invited papers and a poster session spread over two days. There will be no concurrent sessions. The planned topics for discussion will include:
Speakers already expected include:- Mike Bennett (Kew, UK); Jeff Bennetzen (Purdue, USA); Jaroslav Dolezel (Olomouc, Czech Republic); Ryan Gregory (New York, USA), Johann Greilhuber (Vienna, Austria); Spencer Johnson (Texas, USA); Donald Kapraun (North Carolina, USA); Ilia Leitch (Kew, UK); Brian Murray (Auckland, New Zealand); Dmitri Petrov (Stanford, USA); Jim Price (Texas, USA); Barbara Vilhar (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Pat Heslop-Harrison (Leicester, UK); Chris Cullis (USA), Tom Meagher (St Andrews, UK).
You are invited to offer a poster on any topic relevant to genome size. Ample space will be provided for poster presentations and a session will be devoted entirely to them.
Conference posters and some recent interesting papers are cited here.
The registration fee for the discussion meeting is £100 (£50 for bona fide PhD students). This covers the cost of the programme, teas, coffees, lunches and receptions. The registration fee does not include the cost of accommodation and this will not be arranged by the meeting organisers. However, information about local accommodation can be provided on request.
| Professor MD Bennett | Dr PE Brandham | |
| Dr IJ Leitch | Mrs AL Bennett | |
| Dr MF Fay | Mr S Graham | |
| Miss L Hanson | Mrs V Munday |
Plant Genome Size Meeting,
Jodrell Laboratory,
Royal Botanic Gardens,
Kew,
Richmond,
Surrey,
TW9 3DS,
UK
Telephone: +44 (0)20 8332 5329
Fax: +44 (0)20 8332 5310
Email: dnac-value@kew.org
| If you have comments and/or suggestions contact the DNA C-value administrator |
© Copyright (2003), Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |