HOUSTON, Texas, October 19, 2007 – Scientists and leading researchers from around the world will gather in Houston to explore how physical forces and interactions govern biological function, from the molecular to the cellular scale..>

The Welch Foundation's 51st annual Conference on Chemical Research, "Physical Biology - From Atoms to Cells," will be held Oct. 22-23 at the Wyndham Greenspoint Hotel in Houston.

“Physical biology is an exciting, emerging field of intense scientific interest,” says Conference Chairman Ahmed H. Zewail, Linus Pauling Chair Professor of Chemistry and Physics at the California Institute of Technology. “This year's Welch Chemical Conference will bring together top researchers from the fields of physics, chemistry and biology who are dedicated to creating new ways of understanding the dynamical behavior of biological systems.”

Areas covered will include microscopy, crystallography, microfluidics, single-molecule spectroscopy, protein folding and misfolding, abiological assemblies, molecular and systems biology and consciousness and quantum mechanics of the brain.

The two-day conference is divided into four half-day sessions exploring different aspects of physical biology including:

·         Presentations on current methods of visualization and developments in extended structural imaging, biomolecular motors, microfluidic technology and single-molecule manipulation;

·         Theory and computation along with discussions on protein folding and function, the physical biology of cells and water solutions and proton transport;

·         Protein design research including understanding the molecular mechanics of membrane proteins, protein structure and their relationship to disease, abiological systems and ligand binding;

·         Exploring molecular cell biology, systems approaches to biology and medicine and how consciousness is linked to the brain.

In addition, this year's co-recipients of the Welch Award in Chemistry, theoretical chemists Noel S. Hush, University of Sydney and William H. Miller, University of California, Berkeley, will present the 2007 Welch Award Lectures.

"Scientists will be presenting on a wide array of topics ranging from purely conceptual theories to new tools and technologies used to observe complex molecular structures," says Dr. Zewail.  "The Welch Chemical Conference provides a unique opportunity for the world's top scientists to interact and possibly inspire future collaborations that further our knowledge about chemistry and physical biology."

To register for the conference or to review a complete program, please visit The Welch Foundation’s Web site, www.welch1.org/ChemicalConference/ , or call Carla Atmar at The Foundation at 713-439-7813. The conference is open to all and there is no registration fee.

The Houston-based Welch Foundation, founded in 1954, has provided more than $603 million in support for science. In addition to the annual chemical conference, the Foundation’s endeavors include research grants to more than 400 scientists at >Texas colleges and universities; 42 endowed chairs; departmental grants; a summer scholar program and a lecture series. The Foundation also bestows the annual Welch Award in Chemistry, a $300,000 international prize honoring lifetime achievement in basic research, and the Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research for scientists less than 40 years of age conducting research in Texas.