Chromosomes: Organization, Function and Dynamics

Continuing rapid development in the field of chromatin biology has lately attracted enormous interest among biologists, physicists and mathematicians. Recently, the static structure of the folded genome inside the cell nucleus has been determined with increasingly high resolution. Special features of genome folding, such as loops, A/B compartments and chromosome territories, were identified and have inspired models rooted in polymer physics. Studies of the roles of these features in gene regulation and other biological processes are currently ongoing. In addition, research on chromatin dynamics has shown that the genome moves in space and time, thus these structural features might be dynamic, too. Currently, it is not clear how to reconcile the static picture with the dynamic nature of the genome. Following the recent surge in activity on both the biology and physics fronts, this conference aims to provide a platform that would facilitate an interdisciplinary exchange, cultivate new ideas and identify new frontiers.