Date
2-6, August, 2010
Venue
Panasonic Auditorium, Yukawa Hall, YITP, Kyoto University
Effects of topology on the statistical mechanics of polymers attract much attention in various fields of science such as physics, biology and chemistry. DNA knots, knots in proteins, and synthetic ring polymers have been extensively studied not only theoretically but also experimentally. For example, presence of knots in proteins seems to increase protein’s stability under certain conditions. Presence of knots in DNA is generally harmful for cells, however statistically detectable changes in DNA behaviour caused by DNA knotting allow DNA topoisomerases to efficiently unknot the DNA. How topology affects such statistical properties of polymer chains as their scaling, their shape or their diffusibility are subjects of intensive research of many researchers. These and many other aspects related to effects of topology on statistical mechanics of biopolymers and polymers in general will be the subject of the interdisciplianary workshop "Statistical physics and topology of polymers with ramifications to structure and function of DNA and proteins''. The aim of the workshop is to have a forum for presentation of new original research in the field and to promote new collaborations between the participants.
T. Deguchi (Ochanomizu Univ.),
A. Stasiak (Universite de Lausanne),
H. Hayakawa (Kyoto Univ.),
K. Shimokawa (Saitama Univ.),
K. Tsurusaki (KITC)