This conference aims to provide an interdisciplinary forum for biologists, physicists, chemists and engineers who develop single molecule methodologies that can be readily applied to solve important biological problems. This emerging field of science attracts a young cohort of scientists who get a chance to interact closely with established leaders, promoting a creative environment of inquiry that greatly advances the field.

Early efforts of the single molecule community were almost entirely focused on techniques development. Now, and in large part due to this conference, single molecule techniques are rapidly occupying a central role in biological research at all levels. This transition was made possible by the availability and dissemination of robust techniques that use fluorescence and force probes to track the conformation of molecules one at a time, in vitro as well as in live cells. Single-molecule approaches have changed the way many biological problems are studied. These novel techniques provide previously unobtainable data on fundamental biochemical processes that are essential for all forms of life. The ability of single-molecule approaches to avoid ensemble averaging and to capture transient intermediates and heterogeneous behavior renders them particularly powerful in elucidating mechanisms of the molecular systems that underpin the functioning of living cells. Hence, our conference seeks to disseminate the implementation and use of single molecule techniques in the pursuit of new biological knowledge. In addition, the conference provides for a modern training ground for young scientists that wish to learn how to conduct interdisciplinary research. To encourage this exchange and networking amongst the junior scientists a two day Gordon Research Seminar is held prior to the conference.