Participant Testimonials
The workshop at BIRS provided an excellent experience for me and the other participants. The format of the workshop and the support provided by BIRS and the Banff Center enabled me to learn and interact with other researchers and my collaborators. I was able to have long and productive discussions with my collaborators about our joint research and exchange our ideas. I was able to connect with another researcher and found some common research interest. I will be soon visiting her again and new collaboration may start. It is clear that a grant proposal and one or two papers will be the beneficiaries of this workshop!
I enjoyed my recent visit to Banff and the conference on 'The Topology of Nucleic Acids'. The confluence of expertise at the interface of math, physics and biology was both timely and appropriate. I have been interested in the topological analysis of DNA recombination mechanisms for a fairly long time now. In this approach, we have to often determine the chirality of DNA knots and links tied by recombinase enzymes. A particularly interesting revelation to me at the meeting was the improvement in the resolution of atomic force microscopy in following DNA structure and dynamics. I believe that the technique will help us determine the chirality of DNA crossings more easily than current methods utilizing electron microscopy. I am indeed glad that I attended the conference.
University of Texas at Austin
The workshop was really great and the people that were chosen to participate and give talks presented a beautiful balance between experimental and theoretical approach to studying nucleic acid topologies. The organizers did a really great job in putting things together. There were a lot of very productive discussions that would definitely impact the way I approach some topics in my research. What is most valuable is the venue that BIRS provides for such a productive research atmosphere. Thank you very much for that.
A splendid workshop with an opportunity to consult with distinguished experts in contiguous fields as well as meeting younger researchers that I had not yet encountered. The program provided opportunity for extensive discussion during the breaks and in the evenings. Came away with some new knowledge and ideas enriching the objectives of ongoing projects.
Mathematics, University of California Santa Barbara
