The Human Proteome Organization (HUPO) is a not for profit organization that was created with the mission of: 1) Consolidating national and regional proteome organizations into a worldwide organization; 2) Engaging in scientific and educational activities to encourage the spread of proteomics technologies and to disseminate knowledge pertaining to the human proteome and that of model organisms and 3) Assisting in the coordination of public proteome initiatives. The HUPO World Congress is the major annual event organized by HUPO to drive its mission with the major goal of offering exciting and applicable information for any researcher using or interested in using a proteomics approach. The previous and inaugural meeting was held in Versailles, France and attracted in excess of 1000 participants. This year, the congress will be held in ? Montreal, Canada from October 8th to 11th and we expect approximately 3000 basic and clinical researchers from around the globe to exchange information on a broad range of fields from environmental research to agriculture to human and animal health. ? ? The Scientific Program Committee is dedicated to creating a meeting of invited symposia talks, educational workshops as well as volunteered oral and poster presentations on the most up to date advances in proteomics and fields that are now using proteomics approaches. This will foster discussions and sessions between highly experienced researchers using the latest proteomics approaches and those who are just beginning to seek out proteomics as a means to perform their research activities. The program not only covers the basic science directly related to proteomics including cell biology, genetics, protein chemistry, mass spectrometry and bioinformatics but also the application of proteomics techniques and technologies to human and animal diseases, plants and other multi and unicellular organisms. An important element of the scientific program will be the poster sessions outlining the most innovative research in the many fields that currently use or could potentially use proteomics methodologies to answer some highly visible and important questions of our time. ? ?