The XVIIIth International Conference on Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems (ICMRBS-98), to be held August 23 to 28, 1998, on the campus of Tokyo Metropolitan University in Hachioji, Japan (a suburb of Tokyo), will focus on a broad range of magnetic resonance methods as applied to studies of biological processes related to human health. The biennial ICMRBS hs become the major venue for discussion of advances in nuclear and chemical properties of important classes of biomolecules. Magnetic resonance has become an established tool in structural biology, and its special importance derives from its ability to provide atomic level information complementary to that from x-ray crystallography. It is becoming increasingly evident that they dynamic features of biomolecules, their intermolecular importance to understanding molecular recognition and function. This is the one conference that brings together experts from high-resolution NMR, solid state NMR, EMR, in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging, and developers of instrumentation, techniques, software, and databases, and sustains the fruitful cross-fertilization of ideas that has been so successful in driving the spectacular advances in this field. Funds solicited from the NIH are intended to provide partial travel support for 15 invited speakers plus 35 younger scientists from the US (graduate students, post-docs, beginning faculty), to be selected from those who have submitted posters. These funds are critical to being able to bring together a program of the highest quality. By promoting the attendance of younger scientists, the grant will be particularly beneficial in ensuring the active contribution of female and, to some extent, minority investigators.
