IBN: 9722704 PI: BOK Vision is a topic of major interest in neuroscience. The FASEB Summer Conference on the Biology & Chemistry of vision has become a regular event every two years, and this year the emphasis is on the structure, function and development of photoreceptors and the pigment epithelium of the retina. This emphasis also brings in discussions of the latest technologies that have led to novel advances in the field. A variety of speakers will cover this range of topics, and the conference remains small enough to promote vigorous exchanges of ideas in informal as well as formal settings. The NSF partial support will assist younger investigators from diverse backgrounds to participate in this conference. This conference will have an impact across many areas of visual neuroscience, on the careers of young investigators by allowing them a chance to interact readily with highly regarded senior investigators, and will extend to interactions with physician/scientists by enhancing their understanding of basic mechanisms that underlie retinal disease.