Russel 9723526 The Molecular Genetics of Bacteria and Phages Conference, traditionally held at Cold Spring Harbor and now being held alternate years at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, is a central forum for presentation of new results in prokaryotic molecular genetics. On the order of 200-300 participants attend, representing laboratories throughout the world, and most present either short talks or posters. Its breadth makes it an important focus for the exchange of information in this era of scientific specialization. Topics covered include fundamental work on bacterial replication, recombination, repair, transposition, control of gene expression, translation, signalling, heat shock, protein folding and secretion, cell development and division, and pathogenesis. For many graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, this is the first large meeting at which they have an opportunity to speak. Due to its highly interactive nature, the meeting provides an important opportunity for these young scientists to meet and talk to the senior scientists they know from the literature. In response to the large numbers of students who attend the meeting and the diversity of topics covered, established and distinguished scientists are now invited to chair each session. This has strengthened the meeting because each chairperson gives a short introduction in which he or she summarizes some of the key facets of the field to be covered and provides a conceptual framework for the major questions that the talks will address. As an additional benefit, publicizing the judiciously chosen chairpeople and session topics in announcements of the meeting, encourages the submission of abstracts in exciting new areas and stimulates attendance by a larger constituency. Funds are provided for a few key chairpersons and participants who require financial assistance to attend the meeting.
