ABRF '96: Biomolecular Techniques, the first independent meeting of the ABRF, was held at the Golden Gateway Holiday Inn in San Francisco, CA from March 30 to April 2. The outstanding program attracted over 500 scientific registrants, more than twice the anticipated number. Over 35 companies, with a total of 234 exhibitor registrants, filled the exhibit space, and some companies who requested space late could not be accommodated.
The program began Sunday morning with a keynote address by Dr. Leroy Hood of the University of Washington. He emphasized the critical role that technological developments play in furthering investigation of basic biological questions. Researchers investigate basic questions using available techniques until they reach a plateau where they are limited by the techniques. In response to this, new methods emerge that permit further exploration and open up new problems to study. This saltatory escalation continues with technological improvements enabling basic research, which reaches limits and then demands new technology.
A symposium chaired by Dr. Preston Henley provided in-depth discussions on the utility of three techniques for investigating quantitative aspects of macromolecular interactions. Instrumentation for analytical ultra -centrifugation, titration microcalorimetry, and surface plasmon resonance has now developed to the point where these techniques can rapidly provide kinetic and thermodynamic information about the behavior of macromolecules in solution. A second symposium organized by Dr. Steven Carr focused on the present status and future prospects of mass spectrometry for analysis of biomolecules. This included descriptions of improved sample handling methods for both MALDI and electrospray instruments, the coupling of laser desorption/ionization with ion trap technology, and the development of programs facilitating protein identification by searching databases with mass analysis results.
Throughout the meeting concurrent workshop sessions enabled detailed discussion of the improvements and limitations of various technologies used in resource laboratories. Tutorials offered attendees the opportunity to learn the basics of new techniques, and one roundtable discussion addressed instrument selection. The poster sessions, with 122 posters displayed, provided ample opportunity for participants to discuss their recent work with colleagues.
The success of this meeting was the result of exceptional effort on the part of the meeting organizersDavid Speicher and Steven Carrthe many speakers, and all the participants. Our thanks to all for a truly outstanding meeting. Special thanks go to the corporate sponsors and contributors for this meeting, listed below, who provided critical financial support. We look forward to an equally exciting and successful meeting in 1997.
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