Life sciences are developing fast and carry many hopes. In order to promote the development of molecular life sciences in Europe, a few scientists have decided to create a new European organization, the European Life Scientists Organization (ELSO). An international meeting will be organized in Geneva to launch ELSO. The main objectives are to stimulate collaborations and mobility of European scientists, and to provide a forum where young and more established scientists can meet. Approximately 3000 participants are expected with over 100 speakers, including four Nobel prize awards and ten who were awarded the Jeantet Prize in Medicine. The meeting will be held September 2-6, 2000.

ELSO 2000 is the first European meeting in the molecular Life Sciences, which will bring together in Geneva, September 2-6 2000, scientists of international stature. Approximately 3000 participants are expected with over 100 speakers during these five days. The opening lecture will be given by Günter Blobel, who was awarded the Nobel price in 1999. During sessions held in the following days, speakers will include Craig Venter from the company Celera, and the Nobel prize awards Christiane Nuesslein-Volhard, Erwin Neher and Rolf Zinkernagel, as well as ten scientists who were awarded the Louis-Jeantet price in Medicine.

The meeting is organized by the ELSO, in collaboration with Prof. Denis Duboule and Prof. Jean Gruenberg from the University of Geneva, as well as the Swiss Union of Biochemistry (USGEB). The main objectives of the meeting are to provide a high profile international forum serving the interests of the scientific community, to stimulate collaborations and mobility of European scientists, and to offer a forum where young and more established scientists can meet.

The European Life Scientists Organization (ELSO), with an office in Heidelberg (Germany), was born in 1999. Following the example of American organizations, ELSO was created to promote molecular life sciences in Europe and to defend the interests of scientists, with the goal to organize annual meetings in Europe. The first ELSO meeting will take place in Geneva in September 2000, and the meeting will return to Geneva every three years.

An event of this importance contributes to the visibility of the Geneva scientific community and offers young scientists from Geneva a unique opportunity to attend a major international meeting and to contact leading scientists.

The complete programme and information can be obtained at: www.ELSO.org