Transcription is central to all biological systems.
All aspects of biology, such as the development of multi-cellular organisms, signal transduction, tumorigenesis and ageing, rely on regulated gene expression. It is the key determinant of cellular phenotype and is one of the most active and intensively studied fields of biological research. The EMBL Transcription Conference takes place every two years, alternating with the biennial meeting at the Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory on the same topic. These conferences are the premier venues in this field and the next is scheduled to be held at EMBL, Heidelberg, beginning on Saturday evening, August 26nd 2000 and finishing on Wednesday, August 30th. The conference will be attended by approximately 300 scientists who represent the frontiers of basic and applied transcription research in Europe, with selected representation from around the world.