The Congress theme is 'Genomes - the Linkage to Life'. This theme acknowledges the fact that the complete sequencing of a variety of genomes allows the traditional and new tools of Genetics to be applied to address the major questions of life.

2003 highlights a critical landmark in Genetics - the fiftieth year since the publication of the Watson and Crick paper on the structure of the DNA molecule. The work of Watson and Crick and all that has stemmed from it will be discussed and celebrated at ICG2003. Professor James D. Watson will be in attendance.

Genetics will be covered in all of its contemporary depth and breadth. There will be 10 plenary addresses and 54 symposia with a total of 280 invited speakers considering basic research themes as diverse as mutation, development and evolution and a broad raft of applied themes with relevance to agriculture, the environment and medicine using organisms ranging from viruses to humans.

Additional Program Elements

Genetics raises many issues of intense interest and concern for both scientists and the general public.

• Three Delegate Forums will address key issues pertaining to genetics teaching and research.
  
  
• A one day special Symposium will be conducted on Human Genetics and Global Healthcare. This Symposium will run in parallel to other Congress sessions on Tuesday July 8 and is open to all Congress delegates.
  
  
• Following the excellent model established at the Birmingham Congress in 1993, there will be a substantial Public Participation Program that will showcase excellent genetics research and address a broad range of issues.

Three Australasian genetics societies will be combining their annual conferences with the Congress - the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics (AAABG), the Genetics Society of Australia (GSA) and the Human Genetics Society of Australasia (HGSA).

AAABG will be running afternoon sessions on animal breeding and genetics. These will run in parallel with the Congress program. Congress delegates are welcome to attend these sessions. More detail will be published online as it becomes available.

HGSA will be also be running additional sessions during the Congress. In particular, the HGSA Oration to be given by Professor Bob Williamson, will at 1.30pm on Wednesday July 9. Congress delegates are welcome to attend this oration.

Participating in the Program

All Congress participants will have the opportunity to present a poster. In each symposium up to two speakers will be chosen on the basis of their submitted abstract. A series of satellite meetings and workshops will be held in conjunction with the Congress. This will broaden the level of participation and add depth to the coverage of key research areas in the Congress.

The Congress program is being developed through a liaison between the Program Committee (chaired by Professor David Smyth) and the International Program Advisory Committee (chaired by Professor Chuck Langley).

Professor David Smyth Department of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria 3168 AUSTRALIA Phone No: 613 9905 3861 Fax No: 613 9905 5537 Email: david.smyth@sci.monash.edu.au
Professor Charles Langley 3342B Storer Hall University of California Davis California 95616 USA Phone No: 1-530 752 4085 Email: chlangley@ucdavis.edu