ROCKVILLE, Md., June 6 -- The Institute for Genomic Research
(TIGR) announced today that it will hold its 12th Annual International Genome
Sequencing and Analysis Conference (GSAC) on Tuesday, September 12 through
Friday, September 15, 2000 at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort and Towers in
Miami, Florida.  Recent advances in genomics are the primary focus of this
meeting.  The GSAC conference began in 1989 in Washington, DC.  Critically
acclaimed throughout the scientific community, GSAC will assemble the world's
leading genome researchers to present their current research developments.
    "Through GSAC we bring scientists together to review and discuss the
latest developments in the field of genomics," said Claire Fraser, President
of TIGR.
    International experts from academia, government, and the private sector
will be represented during GSAC's continuing plenary sessions. The conference
program plenary sessions will highlight the following topics: "Advances in
Agriculture/Plant Genomics"; "The Human Genome"; "Genome Biology"; and
"Frontiers In Biology & Medicine".  In addition, three concurrent sessions
will be held daily covering specific advances in the areas of Technology,
Bioinformatics and Genomics.  Throughout this 3-day conference, scientific
posters as well as electronic posters will be displayed and the authors will
be on hand to discuss their papers. Plenary Speakers include:
    Jeff Dangl, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Edward DeLong,
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Monterey, CA; Joseph Ecker, The Salk
Institute for Biological Studies; Malcolm Gardner, The Institute for Genomic
Research; Richard Gibbs, Baylor University Medical School; Samir Kaul, The
Institute for Genomic Research; Michael Laub, Stanford University; Brent
Mishler, University of California/Berkeley; Rino Rappuoli, IRIS, Chiron SpA;
Gene Robinson, University of Illinois; Frank Rosenzweig, University of
Florida; Gerald Rubin, Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Mathias Uhlen, Royal
Institute of Technology; and J. Craig Venter, Celera Genomics.
      Conference attendees will also have the opportunity to meet
representatives from nearly 150 biotech companies who will showcase their
current advances in technology that will benefit the genomics field.
    TIGR continues its reputation of hosting professional, scientific
conferences with the upcoming 4th Conference on Computational Genomics,
November 16-18, 2000 in Baltimore, Maryland and the next Microbial Genome
Conference, January 2001, being held in Monterey, California and co-sponsored
by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).
    At the forefront of the emerging area of genomic science since its
inception, TIGR is a not-for-profit research institute founded in 1992 with
interests in structural, functional and comparative analysis of genomes and
gene products in bacteria (pathogenic or disease causing and environmental)
archaea and eukaryotes, both plant and animal.
    For additional information on attending this year's conference or
exhibiting at next year's, please see http://www.tigr.org/cet or contact TIGR's
Department of Conferences, Education and Training at 301-610-5959.