On behalf of the biophysics community in the UK, we would like to invite you to participate in the joint 19th International Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB) and 11th European Biophysical Societies' Association (EBSA) Congress in Edinburgh, Scotland in July 2017.

Scientists in the United Kingdom have played a formative role in the development of biophysics as a discipline over almost 60 years. We are therefore delighted that Scotland is the venue for this event, the first IUPAB-affiliated congress to be held in the UK for 33 years and the second joint congress to be held with the EBSA.

The British Biophysical Society, together with the Biological Physics Group of the Institute of Physics (IOP), will be the local hosts and are taking on the task of assembling an outstanding scientific programme for this major international biophysics event. All areas of contemporary biophysics will be included in a varied programme from single molecule studies to complex machineries, new methodologies and theory, and applied across all biological systems. Plenary lectures, invited talks and selected oral presentations from younger scientists will form the programme aimed at attracting a truly international participation 

The venue is in the centre of Edinburgh, overlooked by the famous Castle, and is one of the UK's premier conference sites and facilities. Edinburgh is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and has much to offer, especially in the summer with the Edinburgh Festival that follows this congress; it is also a hub and gateway to the Highlands and Islands. The newly installed tram gives fast and affordable transport from Edinburgh airport which, together with nearby Glasgow, links Scotland directly to almost 30 European cities, as well as providing direct flights to North America and the Middle East as a stop-over to the East and Africa.

We look forward to welcoming you to Scotland for the 2017 IUPAB/EBSA/BBS/IOP Congress - we will ensure your attendance is both rewarding scientifically as well as warm socially.

Anthony Watts (BBS) and Andrew Turberfield (IOP), Oxford.