Sir

Many geneticists are planning to attend the 19th International Congress of Genetics, to be held in Melbourne on 6–11 July 2003. Because 2003 is the fiftieth anniversary of the publication in Nature of the seminal paper by Watson and Crick on the DNA double helix (J. D. Watson and F. H. C. Crick, Nature 171, 737–738; 1953), the congress represents a timely vantage point from which to celebrate the advanced state of the art of genetics, to reflect on half a century of its successes and failures, and to debate its future.

International genetics congresses are significant, inspiring occasions for geneticists from developing countries, providing them with a rare opportunity to meet the top international researchers. Hence, the International Genetics Federation (the official congress sponsor), together with the Australian organizers, has financed some travel bursaries to be awarded on a competitive basis to needy geneticists, especially those from developing nations. Application details can be found on the Congress website at http://www.geneticscongress2003.com/index.php.