th It is a great pleasure for me to open the jubilee 25 International Symposium on Blood Transfusion here in Groningen. This symposium is co-sponsored by the World Health Organization and is being held under the auspices of the ISBT and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr Walter Schwimmer. The patronage was granted with great pleasure for several reasons. First of all, Dutch experts are very active in our Committees and have largely contributed in developing the Council of Europe principles in the blood area. Secondly, the Council of Europe is active today in the area of blood transfusion due to a tragic event, which occurred in 1953 in the Netherlands; following a flooding many of the blood products given for assistance' could not be used due to incompatibilities and differences in labelling. Some words to present the Council of Europe since the organisation is sometimes confused with institutions ofthe European Union: The organisation has been founded in 1949 to establish the principles of democracy and rule of law all over Europe. Since 1989, the year of the fall of the Berlin wall and the opening up of the iron curtain, these principles could be extended to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Today this makes the Council of Europe the only pan-European organisation with 41 Member States thus representing more than 750 million people.

This book is the only published literature that comprehensively discusses all aspects of transfusion of transmissible diseases, the facts and the fiction. It is of paramount importance to all involved in the vein to vein chain of transfusion medicine. Transmissible Diseases and Blood Transfusion is an important reference for all hematologists and researchers involved in transfusion medicine.

The continuing AIDS pandemic reminds us that despite the unrelenting quest for knowledge since the early 1980s, we have much to learn about HIV and AIDS. This terrible syndrome represents one of the greatest challenges for science and medicine. The purpose of this book is to aid clinicians, provide a source of inspiration for researchers, and serve as a guide for graduate students in their continued search for a cure of HIV. The first part of this book, "From the laboratory to the clinic," and the second part, "From the clinic to the patients," represent the unique but intertwined mission of this work: to provide basic and clinical knowledge on HIV/AIDS.

The international symposia on blood transfusion in Groningen have taken place without interruption since 1976. Each year Dr. Smit-Sibinga and his team have not only organized a meeting on timely topics in blood transfusion, but also succeeded in attracting prominent chairmen and speakers. The subject of the 24th Symposium was Molecular Biology in Blood Transfusion and it was chaired by Dr. Harvey G. Klein, National Institutes of Health, USA. In this book of proceedings an extraordinary range of subjects is covered, including diagnostic aspects, virology, quality control, cell and protein processing as well as a section on new horizons in clinical medicine.

This encyclopedia will define the issues that surround cancer and its effects on society.

Welcome to the City of Groningen, the center of the North of the Netherlands. Groningen is proud of the long lasting tradition of scientific symposia organised by the Sanquin Blood Bank. These Sanquin International Symposia on Blood Transfusion have become a true traditional event in Groningen, marking the early academic year and have contributed to the specific reputation of Groningen and its University in the scientific field of Transfusion Medicine. The growing tradition has also contributed to initiatives of both University, Province and the City of Groningen to bring science and industry together - BioMedCity Groningen. Such repu- tion does not just happen, but is the result of creative and scientific leadership, of vision and an open mind, to explore in a team spirit horizons. Groningen is particularly proud of this reputation thanks to its leadership, the Sanquin Blood Bank North-East. This year in particular the theme chosen some two years ago is extremely timely as it illustrates the activities and scientific interest of an integrated team which includes our regional Sanquin Blood Bank North-East and fits in the City initiatives within the concept of BioMedCity, Groningen.