American Chemical Society April 1-5 meeting highlights vaccine research, functional foods, and insect control

New vaccine research for flu, herpes and other infections, functional foods that promote health, and new preservatives that battle insects such as termites will be presented at the 221st national meeting of the American Chemical Society April 1-5 in San Diego, Calif.

The ACS, the world's largest scientific society, will hold its meeting at the San Diego Convention Center, 111 West Harbor Drive, and surrounding hotels. More than 7,500 papers have been submitted and approximately 10,000 scientists are expected to attend. This meeting, under the leadership of ACS President Attila Pavlath, will feature a unique series of Presidential events emphasizing professionalism and career development.

Symposia and topics on the San Diego program include:

· Food Factors for Health Promotion, a four-day symposium with more than 50 presentations scheduled, is being held in connection with the International Society of Functional Foods.

· Plant Biotechnology will focus on the increasing use of genetically modified plants as a possible source of new drugs including vaccines, human hormones, and antivirals.

· Chemistry of Wood Degradation and Preservation focuses on how the latest applications in the biomaterial sciences can help preserve the wood on aging buildings and protect it from threats by insects, including termites and shipworms.

· An environmentally-friendly process for treating fabrics, especially those used in industrial manufacturing, could lead to "green" jeans.

· Natural Products: Nature's CombiChem symposium is a four-day event featuring presentations from organic and medicinal chemists discussing the role of natural products in combatting illness and disease.

A nonprofit organization with a membership of more than 163,000 chemists and chemical engineers, the American Chemical Society publishes scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences, and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.