Nanoanalytic instrument maker JPK Instruments has announced that registration is open for the ninth annual international symposium on the applications of scanning probe microscopy and optical tweezers. The meeting will be held Oct. 6 to 7 in Berlin and will focus on developments in life science applications. It is expected that more than 100 scientists will discuss their results, sharing scientific knowledge in an informal atmosphere. This year’s speakers, from Europe and Canada, will present new research results on a wide variety of topics. The meeting will feature poster sessions where delegates are invited to showcase their work to their peers, and where research students are offered the opportunity to present posters alongside leading researchers. The topics to be covered include protein folding, high-speed AFM imaging of fibrils, and measurement of the mechanical properties of biomaterials, including soft biomolecular films using a new combination of AFM and microinterferometry. In the field of optical tweezers, presentations on high-speed manipulation and a means of moving the cell nucleus look particularly innovative. For more information, visit: www.nanobioviews.net