Torun Triumph: ISC 2012 Review

The 29^th world gathering of the International Symposium on Chromatography (ISC) and the 18^th International Symposium on Separation Science (ISSS) took place in Toruń, Poland in September 2012 and was supported by the cream of chromatography associations across Europe. Professor Boguslaw Buszewski, Chairman of ISC 2012 and President of EuSSS, CeGSS and Polish Chemical Society reveals the highlights of this year’s illuminating programme.

The motto adopted for the 29^th International Symposium on Chromatography (29th ISC-Torun’12) and the 18^th International Symposium on Separation Sciences (ISSS’2012) was Chromatography and Separation Science: Past, Today, Future. The event was held at Nicolaus Copernicus University (UMK Toruń), Toruń, Poland, and hosted scientists from over 58 countries.

Day One.

The meeting commenced with a piano concerto performance by Paweł Wakarecy from Toruń, a finalist in the 2011 International Chopin Piano Competition, followed by a brief presentation by Dr Michal Targowski on the history and current significance of Toruń in culture and science. The symposium was ceremonially opened by Professor Jacek Guliński, deputy minister of science and higher education of Poland; Piotr Całbecki marshal of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland; Zbigniew Rasielewski, the deputy mayor of Toruń; and Professor Andrzej Tretyn, Rector Magnificus of the UMK Toruń. Following the opening speeches, an award ceremony took place and laureates received their awards:

Professor Pat Sandra from the Research Institute for Chromatography, Kortrijk, Belgium received an award from the European Society of Separation Scientists (EuSSS); Dr. Virginia Coman of Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania was awarded by the Central European Group of Separation Scientists (CEGSS); and Professor Attila Felinger of the University of Pecs, Hungary and Professor Jacek Nawrocki of Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland were awarded by the Committee on Chromatographic Analysis of Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS).

639 scientists attended and there were fifteen plenary lectures, 6 thematic presentations, 45 presentations arranged in thematic sections and 15 reports by young researchers. More than 42% of the participants were from this younger category.

Dr Gerard Rozing from Waldbronn, Germany presided over 609 poster presentations reviewed by 44 international specialists. Leading topics focused on issues where chemistry, biology and medicine overlap – or “omics”. Many of the presentations discussed HILIC. The scientific programme of the event was rich and varied and resulted in fascinating post-conference debates.

Nobel Prize Laureate — Professor Ada Yonath of Weizmann Institute of Science, Tel-Aviv, Israel — presented the opening lecture which highlighted recent achievements in research on ribosomes, delineating the topics dominating ISC and ISSS this year.

Professor Gunther Bonn from the University of Innsbruck, Austria gave a presentation on the practical aspects arising from the introduction of a new generation of columns and packing materials in biomolecule analysis, while Professor Vadim Davankov from the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow described developments in chromatographic analysis of polymers and biopolymers, particularly the synthesis of superporous packings.

For the extended version of this review, please click hereUseful Links:The Chromatography societywww.chromsoc.com

ISC 2012 Poster Awards

www.rozing.com