Meeting on Molecular Mechanisms and Manipulation in the Archaea, Nottingham The Nottingham meeting is needed to bring together major researchers based in the UK who are researching both the biochemistry and genetics of archaea. The opportunity for such an inter-disciplinary gathering of archaea researchers has not arisen previously; the meeting at Bath focussed on enzymology of DNA metabolism, at Nottingham we wish to encourage the inclusion of genetic approaches to research in this area. At least three of the labs attending (Shirley MacReady, Peter Lund and Thorsten Allers) are making advances in methodologies and applications of genetics in archaea, results that have not yet been aired in the wider research community. The meeting will seed collaborations that would be far more difficult to achieve remotely. Nottingham will also allow attendees to review the progress of existing collaborations in the enzymology of DNA replication and repair. We anticipate that the framework for a major research grant proposal will be forthcoming from the meeting.