On behalf of the 169th University-Industry Cooperative Research Committee of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Chaired by Professor Noriyoshi Sakabe, we cordially invite you to the 4th International Symposium on Diffraction Structural Biology (ISDSB2013). The Symposium is being supported by many associated societies including the Crystallographic Society of Japan (the full list is in preparation).　The concept of this Series of Symposia is to "bring structural biologists using diffraction and the scientists using a wide range of other advanced technologies closer together as well as interlace where possible basic research with industrial applications ". 

The 169th Committee was the first to propound the concept of the need for a Symposium on Diffraction Structural Biology and thus led the way by convening the first International Symposium on Diffraction Structural Biology held in 2003. This, the detailed planning of the fourth in the Series, again confirms its worth and value to this extensive, global, research community. The immediately previous 3rd International Symposium on Diffraction Structural Biology (ISDSB2010) was the first to be convened outside Japan and took place in Paris and was successful in number and range of countries and scientific fields represented. It again showed that the continuing organization of these Symposia aims to present the state-of-the-art frontiers of diffraction structural biology and its cognate fields especially the microscopies and imaging.

Structural Biology has again progressed rapidly after ISDSB2010 and is making clear the reaction mechanisms of molecular machineries which preside within life processes. In terms of technologies and experimental techniques an equally vital set of developments is underway. Of particular note are the arrival of the 'ultimate storage ring' synchrotron radiation sources, the results from the first X-ray Free Electron Lasers and the newer, more intense, spallation neutron sources.  We are again planning to discuss the integration of all kinds of structure determination methods so as to understand more systematically the biological function of macromolecules, and which are closely related to medical care or drug discoveries. We will also intensively discuss a broad range of the latest discoveries in the understanding of life processes at all length scales, from molecular to cellular. These results and developments will firmly, wherever possible, be with respect to the potential and/or actual applications to industrial uses. These discoveries are based on the structures determined by X-rays, electrons and neutrons as the core probes of matter, and by the other novel techniques encouraging the broad development of structural biology.

Given the intense excitement in this field there is a very fruitful potential to invite internationally eminent authorities. This upcoming Symposium will again be identified as supplying the interface between academic and industrial researchers, and also the interface between diffraction technologies and the other active fields to discuss the research breakthroughs.