In the beginning of November the Icelandic biological society and associates organized a conference on biological research in Iceland. This event has run biannually since 2009, and before that it was organized by the society and the Institute of Biology at the University of Iceland (every 5 years).

This time around we expanded the international scope of the conference, by inviting more plenary speakers from abroad (with support from Biomedical Center at the University of Iceland) and organizing session on the ecology of geothermal systems in collaboration with Jon S. Olafsson at the Institute of Freshwater research and his associates.

The plenary speakers were

• Mina Bissell – Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory – Why don’t we get more cancer?  The crucial role of Extracellular Matrix and Microenvironment in metastasis and dormancy
• Greg Gibson – Center for Integrative Genomics, Georgia Institute of Technology – Decanalization and the Evolution of Disease Risk
• Robert Hindges – MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology  – How do we see the world: Mechanisms to establish specific circuits in the vertebrate retina
• Steven E. Campana – Marine Academic Research in Iceland, University of Iceland – Adventures in the Arctic: First steps towards a pan-Arctic conservation strategy for lake trout
• Brynhildur Davidsdottir – Program for Environment and Natural Resources, University of Iceland – Environmental sustainability in Iceland; the role of biology
• Snorri Baldursson – Head of Landvernd (Icelandic nature preservation society) – Náttúruvernd á krossgötum

In addition, Guðmundur Eggertsson and Sigrun Lange gave honorary talks as the recipients of the Societies awards for great career (GE) and promising start (SL).

On a personal note it was wonderful that my friend and inspiration Guðmundur Eggertsson gave a talk and that my Ph.D. advisor Greg Gibson could visit Iceland. Greg also gave a great guest lecture in the human genetics class and successfully chased down the auroras.

This was the fourth conference of the biological society that I participated in organizing, and I think the best one so far. Nevertheless this also my last as I am stepping down as chair of the society, but the young ones are well up to the task.