The First International Symposium and Pakistan-U.S. Binational Workshop on Natural Product Chemistry represents the first international conference ever to be organised in Pakistan on chemistry. For many years I had aspired to organise such a con- ference, and finally when it materialised in February 1984, it brought together the very best in the field. The result was as expected - a most stimulating series of lectures and discussions, all of which were recorded on videotape for circulation to uni- versities and research organisations in Pakistan. The fields covered during the Symposium include such diverse areas as plant chemistry, marine natural products, insect hormones, glycopro- teins and peptides, synthetic methodology and spectroscopy. I am confident that the papers published here would prove invalu- able to the natural product chemists and biochemists working in the fascinating area of natural products. I wish to record here my indebtedness to Professor Philip W. Le Quesne and Professor Wolfgang Voelter for their untiring efforts in organising the visits of the U.S. and German scien- tists. I am grateful to the National Science Foundation (USA), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, U.N.E.S.C.O., Hamdard National Foundation, Pakistan Science Foundation, University Grants Commission, Ministry of Science and Technology, British Council, B.A.S.F. and E. Merck for providing financial support for the conference. But above all, the conference owes its success to the students and staff of the Institute who worked so very hard.
