Calendar: 1962-1963 Page 432

ANNUAL REPORT Higher Degrees Ph Puller X-ray diffraction and stereochemical studies of the molecular structure of deoxyribonucleic acid and other biological macromolecules י Ph Prior Electroluminescence in diamond Departmental Notes Progress in the preparation of plans for the new department of Bio- physics in Drury Lane was slower than indicated in the last Report It is now expected that conversion of the premises will begin at the end of 1961 full occupation will not be possible before the middle of 1963 The postgraduate course in Biophysics received increased support during 1960-61 and this period also saw the Inaugural Conference of the British Biophysical Society which was held in the College on December 19th and 20th 1960 Over 200 delegates from all parts of the world attended and of the 29 contributed papers 10 were presented by mem- bers of the staff of the sub-Department of Biophysics and the Medical Research Council Biophysics Research Unit Research Research in biophysics under the direction of Professor Randall continued with considerable momentum and significant progress was made towards the solution of various problems under investigation Particular mention should be made of the investiga- tion of fine structure in invertebrate muscle and the further evidence that has been obtained on the sliding filament mechanism of contra- diction both from these studies and from cognate physiological and X-ray-diffraction experiments Hanson Lowy Elliott Worthington and Millman The flagella of bacteria as distinct from the more complex flagella and cilia of higher organisms and tissues are under investigation Dr Burge made proposals for the packing of polypeptide chains in bacterial flagella which are consistent with the hitherto unexplained X-ray results of Astbury Mr Watson developed improved methods for the isolation of cilia of the protozoan Tetrahymena and these are being studied biophysically and biochemically in various ways Extensive studies of contractile and non-contractile stalks of certain peritrich protozoa were made by Professor Randall Certain fibrous structures in these stalks have their structural origin in bodies very similar to those associated with cilia and known as kinetosomes One of the outstanding important problems is to find out whether the kinetosomes merely organize proteins and other molecules into the ob served ciliary structure or whether they do in addition synthesise these molecules Experiments of various kinds have been designed to pro- duce answers to these questions Much of the biophysics research including that of Dr Μ Wilkins Dr Brown and Dr Coombes was concerned directly or