Direct Phasing Methods for the 21st Century

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On Oct. 1-4, friends and colleagues of Herb Hauptman and Jerry Karle celebrated their 75th birthdays at a symposium devoted to challenges for crystallographic direct phasing methods in the 21st century. Isabella Karle began the meeting with reminiscences of the early precomputer days of direct methods and the part she played in developing practical phasing strategies for solving the first non-centrosymmetric crystal structures. At the small molecule end of the scale, the topics ranged over improvements in phasing methodologies for electron diffraction, Rietveld analysis, modulated structures, and molecules of greater than 100 atom complexity. At the macromolecular end the discussion topics ranged from new ideas concerning either phase or structure refinement to the interpretation of marginally phased electron density maps. One of the more refreshing talks was delivered by Brian Crane, a predoctoral candidate at the Scripps Research Institute, who was somewhat stunned by the fact that he was invited to speak after Wayne Hendrickson on the program. Social events included a formal gathering in the historic Albright-Knox Art Gallery where guests were allowed to commune with the likes of Picasso and Van Gogh prior to the symposium banquet held in the Greco-Roman sculpture gallery. Post-banquet festivities included impromptu testimonials from friends and colleagues in honor of the birthday duo and an international song fest organized by the irrepressible Lodovico Riva di Sanseverino. The program was organized by S. Fortier of Queen's U., Kingston, Ontario, Canada and W. Duax.