Title - Preface - Foreword - Contents - List of authors

In the two years which have elapsed since the First International Workshop on Biosensors was held at the GBF in 1987 (1), the attractiveness of the field has further increased. Major reasons might be found in the growing numberof biosensors now under commercialisation, in the permanent stimulation through novel sensor design and bio-technology, and last not least, in several attractive governmental programs. The Federal Ministry of Research of Technology (BMFT) in Bonn, W.-Germany, is presently supporting biosensor R&D with a funding of 15 Mill. DM over the period of 1988 to 1991. Earlier BMFT programs were directed towards sensors in medicine and machinery ("microperiphery"). Against this background, a national status seminar on the state of this technique was clearly desirable, and the GBF as the National W.-German ResearchInstitute for Biotechnology (which funds a large in-house biosensor research unit) was entrusted with the organisation. As a format, an international workshop comprising the four countries of German language was chosen; at the same time, it was decided that the proceedings would be published in English language in order to benefit international cooperationin this field. As a result, about 100 scientists from the FRG, the GDR, Austria and Switzerland gathered in a warm and sunny Braunschweig on May 22 and 23, 1989. The statistics of this meeting summarized in Table 1. In spite of the limited time available, all posters were briefly explained during thefirst plenary session, and all participants from industry agreed to outline the particular interest of their company in biosensor R&D. Both features are believed to have greatly stimulated communication during the workshop. While the limitation to participants of German language obviously set limits to the overall format, it was felt helpful by industrial, academic and governmental participants to get a better perspective of this area of research in Central Europe. In appreciation of the many excellent contributions which are summarized in this monograph,it can be maintained that biosensor R&D in the FRG, the GDR, Austria and Switzerland is very active and of high quality. It is beyond doubt that in the years to come some of the equipment presented during this workshop will find its way to the marketplace. In addition, some of the novel concepts described at this workshopare hopedto stimulate international research. In 1991 the progress in this field will be discussed on a Biosensor workshop organized in the GDRonthe basis of a contract between BMFT and the Ministry of Science and Technology of GDR. The editors of this Proceedings would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to all speakers and exhibitors of posters, and to many colleagues at the GBF who helped so much in organizing the event*