Human Molecular Genetics concentrates on full-length research papers covering a wide range of topics in all aspects of human molecular genetics. These include: the molecular basis of human genetic disease developmental genetics neurogenetics chromosome structure and function molecular aspects of cancer genetics gene therapy biochemical genetics major advances in gene mapping understanding of genome organisation In addition the journal also publishes research on other model systems for the analysis of genes especially when there is an obvious relevance to human genetics. Key features of the journal include: Articles - comprehensive reports and definitive research findings of interest to a broad audience of human molecular geneticists. We encourage inclusion of full experimental details with as many display items (figures and tables) as required to tell the complete story. Reports - descriptions of novel results of biological and genetic importance in the field. Commentaries - these discuss recent papers in the journal or review areas of particular interest in the field. Now in its eighth year of publication Human Molecular Genetics has clearly become one of the leading journals in this exciting frontier of scientific research. With the enthusiastic support of the executive editors and editorial board we intend to ensure that the journal's reputation for quality is reinforced in the years to come.