As Co-Chairmen of the IFPAC-08 Scientific Board we invite you to participate in the IFPAC-08 Conference which will be held January 27-30 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, located within Baltimore's Inner Harbor. IFPAC is the leading conference in process analysis and technology and this will be our 22nd International Forum for Process Analytical Technology.

Process Analytical Technology is a key to an effective implementation of the Quality by Design (QbD) initiative as a way to achieve effective process understanding and control. IFPAC-08 will be an exciting forum to learn about recent developments in the field of process analytical chemistry, technology and control applications in many different industries.

The IFPAC-08 program promotes multi-industry dialogue and allows for discussion of real-life applications of PAT.

The Plenary session on the first day will feature a cross-section of presentations from industry, government, and academia. The various perspectives on Regulatory Concerns, and how Process Analytical Technology may be utilized to improve manufacturing efficiency will be invaluable. Conference Tracks (or Streams) are provided covering multiple topics of interest including: Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology manufacturing, Sensors and analyzers built on chips, Chemometrics and Multivariate Analyses, Data Analysis and Emerging Techniques, Method Reliability, and overall Process Understanding and Control.

IFPAC has a history of providing high quality presentations by analytical and process technology leaders in addressing a variety of sessions on topics including: spectroscopy, chromatography, biologics, knowledge management, and sampling systems. In addition, evening workshops promote lively discussion of current issues and throughout the conference there are many opportunities for networking and informal meetings.

For over 20 years IFPAC has brought together practitioners from industry, academia and government to engage in active discussion of new trends in measurement technology. IFPAC-08 is no different, in that you can debate with your peers and to help shape the way that Process Analytical Technology will evolve. We welcome you to IFPAC-2008. Come and take advantage of this outstanding opportunity to hear and learn from the experts and develop productive relationships with other professionals in your field. We hope to see you in January 2008!

Moheb Nasr FDA CDER Co-Chairman

Mel Koch CPAC Co-Chairman