"The known is finite, the unknown infinite; intellectually we stand on an islet in the midst of an illimitable ocean of inexplicability. Our business in every generation is to reclaim a little more land, to add something to the extent and the solidity of our possessions."

-Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley F.R.S (1900)

Biology in its current form is a modern phenomenon. Despite its relative youth, biology has been rapidly progressing in recent decades. Partly, this progress is due to the invention of new instruments, which make studying the hitherto elusive aspects of complex biological systems feasible. On the other hand, the influx of new concepts and methods from other areas of science, such as mathematics and physics, is in part responsible for our new understanding of biological entities.

The School of Biological Sciences at the Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM) was founded in 2012 to foster interdisciplinary research concerning the boundaries and the fundamental equations of biology. To achieve this, organizing a symposium on the latest reach at the forefront of biological sciences seemed necessary. Such a symposium should possess two main characteristics: Firstly, it should include esteemed Iranian researcher from abroad, as well as those working in Iran. Secondly, it has to foster scientific discourse between scientists and students. Inviting esteemed Iranian researcher from abroad eradicates the linguistic barrier, thus facilitating the exchange of scientific ideas.

Given the accelerating growth in biological sciences, the School of Biological Sciences decided to organize a symposium entitled “Frontiers in Biology”. The goal of this symposium is to introduce researchers and students working in Iran with cutting-edge research in biological sciences. The keynote speakers include Iranian researchers working at top universities abroad. The decision to invite esteemed Iranian researcher from abroad was made to bridge to global society of distinguished Iranian scientists tackling questions in the frontiers of biology to those conducting their research in Iran.