The Gibbs conference on biothermodynamics: origins and evolution

The Gibbs conference on biothermodynamics arose in the late 1980's as a 'self-organized' endeavor by researchers at eleven institutions of the US. Over a period of 10 years these annual conferences have grown steadily in size. They have fostered the development of new thermodynamic approaches and their applications in biochemistry. By emphasizing participation by students and postdoctoral fellows they have contributed significantly to the career development of young scientists in this field.