INTRODUCTION

The 19^th international conference of plastination was held in Dalian Medical University, Dalian, People’s Republic of China (PRC). The conference commenced after the hands-on plastination training workshop held at the Hoffen Biotechnique company. The workshop was attended by 34 people from nine countries. The workshop was on the S10 plastination technique, and P45 sheet plastination. The participants testified that P45 sheet plastination is relatively easy and produces good results.

Forty participants from fifteen countries attended the conference which was graced with posters and oral presentations on plastination and research in plastination. At the oral presentations, new developments in plastination on teaching, research and popular science were discussed. The Editor-in-Chief invited every member of the International Society for Plastination to submit at least one paper a year in the Society’s journal, The Journal of Plastination. The International Society for Plastination’s biennial Business Meeting was not left out, it was held on Saturday, 21^st July.

The participants will have a life-long memory of the Welcome party which was held in the world’s first museum to display only plastinated collections, the ‘Mystery of Life Museum’. The participants dined in the museum and had the opportunity to have a look at what the museum has to offer.

The participants visited the Department of Anatomy, Dalian Medical University, and where acquainted with the Department’s teaching and student activities. They toured Dalian Hoffen, the world’s biggest and most advanced plastination laboratory. There was also a tour around Lushunkou, which is a small historic town where the University is situated. The Gala Night was another very memorable social activity, where the participants enjoyed traditional Chinese opera, and tasted various Dalian sea foods, thereby having a feel of the Chinese culture.