At the end of March, SEPnet/National Physical Laboratory PhD students, Alex Browning (Surrey) and H�ctor Corte-Le�n (Royal Holloway), organised a conference at Southampton University with the help of the SEPnet Graduate Network (GRADnet). The conference on�Functional Scanning Probe Microscopy Techniques brought together PhD students from the nine SEPnet universities to promote interaction with senior researchers in the field of scanning probe microscopy.

With almost a year of planning, this conference represents one of a series�which focusses�on�giving�students (Alex and H�ctor in this case) an opportunity�to develop their professional skills by contacting speakers, advertising the conference and�coordinating the timetable for the different talks and poster sessions.

The main areas covered at this year's�conference included biotechnology applications (e.g. study of cell�s membrane stiffness); in-situ magnetic force microscopy (application of magnetic fields during the imaging process) and functionalized probes and the interaction with the sample�s surface (e.g. by attaching proteins to the apex of the probe).

Delegates gave positive feedback about the conference and welcomed the opportunity to present talks to their peers and�senior researchers and to network with other institutions.