Preface to the proceedings

This is an exciting time for the fields of computational intelligence and bioinformatics. It is a time when biologists look to the world of computer science for assistance in understanding pattems and relationships in an overwhelming amount of data. It is also a time when new algorithms and approaches in computer science are leading to true computational intelligence and machines that can outperform humans in terms of speed and pattem recognition. Those same algorithms are finding their way into the realm of bioinformatics and computational biology. Advancement in both of these disciplines requires an exchange of thought and ideas and this can be difficult in light of the very different technical languages spoken by these audiences. The 2004 IEEE Symposium on Computational Intelligence in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (CIBCB) was held in La Jolla, Califomia October 7-8, 2004 and was designed to encourage advancement and application of computational intelligence in biology. There was a significant intemational representation, with participants coming from research centers in Europe, Asia, and North and South America. Special acknowledgment goes to Dr. Russell Doolittle for providing the opening keynote lecture, to the members of the organizing committee who all contributed greatly in making this first Symposium of its kind a reality, and to the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society not only for their overall sponsorship but their additional generosity in offering four student travel grants. These proceedings provide a written record of the synergy that already exists between these communities, and represents a solid framework from which new interaction will result in the future. I look forward to watching this conference evolve over time and to leaming more at this and future IEEE CIBCB Symposia. Please enjoy the technical program, enjoy La Jolla and San Diego, and continue to pave the way for applications of computational intelligence in biology.