The New York Academy of Sciences is sponsoring a Conference in viral oncology and cell differentiation that will serve as a memorial to Charlotte Friend, distinguished scientist and teacher, and pioneer in research in these fields. The meeting will be held of September 29 - October 1, 1988 at the Sheraton Center Hotel in New York City. An outstanding group of 28 investigators who were associated with Charlotte Friend through their mutual work and interests will participate in the Conference. They will stress the link between viral oncology and cell differentiation by presenting the latest studies on the biological and molecular mechanisms by which tumor viruses and oncogenes, and their gene products, are able to regulate and modulate cell proliferation and differentiation. There will be ample time for the presentations and discussion. Charlotte Friend's research and contributions were among the first to shown the interrelationship between normal development and cancer and it is fitting that this theme could permeate the Conference. The proceedings will be published as an Annal of the New York Academy of Sciences and will be an appropriate and well-deserved memorial to this outstanding scientist.