The international conference "Lipases and Lipids: Structure, Function and Biotechnological Applications" was held in Santorini, Greece from the 6th to 8th of May 1999. The main purpose of the conference was to bring together the most relevant information on lipases and lipids. The recent data and future trends were discussed by leading scientists in the field. The study of lipases and lipids is remarkably interdisciplinary, a fact that underlies the interest of meetings such as the Lipases and Lipids Conferences. In the Santorini Conference, scientists of different backgrounds, from basic to industrial and biomedical research, converged on a common objective: advancing scientific knowledge as it relates to the multiple features of lipases and lipids. As shown in the contents, the contributions in this book are grouped under six general headings in order to help the reader locate easily the manuscript of his interest. These six topics are: ― Structure and function of lipases ― Physicochemical behavior of lipids and its influence on lipase activity ― Expression and regulation of lipases ― Lipases in organic synthesis - Lipase selectivity ― Lipases and lipids of biomedical interest ― Biotechnological applications of lipases