Major goals of biological physics are the understanding of biological systems in physical terms and the study of concepts and laws of complex systems. Working towards these goals requires a close collaboration among biologists, chemists, computer scientists, mathematicians and physicists. Close contact between biologists and those working in the physical sciences is, however, still too rare. The symposia on biological physics are designed to help close the gap. Topics included structure, solvation and folding of biomolecules; dynamics of proteins and nucleic acids; electron and proton transfer in bioenergetics and enzyme catalysis; from cells to organisms; micromanipulation, elasticity and macrostructures.