• biochemistry,
• pathobiochemistry,
• clinical biochemistry,
• molecular biology,
• molecular medicine,
• biotechnology,

To achieve these aims, the POLISH BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY

•  
  • holds national and international scientific conferences, symposia, meetings, discussions, lectures and workshops, organized by the Society's General Board, Regional Branches and Interest Groups,
  • publishes scientific journals, books and monographs which cover all the aspects of Biochemistry and its applications,
  • maintains close links with related societies in Poland and abroad.

The POLISH BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY is a member of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS), the European Federation of Biotechnology ( the Society's Biotechnology Interest Group), the International Bioenergetics Group (IUBMB / IUPAB), and European Society for the Study of Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism in Man (European Purine Club).

MEMBERSHIP

Ordinary membership, open to anyone  having published  at least one original paper in the field of biochemistry; Emeritus membership,  offered to ordinary member after retirement from full-time employment; Honorary membership, awarded  by  the Society  Plenary Assembly to distinguished scientists.

INTEREST GROUPS

• Bioenergetics Group
• Biotechnology Group
• Clinical Biochemistry Group
• Connective Tissue Group
• Education Group
• Glycobiology Group
• Nucleic Acid Group
• Purines and Pyrimidines Interest Group

REGULAR SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS:

• The Annual Meeting of the Polish Biochemical Society, hosted by one of the regional branches of the Society each year (600 - 800 participants). 44th Meeting will take place in Lodz in September 2009.
• Parnas Conference - Polish-Ukrainian Biochemical Conference dedicated to Jakub Karol Parnas, hosted in turns by the Polish Biochemical Society or Ukrainian Biochemical Society, every second year. Six Conferences were organized so far, in: 1996 (Lviv, Ukraine), 1998 (Gdańsk, Poland), 2000 (Lviv, Ukraine), 2002 (Wrocław, Poland), 2005 (Kyiv, Ukraine) and 2007 (Kraków). The next onference will take place in Jalta (Ukraine) in 2009.

AWARDS

• J.K.Parnas Prize for the best biochemical research carried out in a Polish laboratory and published a year before the current edition of the competition, awarded every year since 1962;
• B. Skarżyński Prize for the best review published in "Postępy Biochemii" ("Advances in Biochemistry"), awarded every year since 1962;
• W. Mozołowski Prize for the  best research presented during the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Polish Biochemical Society, by a young scientist (up to 30), awarded every year since 1968;
• J. Opieńska-Blauth Prize for the best poster  presented by a student (not necessary a member of the Society) during the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Polish Biochemical Society, awarded every year since 1994;
• A. Dmochowski  Medal for outstanding achievements in biochemical education including books, textbooks, software, laboratory workshops, teaching  programs, films, etc, awarded every second year since 1996 ;
• B. Filipowicz  Prize for outstanding achievements in the popularization of biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, and related fields in the life sciences, awarded every third year, since 2001.;
• Annual Prize for the best research in chemistry and biochemistry of nucleic acids accomplished  in Poland and published a year before the current edition of the competition, since 1997.

REGIONAL BRANCHES

Are established in 12 university cities of Poland : Białystok, Gdańsk, Katowice, Kraków, Lublin, Łódź, Olsztyn, Poznań, Szczecin, Toruń, Warszawa and Wrocław.

PUBLICATIONS

Acta Biochimica Polonica,  research journal published quarterly since 1954, text and summaries in English, publishes experimental and theoretical papers in all areas of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, indexed in Current Contents, Biochemistry & Biophysics Citation Index, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts, Excerpta Medica, Medline;
Postępy Biochemii (Advances in Biochemistry), review journal published quarterly since 1953, text in Polish, publishes review papers in all areas of biochemistry, pathobiochemistry, clinical biochemistry and molecular biology;
Monografie Biochemiczne, monographic series, published since 1962, periodically,  text in Polish, No 42 appeared in 1998 ("The role of motor proteins in mitosis");
Letters to the members of the Polish Biochemical Society, the Society's membership bulletin sent directly to all members at least four times a year. It includes the Society, scientific and professional news, information the activities of members, announcements and programs of meetings, symposia, workshops etc.

STATUTES OF THE POLISH BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY

I. NAME, AREA OF ACTIVITIES AND SEAT

1. The name of the organization is the Polish Biochemical Society, hereafter referred to as PBS
2. The area of activities of PBS is the Polish Republic.
3. The seat of PBS is in Warsaw.

II. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

1. The aim of PBS is to promote and support all aspects of Biochemistry. 
2. To achieve these aims, the PBS
   1. a) organizes conferences competitions, scientific discussions, meetings, lectures and workshops. 
   2. b) initiates or publishes scientific magazines, books, and brochures  which cover all the aspects of Biochemistry and its applications 
   3. c) evaluates the state and needs of Biochemistry in Poland, and deals with all matters concerning Biochemistry with the authorities. 
   4. d) maintains contact with related societies in Poland and abroad. 
   5. e) sources for governmental and public institutions subsidies for PBS activities
   6. f) appoints from amongst its members commissions to execute the appropriate tasks.
3. PBS has all the rights of a corporate body and thus may acquire personal property and real estate.
4. PBS has its own seal with the sing Polskie Towarzystwo Biochemiczne.

III. MEMBERS RIGHTS AND DUTIES

1. 8. PBS members are divided into ordinary and honorary members 
2. 9. Anyone having done scientific work in the field of biochemistry may become an ordinary    member. 
3. 10. Anyone wanting to become an ordinary member of PBS must submit an application to the Board, including information on education and scientific achievements. 
4. 11. Admittance to the Society is granted by the Board by way of normal majority vote. 
5. 12. Honorary members are chosen during the PBS Plenary Meetings by a 2/3 majority vote. 
6. 13. Every member, ordinary and honorary, has the right to take part in the Plenary Meeting, the right to choose and to be chosen, the right to move resolution and to vote on PBS matters. 
7. 14. Ordinary and honorary members obtain PBS publications at a lower price. 
8. 15. The registration fees of an ordinary member and member's fee is established by Plenary Meeting. 
9. 16. If membership dues are not paid for two years ordinary membership is revoked. 
10. 17. Ordinary membership may be withdrawn for acts unbecoming to a member or for actions deemed as detrimental to the aspirations of the society. The withdrawal of membership is resolved by the Board based on a 2/3 majority vote and if withdrawn, the motives must be communicated to the member in writing, on demand. A member who loses his membership has the right to appeal to the Plenary Meeting. 
11. 18. Every member has the right to resign at any moment from the PBS on condition that he informs the Board in writing. Furthermore, he is obliged to pay membership fees until resignation. 

IV. AUTHORITIES OF THE SOCIETY AND THEIR FUNCTIONS 

1. 19. The highest PBS authority is the Plenary Meeting. It establishes the main directions of the Society work, resolves the preliminary budget, organizes Board elections and is the last instance of appeal in cases of membership canceling.
2. 20. Plenary Meetings are divided into ordinary and extraordinary. Ordinary Plenary Meeting are summoned by the Board at least every two years to deal whit the Board's end of term. Extraordinary Plenary Meetings are summoned by the Board at is own initiative after a unanimous decision, written demand of the Revision Commission or the demand of at least 1/3 of the ordinary members.
3. 21. The Plenary Meetings elects the chairman of the Society in a secret vote by a majority. A record is kept of the course of proceedings for which the chairman of the Meeting and a secretary appointed by him are responsible. 
4. 22. Two dates are normally established for Plenary Meetings. The resolutions adopted on the first date of the Plenary Meeting are legally valid if resolved by more than half of the total number of ordinary and honorary PBS members. If the meeting does not take place on the first date because of the absence of a quorum , the Plenary Meeting on the second date is legally valid no matter what the number of participants is. Resolutions are passed by a simple majority of votes except for resolutions dealing with changes in the status, granting honorary memberships and withdrawal of memberships. These resolutions need a 2/3 majority of the members present at the Plenary Meeting. 
5. 23. The Plenary Meeting is legally valid if the notice and agenda are dispatched to PBS members at least three weeks before the date of the meeting.  
6. 24. The daily proceedings of ordinary Plenary Meetings are established by the Board.
7. 25. The Board organizes scientific conferences at least every two years. Such conferences may take place with each Plenary Meeting. Guests brought in by members (and accepted by the chairman) may take par in the scientific conferences. 
8. 26. The Board of the Polish Biochemical Society works according to the Statute and directives of the Plenary Meeting. The term of the Board is 2 years. 
9. 27. The Board is composed of: President, Vice President, 3 members of the Board (including the Secretary and Treasurer) and chairmen of provincial departments. 
10. 28. The Plenary Meeting elects by ballot: (a) the President, (b) The Vice President, (c) 3 members of the Board, (d) the Revision Commission. The Plenary Meeting also elects 2 deputy members, who will become Board members, in case a full member resigns.  
11. 29. If the President resigns, this function is taken over by the Vice President until the next Plenary Meeting. 
12. 30. The Meeting of the Board is called by the President or Vice President. Three members of the Board and Revision commission also have the right to call a Board meeting. All members of the Board and the provincial departments have to be presented with the agenda of the meeting 7 days in advance. 
13. 31. The meeting of the Board needs at least the presence of three members of the Board including the President or Vice President. 
14. 32. The resolution of the Board is established by majority vote with exception the of issues described in article 17. In case of tie in the voting a decision is taken by the President. Official records of all deliberations are kept. 
15. 33. The President of the Board represents PBS in internal and external relations. The financial documents are signed by the President and cosigned by the Treasurer, all other documents are signed by the President and co-signed by the Secretary. 
16. 34. The Vice President acts as a substitute for the President in case of article 33, if for important reasons the President is unable to do it. 
17. 35. The Secretary is responsible for correspondence, keeping records of the meetings of the Board, and preparing activities reports. For trivial correspondence the signature of the Secretary is satisfactory. 
18. 36. The Treasurer is responsible for the finances, presents financial reports and sings the financial documents. 
19. 37. The Revision Commission consists of a chairman and 2 members elected for 2 years. 
20. 38. The Revision Commission routinely monitors activities of the Society and at least once in 2 years has to the Plenary Meeting a written report describing the finances a general report. The Revision Commission has to present to the Plenary Meeting a proposal concerning the "vote of acceptance".  
21. 39. The Society Court mediates in cases involving members. For the judgment two referees are chosen, one by each party concerned, and these 2 referees choose a third person, who acts as the chairman of the Court. 

V. THE PROPERTY OF THE SOCIETY

1. 40. The property of the Society consist of the registration fees, annual dues, donations, etc. Selling or buying of a property requires the approval of the registration organ. 

VI. THE PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS

1. 41. In order to fulfill the aspirations of the Society in other cities, provincial departments can be established with minimum membership of 5 persons. 
2. 42. The provincials departments elect a chairman and secretary; they are responsible for relationship whit the Board. 
3. 43. The main activity of the provincial departments is the organization of local scientific meetings.  
4. 44. To cover the costs of their activities, the provincial departments receive a percentage of the income accruing dues, as determined by the Board. 
5. 45. The provincial departments are obliged to present annual reports of their activities to the Board.

VII. GENERAL STATEMENT

1. 46. Changes in the statutes can be made exclusively by the Plenary Meeting of the Society in the presence of at least 2/3 of the full and honorary members. The proposed changes should be communicated to all members at least three weeks in advance 
2. 47. Dissolution of the Society has to be performed during the Plenary Meeting with the acceptance of at least ? of the full and honorary members. 
3. 48. Dissolution of the Society can only be accomplished by a committee of persons elected by the Plenary Meeting. 
4. 49. In the event of dissolution of the Society, the manner in which the Society's properties are distributed will be decided during the last Plenary Meeting. This has to be confirmed by the registration organ.

This English translation was attested in 1997 to by: