Proteins are of fundamental importance in all aspects of cell structure and function. The study of proteins has always formed a central part of biochemistry, and recent expansion in the range and sophistication of available techniques has provided a wealth of new information. The current methods and approaches used to gain a better understanding of the structure of proteins are described within this book, while other articles focus on the role of proteins within the cell. Most of the articles have appeared previously in the monthly review journal Trends in Biochemical Sciences (TIBS), with a few commissioned specifically for this collection, which should appeal to students, lecturers and researchers interested in the form and function of proteins.