Meetings begin at 6:30 PM, starting with two talks and discussions, followed by pizza and beer, followed by a third talk with discussion.

One goal of RNA Club is to keep the meetings as informal as possible and to engender lively discussion. While this is a challenge with so many participants, a few simple guidelines should help:

• Even though the audience is interested in RNA and you work on RNA, it doesn't mean they know the background in your area or the significance of your project. The RNA community is VERY diverse in research interests and background. Please give background and tell us how your work fits into the larger picture.

• Talks are EACH 20 minutes plus 10 minutes for questions. It is very important to practice your talk to fit within the 20 minute limit; going over the limit is UNFAIR to the other speakers (remember that some of us have a long ride home ahead of us). You will probably get lots of questions and the discussions are as important as the presentations--that is where you can get ideas and feedback--so reserving the full 10 minutes for questions is critical.

• Overheads and work in progress are very much encouraged. This is where everyone benefits the most and the most dynamic discussions are possible. Please do not feel compelled to 'WOW' the audience, but rather, share with us some of your results and ideas.

• If, for unforseen reasons, you need to cancel or change, PLEASE contact other speakers directly. This is YOUR responsibility. Jeff Pleiss can get you some names of potential alternate speakers, but please check your lab and neighboring labs first. And PLEASE, don't leave this to the last minute; it simply is not fair to others.