Recent advances in studies on selenium: an overview of a symposium held in China

Selenium is an essential nutrient as well as a toxicant. To ensure that the intake is neither deficient nor excessive, much work has been done in many parts of the world. International symposia have been held to facilitate exchange of up-to-date information. The 6th International Symposium on Selenium in Biology and Medicine was held in August 1996 in Beijing, China. Selected papers have been published in Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Some highlights are summarized in this overview.