genic constructs. Five articles are devoted to this topic ranging from the B-cell function in transgenic animals to the various effects on diabetes complications. The section on NIDDM, comprising of 10 articles, deals both with new and existing models, their particular widely varying pathogenesis, genetic character- istics and complications. The animals reviewed include: spontaneously diabetic OLETF rats, Chinese hamsters, Goto-Kakizaki rats, db/db mice, rhesus monkeys, dogs and an article demonstrating the genetic link between the Zucker fa/fa and corpulent cp/cp obese interstrains. We wish to welcome the new members to our Editorial Board, Dr. Hubert Kolb from Dusseldorf, Dr. Alex Rabinovitch from Edmonton, Dr. Takayoshi Toyota from Sendai and Dr. Soroku Yagihashi from Hirosaki. At the same time we would like to thank Dr. Douglas L. Coleman from Bar Harbor and Dr. George Eisenbarth from Denver for their editorial contribution to the previous LAD Vol- umes who have retired from the Editorial Board. With great sadness we have to mention Dr. Otho Michaelis IV from Beltsville, MD who suddenly passed away this year. Otho, or Mike as he was called by friends, made a significant contribution in developing and metabolically defin- ing several strains of corpulent cp rats and was extremely helpful in the editor- ial work of the LAD series. His contribution will remain in a lasting memory of all researchers of animal diabetes.