A strong Instrumentation Division had always been an important part of proposals and policy for the Laboratory, and L. de Maeyer was appointed first Head of the Division in 1976. The work of the Division had to remain on a relatively low level during the period of temporary accommodation, but with the completion of the permanent building it was envisaged that nearly half of the whole activity of the Laboratory would eventually be devoted to instrumentation development. To advise on the research and development programme of the Division an Instrumentation Policy Planning Committee (IPPC) was set up in July 1978.

The plans for the future direction of the laboratory after 1982 affected the Instrumentation Division. The changes were described in the EMBL Annual Report 1982 as follows:

"The change of directors at EMBL led to the formulation of a new scientific programme for the next 5-year period which was unanimously accepted by our Council in June 1982. This programme which is discussed later in this report has led to some changes both in the emphasis and the organization of the scientific effort. EMBL is now concentrating on three basic research areas: differentiation, cell biology and structures. Development of technology will be integrated into these basic research programmes as much as possible. The old instrumentation division has therefore been divided into four units so that all supportive technology from mathematics to biology can be associated with the appropriate scientific groups."

The four units were: physical instrumentation, biochemical instrumentation, biological instrumentation, computing and applied mathematics; in 1987 the last two of these were combined as "biocomputing".

Folder H.183. General correspondence on affairs of the Division: appointments, space and staff allocation, purchases of equipment, projects, visitors, meetings, 1976-1981.

Instrumentation Policy Planning Committee (IPPC).

Folder H.184. Membership: suggestions, invitations and acceptances for full and corresponding members, 1978-1979.

Folder H.185. 1st meeting, 17 January 1979.

Folder H.186. 2nd meeting, 6 July 1979, at DESY, Hamburg.

Folder H.187. 3rd meeting, 7-8 December 1979.

Folder H.188. 4th meeting, 30-31 October 1980.

Folder H.189. 5th meeting, 27-28 January 1982, (chaired by Kendrew). Includes correspondence and papers on proposed "white-beam" camera, preceding and following meeting.