Understanding the nature of macromolecules and their interactions in solution underpins many fields, including biology, chemistry and materials science. The 24th International Analytical Ultracentrifugation Workshop and Symposium (AUC2019, held in Christchurch, New Zealand, August 2019), brought together 77 international delegates to highlight recent developments in the field. There was a focus on analytical ultracentrifugation, although we recognise that this is but one of the key methods in the biophysicist’s toolkit. Many of the presentations showcased the versatility of analytical ultracentrifugation and how such experiments are integrated with other solution techniques, such as small-angle X-ray scattering, cryo-electron microscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry and more. This special issue emphasises a wide range of themes covered in the meeting, including carbohydrate chemistry, protein chemistry, polymer science, and macromolecular interactions.

了解大分子的性质及其在溶液中的相互作用是许多领域的基础，包括生物学，化学和材料科学。第24届国际分析超速离心研讨会和专题讨论会（AUC2019，于2019年8月在新西兰基督城举行）汇集了77位国际代表，重点介绍了该领域的最新发展。尽管我们认识到这只是生物物理学家工具包中的关键方法之一，但它一直专注于分析超速离心。许多演讲都展示了分析超速离心的多功能性，以及这些实验如何与其他解决方案技术集成在一起，例如小角度X射线散射，低温电子显微镜，等温滴定热分析等。