Introduction and historical perspective / K.A. Foster, P. Hambleton, and C.C. Shone -- Three-dimensional protein structures of light chains of botulinum neurotoxin serotypes A, B, and E and tetanus neurotoxin / S. Swaminathan and R.C. Stevens -- Mechanisms of actions of neurotoxins / H. Bigalke and T. Binz -- Vaccines to protect against neurotoxins / L.A. Smith and I. Henderson -- Inhibitors of clostridial neurotoxin proteinase activities / J.J. Schmidt and K.A. Foster -- Introduction to clinical use of botulinum neurotoxins / M.P. Barnes -- Expanding clinical uses of botulinum neurotoxins / A.P. Moore -- Development of therapeutics based upon clostridial endopeptidase activity / K.A. Foster and J.A. Chaddock -- Use of neurotoxins as drug delivery systems / P. Foran -- Conclusions and future perspectives: botulinum neurotoxins as paradigms for development of microbial effector-derived drugs / J.M. Sutton