7th SYMPOSIUM OF THE BRAZILIAN SOCIETY ON TOXINOLOGY (SBTx) was held in September, 2002, in Pirenópolis, Goiás, Brazil. It was coordinated by Professor Elisabeth Schwartz from Laboratório de Toxinologia, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, IB, Universidade de Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, CEP 70910-900 Brazil. Email efschwa@unb.br