This volume investigates the state of photobiological research as presented at the 9th International Congress on Photobiology. The authors, including John Jagger and W. Shropshire, compile peer-reviewed findings and technical reports to establish a comprehensive overview of how light interacts with biological systems at the molecular and cellular levels. The text serves as a formal record of the scientific discourse occurring within the field during the mid-1980s.

Experts recognize this text as a foundational archival record for historical research into 20th-century photobiology. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for professional researchers and students in the biological sciences.