Research in hybrid metaheuristics is now established as a reference ?eld in the areas of optimization and problem solving. Hybrid metaheuristics have a strong impactonapplicationsbecausethey providee?cientandpowerfulproblemso- ing techniques for optimization problems in industry. Furthermore, the related interdisciplinary research community provides a fertile environment where in- vative techniques are presented and discussed. The International Workshop on Hybrid Metaheuristics pursues the direction of combining application-oriented and foundational research. This is dem- strated by the papers in the proceedings of this 7th HM event. The contri- tions selected for this volume represent an important sample of current research in hybrid metaheuristics. It is worth emphasizing that the selected papers cover both theoreticaland applicational results,including applications to logistics and bioinformatics and new paradigmatic hybrid solvers. As is the tradition of the workshop, special care was exercised in the review process: out of 29 submissions received, 14 papers were selected on the basis of the reviews and evaluations provided by the Program Committee and Program Chair members.Reviews were detailed and reviewers provided authors with constructive suggestions for improving their work. Special thanks are extended to the Program Committee members who devoted their e?ort and time to this service. We believe that this selection of papers will be of interest to researchers and scholars working in the area of optimization and problem solving. Moreover, we hope that, by showing the success of ideas generated from connections - tween two di?erent research ?elds, we can stimulate cross-fertilization between computer science and engineering.

Research in hybrid metaheuristics is now established as a reference ?eld in the areas of optimization and problem solving. Hybrid metaheuristics have a strong impactonapplicationsbecausethey providee?cientandpowerfulproblemso- ing techniques for optimization problems in industry. Furthermore, the related interdisciplinary research community provides a fertile environment where in- vative techniques are presented and discussed. The International Workshop on Hybrid Metaheuristics pursues the direction of combining application-oriented and foundational research. This is dem- strated by the papers in the proceedings of this 7th HM event. The contri- tions selected for this volume represent an important sample of current research in hybrid metaheuristics. It is worth emphasizing that the selected papers cover both theoreticaland applicational results,including applications to logistics and bioinformatics and new paradigmatic hybrid solvers. As is the tradition of the workshop, special care was exercised in the review process: out of 29 submissions received, 14 papers were selected on the basis of the reviews and evaluations provided by the Program Committee and Program Chair members.Reviews were detailed and reviewers provided authors with constructive suggestions for improving their work. Special thanks are extended to the Program Committee members who devoted their e?ort and time to this service. We believe that this selection of papers will be of interest to researchers and scholars working in the area of optimization and problem solving. Moreover, we hope that, by showing the success of ideas generated from connections - tween two di?erent research ?elds, we can stimulate cross-fertilization between computer science and engineering.