The funds requested herein are for the support of pre- and post-doctoral trainees to attend three annual conferences of the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society (PNIRS), Research Perspectives in PNI. There are over 300 members of the PNIRS from the U.S. and abroad, of whom about 30% are trainee members. The PNIRS officers are: Robert Dantzer, President; Mark Laudenslager, Secretary; Dana Bovbjerg, Treasurer; Ronald Glaser, President-elect; Christopher Coe, Past-president. A Program Committee includes Robert Dantzer, Ronald Glaser, Mark Laudenslager, Dana Bovbjerg, Lucile Capuron, Monica Fleshner, Cobi Heijnen, Rod Johnson, Virginia Sanders, Manfred Schedlowski and Linda Watkins. All trainee awardees will be selected on the basis of the scientific excellence of their submitted abstracts. A considerable body of research suggests that psychological factors alter susceptibility to illness and affect disease progression. To determine the mechanisms by which psychological factors have this effect, it is essential to promote and enable interactions among immunologists, neuroscientists, and behavioral scientists. This conference will provide an outstanding opportunity for trainees to interact with researchers in the field of psychoneuroimmunology (nervous-immune system interactions and their clinical implications). They will learn about available resources for collaborative work, additional training opportunities, and issues related to technical aspects of analysis in the areas of immunology, neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, endocrinology, psychology, and health evaluations, among others. The meeting agenda includes the Norman Cousins Lecture, five symposia, plenary presentations and poster sessions selected from submitted abstracts. In addition, a number of training-related activities are planned for each annual meeting consistent with the society's commitment to training: specialized Educational Courses; Senior Faculty-trainee colloquia; symposia with a focus on career development (e.g., NIH funding opportunities: Grant writing); and panel discussions (e.g., teaching PNI). Other more informal venues (e.g. breakfast and luncheon roundtable meetings with senior investigators, trainee dinners) will foster research collaborations and interactions between senior scientists and trainees. Across three years of funding, an Advisory Committee comprised of senior scientists and """"""""graduates"""""""" of the trainee travel award program will oversee this organizational commitment to research training within the context of the PNIRS conference.
