Abuse of alcohol has varied effects on the immune system. In the past 10 years, much progress has been made toward understanding the effects of alcohol on the immune system, and it is gratifying to see study results from a number of laboratories begin to coalesce into some unified themes. The process of developing unified concepts of alcohol's effects has been advanced through small meetings (eg, meetings organized by the Co-organizers of this grant) dedicated to the topic of alcohol's effects on the immune system. The meetings that have been held by the Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG), dedicated specifically to alcohol and immunity, have been held since 1991. By holding the AIRIG meeting as a satellite to the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) meeting, junior scientists (eg, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty) can attend both meetings. Results from the past two meetings would strongly support this idea, and a number of students, fellows, and junior investigators were able to attend the AIRIG and RSA meetings and interact with senior investigators with common interests and investigators with international reputations in basic immunology. One important aim of this meeting is the opportunity for students and fellows to present their data to peers. It is proposed that a series of one and one-half-day meetings-held as satellite meetings to the RSA annual meeting-be held and devoted to discussion of effects of alcohol on the immune system. The next meeting will be held June 19-20, 1998, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel (host hotel for the RSA, Hilton Head, SC). The 1999 AIRIG meeting will be held June 25-26, 1999, in Santa Barbara, CA. The site for the 2000 RSA meeting is not yet decided.
