This is a request for partial funding for an international symposium sponsored by the UNC Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies entitled """"""""Genes and Gene Delivery for Diseases of Alcoholism Symposium"""""""" to be held April 18-21, 2001 at the Carolina Inn, adjacent to the UNC-CH campus. Recent technological advances in gene delivery and DNA microarrays have enhanced our abilities to understand pathological processes at the molecular level and prompt a meeting to review recent advances in our understanding of the role of genes and gene expression in alcohol related pathologies. The goal of this meeting is to bring together scientists that have made significant contributions in these areas and provide a forum for discussing the state of the art studies on genes; gene delivery and pathological processes to application in a variety of alcohol related pathologies. This proposal requests travel support for speakers and travel awards for meeting participants as partial support of the meeting costs. Alcohol related morbidity is among the most common worldwide health problems. As many as 10-15% of Americans will suffer from alcohol dependence within their lifetime and is related to changes in brain function secondary to gene expression and genetic risk factors. Alcoholic cirrhosis is the fourth leading cause of death among urban males. Fetal Alcohol syndrome is the largest known cause of mental retardation and more individuals suffer from the less pronounced Fetal Alcohol Effects syndrome. Thus, directly or indirectly, alcoholism causes a spectrum of pathologies all of which involve changes in gene expression. Gene cascades involved in pathological processes often are similar among different cell types. Studies detailing gene identification and gene delivery techniques will have broad application to other pathologies as well as studies in other tissues. The topics that will be covered in this meeting include 1) CNS Genes and Pathology 2) Genes, Cells and Hepatotoxicity and 3) Stem Cells, Development and Teratology. The format will include invited presentations from prominent investigators and poster sessions. Researchers with interest in the field of neurobiology of alcohol addiction, molecular neuropharmacology, gene therapy, hepatic and fetal pathologies and toxicology will attend this meeting as participants.
