Prenatal alcohol exposure continues to present a serious and global public health problem. It is estimated that 2-5% of live births in the U.S. are affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, and the consequences on the exposed child include a range of physical, neuropathological, and behavioral effects referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). This application requests funding for partial support of the 2020-2024 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Study Group (FASDSG) meetings, which are held annually as a satellite conference preceding the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) meeting. The goal of the meeting is to move the field forward and, ultimately, to identify ways to better recognize, prevent and treat FASD. The FASDSG is the premier scientific organization in the U.S. that focuses on FASD and the annual meeting provides a unique opportunity for a broad range of researchers, including basic, medical, clinical, and social scientists, to meet and discuss how we can achieve these goals. Thus, the FASDSG meeting creates interdisciplinary integration among basic science, human, clinical, and epidemiological FASD-related research efforts and progress. Participants of the meeting provide updates on new research, discuss and debate issues in the field, and interact and form scientific collaborations. Partial support from NIH has been critical for supporting high quality speakers who are leaders in their field, including areas outside of alcohol research, to present at the FASDSG meeting. Outside expertise stimulates novel ideas and approaches that may be applicable to FASD research. This support has also been essential to grow the cadre of young scientists entering the alcohol field, by providing travel awards for the brightest and most promising students and junior investigators. Stimulating interest among new investigators is key to maintaining progress in the field. Specifically, this application requests continued funding for travel and registration fees for young investigators (students and postdoctoral fellows), as well as meeting-related expenses, such as fees for invited plenary speakers. Additionally, this application requests support for the FASDSG website, which provides a mode of communication both within the FASDSG and with the public. Overall, the FASDSG meeting fosters progress in the FASD research field by providing a critical venue for communication and collaboration among FASD researchers.
Prenatal alcohol exposure is estimated to affect 2-5% of live births in the U.S., resulting in a range of physical, neurological, and behavioral effects referred to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The annual meeting of the FASD Study Group provides a premier forum for discussion and collaboration among researchers focused on this serious public health problem. This grant provides support for young investigators and experts outside the field of FASD to participate in the meeting and to inform and engage efforts to better recognize, prevent and treat FASD.
