from the application): Alzheimer Disease has become one of the major areas of research in neuroscience. There has been a tremendous increase in the rate of excellent publications on Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. The Biennial International Conferences on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders which started in 1988 attracting over 350 scientist from around the world. The First International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease was held in Las Vegas in July, 1988, the Second conference in Toronto, Canada in July, 1990, attended by approximately 750 scientist, the Third conference in Padova, Italy, 1992 attended by 1,000 scientist, the Fourth conference in Minneapolis in 1994 attended by 1220 scientists, and the Fifth conference in 1996 in Osaka, Japan attended by over 1,600 scientists. Since the last Conference in 1996, important information continues to be made regarding the etiology clinical course, differential diagnosis, epidemiology and risk factors, histopathological course, genetics, molecular genetics, model systems, and therapeutics, as well as related neurodegeneration.
The specific aims of the grant application include publicizing the Sixth conference, soliciting and reviewing abstracts, encouraging talented junior investigators (graduate student, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members up the rank of assistant professor). Amsterdam, the Netherlands has been selected as a site for the Sixth Conference for several reasons. This is intended to be an international conference. The First and Fourth Conferences were held in the United Sates (Las Vegas and Minneapolis), the Second Conference was in Canada (Toronto), the Third in Padova, Italy, the Fifth in Osaka, Japan, and the Sixth in Amsterdam, Holland. For the Seventh Conference we will not only return to the United States, but link the program with the Alzheimer's Education Program meeting to create a one of a kind event to increase the visibility of Alzheimer's disease science. The Program Committee lead by Don Price has developed a superb list of invited speakers, solicited a large number of abstracts, and the Alzheimer's Association has worked very hard to achieve significant corporate funding. The application requests funds to pay for the travel of junior investigators; they will be selected on a competitive basis. If this application is funded, it will make a major contribution to the success of the Seventh International Congress on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders.
