(taken from the application) Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common inflammatory arthritis, affecting 1% of the population. Recent insights have established that the genetic background, especially the structure of the class II major histocompatibility genes, plays a critical role in an individual's susceptibility and the severity of the disease. The current understanding of cytokine networks, chemokines, growth factors, and adhesion molecules have led to the appreciation that T-cell dependent and T-cell independent pathways contribute to the initiation and perpetuation of rheumatoid arthritis. Furthermore, much has been learned about the specific cellular and biochemical events responsible for the bone and cartilage destruction that characterizes this disorder. The purpose of this meeting is to provide detailed discussion of these critical pathogenic processes in rheumatoid arthritis with a focus on using this information to identify novel and innovative approaches for therapeutic intervention. Moreover, we plan to bring together experts in the pathogenesis of RA and inflammation drug discovery in order to provide a unique environment that will stimulate discussion and interactions between investigators.
