A long-standing tradition and goal of these annual symposia is to attract a faculty of outstanding quality and scientific leaders to address a timely and current tipic of interest and relevance to cancer. Invited speakers are asked not only to present their most recent data, but to identify areas and issues for future study. Educational opportunities, especially for students, are provided thoughout the meeting by design. Ample time is scheduled for formal questions/answers during each of the six sessions. Additionally, poster sessions are scheduled at which proffered poster abstracts are displayed. Apecial emphasis is made to encourage student and junior faculty participation I these sessions. Time for informal discussions is provided during breaks and scheduled food functions (lunches in the poster room and receptions. The symposium will focus on fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying cancer metastasis. This area of research has seen many new developments in recent years including the discovery of new molecules involved in the processes controlling tumor dissemination. Furthermore, mutations have been identified in a large number of regulatory proteins that can derange normal host tumor interaction in favor of malignant cells with metastatic potential. The theme of the meeting will be devleoped via six sessions: Session 1) Genetic Alterations Underlying Cancer Progression; Session 2) Angiogenesis; Session 3) Adhesion, Motility and Invasive; Session 4) Growth Factors, Growth Factor Receptors, and signaling; Session 5) Advances in Brief; and Session 6) Host Tumor Interaction. In addition, the Ernst W. Bertner Memorial award will be presented to Dr. Judah Folkman, of the Harvard Medical School whose laboratory is largely responsible for our understanding of angiogenesis and its underlying role in tumor metastasis. The wilson S. Stone Memorial Award will be presented to an outstanding young scientist whose research in the filed of metastasis has presented to an outstanding young scientist whose research in the field of metastasis has made significant contributions to biomedical science.
