) The American Urological Association Office of Education is sponsoring an educational conference entitled """"""""Preclinical Animal Models in Prostate Cancer Research"""""""" (August 4 - 6, 2000, Houston, Texas). The goals of this conference are twofold. We wish to assemble established investigators in the field of prostate cancer animal models to discuss current perspectives regarding pathogenesis, chemoprevention, and the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Moreover, the use of animal models in defining prostate cancer risk as well as the evaluation of novel therapeutic strategies will be explored. The conference will include one full day and two half-days of presentations and discussions. A series of state-of-the-art lectures will be presented. In addition, there will be a number of panel discussion sessions to encourage interactions among established and new investigators on a variety of important topics. Topics to be covered include the epidemiology of prostate cancer, overview of prostate cancer molecular genetics, in vitro model systems, transgenic model systems, xenograft model systems, spontaneous animal models, and models of hormone dependency. Funding is requested to attract participation of selected senior investigators from established research laboratories in Urology as well as investigators from fields outside of Urology but pertinent to the pathogenesis of prostate cancer. These individuals will present the state-of-the-art lectures on new advances in the field, which may directly or indirectly affect our understanding of prostate cancer and the therapeutic approaches to the disease. Funding is also requested to support travel and lodging of the junior investigators. This educational conference will have a significant impact on young investigators engaged in prostate cancer research.
