The 6th Conference on Drugs of Abuse Immunomodulation and AIDS will take place in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Committee on the Problems of Drug Dependency (CPDD) on June 11-13, 1998 at the Princess Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona. The meeting presentations will combine basic research with strong clinical correlates in the area of drug-induced alteration of the immune system with a particular emphasis on the significance of these alterations to infectious disease progression. These results have immediate relevance in terms of diseases epidemic in street drug addicts including tuberculosis and AIDS. The conference participants will include both basic and clinical researchers in the areas of: 1. the pharmacology and cell biology of the interaction of drugs with immune cells; 2. the immunology involved in drug-immune system interactions; 3. the role of the central nervous system in the drug-induced immune effects; and 4. the physiological significance of these drug-induced immune changes with regard to disease progression. In this latter category, talks will focus on both animal and human models of retroviral infections with a strong emphasis on the epidemiological aspects of the disorders. The goals of the meeting are to bring together the preeminent researchers in this field and provide a forum for them to present their most recent data. Because of the diverse backgrounds of the participants the meeting serves as a medium for education of these investigators in methodologies and approaches that are not part of their primary training. The meeting also is a tool for the education of the new generation of scientists entering the field of drug abuse. To this end Young Investigator Travel Awards are available to allow participation of these students at the meeting. Finally the results of the meeting will be disseminated by appropriate means as quickly as possible after the end of the meeting.
