Drug abuse and AIDS are overlapping important problems for Puerto Rico and the USA. Despite the almost explosive growth in knowledge of determinants of drug addictive behavior there are still substantial gaps on the interaction between drugs of abuse and disease progression in HIV infected individuals. This proposal seeks resources to hold a conference in Puerto Rico that will join key, cutting edge researchers in the fields of dug abuse and AIDS with a community of Puerto Rican investigators who are interested in the dynamics of drug abuse and AIDS. The objectives of this meeting are: 1. To bring together island and mainland speakers and participants from multiple disciplines essential to the proper study of the drug-abuse/AIDS connection. An outstanding group of program chairs from the disciplines represented have been called on to conduct the symposia. The program will feature discussion groups concluding each session aimed at fostering free flow of ideas and highlighting of problem areas in drug-abuse/AIDS research that demand specific research attention. 2. To provide a training experience for young graduate and postdoctoral students, and young investigators in the area of drug-abuse/AIDS research. Individuals in these categories from the islands and the mainland will be encouraged to submit abstracts for brief talks and poster sessions. They will also have access to a separate session planned to explain the grant-writing process and the funding resources and processes in the area. 3. To disseminate the information generated in this symposium via publication of the science presented. We have the support to accomplish this objective from editors of at least two appropriate journals. The long term objective of this conference proposal is to foster the preparation of inter-collaborative research proposals that join mainland and Puerto Rican investigators in efforts designed to better utilize the island's unique clinical and animal research resources to address important unresolved issues in the area of drug abuse/AIDS research while furthering, also, the capabilities of island investigators and students in this vital area of research.
