Support is requested on a one-time basis to partially fund a China/US conference on to role of saliva in oral health. The conference will take place at the School of Stomatology of the Beijing Medical University, Beijing, China from October 5, 1998, to October 7, 1998, and has been developed through extensive interactions between the PI and the Dean of the School. The purposes of the conference are: 1.) to bring together Chinese and U.S. researchers with an interest on saliva and its role in oral health, in order to exchange information and ideas on research approaches and advances; 2.) to enhance interest in this area of research among Chinese investigators by bringing them up to date on the most recent scientific advances and technological developments in this area; 3.) to create opportunities for research collaborations and interactions among the participants; 4.) to enhance the U.S. researchers' understanding of research resources available in China, including special populations whose study can advance research in the area of saliva and oral health at the basic, clinical/epidemiological and health promotion levels. The conference will have 4 components: a.)a basic sciences component covering topics such as salivary gland development regulation, mechanisms of secretion and of signal transduction and gene expression; b.) a correlation component dealing with salivary components and the epidemiology of salivary dysfunction; c.) a clinical science component covering to role of saliva as a diagnostic tool in oral and systemic disease, its role in host defense mechanisms and saliva and A.I.D.S.; d.) a session on health promotion in oral health. There will also be a round table discussion on possible research collaborations. Chinese investigators will present their work in oral and poster form in all of the sessions. Invited speakers will give review lectures and interact with the local investigators at question/answer periods and informal discussion sessions. A volume of extended abstracts of these presentations will be compiled and distributed to the participants and to the members of the National Committee on Oral Health in China. Up to 100 attendees are expected. The conference will support scientific exchange and collaboration between the U.S. and China and enhance the international outreach of NIDR and NIH.
