Candida albicans is a commensal that colonizes skin and mucosal surfaces. It is also an agent of opportunistic disease of these surfaces as well as internal disseminated disease. While infections of cutaneous and mucosal surfaces may be a cause of significant morbidity and affect millions of Americans annually, they are not life threatening as is disseminated disease. In the mid-1980's a growing number of researchers were attracted to the study of pathogenesis of disease. In response to the need for exchange of ideas among this group, the first ASM Conference on Candida and Candidiasis was held in 1987 with an attendance of about 115. Since this time not only have the number of researchers grown but so have the number of patients with disease. Oral mucosal disease is unfortunately a nearly universal complication of AIDS and Candida has now become the fourth leading cause of nosocomial blood stream infections. In recent years there has been an emergence of azole resistant strains and increased frequency of non-albicans isolates, particularly those that are inherently drug resistant. This conference has been held every three years and is the premier forum for researchers engaged in study of the biology, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of candidal infection. However, at the 6th Conference in 2002 a large majority voted that the meeting by placed on a two-year schedule. Accordingly, the 7th Conference will be held March 24-28, 2004 at the Hyatt Regency in Austin, Texas. The goal of the 7th Conference is to continue to provide the forum to present the state of the art research and for investigators to meet and discuss their work informally. This 7th Conference is expected to have an attendance of 300 - 400 and the presentation of 150-200 posters. The topics that will be covered in the oral and/or poster sessions include: 1) mating and genetics, 2) epidemiology and population studies, 3) signaling and morphogenesis, 4) biofilms and pathogen interactions 5) genomics and proteomics, 6) drugs and resistance, 7) cell wall and surface molecules, 8) diagnosis and treatment, and 9) host response. Speakers and attendees are expected to represent the international community of Candida researchers with both established and new investigators as well as students and trainees present. Many of the speakers, in addition to at least 12 graduate students and postdoctoral associates, will be selected from abstracts. NIH through various institutes and programs has generously supported many of the American presenters and attendees of this conference, as well as the previous two conferences and it is hoped that NIH will join ASM and private sources in providing financial assistance for this upcoming 7th Conference in 2004.
