We request funds to help support the forthcoming FASEB Summer Research Conference on the Biology and Chemistry of Vision. The conference will be held on July 21-26, 1991, at Copper Mountain, Colorado. The goal of the meeting is to advance our understanding of the visual process and the treatment of retinal diseases.
Its specific aims are: (1) to summarize our current state of knowledge, (2) to provide a forum for in-depth discussions that will lead to new concepts and productive lines of investigation, (3) to encourage exchanges of ideas between scientists working in various disciplines, (4) to expose students and young investigators to new research opportunities, and (5) to relate new research findings to the pathogenesis and treatment of retinal diseases. The theme of the conference will be 'Molecular Approaches to the Studies of Visual Transduction and Retinal Diseases'. Eight scientific sessions will focus on the structure and genetic defects of the visual pigments, the biochemistry and physiology of the light-stimulated enzyme cascade, the molecular basis of adaptation, invertebrate visual transduction, molecular genetics of vision in Drosophila, common motifs in transduction mechanisms, photoreceptor cell biology, and hereditary diseases of the retina. A key note address on the relevance of basic research to the treatment of retinal diseases will be delivered by a clinician-scientist. New to the conference will be a technical workshop designed to introduce to conference participants the latest practical methods in molecular biology and microscopy. The workshop will include topics on in situ hybridization, transgenic mouse methodology, polymerase chain reaction, and scanning tunneling microscopy. Finally, two afternoon poster sessions will be held to enable all participants to present their latest work and exchange ideas. This conference will promote new ideas for future investigation and foster collaborations among interdisciplinary researchers. It will serve to entice young investigators into vision research, eliminate repetition among laboratories, and enhance the productivity of many research projects supported by NIH grants.
