Extraordinary progress in genome sciences, high speed synthesis, and screening technologies is providing unprecedented opportunities for revolutionising drug discovery and development. In parallel, the pharmaceutical industry is undergoing exceptional change with acquisitions, mergers and cost contamment forcing re-evaluation of research investment. This meeting examines the key scientific and strategic factors which will influence the discovery and development of novel therapeutic agents for the 21st centtry, and is orgartised under three major themes:- (i) novel therapeutic approaches emanating film genome science advances, such as rihozymes, antisense and genetic vaccines, with emphasis on agents close to, or under, clinical evaluation (ii) the potential for important biological processes such as apoptosis, signal traiisduction, gene transcription and tumour suppression to provide new drug targets (iii) technology advances which have made a real impact on drug discovery and development. While the programme reflects a range of interests relevant to pharmaceutical research, presentations will focus on recent scientific advances, rather than overviews. Thus, this conference will provide a unique opportunity for academic, industry and government research scientists to confront the major issues facing drug discovery over the next decade. The program is specifically aimed at active scientists, and not senior managers, and will be of significant benefit to post graduate students. For example, speakers cover a wide variety of scientific disciplines ranging across medicine, chemistry, biology, mathematics and genome sciences which will provide an extraordiLary level of multi-disciplinary interactions. Moreover, there will he extensive participation by European scientists which will spark healthy debate with US colleagues. In addition, the four evening sessions will be led by prestigious scientists who have been asked for provocative presentations to stimulate informal discussions. Due to the breathtaking rate of advance within the scientific themes, of our conference, we have left around 20% of our programme open until later in the year in order to maximise inclusion of late breaking scientific advances. Finally, poster sessions will allow disclosure of unpublished data, particularly from younger researchers.
