description): The objective of the Conference, """"""""The 14th Rochester Trophoblast Conference"""""""" is to provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of new molecular, biochemical, cellular, and clinical studies relevant to many aspects of human reproduction, including developmental, genetic, infectious disease, in particular HIV, toxicological and immunological aspects. The long range goal of this Conference is to foster interactions that could be expected to lead to improvements in human fertility and reduction in HIV infection in children, fetal wastage, reduction in the incidence of important gestational diseases such as premature rupture of membranes, fetal growth retardation, and pre-eclampsialpregnancy-induced hypertension. Additionally, interaction of scientists with those of the jointly held meeting of the Society for the Investigation of Early Pregnancy would be anticipated to lead to new insights into mechanisms of disease. Specific areas of focus are: 1) genetic regulation of blastocyst and placental development, 2) mechanisms of HIV infection and co-infection in utero 3) molecular regulation of essential hormones and growth factors/cytokines which foster pregnancy, 4) regulation of vascular supply and abnormalities of this in disease, 5) relation of inflammatory cells and pregnancy loss on survival, 6) growth factor networks in pregnancy loss, 7) composition and types of immune cells in reproductive tissues, 8) placental expression of major histocompatibility genes, 9) mechanisms of cellular defense against environmental toxicants, especially role of oxidant stress and 10) the effect of fetal health on adult outcomes. The format is designed to integrate recent findings in basic and clinical research. The meeting will be held from 4-8 October 2000. Major additional support is being sought from foundations and private corporations. The purpose of this application is to seek funding to support partial funding for 20 young investigators and trainees to both attend and present their research.
