We are requesting partial financial support to defray speaker travel expenses associated with the 14th meeting of the International Society for Prenatal Diagnosis (ISPD), to be held June 1-4, 2008 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The ISPD is a unique, multidisciplinary society that includes obstetricians, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, clinical geneticists, laboratory-based geneticists, genetic counselors, fetal surgeons, researchers, social scientists, and ethicists who work within the discipline of prenatal diagnosis. The ISPD meets every 2 years in different locations. The 2008 Scientific Program includes 24 internationally renowned invited speakers, and 8 thought leaders who will debate 4 different timely topics within the field. Enthusiasm for the conference is evidenced by the fact that 100% of the invited speakers accepted the invitation to participate. In addition, oral and poster presentations will be accepted from submitted abstracts. Topics to be covered include state-of-the-art cytogenetic diagnostic techniques (array-comparative genomic hybridization, copy number variation), preimplantation genetic diagnosis, fetal imaging, placental function and fetal growth, twin-to-twin transfusion, effects of obesity and viral infection on birth defects, fetal cardiac therapy, population screening for single gene disorders, and cell-free nucleic acids in maternal blood. As a result of attending the ISPD conference participants will be exposed to a wide-range of timely topics that will directly affect their clinical practice and will create new research agendas. Exposure to the debate topics will inform participants regarding current areas of controversy. The multidisciplinary topics and varied backgrounds of the attendees will lead to lively scientific interchange and out-of-the box thinking. Project Narrative The goal of prenatal diagnosis is to provide pregnant woman and their partners with information that allows them to build healthy families. Prenatal diagnosis also allows an opportunity to provide fetal therapy. The goal of this conference is to inform and promote discussions between clinicians, scientists, non-physician health care providers, clinical laboratory directors, and social scientists regarding work in this discipline. As a result of the conference, participants will be able to identify limitations and gaps in current practice and knowledge and develop a research agenda going forward. ? ? ?
