In recent years, thrombolysis has undergone a rejuvenation and become an extremely dynamic and active field of scientific investigation. Some of the most innovative and sophisticated approaches of molecular biology, receptor biology and protein structural analyses have been brought to bear on dissecting the molecules of the fibrinolytic/thrombolytic system and their functions. At the same time, thrombolytic therapy and adjuncts to this therapy have become a major foci of clinical investigative studies both in animal models and in humans. In addition, major clinical trials have been organized to assess efficacy and to,optimize thrombolytic therapy. By virtue of these multiple facets of thrombolysis, this area has become a focal point of multiple disciplines including molecular biology, biochemistry, cardiology, hematology, pathology, physiology and pharmacology. These scientific disciplines have been applied to the thrombolysis area in basic clinical and biopharmaceutical settings. The explosive interest and developments in thrombolysis served as the impetus for the organization of the first Thrombolysis Gordon Conference. This meeting was held in March, 1990. It was fully subscribed and was regarded by the participants as being a resounding success. Indeed, it fulfilled the primary goals of a Gordon Conference to create a meeting in which the most current information was freely exchanged among participants from diverse scientific backgrounds. Based upon this success, the Thrombolysis Gordon Conference has been instituted as a continuing series. The second meeting will be held as a Winter Gordon Conference on March 23-27, 1992 in Ventura, California. As thrombolysis remains highly topical and rapidly changing, a Thrombolysis Gordon Conference will again be extremely appropriate and timely. Partial funding for this meeting is requested in this application. A tentative program has been proposed and attempts to represent the full gamut of topics in the thrombolysis area. We anticipate that this Gordon Conference will provide the ideal forum for presentation and active discussion of the most current information in the thrombolysis area and will also identify the new areas, directions and problems for future investigations.
