This proposal seeks support for the biennial conference on Neurodegenerative Diseases: Biology &Therapeutics, which will take place December 3 - 6, 2014 at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). This meeting brings together scientists who investigate both basic and translational aspects of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. For many such disorders, steps in the disease processes remain unclear and thus biomarkers have not yet been identified. For other disorders, existing treatments are designed primarily to provide relief from symptoms, and do not address the underlying degenerative processes. Translational research is therefore needed to develop and validate novel diagnostic strategies as well as new therapeutics that might halt or stem disease progression, rather than simply alleviate symptoms. The conference will advance knowledge in neurodegeneration by providing a forum where scientists from distinct laboratories and institutions, both academic and from industry, can interact with each other. It will include sessions on prion-like neurodegeneration, risk factors an co-morbidities, RNA metabolism, glial biology, immune and small-molecule therapies, and gene inactivation strategies. For human studies utilizing new treatments for neurodegeneration to be informative, it is crucial that scientists who research different aspects of those treatments meet regularly in a setting like CSHL to exchange data and ideas. The 2014 CSHL meeting on Neurodegenerative Diseases: Biology &Therapeutics will build on the successes of prior CSHL meetings to assemble an international gathering of scientists, discuss new developments in the field, and catalyze innovative research collaborations, all of which will ultimately accelerate the pace of discovery.
The number of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease is approximately four million in the U.S. alone, with associated costs of $60 billion per year. Coupled with the prevalence of Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and other neurodegenerative disorders, it is clear that neurodegeneration is an urgent public health concern. For many such disorders, steps in the disease processes remain unclear;for other disorders, existing treatments are designed primarily to provide relief from symptoms and do not address the underlying degenerative processes. Research is therefore needed to develop and validate novel diagnostic strategies as well as new therapeutics that might halt or stem disease progression, rather than simply alleviate symptoms. The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory conference on Neurodegenerative Diseases will advance knowledge in the field by bringing together scientists who research different aspects of neurodegeneration;thus, catalyzing scientific interactions that will ultimately accelerate the pace of discovery.
