9511941 Jones The field of molecular analysis of the structure of arthropod venom proteins has recently made rapid advances that appear to interrelate what were previously isolated lines of research. Up to the present, there has never been an international format to bring together international researchers and students investigating the molecular structure of protein toxins in arthropod venoms. The objective of organizing such a gathering has now been accomplished with the scheduled symposium of principle investigator speakers, for which funding support has been identified. It is highly appropriate that this next generation of students observe, and better yet, be involved with, the formulation of ideas for future directions of the field that will come from the gestation of the discussions of their mentoring principle investigators at this first of its kind symposium. However, full funding has not yet been identified for a proposed graduate and postdoctoral poster session in connection with the parent symposium. The proposal seeks the remaining partial support for the cost of participation of graduate and postdoctoral students, including women and minority students, that is necessary to enable the proposed poster session to be established and attended by the students. %%% Predatory and parasitic arthropod inject a wide variety of venoms and toxins into tissues of their prey or hosts. These venom proteins and toxins cause a range of physiological effects, but their exact mechanisms of action are not well understood. At the 1995 Pan American meeting of the International Society of Toxinology, there will be a symposium that brings together for the first time the major national and international researchers who are studying the molecular structure and action of these proteins. Toward the education of a next generation of researches in this area, a companion poster session for students will be held, in part under the sponsorship of the National Science Founda tion. Through their attendance of the symposium by their participation in this poster session, the students will become exposed to the scientific methods and results used by the major researchers in the field. In addition, the students will be exercised in the presentation of research to colleagues in the field, and will also have the opportunity to meet with the major researchers whose labs the students may seek to join in higher postdoctoral training. ***
