A broadly focused international research meeting on the cytoskeleton and its associated proteins in human diseases is planned from April 17 through April 20, 2001. The meeting, entitled Colloquium on the Cytoskeleton and Human Disease, will be held on the medical/pharmacy school campus of the University of the Mediterranean, specifically at the Faculte de Pharmacie, which is located in the center of Marseille. We expect approximately 150 participants including graduate students and post doctoral fellows. It has become clear that the major cytoskeletal components, microtubules, intermediate filaments, and actin filaments, are involved in a large number of diverse human diseases. Thus our purpose is to assemble scientists to participate in the first broadly-based research meeting on the cytoskeleton and its associated proteins in human disease. New drugs and new targets related to the cytoskeleton and its associated proteins will be highlighted. The meeting will consist of invited lectures, short oral communications, and poster sessions. Topics to be covered include: 1)microtubules and cancer (microtubule-targeted anticancer drugs, drug resistance, new approaches and new compounds), 2)microtubule-associated proteins and neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies, new concepts and new targets), 3)intermediate filaments and disease (keratin and skin diseases, desmin in skeletal and cardiac muscle disease, muscular dystrophy), and 4)microfilaments and disease ()cell adhesion, migration metastasis, infectious diseases, membrane muscle defects, potential new targets). The members of the organizing committee from the United States are Drs. Leslie Wilson, Mary Ann Jordan, Ernest Braguer, Vincent Peyrot, and Bernard Rossignol. Drs. Wilson, Briand, Jordan, Hamel, Marvaldi, and Binder have the primary responsibility for the scientific program, and Drs. Briand, Wilson, Briand, Wilson, Braguer, Peyrot, and Rossignol are in charge of meeting arrangements.
