This is a request for funding for the Third International Conference on """"""""Drugs of Abuse, Immunodeficiency and AIDS"""""""". This Conference is the third symposium on this subject in this series. The two previous symposia on this subject were held in the Tampa Bay area, in December, 1989 and the second one in May, 1992. These were very successful conferences and it was recommended by all speakers and participants that these conferences should be held every two years. Thus, this request is for funding for the third conference in the series. The previous one was funded partially by NIDA after the application, in the amount of about $57,000, was enthusiastically approved. Because of financial limitations, only approximately one third of the funds were available for the conference. Nevertheless, the conference was very successful. In this regard, it is now widely acknowledged there is a strong relationship between drugs of abuse and immunomodulation. Drugs of abuse are considered important cofactors in development and progression of acquired immunodeficiency (AIDS) due to infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The relationship between immunomodulation induced by drugs of abuse and immune dysfunction is a major area of interest for many biomedical scientists and clinicians. It is acknowledged that subjects at risk for AIDS and those who are infected with HIV and develop the disease are abusers of drugs such as opiates, cocaine and marijuana, as well as alcohol. Therefore, a major goal of these symposia has been to bring together internationally renown biomedical scientists to discuss not only what is known concerning the nature of immunomodulation induced by such drugs of abuse, but also important issues which must still be studied in both man and experimental animals to define the mechanisms whereby such agents influence immunity. The interrelation between the effects of such drugs, AIDS and the neurological system (i.e., psychoneuroimmunology), has also been a major aim of these conferences. Thus, this specific application is for funds for the third conference which will feature approximately twenty-five speakers. The majority of the speakers are from the United States, but four are from Europe. Funds requested are mainly for expenses for these speakers, including transportation and housing cost. We are also requesting a small amount of funds to defray the expenses for printing announcements, programs, abstract booklet, etc., and a minimum amount of funds for personnel.
