Problem - Several meetings are available on the national level to share information limited to bone biology. However, few of these meetings provide a forum for the open sharing of information between basic scientists, clinicians and industry. Purpose - The sixth Portland Bone Symposium is designed to update attendees on selected aspects of hard tissue repair and to integrate state-of-the-art knowledge on wound healing with clinical management.
Three specific aims are proposed.
In specific aim 1. Updates, emphasis will include: bone biology, wound healing biology, clinical management, craniofacial wound repair, orthopedics and transplant biology and tissue engineering.
Specific aim 2. Collaboration, organizes the Symposium in a unique environment with a diverse, interactive group of bone biologists, immunologists, cell and molecular biologists, bioengineers, and clinicians (e.g., orthopedists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, craniofacial surgeons and periodontists) from academia, private practice and industry.
Specific aim 3. Education provides ample opportunity for personal interactions among faculty, participants, and students. The small meeting size, focus nature of the presentations, and open forum engenders spirited discussions on product development and applied research avenues for directly improving clinical care. Moreover, to reach a broad base of attendees, students and residents have a substantially reduced registration fee ($50 and $150, respectively vs. the standard $525 fee). Methods - Over the course of the three and one half day program, specific interests areas will include: basic bone histology and biology, wound healing biology, growth and differentiating factors, extracellular matrix, angiogenesis, distraction osteogenesis, ischemic bone disease, treatment of facial injuries, dental and orthopedic implantology, bone banking and disease transmission, biocompatibility, tissue engineering for bone, fundamental aspects of bioengineering and one half day for the state-of-the-art developments from the biotechnology industry. Outcome - A hard cover Proceedings (in excess of 600 pages) of every lecture is provided to each attendee at the beginning of the Symposium. Past Symposia have been published in Clinics in Plastic Surgery, as a supplemental issue of Bone, and in the Journal of Applied Biomaterials. Discussions are already underway to publish the 1999 Proceedings in the journal Tissue Engineering. Benefit - This symposium promotes interactions between clinicians and scientists and is designed to enhance patient care and to prompt exploration of applied and basic science issues relevant to clinical management.
