The Perinatal Research Society was created 22 years ago to foster scientific interchange among persons whose research interests are in the area of perinatal medicine and developmental biology. Once a year, pediatricians, obstetricians and basic scientists are brought together for an intensive two-day meeting for presentations by outstanding scientists and for extensive discussions. Initially, the membership consisted of 99 scientists with one-third made up of each discipline: Pediatrics, Obstetrics, and Basic Sciences. The membership has been increased to 150 members, but the same distribution among disciplines has been maintained. The original and continuing charges of the Society are: 1) encouragement of communication and collaboration between young investigators and those more established; and 2) provision of active and productive interchange between scientists of different disciplines who share a common research interest in perinatal biology. The specific purpose of this grant is to provide monies for partial support of travel expenses for young investigators (less than six years after completion of postdoctoral training) attending the meeting. Names of these individuals are solicited from chairpersons of a variety of departments, including obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics, as well as from deans of American medical schools and from NIH grantees. The annual meeting provides a forum for interaction among pediatricians, obstetricians and basic scientists that is unique. We feel that the Perinatal Research Society, better than any comparable activity, conveys the excitement and possibilities of perinatal research to young investigators.
