Partial support is requested for the 3rd International Symposium on the biology, structure, and function of serpins, to be held in Chicago, Illinois June 2-5, 2002. This conference will be the third triennial gathering of basic and clinical scientists from around the world to focus specifically and solely on the superfamily of proteins known as serpins. This is a rapidly-growing area that is heavily supported by research grants from NIH, particularly NHLBI and NCI. Previous meetings were held at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1996, and at the University of Cambridge, England in 1999. The present meeting will be sponsored by the University of Illinois at Chicago. The emphasis will be on the relationship between the basic properties of serpins in both normal and variant forms and how these relate to both normal human physiological processes and disease. Ten sessions will address either basic structural and mechanistic questions of serpin function or the involvement of serpins in normal and disease states. 34 invited speakers will be from four continents and represent experts in the field. 24 additional short talks (10 minutes plus 5 minutes discussion) will be selected from submitted abstracts to provide additional opportunities for junior scientists to present their work. Two poster sessions will also be held. It is expected that about 200 scientists will attend the meeting. These will include both Ph.D. and M.D. researchers, with both basic and applied, disease-oriented perspectives, interests and expertise. Organized in this way, the conference is expected to accomplish the following goal (i) To provide a venue for bringing together basic scientists addressing serpin function at different organizational levels to better relate the roles of serpin structure and mechanism to physiological behavior. (ii) To bring together basic scientists and clinical scientists to identify the roles of serpins in normal and pathological human conditions to foster development of therapeutics, diagnostic tests and treatments that depend on understanding of basic serpin function. (iii) To provide participants with the latest information on serpin mechanisms of action and involvement in normal and abnormal physiological processes by including many short talks selected from submitted abstracts, in addition to the earlier-selected main talks. (iv) To provide all participants with many opportunities for in-depth discussion with speakers and poster presenters, with the goal of cross-fertilization between disciplines and encouragement of collaborations. (v) To provide an opportunity for promising junior scientists and minorities to play a major role in the meeting.
