? ? Acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia and influenza are an unmet public health challenge demanding greater focus and attention. Progress against such infections will require a multidisciplinary strategy. Individual scientists studying acute respiratory infections need to be informed by the research of others from different disciplines. Research teams must be built, with collaborative science conducted by groups of investigators coming together to approach the problem of acute respiratory infections from different perspectives. We propose 1 specific aim, to convene a meeting of scientists studying acute respiratory infections to share data, ideas, approaches, and viewpoints. The proposed meeting will draw from a wide variety of research communities, including lung biologists, microbiologists, immunologists, physiologists, epidemiologists, and more. Despite this diversity, the meeting will be small in order to facilitate meaningful interaction. The short-term goal is to enhance communication among individuals and groups studying acute respiratory infections from different vantage points. The long-term goal is to develop and encourage creative and multidisciplinary investigations discovering innovative and effective prevention and treatment strategies for acute respiratory infections. (End of Abstract) ? ? ?
